Trails to the Past

Bristol County Rhode Island

Men of Progress of Rhode Island and Providence Part 1
Source:  Boston New England Magazine 1896

COGGESHALL, Chandler Hall, farmer, Bristol, was born in Bristol, son of Wilbour B. and Eliza J. (Coggeshall) Coggeshall.   He is descended from an old and honored Rhode Island family, his ancestor, John Coggeshall, having been the first President of the Colony of Rhode Island. He received his early education in the public schools of Bristol, and graduated from the high school, and subsequently from Schofield's Commercial College of Providence. He has since successfully followed agricultural pursuits in Bristol. He has taken an active part in public affairs. He has been a member of the School Committee since 1884. He has been a member of the Board of Managers of the Rhode Island College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts since its establishment and is now President of that body. He was a Representative from his native town in the General Assembly for seven Years from 1883 to 1890, and has served as State Senator since 1893, being on various important committees and now a member of the Finance Committee. In politics he is a Republican.   He is not married.

COYLE, Philip Henry, late Manager of the National Rubber Company, was born in Bristol, R. I., March 31,1858, son of Philip and Sarah Anna(Rohan) Coyle. His father was born in Ireland of old historic ancestry, and came to this country when a young man; he was for a time an instructor in St.  Louis, and afterward entered the manufacturing business; he was killed by an accident before he was forty. His grandfather was never in active business, other than the management of his own estate, and was killed at an early age by being thrown from his horse. His mother was born in Manchester, England, and brought to this country when a child; she was descended from the early English Methodists, and her ancestors were prominent in many notable religious and political movements. He received his early education in the public schools of Bristol and afterward at the Rhode Island School of Design.   He continued the study of art in the Boston Art School, and later with Juglaris of Paris. He received many gratifying testimonials for his talent, but on account of weak eye-sight at the time determined to take up a business career. He entered the employ of the National Rubber Company at Bristol at an early age, and made a thorough study of the business in all its branches under some of the most experienced workmen. He labored in every department and was steadily advanced to positions of responsibility. In 1879 he entered the office of the company and was rapidly advanced in important positions until 1889, when the company met with financial losses, and was reorganized.   He was the only one of the old staff who was retained, with the superintendent, to operate the new concern. In 1892 the superintendent died suddenly, and he carried on the business without interruption. In 1893 he was elected Manager, and under his management the concern met with great success, the product being doubled, and the factories reconstructed and largely increased.  The present capacity for boots and shoes alone is fifty thousand pairs per day, and in addition to this there are other departments, manufacturing a large line of clothing, druggists' goods, mechanical appliances, etc. The plant covers about twenty acres, and employs about fifteen hundred people.   In 1895 he resigned and entered business for himself. He has taken an active part in public affairs. He was President of the Town Council from 1887 to 1891, a member of the School Committee for six years, and has filled various other political and civic offices. He is a member of a large number of clubs and societies in the state. In politics he is a Republican.  He is not married.

EDDY, Charles D., Collector of Customs for Bristol and Warren District, was born in Providence, October 1, 1829, the son of Cyrus B. and Eunice (Dyer)  Eddy.   His ancestry was of well known Rhode Island stock on both paternal and maternal sides. His early education was limited, and he adopted seafaring as a profession when quite young. He was promoted to positions of responsibility and was master of vessels in the foreign trade for fourteen years. In 1891 he was appointed Collector of Customs for the District of Warren and Bristol, which office he now holds. He is a member of the Masonic order. In politics he has always been a Republican. He married in March 1862 Miss Sarah Martin Bennett, daughter of Capt. Albert C. Bennett, who died in 1886 ; they have had three children, Mary Eunice, Grace Dyer and Sarah Martin (deceased) Eddy.

FARRALLY, William Henry, co-editor and proprietor of the Bristol, R. I., Phoenix, was born in Pittsfield, Mass., April 2, 1859, the son of John and Juliette E. (Rogers) Farrally. His father was born in the northern part of Ireland and came to this country when a young man; he served during the war of the Rebellion and was honorably discharged.  On his mother's side he comes from old Revolutionary stock; his maternal grandfather was Captain Joseph Rogers, who served in the war of 1812, and his great-grandfather, Captain Joseph Rogers, served in the war of the Revolution. He received his early education in the public schools, and in the high school of Great Barrington, Mass. He learned the printing trade when fifteen years of age in the office of the Berkshire Courier at Great Barrington, where he served seven years, and then accepted the foremanship of the New Milford Gazette, at New Milford, Conn. He was general superintendent there for ten years, and in September 1892 purchased a half interest in the Saturday Record of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and was business manager for two years.   In November 1894 he purchased the Bristol, R.I., Phoenix, in connection with his brother, Joseph Franklin Farrally, who had  a thorough training in the business with Clark M. Bryan of Springfield, Mass., and others.   Since that time they have changed the Phoenix from a weekly to a semi-weekly, and greatly enlarged and improved the business in all its departments, being the pioneers of semi-weekly journalism in the state.    He has never engaged in politics or public life, preferring to devote himself strictly to a business career.   He is a member of the executive committee of the Valley Club, a business men's club of New Milford, Conn. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he was a member of the Fifth District Editorial Association.   He is a member of the Southern Rhode Island Press Club and of the Bristol Improvement Society.   He married, October 17,1894, in St. Stephen's Church, Ridgefield, Conn., Miss Gertrude Adams Scott, daughter of ex-judge Hiram K. Scott of Ridgefield.

