Trails to the Past

Kent County, Rhode Island Biographies

Personal Paragraphs of Warwick

J - L

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


 

William G. James was born in Washington, R. I., in 1852. He is a son of Albert G. and grandson of Perry G. James, both of Coventry. His mother was a daughter of Thomas Bowen. Mr. James is naturally a mechanic and in early life learned carriage building, at which he worked until 1868. He had a carriage shop at Lippitt which he ran three years. He was mechanic for the Conant Thread Company for a time but since the erection of the Elizabeth Mills in 1880 he has been superintendent therein December, 1883, Mr. Hill bought the East Greenwich Mills for making thread and yarn. Since then he has been agent for both mills. His wife is a granddaughter of Israel Brayton.

 

Henry L. Johnson was born in Exeter, R. I., in 1832. His father, George W., was a son of Freeborn Johnson, who at twenty-two years of age went into the revolutionary army, and at the close of the war married Hearty Allen, of North Kingstown, and settled in West Greenwich. While residing in West Greenwich Freeborn Johnson built near his house on Raccoon brook a grist mill. Here his large family was raised, of whom George W. was the third son. The family is probably of French extraction. Henry L., in 1848, learned the blacksmith's trade in Warren, R. I., and in 1864, after having worked in Providence and other places some ten years, removed to a farm in Warwick , one mile west of Pawtuxet. In 1865 he resumed blacksmith work at Pawtuxet, and built his present shop in 1870. He was elected on the board of assessors in 1871, and served five years. He was again elected in 1882, and annually since. He has also been one of the school committee several years.

 

Charles D. Kenyon was born in 1826. His father, Judge John H. Kenyon (1781-1843) was a son of George Kenyon, of Hopkinton. R. I., who was born in 1733 and died in 1819. Charles D. Kenyon came to the town of Warwick with his parents in 1836, and until 1861 resided on the farm now owned by Amos O. Foster. He then bought of Burrill Arnold's estate the store at Centreville, now occupied by Duke & Wood, in which he carried on a mercantile business for ten years, when he was succeeded by Charles Duke. His present home, which he purchased in 1881, is the John Greene place. Mrs. Kenyon is a daughter of Daniel Rodman, of South Kingstown. Their three sons are: Henry Rodman Kenyon, the artist, who is now in Europe; Walter S., at the dental college in Boston, and Charles F., a student at the Friends' school in Providence.

 

Albert W. Knight was born in 1854. His father Richard, who died in 1859, was a son of Elder Richard Knight, who was well known as a Baptist at South Scituate, R. I. Mrs. Albert W. Knight is Ada F., daughter of Oliver B. Crandall. They have three sons and a daughter. Mr. Knight was nine years teamster for S. H. Greene & Co. before he began the teaming business on his own account, a business in which he now uses fifteen horses. He also deals at River Point in fuel, feed and masons' supplies.

 

Charles D. Knight was born in Scituate in 1833. He married there a daughter of Potter Taylor, and was boss farmer for S. H. Angell prior to 1884, when he bought in Coventry, near Phenix, the Snell place, formerly the property of Jabez Stone. Mr. Knight has three children : Ann, Oscar S. and Everett B.

 

Harold Lawton was born in Oldham, England, in 1852. He came to New England at nineteen years of age and continued at mill work, which had been his principal employment from the age of eight years. Nine years later, as the result of close application and faithful effort, he had mastered every department of mill work and became mill superintendent at Tilton, New Hampshire. There and at North Grosvenordale, Conn. , he was overseer until 1885, when he became superintendent of the Lapham mills at Centreville. He has an enviable position in business and social circles ; is a director in the savings bank and also in the Centreville National Bank. His ancestors are of the sturdy stock of English Quakers, while his wife is in direct descent from John Alden.

 

Henry Leonard in 1850 came from Birmingham, England, to New York. Here he remained fourteen years, and then removed to Warwick, and purchased, north of Apponaug, the farm on which he has since resided. He is a tinsmith by trade, and worked as such principally during his residence in New York. After he located in Warwick he worked at this business some, in a shop-on his premises. His oldest son, Thomas, is a practical tinner in Providence. His second son, Richard, is superintendent of the Baptist Sunday school at Apponaug. His third son, William Henry, and his youngest daughter, Annie, are with him at the homestead. His oldest daughter, Emma, is Mrs. John Pitts, of Providence. Mrs. Leonard, who came to this country with him in 1850, died at the homestead in April, 1888.

 

Nathan W. Lockwood was born in 1811. His father, Amos Lockwood (died 1819), was a son of Abram Lockwood, who died here in 1790. His father was Amos Lockwood. Mr. Lockwood is a house carpenter by trade, at which he was engaged here from 1861 to 1867. Since then his farming interests have taken most of his time and attention. He was a member of the town council one year. Mr. Lockwood's first wife was Amey Perkins. She left at her death three children : Jacob A., a carpenter, Amey E., and Rebecca D., now Mrs. George H. Arnold. Mr. Lockwood then married a sister of his first wife, Phebe Perkins. She died leaving one son, Nathan T. Lockwood.

 

Thomas H. Lockwood, son of Thomas and grandson of Benajah Lockwood, was born in 1827. His wife is Adeline Amanda Titus, of New Jersey. Their three children are: Amanda A. (Mrs. John Waterman), James T., town clerk of Warwick, and Eva E., at home. In 1873 Mr. Lockwood bought part of the Harris farm at Old Warwick, and built his present residence in 1874.

 

William Arnold Lockwood is a son of Albert Lockwood, who was a son of Amos Lockwood, who died in 1819. Mr. Lockwood was born in 1847, and until 1872 was principally engaged in agriculture here. Since that time he has worked at his trade- brick, stone and plaster mason work. His wife, Sophia, is a daughter of Benoni Lockwood, brother of Thomas H. Lockwood. Their home is at Lockwood's Corners in Old Warwick. Mr. Lockwood has been nine years deacon of the Shawomut Baptist church.

 

 

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