S1E7 - A Lively Experiment

Hello and welcome to the story of Rhode Island. The Podcast that tells you the story of Rhode Island’s fascinating history. For episode 6 we saw the towns of Providence, Portsmouth, Newport, and Warwick truly commit to being part of a united colony, saving Rhode Island from falling apart. As the 1650s come to a close, Rhode Island has a centralized government, leaders in power devoted to the success of their colony, and borders that expand from the islands in Narragansett bay all the way to present day Providence, Kent, and Washington county, Rhode Island. However, while the colony is certainly stabilizing, its tough times are far from over. Just like we saw earlier on in season one, the surrounding colonies are once again trying to claim ownership of Rhode Island’s land. And just like before they have their eyes set on the land inhabited by the Narragansett Tribe, which by the end of the 1650s encompasses the southwest region of Rhode Island. As we jump into episode 7, we find ourselves in present day South Kingstown at Pettaquamscutt rock. It’s a Spring day in 1662 and standing at Pettaquamscutt rock is a group of Massachusetts proprietors, known collectively as the Atherton Company. Facing them At the other end of the rock are over 200 members of the Narragansett Nation. While the vibrant Spring bloom creates the appearance of hope, the faces of the Narragansetts are completely void of any such emotion. For the past decade, the Narragansetts have experienced a series of economic setbacks that put them deep in debt, and as of a few months ago they just defaulted on a loan they received from the Atherton Company. Since the Narragansetts backed up the loan with their land they are now being forced to hand over their land to the Atherton Company. When this happens, the Narragansetts will become a nation of people without a home and Rhode Island will watch these Massachusetts men claim ownership over the southwestern corner of their colony. But the Atherton Company won’t be the only group of outsiders who will attempt to get their hands in southern Rhode Island. In just a matter of months Connecticut will convince the English monarchy to remove present day Washington county from Rhode Island and make it part of Connecticut instead. The story of Rhode Island fighting to protect their territory from both Massachusetts and Connecticut is what we’ll cover in episode 7 of the Story of Rhode Island podcast.

INTRO MUSIC

While standing at Pettaquamscutt rock, the Narragansett Sachem, Pessicus, fights to put a stoic look on his face. But with the weight of a changing world pressing down on him and his people the task proves to be exceptionally difficult. Over the past several years, the Narragansetts land, land that once made up most of present day Rhode Island, has been reduced to just a portion of what it used to be. It was just over two decades ago, when the former Narragansett Sachems, Canonicus and Miantonomi, welcomed a group of wandering English outcasts onto their land with open arms, enabling them to found the towns of Providence, Portsmouth, Newport, and Warwick. But shortly after that, Canonicus and Miantonomi passed away, and their tribe’s unity began to dissolve. Then, right as Pessicus was taking over as sachem, the Narragansetts fell on hard economic times when their primary trading commodities significantly drop in value and as the surrounding colonies began fining them exorbitant amounts of money for an endless array of absurd reasons. As the 1650s drew to a close, the Narragansett Nation was desperate for funds and had to begin selling off the only commodity they had left which held any value; their land. At first, their territory was only sold to the Rhode Islanders, an event that was made possible by a Rhode Island law which made it illegal to purchase land from the Narragansetts without the consent of the colony’s government. The religious outcasts began rapidly purchasing the Narragansetts land. They bought the islands in Narragansett Bay, the land for Providence County, and 12 square miles of land in the southeastern corner of present Washington county via a land acquisition known as the pettaquamscutt purchase. But eventually, the Puritans of Massachusetts, men who refuse to deal with the natives as amicably as the Rhode Islanders, decided they wanted in on the action as well, even if it meant breaking Rhode Island’s law. So in 1659, the Atherton Company plied two minor sachems with alcohol and convinced the Sachems to sell them their land on the coast of Narragansett Bay. The acquisition was massive as the land acquired spanned all the way across present day Narragansett, North Kingstown, and East Greenwich, Rhode Island. The Rhode Islanders were furious when they found out about the intrusion onto their land but it paled in comparison to the amount of defeat the Narragansetts felt as their tribe’s territory had been reduced to just the southwest portion of Rhode Island. But even that land wouldn’t remain theirs for long because in 1660 the surrounding colonies once again fined the Narragansetts an unpayable amount of money for yet another unjustified reason. The Atherton Company saw this as an opportunity to acquire what remained of the Narragansetts land. So they told Pessicus that they’d loan his tribe the money to pay the fine as long as the Narragansetts agreed to back up the loan with their remaining land. Pessicus, in a moment of desperation, accepted the deal and just as the Atherton Company had hoped, the Narragansetts defaulted on the loan two years later. Which brings us right back to where we started this episode, at Pettaquamscutt rock on a Spring day in 1662, where Pessicus is about to hand over his tribe’s land to the Atherton Company. Eventually, the Massachusetts proprietors tell Pessicus that it’s time to make the land transfer official by waiving a document out in front of him. Pessicus makes his way across the rock and grabs the document. With a feeling of defeat plaguing his heart, he signs it and hands it back to the Atherton Company. The Massachusetts men, with an evil grin on their faces, immediately begin congratulating themselves as they are now the owners of most present day Washington County, Rhode Island. As Pessicuss walks back towards his people he notices a lost look in their eyes as they now have no place to call home. All they can do now is hope that the leaders of Rhode Island can somehow find a way to reverse what just occurred. But unbeknownst to them, the same people they’re counting on for help, are dealing with some territorial challenges of their own.