PEIRCE, Arthur Clarence, physician and surgeon, was born November 15, 1858, at Dighton, Mass., the son of Isaac and Elizabeth A. (Adams) Peirce. He comes of old New England stock. His ancestor, Capt. Michael Peirce, born in England about 1615, came to America in 1645, and located at Hingham, Mass. He was commissioned a captain of troops by the colonial authorities in 1669, and was killed in battle with the Narragansett Indians under Chief Canonchet, at Attleboro Gore, March 26, 1676. The line of descent is : Ephraim Peirce, died 1719; Ephraim Peirce, born 1674; David Peirce, 1701-1767 ; David Peirce, 1726-1801 David Peirce, 1768-1847 ; Isaac Peirce, 1814; Arthur C., 1858. He received his early education in the public schools of Dighton. He adopted medicine as a profession, and took one course at Rush Medical College, Chicago, one course at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chicago, one course at the Kentucky School of Medicine, Louisville, Ky., from which he received the degree of M. D., June 26, 1883. He practiced medicine in Dighton, Mass., from 1883 to 1886, and settled in Drownville, R. I., December 1887, where he remained until December 1895, at which time he removed to Riverside, where he is now engaged in the practice of his profession. He was appointed Health Officer of the town of Barrington by the town council in April 1894, and has held the office since that date. He was elected a member of the school committee of Barrington, for three years, April 1890, and served until August 1891, when he resigned. He is a Knight of Pythias.  He was elected presiding officer of Barrington Council No. 30 O. U. A. M., for the first two terms after the institution of the Council, and by virtue of that office became a member of the State Council of Rhode Island O. U. A. M., April 23, 1895. He was camping and hunting in the state of Texas from November 1886 to July 1887, and wrote a book giving an account of his experience in that state, which was published by the Forest and Stream Publishing Company of New York, under the title of "A Man from Corpus Christi," in May 1894. He married, April 8, 1889, Miss Idella Lincoln, of Taunton, Mass.; they have no children.

WARDWELL, William Thomas Church, lumber merchant and banker, was born in Bristol, R. I ., September 20, 1835, son of Hezekiah Church and Sallie (Gifford) Wardwell.   He comes of good old New England stock, and is descended from William Wardwell, who landed in Boston in 1633; his son Uzelle came to Bristol on the settlement of the town in 1680, and his grandson, William, married the granddaughter of John Howland who came over in the Mayflower.   From this union the subject of this sketch is descended.   His mother, Sallie Gifford, was the lineal descendant of Sir Walter Gifford, who landed in Massachusetts Bay in 1630.   His grandmother, Elizabeth Church, was a descendant of Captain Benjamin Church of Indian wars fame. He received his early education in the public schools and academy of Bristol,  and was one of the first scholars in the high school  in 1848. He first learned the business of a jeweler  with Sackett, Davis & Potter of Providence, from 1853 to 1856, then spent some time in Cuba and the city of New York. He came back to Bristol in 1859, and with his brother, Samuel D. Wardwell, succeeded their father, Hezekiah C. Wardwell, who had been in the same business and the same place since the early part of the century, in the lumber business at the foot of Bradford street, corner of Thames. He continued in business with his brother until 1872, when he purchased his brother's interest, and continued the business until 1894, when the Wardwell Lumber Company was organized with W. T. C. Wardwell as President. He has taken an active part in public and business affairs. He has been a Representative and Senator in the General Assembly from Bristol and was Lieutenant-Governor of the State in 1890-91. He is President of the First National Bank of Bristol and a Director of the Industrial Trust Company of Providence.   He is a member of the vestry of St. Michael's Church, Bristol. He is a member of the Masonic order to the thirty-second degree and has filled various offices in the organization up to Grand High Priest of the State of Rhode Island. He is a member of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.  In politics he is a Democrat, and was the candidate of his party for Governor in 1893. He married, November 24, 1874, Miss Leonora Frances Gladding; they have three children : Hezekiah Church, Bessie Uzelle and Marguerite Wardwell.

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