Trails to the Past

Kent County, Rhode Island Biographies

Personal Paragraphs of Coventry

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Source: The History of Washington & Kent Counties
Written by J. R. Cole published in 1889 by W. W. Preston & Co.

Emory A. Hall was born in 1831 in West Greenwich. He is a son of Freeborn and grandson of Thomas, whose father was David Hall. He has been a member of the town council three years and assessor of taxes one year. He was married in 1853 to Sarah, daughter of Fones W. Tarbox. They have five children : Benjamin F., Charles A., Remus, Mary J. (Mrs. E. W. Moor) and Hannah A. (Mrs. H. A. Hopkins). Mr. Hall is a member of Summit Grange, No. 15, P. of H.

Job W. Harrington was born in West Greenwich in 1842. He is a son of Whitman and grandson of Job, whose father, Job, came from England and settled in Exeter, R. I. Mr. Harrington is the youngest of seven children. He was a farmer until 1883, when he succeeded William Stone in the store where he now is. He keeps a general grocery store, and deals in hay, grain and feed. At one time he paid some attention to short wood and shingles. He owns a grist mill here that he bought of Mr. Moon. He was married in 1860, and his wife died in 1875, leaving four children : Orville F., Antha J., Bernard A. and William H. He was again married in 1879 to Evangeline E., daughter of Dudley Hall. They have three children : Irving F., Job A. and Frank R. At West Greenwich he was in the town council and overseer of the poor. He is a member of Maple Root church.

Joseph Hart, son of David and grandson of Joseph Hart, was born in 1811 in Cranston. He is a farmer, and has lived in Coventry since 1844. He has a farm of two hundred acres of land on the railroad, between Summit and Greene stations. Mr. Hart was married in 1835 to Abbie, daughter of Olney Briggs. She died in 1884. He is a republican and a member of Rice City Christian church.

Curnel O. Havens, son of Silas, was born in Coventry in 1808. He has been a farmer, and lias lived at Coventry Centre about forty-eight years. He was married in 1843 to Laura, daughter of Nathan Relph. Their children are: Asena M. F, who died aged twenty-seven years; Silas B. and Lucy A.

Sheffield W. Havens, son of Silas, was born in 1819 in Coventry. He has been a farmer, but has retired from active life on account of ill health. He was married in 1844 to Sally Austin, who was born in 1819 at West Greenwich. She died in 1885.

John Higgins, born in 1808, is a son of Joseph Higgins, who was born in England and was killed at the Lyman factory, in the town of Providence, in 1810. John Higgins began his career as a mill man at the age of ten years. During his life he has been connected with several mills in this state as owner, and once in Massachusetts several years. In June, 1880, he with Mr. Tisdale, of North Kingstown, bought the Chace mill here, which they ran until it burned in July, 1882. Since that time he has lived retired. Mr. Higgins has been a member of the general assembly one term. He was married in 1825 to Lydia Arnold. Their children are: Lydia, John H. and Mary, now Mrs. Levi Chace. Mr. Higgins, now 80 years old, is very genial and is highly respected.

James H. Hill, born in 1854 in Providence, is a son of James, whose father was Allen Hill. James and James H. Hill in 1877 established a business here of varnishing zinc for shoestring tags. James H. lived here from 1874 until the death of his father, in 1883. He then removed to Providence, where he is engaged in shoestring manufacturing. He spends a part of the summer here with his family. The Hill farm has been in the family about thirty years.

Joseph T. Hopkins, son of George P. and grandson of Elisha Hopkins, was born in Coventry in 1824. He was married in 1851 to Harriet M. Greene, who died in 1876, leaving nine children. He was married again in 1882 to Susan A. Tanner.

Norris Hopkins, born in Coventry in 1825, is a son of Elisha and grandson of Elisha Hopkins. He is a farmer and has occupied the farm where he now is about twenty-one years. He was married in 1848 to Roby B., daughter of Thomas B. Bowen, and has three sons and three daughters. Mr. Hopkins has been a member of the Six Principle Baptist church about forty-five years.

Dr. Prosper K. Hutchinson was born in 1817. He graduated first at Amherst, then at Yale College. He practiced medicine at Rice City about twenty-five years. He was surgeon during the rebellion for six months in the Twelfth Regiment Rhode Island volunteers. He died in 1872. He was married to Jane A., daughter of Jeremiah McGregor and granddaughter of John McGregor, who served seven years in the revolution. She was born in 1817.

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