Around the same time Pessicus is handing over his people’s land to the Massachusetts proprietors, Rhode Island is feeling the effects of monumental changes that have taken place in England. After years of civil war, the monarchy has managed to reclaim power from Parliament and King Charles II now rules over England. This change is extremely problematic for Rhode Island because since their charter was given to them by a parliament that was rebelling against the monarchy it is now declared invalid. Since their charter was the primary document they used to protect their territory it means that their land is once again ripe for the picking, a fact that the Atherton Company has been all too happy to take advantage of. Therefore, the leaders of Rhode Island have called on John Clarke for help. You probably recall John Clarke from the previous episode as he is the man who helped get Coddington's charter for Aquidneck Island revoked, reuniting their once fractured colony. This time, Clarke is being asked to get their colony a new charter that will help protect their territory from external intrusions and reclaim the land the Atherton Company illegally acquired from the Narragansetts. But the Atherton Company isn’t Rhode Island’s only problem because their neighbors to the west are also trying to steal their land. Connecticut, along with trying to obtain a new charter themselves, is also trying to convince the monarchy to expand their eastern border past the Pawcatuck river and all the way to Narragansett Bay. If they achieve the second part of their mission then they would add all of present day Washington county to their colony. The man who they’ve chosen to help them accomplish this is John Winthrop jr, a man whose name might sound familiar to you. That’s because along with being the Governor of Connecticut, John Winthrop jr. is also the son of the late Massachusetts governor. John Winthrop jr. is confident that he’ll have no problem convincing the monarchy to give his colony a new charter while also expanding their border to the Narragansett bay. On the other hand, John Clarke feels a sense of anxiety in his mission as he’s competing against a far larger and far more resourceful colony. As we revisit Clarke at his home in London we do so at one of his lowest points. Clarke is about to receive some deeply troubling news and his chances for success will be lower than ever before.

John Clarke has been pacing around his home in England for hours. He’s spent the entire afternoon strategizing about how he can find a way to get Rhode Island a charter before Connecticut has a chance to steal their land. While still deep in thought, Clarke hears somebody loudly knocking at his front door. It’s the type of knock so violent that it makes Clarke concerned for his safety. But his nerves are eased when he hears the voice of his friend Richard Baily, on the other side of the door. Baily and Clarke have grown close over the past few months as Baily has been providing Clarke with legal advice that will help him get Rhode Island a new charter. Clarke runs over to the front door, opens it, and realizes that his friend just ran halfway across town to talk to him. Clarke asks what’s wrong but Bailey just stands there gasping for air. Clarke grabs a chair and tells his friend to sit down. After spending a few seconds catching his breath, seconds that feel like hours to Clarke, Bailey finally manages to utter a few words. He tells his friend that John Winthrop jr. has done it, he’s managed to obtain a new charter for Connecticut. Clarke is shocked at how quickly Winthrops been able to accomplish his mission but there’s still a far more import detail he needs to know; where does Connecticut's eastern border now lie. With a scared look in his face he hastily asks Baily about connecticut's border. But Baily, still too busy catching his breath, just sits there gasping for air. “Is it the pawcatuck river?” Clarke asks. When Bailey once again fails to respond Clarke shouts “Baily! Where is the border?” Finally, his friend sits up and with a defeated look on his face simply responds by saying, “The Narragansett Bay”. Clarke’s eyes open wide and a look of fear consumes his face. He sits there silently while trying to comprehend what he’s just heard. All of the land south of Warwick, land commonly referred to as South County today, has just been handed over to Connecticut. Rhode Island has just lost a third of its territory.

