The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-05
Notes and Queries.
PUBLIsHED EVERY SATURDAY

~OsSS SsAS~ S>$AA$Ss
PUBLIsHED EVERY SATURDAY,
I. Give fun name and postoffice ad-
dress.
2. Send no questions which can be an
swered by the common reference or
text books.
3. In answering queries. always give
the number OF the query and date of
paper in which IT appeared.
Direct all communications 10 Notes
and Queries. Evening News, Proyi-
dence.
QUERIES.
13. Roger Williams and several other
early settlers are said To have come
over I'm the ship Lyon. Is there any
list OF the passengers in this ship. or
any authority for rhe statement be-
yond that given in the personal narra-
tives of each individual settler?
II. S. III.
IA. Who was the author of a poem
published, presumably in Rhode ISL
and, dated April 4, 1866. and entitled
"Altahulah?" G. 5. Il.
Is. In reading a western paper re-
Gently / came across the following adj
dress: Philip NJ. Grape. Burlington, Ia.
Does any one in this city know whether
this man is a descendant OF Phil
though il is many years since this pict-
uresQue character passed away. i well
remember his features and often to-
day / hear men as old as l relate REM
iniscences OF his many eccentricities.
l have often wondered whether he left
any descendants. 8. q. F.
16 An old map in my possession places
the date Of the Christopher Dexter
house in East Providence. at the cor
ner OF Massasoit avenue and North
Broadway. as 1879. As I have always
been interested in this ancient dwelling.
j would like to know IL there Is any
authority for assigning this as the date
or erection. w. $. ID.
ANSWERS.
6. Someone asks, is the Providence
Female Charitable Society one hundred
years old? and Is its membership con-
fined to lineal defendants Of those who
established 1t? These questions arose
doubtless from paragraph in the
Woonsocket Evening Call congratulate
ing the society upon the completion OF
its century of existence and noting the
condition OF membership. No, the So
ciety will not be one hundred years old
until october. 1902. The General As
sembly granted the charter at that
time. No society under that name had
ever before existed. In March, 1900.
some Providence women proposed" a
Society Of Females for the relief OF
INDECENT women and children. 1t was
organized on the first OF April. In 1901
constitution was adopted under the
name Providence Female Society for
the Relief OF INDECENT Women and Chill
dren." The next year the Providence
Female Charitable Society was created.
II grew out of the two formations
which preceded It. There we're II wom-
en- named in the charter. but they did
not represent II different families: and
no provision in the charter permits the
retention OF membership 70 those who
are lineal descendants. Such a regula-
tion ia whimsical.
Z. Our querist No. doubtless refers
TO two photographs of Providence. taxi
en- in 1858 by DIR. William II. Helme
Helme was dentist here at that time,
and man Of very singular mind
much given to mechanical and to scien-
tific study. He conceived the idea of
taking these photographs and certain
gentlemen advanced sufficient money to
pay the cost. Two views were taken.
one OF which was nearly destroyed by
the cracking OF the cullodion on the
plate: but sets enough were printed TO
give each contributor one. None were
ever sold. Almost at the beginning OF
the war OF the Rebellion, DIR. Helme
went south on some secret mission to
the slaves. He was the friend OF the
slaves. and nothing was ever heard
from him so far as the people here were
concerned.
3. John Faxon, who was graduated
at Rhode Island college I'm 1887, was
born In Braintree, Mass, June Z. 1863.
and was the son OF Azariah and Dorcas
(Penniman) Faxon. He married widow
Lydia (Gardiner) Champlin of Newport.
II. l., and at the time Of his marriage
was living in that town. About 1905
he removed to Machias. and afterward
TO Lubec. Me. He practiced medicine,
and seems to- have been generally
known as Dr. Faxon He NAV have
been engaged i'm the profession OF law
at Newport. but the evidence of this
Is not clear: nor has Il been possible
to find that he held any public office
which authorizes the title OF Hon"
given IN the "Vinton Memorial" lie
served throughout the latter part OF the
Revolution. from 1850 to 1883. He died
April rs. 1926. His widow died July l3
isis They had five children. two of
whom died In infancy. Authorities for
these details can be found i'm the Vim
ton Memorial. and also IN tho History
OF the Faxon family.