Washington County Biographies

Personal Paragraphs of North Kingstown

D - G

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


Burrill H. Davis was born in Exeter in 1854, and resided there until sixteen years ago, when he came to Lafayette as clerk for A. C. Taylor. In 1887 he became a partner with Mr. Taylor at the same point. He is a deacon and clerk of the Advent Christian church of Exeter now. His wife is Emma F. Brown.

 

Daniel Dyer, born 1808, is a son of Samuel D. and grandson of Captain Daniel. Mr. Dyer spent several years in early life in a mill, after which he worked fourteen years in Providence as a house carpenter. He has been a farmer about thirty-two years, occupying a part of the homestead of his father. He was married in 1858 to Sallie Merrill, now deceased. Their children are: Carrie D. (who died in infancy), Sarah H., John C, Lucy E. and Ruth R. He was married again in 1881 to Lucy Angell. Mr. Dyer is a republican. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church over fifty years.

 

William A. Eldred is a son of Ishmael, who came to Wickford in 1826, and built a house and started the harness making business, and grandson of Thomas. Ishmael Eldred was married in 1830 to Caroline, daughter of Thomas G. Allen. They have three children, William A., Sallie and Alfred. William A. Eldred carries on the harness making business with his father. He was married in 1857 to Hannah, daughter of Henry J.  Congdon. Mr. Eldred is a member of the Wickford Baptist church.

 

Albert F. Ellsworth was born at Tarriffville, Conn., June 15tli, 1843. He is a son of Alexander Allen Ellsworth, son of Henry, son of Alexander Allen Ellsworth, who is in the same line as William Martin, once governor of Connecticut, and Oliver, who was chief justice of the supreme court for five years (1796-1800). Colonel Elmer E. Ellsworth (1837-1861) was a grandson of this Alexander Allen Ellsworth. Alexander A., father of Albert F. Ellsworth, was a woolen manufacturer for a number of years. He is the father of three children, two of whom are living— Albert F. and Eliza A. (Mrs. Melbourne C. Trow, of Providence).  Mr. Ellsworth first located in the town of North Kingstown in 1864. He has held several offices in the town. He was married in 1866 to Hannah, daughter of Jonathan and Ruth (Gardiner) Arnold. They have had five children: Mary E. P., Mary A. P., Frank A. and George W. P., who are deceased, and Ray Elmer. He is a member of the following orders: Washington Lodge, No. 5, A. F. & A. M.; Franklin Royal Arch Chapter, No. 7; (District Deputy Grand Master Fifth Masonic district); Beacon Lodge, No. 38, L 0. of O. F.; Uncas Encampment, No. 14, of Wickford.

 

Absalom N. Gardiner, born 1828, is a son of Samuel Gardiner (a soldier in the war of 1812), who was many years a blacksmith at Collation Corners. Prior to 1851 the son was engaged at the shop with the father. From 1851 to 1876 he was a merchant at the same point. The store was burned in 1876, since which Mr. Gardiner, with a fair competence from his twenty-five years' business, has lived somewhat retired. He has been a prominent member and officer of the Odd Fellows Lodge here, and treasurer of the lodge ten years. His wife is Phebe A. Carr. Their only child living is Walter H. Gardiner.

 

Benjamin Frank Gardiner, born 1835, is a son of Jeremiah and grandson of Amos Gardiner. His wife is Caroline F. Burlingame. Their children are : Sarah P. (now Mrs. Stephen F. Tefft), Izitt (Mrs. P. W. Tefft), and Frank A. Mr. Gardiner's farm is the valuable property formerly owned by his uncle, the late J. A. Browning.

 

Daniel T. Gardiner, born 1840, is a son of Pardon T., who died in 1888, aged eighty-four years. The latter was a son of Ezekiel and grandson of Ezekiel. Mr. Gardiner lives on the homestead with his mother. He is a democrat.

 

Harrington N. Gardiner is a son of Zebulon N. and grandson of Benjamin Gardiner. His mother was Elizabeth Rathbun, sister of Nathan D. His farm is part of the old Rathbun place once owned by his mother's grandfather, John Rathbun. On this place are the graves of the earlier generations of the Rathbuns. Here also is the large spring, the source of water supply for the Rodman Mill. Mrs. Gardiner is a daughter of Randall Gardiner. They have an adopted son, Herbert. Mr. Gardiner spent two years coasting and for twelve years was section master on the railroad. He worked for several years as a house carpenter and has, since 1877, been engaged in farming.

 

Owen G. Gardiner, born 1845, is a son of Captain Joseph, grandson of Gould, great-grandson of Huland, and great-great-grandson of Nicholas Gardiner. He was married in 1866, to Susan A., daughter of William Tisdale, and has four children : Eleanor G., Clarence E., Owen G., Jr., and Linwood A. Mr. Gardiner has been town auctioneer two years. He was business manager of the Rhode Island Telephone three years, and has been engaged in the wholesale confectionery business several years on the road. He is a member of Harmony Lodge, I. O. of O. F.

 

John S. Gladding was born in 1817 in Newport and is a son of Henry and a grandson of Henry Gladding, who was of Scotch descent. His mother was Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Taylor, and granddaughter of Robert Taylor of Scotch origin. Mr. Gladding is a cabinet maker, having worked at that trade since 1833. He has a shop in the rear of his residence, where he does some repair work. He was married in 1842 to Hannah E., daughter of Benjamin F. Spink. The house where they live was built in 1806 by William Pierce for a tavern. Mr. Gladding is a prohibitionist. He and his wife have been members of the Baptist church of Wickford since 1850.

 

Abram B. Greene, born 1817, is a son of Nathaniel and grandson of Abram Greene. He married Abbie E., daughter of George Arnold. She died leaving two daughters—Abbie Frances and Almira, now Mrs. Oliver Joslyn. The only son of A. B. Greene was George N., who at his death left three daughters and a son George Walter. Mr. Greene at the age of seventeen learned the trade of a carpenter and worked at it fifty years. He was two years on a merchant ship and went to the West Indies. He kept the light house at Poplar Point in North Kingstown six years.

 

James A. Greene, treasurer of the Hamilton Web Company, is a son of Joseph W. and grandson of Captain James Greene, a name well known in Warwick, R. I., where James A. Greene was born. Mrs. Greene was a Brooklyn lady. They have five children living. Their three sons are with the Hamilton Web Company. Mr. Greene was formerly to 1866 in the jewelry business with his father in New York city.

 

Reynolds Greene, deceased, was born in 1794 and died in 1881. He was the son of David Greene, born 1728, and grandson of David, born in 1701 and died in 1757. Reynolds Greene was a wealthy farmer. His wife was Sarah W., daughter of Oliver Watson, of South Kingstown. Three of their children are living: William, Oliver W. and Rachel Richardson Greene, named for her mother's grandmother, Rachel Richardson.

 

 

 

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