Along with still having to obtain a new charter for his colony, John Clarke now also has to reclaim his colony’s land from Connecticut. But with no time to despair Clarke continues at his mission and immediately redirects his focus to winning back Rhode Island’s land. With Richard Baily’s help, he submits an appeal to King Charles II just four days after Connecticut gets their charter. As the monarchy reviews his protest and the slow wheels of government begin to turn, the leaders of Rhode Island wait anxiously for updates back in America. But even more anxious are the Narragansetts. They know that if Clarke’s mission fails then they’ll never get their land back. Meanwhile, the Atherton Company continues to ignore Rhode Island authority and publicly claims that the land they acquired is now part of Connecticut, a colony that is far more aligned to their ideals than the religious outcasts. They even go so far as to name one of their settlements located in present day North Kingstown after the Connecticut governor's wife's hometown of Wickford, England. For the next year, the leaders of Rhode Island and the Narragansetts are filled with a constant sense of worry. So with the weight of his colony and the Narragansetts on his back, John Clarke keeps fighting. He explains to the monarchy that although Rhode Island’s charter of 1644 is no longer valid, the logic used to create their original borders still makes perfect sense. As the monarchy hears Clarke’s protests they realize that he has a point. At the same time, the monarchy is beginning to realize that Connecticut’s claims to the land are shaky at best. Before long, it’s beginning to look as though Clarke will reclaim Rhode Island’s stolen land. But that’s just half of the battle because he still needs to convince the English government to grant Rhode Island a new charter. This is no easy task as their colony’s belief in religious freedom is still an extremely radical idea. Luckily, King Charles II has some non-conventional beliefs of his own. While not a supporter of all out religious freedom, after all he’s not insane, he does believe in religious tolerance which makes him more receptive to the Rhode Islanders ideals than most. On top of that, he doesn’t look too kindly to the PUritans of Massachusetts and Connecticut. Not only have the Puritans been known to overstep their boundaries in America but it was also a Puritan filled Parliament that had his father beheaded back in 1649. With all of these factors on his side, Clarke continues on the offensive. He cites numerous examples of the surrounding colonies overstepping their boundaries and treating the Rhode Islanders and the natives unjustly. He tells the King how Rhode Island has acted in a civil manner for decades now and their colony deserves the right to be protected by the monarchy. Eventually, by July of 1663, a year after Connecticut obtained their charter, Clarke achieves what he set out to do. He not only convinces the English monarchy to grant his colony a new charter but to also revert their borders back to where they were before, returning present day Washington county to Rhode Island. Then, the Atherton Company’s land acquisitions are considered null and void, allowing the Narragansetts to move back into their land as well. John Clarke, The man who reunited his fractured colony over a decade ago, has now prevented it from losing a third of their territory. When the news of Clarkes success finally makes it to America, the founders of Rhode Island are thrilled. They can’t believe that they’ve once again found a way to keep their colony intact. In November of 1663, Rhode Island’s new charter makes its way to Newport and the freemen of the colony decide to celebrate by having the document read out loud for all who wish to hear. As we visit the meetinghouse where the charter is read at we are reintroduced to the men who helped found and build the radical little colony around Narragansett Bay. Their response to the charter's words prove just how excited they are about the future of their colony.

