The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-29
POINTS ON PAWTUCKET.
The Death Of an Aged and Re-
spected Citizen.
NEARLY NINETY YEARS OLD
MIR. Gideon l.. Spencer's Career Social
Points-The Y. M. G. A. Exhibition
Good TempIars Elect Officers - The
Pawtucket Congregational Churches.

their regular semi-monthly meeting last
evening in Tower Post Hall, the Honorable
Commander Joseph +. Holland presiding.
Considerable routine business was trans
acted, and one candidate was elected to
membership member One proposition , was also
mittee was received, showing the resent
masquerade social given by the society to
have been a success financially. One new
member was reported on the sick list. A
communication was received from the
they would be present to install the of
ficers for the ensuing term at the next
meeting.
The officers were elected as follows:
Hon. commander, G. III. Roberts. Jr.,
vice commander, Charles Brickell; re-
corder. G. !. Cranshaw; scribe, Herbert
guide, Burt Hecks; inside sentinel,
Thomas Whitehead; outside sentinel,
John Pearson; chaplain, William Pen
gally; past commander, Joseph E.-Hel-
land; trustees. w. III. Nerr, j. w. Green
head, Joseph 4. Holland. District
Deputy Henry Norton was present, and
addressed the meeting.
The Death of Gideon L. Spencer.
Gideon Lawton Spencer, one of the old
est residents of Pawtucket, died at his
home, on North Main street, at 1890
o'clock this morning, after an illness of
little more than a month. He became a
ictim TO the grip just before Christmas,
nd since then has been gradually failing.
lie was born in East Greenwich in 1903,
where his father, Lawton Spencer, a sea
captain, resided when at home. AS Gideon
remembers it, his fathers vessel was lost
during war with some foreign
sxl. -
up following the sea and and took took
a position in mill in this place, situated
on the present site of the Dexter Yarn
Company, in which mill Samuel Slater
had an interest. Gideon was set to work
here tending breaker" at s1.50 per
week, working fourteen hours day. He
worked in this and the old Slater mill un-
til he was IA years of age, when, owing to
a slight mishap one day when he was feel
ing tired and sick, he left declaring he
would never work in a mill again. He
thereupon learned the trade of tailor,
serving a regular apprenticeship, and
working for a salary of $25 per year and
board. After serving his apprenticeship,
at the age of 81 he left Pawtucket and
went TO Boston, Lowell and vicinity, re-
turning after about months absence
He borrowed small amount of money
and set up tailoring establishment in a
small room on the site of the Amos M.
Read block on Main street. In this he
was successful, building up an extensive
business and In less than three years en-
ployed more than a score of hands and be-
came the second merchant tailor in the
State.
At the age of "a he married Susan w.
Carpenter, daughter OF the late Job Car
penter of Providence. Soon after he pur-
chased a part of the Wilcox and Spencer
building on North Main street, next to
the Manchester block, where he continued
the Ia loring business until 1876, when he
was bought out. During this time he
held several town offices, and was one of
the three commissioners who built the
wooden bridge across the river at Main
street, where the granite bridge now
stands.
When the Dorr war broke out he was
appointed by the governor to raise a COM
pauy of volunteers, which he did. Sub
sequently he was appointed one of a
court martial to carry out martial law in
Pawtucket. Since then he has held a
number of public positions, was president
Of the North Providence Bank, was one
Of the first directors of the Pawtucket In
stitution for Savings and also of the
Pawtucket Gas Company and the Provi-
hence and Worcester Railroad Company.
He was an active supporter of the free
public library, rendering the use of one of
the rooms for its location for five years,
and was a regular attendant at ST. Paul's
Church. He leaves five children and three
grandchildren.
Good Templars Elect Officers.
Blue Bell Lodge of the Good Templars
held meeting last evening. and initiated
one candidate and received two PROPOSE
tions for membership The following ofii-
GERS were elected for the ensuing term:
&. T., Robert Galloway; V. T. Agnes Nc
Creadie; s. of j. T., Amelia Miller; secre-
tary, d. G. Patton; financial secretary, G.
Cameron; treasurer, Jennie Jeffrey; col
lector, X. McCreadie; marshal, NJ. Hyde;
guard, I'll. Reid; sentinel, G.. Reid; trus-
tees, George McCreadie, ID. c. Patton, Rob
ert Galloway. During the evening Sister
badge for bringing in the larg-
est number Of members.
The Y. M. G. A. Exhibition.
The gymnasium exhibition and contest
for prizes at the rooms of the Young
Mems Christian ASSOCIATE on this evening.
is promised to be made as interesting as
can be. Ladies and ge ntlemen alike are
invited TO these exhibitions, which are
free to all. The programme will be rs
follows, beginning promptly at o'clock
Dumb-bell drill, spring board leaping,
parallel bar work, Indian club race, bar
vaulting and chair complications.
court Love ana ITutn, n. ~. fs
The regular semi-monthly meeting of
Court Love and Truth, Ancient Order of
Foresters of America was held last even
ing. Four candidates were initiated and
three propositions for membership re-
ceived. The committee on the union con-
cert and bal held in Music Hall on the
Sth inst, made a dartial report showing
that their work was progressing, aud will
probably make n full report at the next
meeting A committee of ten was APP
pointed to arrange for "a social TO be given
the last Friday in February in their hall,
littlefleld block. Ex-Treasurer NJ. n.
NORM was presented by the court with n
members certificate, handsomely framed.
At the close of the business meeting
$ peeches were made by visiting members
from Court Manton. Woodlawn and
Flower of Dexter
Annual Meeting of the Pawtucket Con-
gregational Church.
The annual meeting of the Pawtucket
Congregational Church was held last
evening in the vestry of the church, the
Rev. Alexander McGregor presiding The
report OF the clerk was read, and ordered
IL