Trails to the Past

Kent County, Rhode Island Biographies

Personal Paragraphs of East Greenwich

C - F

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

James A. Capron, born in North Kingstown, R. I., has lived at East Greenwich about fifty years. He is a son of James and grandson of Edward, who lived and died on Marlboro street, East Greenwich. Mr. Capron learned the trade of house carpenter of his uncle Jeremiah N. Gardiner of Warwick, to whom he was bound when a child. He made hundreds of coffins in early days, and is now a funeral director. He has had eleven children, of whom only two are living—a married daughter and a son, Claudius F.

Albert J. Congdon was born in 1821 in Exeter. He was educated at the East Greenwich Academy and from 1843 to 1847 was in a factory store at Crompton, R. I. He began at East Greenwich in March, 1847, as dealer in dry goods, boots, shoes, crockery, etc. He changed to groceries and added drugs. In the drug business he was succeeded by his two sons, Richard E. and Charles H., in May, 1875. He has been eight years on the school board and is now secretary of the board and superintendent of schools.

Miss Patience B. Cook was born in 1803 in Tiverton, R. I. She resided in New York prior to 1861 with an uncle. Captain Silas Holmes. Her father was John Cook, a son of Colonel John Cook, an old shipping merchant of Tiverton. Her mother, Phebe, was a daughter of Colonel William Arnold of East Greenwich. The colonel built the Updike House as his residence, in 1790, on the site where in 1788 his former residence was burned. The colonel was a shipping merchant at East Greenwich. His sons were Stephen and Perry G. His daughter was Mrs. Silas Holmes.

Rowland Crandall,born in 1832, succeeded in May, 1873, David C. Potter in the blacksmith business at East Greenwich, where he had worked fifteen years. His ancestors were of Richmond, R. I. His wife, Lydia A., is a daughter of Pardon T. Wight-man. Their daughter is Mrs. Charles E. Kennedy of Providence. Mr. Crandall has lived retired since 1882.

Benjamin Crompton was born in 1815 in England. He came to America (to East Greenwich) in 1841 as a dryer in the bleachery. He worked in various bleacheries and print works until 1862, when he located a junk business here. He built his wharf the year of the great September gale. He added to his business wood, coal, feed, lime, cement and phosphate. He bought his present residence here in 1848. He has three children : Samuel F., Alice M. (now Mrs. Richard Thornley), and Martha E. (now Mrs. Joseph Thornley).

Frank C. Cundall was born in Connecticut and raised in Hopkinton, R. I. He was drug clerk for Thomas A. Barber of Ashaway five and a half years and in Boston two years prior to August, 1877, when he located in East Greenwich. He married a daughter of Nicholas Ball of Block Island. Mr. Cundall operates a drug store on Block Island in the summer.

Joseph Fry was born in 1805 on the farm he now owns. His father was Judge Thomas Fry, son of Joseph, and grandson of Thomas. This Thomas dated his will 1773, and died within the next ten years. His son Joseph was an officer of militia in 1776, and took by will the farm now the homestead of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Fry was colonel of a Kent county regiment of militia before the Dorr war. He was married to Mary R. Greene. Their children were: Henry, of Providence ; Edward, of Providence ; William G., of East Greenwich ; and Lauriston, of Providence. Henry Fry was born in 1840. In 1860 he began to learn the machinist's trade at Anthony with Perez Peck & Co. Within the next four years he was connected with the Burnside Rifle Company and the Brown & Sharp Manufacturing Company at Providence. In 1864 he went to Fall River in a furniture business with J. D. Flint & Co. Since March, 1887, he has been half owner in the Providence Furniture Company, prior to which time he was eight or nine years partner with Anthony, Cowell & Co. Edward Fry was born in 1841 at the homestead in East Greenwich. He remained at the farm until he was 25 years of age, when he removed to Fall River, where he was in business. He came to Providence as partner with his brother Henry, to succeed Flint & Co. as owners of the Providence Furniture Company, in March, 1887.

Thomas N. Fry was born in 1832 on or near the farm he now owns and occupies in District No. 2, in East Greenwich. His father, Nicholas S. Fry, who died in 1868, was an older brother of Joseph Fry above mentioned, they being sons of Judge Thomas Fry, whose father, Joseph, was a son of Thomas Fry, from whom all in this town who bear the family name are descended. He has always been a farmer here, where his father lived and died. He has been in the town council two years or more, and has represented East Greenwich in the general assembly. His wife is Matilda, a daughter of Job Spencer. They have four sons and two daughters living.

John J. Fry, of the firm of B. A. Ballou & Co., manufacturing jewelers of Providence, is a brother of Thomas N. Fry, of East Greenwich. He was born in 1830 at East Greenwich, and in 1858 went to Illinois and farmed there nine years. He was then in business in East Greenwich three years, then became a member of the above firm.

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