There’s an unusual mood in the Newport meetinghouse. It’s not one of fear, worry, or defeat that has consumed the Rhode Islanders for the past couple of years. Instead the people in the meetinghouse are excited as they’ve once again protected their sovereignty from their intrusive neighbors. Sitting at the front of the room is the colony’s Governor, Benedict Arnold, son of the man who fought so hard to make Pawtuxet village part of Massachusetts and the great grandfather of the infamous revolutionary war traitor. Before starting the meeting, Governor Arnold takes a minute to observe the men all around him. The first thing he sees is Roger Williams conversing with his former nemesis, William Coddington. Coddington and a group of other investors recently purchased Conanicut Island from the Narragansetts back in 1657. Coddington is filled with excitement as he tells Williams about his plans to build a town on the island. Soon enough, this ambitious man’s plan will come to fruition and by 1678 a town by the name of Jamestown will be incorporated into their colony. One of the original farms built on the island is still frequently visited by Rhode Islanders to this very day. Although originally built by the weeden family, it is now known as windmist farm. Next to William Coddington and Roger Williams stands Gregory Dexter and Samuel Gorton. Dexter is telling Gorton about a large quantity of limestone deposits he recently found in northern Rhode Island and how he believes the deposits could be a wonderful investment opportunity. Dexter will prove to be accurate in his assessment and he will use the deposits to create the first lime rock mining operation in America. The rocks mined at his company located in present day Lincoln, Rhode Island, will be used to build stone ender chimneys throughout New England, and his business will end up being one of the longest continuous run businesses in America. Eventually, Benedict Arnold decides that it’s time to start the meeting so he emphatically slams his gavel on the table. Arnold calls over Captain George Baxter, the man who Rhode Island has commissioned to bring their charter over from England so it can be read to the crowd. Baxter walks to the center of the meetinghouse, unrolls the charter, and holds up in front of him. Before reading, Baxter takes a moment to admire the elaborate designs on the document. On the top left hand side of the charter is a drawing of King Charles II, the man who has guaranteed the survival of their radical colony. His face illustrates the power of the institution that now supports their colony’s sovereignty. Eventually, Baxter begins reading it to the crowd. The words of the charter remind the Rhode Islanders about why they left their previous colonies in the first place and how they were QUOTE “pursuing, with peaceable and loyal minds, their sober, serious, and religious intentions” UNQUOTE or in other words they were in search for true religious liberty. Not the type of religious liberty the puritans came to America for but one that allowed all to worship god however they pleased, no matter how outlandish their ideas may be. Then, the charter states how they found that freedom in Narragansett territory and how the Rhode Islanders managed to develop a quote “friendly society with the great body of the Narragansett Indians” unquote. When Roger Williams hears Baxter mention the Narragansetts he immediately thinks of his late friend and Narragansett Sachem, Miantonomi. He remembers how it was Miantonomi who welcomed him and his followers onto this land back when they had nowhere else to go and how if it weren’t for the Narragansetts friendship their colony probably wouldn’t exist. While reminiscing, Williams hears the crowd erupt in a roaring applause when Baxter reads the most memorable part of the charter. He states how Rhode Island has been granted the right to QUOTE “Hold forth a lively experiment, that a most flourishing civil state may stand and best be maintained, and that among our english subjects, with full liberty of religious concernments ” UNQUOTE. The crowd continues to unleash a powerful roar for several minutes, Samuel Gorton's applause being louder and more passionate than the rest. Rhode Island’s lively experiment in religious freedom will live on and their colony will continue to be a place for those distressed of conscience, no matter how revolting the rest of the world may find such a place. The men cheer again when Baxter informs them that King Charles will also allow their government to operate as a democracy, only further solidifying that the colony of Rhode Island is the freest society in the entire western world. So once again, against all odds, Rhode Island has survived. If Rhode Island is to be destroyed then it will have to be done by somebody other than the surrounding colonies.

For about a decade after obtaining their charter, life in Rhode Island looks pretty good. Along with protecting their right of religious freedom, the charter also states that the Rhode Islander’s now have the right to freely journey into and trade with the other New England colonies. This proves to be extremely important to Rhode Island’s economy that is becoming so heavily reliant in trade. However, perhaps nothing proves to be a bigger factor to the growth of their economy than the most recent group of religious outcasts who have taken up refuge in Rhode Island, the Quakers. The Quakers' strong ties in the West Indies, British Isles, and along the Atlantic coast enables Rhode Island to expand their trade into new regions. By the mid 1670s, William Coddingtin’s dream of Newport becoming one of the primary centers of trade in America is beginning to unfold. The tiny colony around Narragansett bay is finally beginning to come into its own. Unfortunately, most of the progress the religious outcasts have made is about to be destroyed and their towns burned to the ground. While the Rhode Islanders have been able to peacefully coexist with the natives, the same cannot be said for the surrounding colonies. For the past couple of decades the Plymouth government has been attacking the sovereignty of the Pokanoket Nation, the same group of people who gave Roger Williams refuge in present day bristol after he was banned from Massachusetts. Plymouth has made it abundantly clear that they hope to eradicate the pokanoket people from the region so that they can make way for European expansion. Eventually the Pokanoket warriors decide that they’ve had enough and in the summer of 1675 they begin attacking Plymouth towns. Shortly after that, other tribes and colonies join in on the fighting as well and before long, all of New England is engulfed in an all out war. Since the English commonly refer to the Pokanokets sachem as King Philip, the war quickly becomes known as King Philip’s War. But brutality of the war reaches a new level when the most powerful tribe in all of New England, the Narragansett Nation, is forced to take up arms against the English as well. The fierce Narragansetts warriors know that the only way they can win this war is by considering all English colonists their enemy, even their Rhode Island neighbors who they’ve coexisted with for decades. By the winter of 1676, the Rhode Islanders find thenselves trapped in the violence of this deadly conflict. Many are forced to desert their homes and take up refuge on Aquidneck Island while the Narragansett warriors burn their towns to the ground. The religious outcasts realize that unless the English soldiers find a way to win King Philip’s war then they’ll watch their entire colony and everything they worked so hard to create be destroyed forever. But that’s a story for next time and it’ll be covered via a two-part season finally on the Story of Rhode Island podcast.