Washington County Biographies

Personal Paragraphs of North Kingstown

L - P

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


Philetus N. Lawton, born 1841, is a son of Isaac H., born 1813, died 1858; grandson of Benjamin, born 1773, and great-grandson of Benjamin. His mother was Mariah W. Nichols. He was married to Mercy E. Gardiner in 1863. They have one daughter, Laura M. Lawton, now Mrs. Daniel Eugene Wilcox. Mr. Lawton has always been a democrat. He now owns the homestead of Benjamin Lawton, Esq.

 

Joseph Slocum Madison, born 1860, is a son of John Harris Madison, born 1828, died 1887. The latter was a son of Joseph and grandson of Ezekiel Madison. John H. married Elizabeth A., daughter of Slocum Godfrey and Sarah Reynolds. The latter's mother was Mary, daughter of William Hall, and granddaughter of John Hall. This John Hall's parents were William Hall and Alice Tripp. Alice Tripp came in the "Mayflower." Joseph S. Madison graduated in 1881 from the Greenwich Academy. The family name is variously spelled Madison, Mathewson and Matteson. Joseph S. Madison married in 1888 a daughter of Nathaniel S. Allen, and granddaughter of the late Elder Allen, of North Kingstown.

 

William G. Madison, born in East Greenwich, is a son of Green Madison, and a grandson of Ezekiel. He spent his early years in a cotton mill until 25 years old, at Valley Falls, R. I. He then came to North Kingstown to aid his then feeble father on the farm. He has been seven or eight years in the North Kingstown town council as a democrat.

 

Mrs. Emily A. Madison was born in Cumberland, Providence county, in 1847, and is a daughter of George S. Havens. She was married in 1879 to Thomas E. Madison, who died in 1885, aged 55 years. He was a son of Joseph Madison, and grandson of Ezekiel. Mr. and Mrs. Madison's two children are George E. and Thomas E.

 

Isaac Nichols, born 1815 (John, John, John}, is a farmer. His wife, to whom he was married in 1841, was born in South Kingstown, and is Elizabeth R. Brown, a granddaughter of Governor George Brown. They have three children living: Ruhamah, (Mrs. Oliver Nichols, of South Kingstown); John R. Nichols, of Providence; and William E. Nichols, of Lincoln. Mr. Nichols is a retired farmer. His father was a blacksmith.

 

George W. Northup, born in 1809, is a son of Samuel Northup and grandson of Zebulon Northup. He was married in 1838 to Mary T., daughter of Benjamin W. Gardiner. They have eight children: Eliza A., Stephen G., Mary P., Waity J., George T., Susannah W., Samuel C, and Lydia H. Mr. Northup lives on the homestead of his father. He has always been a farmer.

 

Sally Smith Northup, now Mrs. Daniel L. Arnold, was born in 1831, in the house where she now resides. She is the daughter of Abial Palmer Northup, who was born in 1800, and granddaughter of David Northup, who was born in 1778. She has lived at this place all her life except about twelve years. The house and chimney that now stand on this site are said to have been built about 200 years ago.

 

William H. Nye was born in 1833 in Coventry, and is a son of George W. and grandson of John Nye. Mr. Nye has been a railroad employee about twenty-five years of his life prior to 1881. He was married in 1866 to Abbie A., daughter of John W. Jackson. They have two children, Amy Frances and Lewis Allen. He is a member of the Advent Christian church of Providence.

 

Colonel Thomas J. Peirce, son of John B. (John, Giles, Giles, John, Giles, Richard), was born in 1857, and is married to Sarah, daughter of Captain Peleg Wightman. He has been deputy town clerk ever since he was a voter, and justice of the peace since 1879. He was a delegate to the democratic national convention in 1888.

 

Peleg F. Pierce, born in North Kingstown in 1835, is a son of William, who was a son of Giles, mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Peleg F. married Harriet Newell Rodman. They have two children living—Walter Rodman and Harriet San-ford. Mr. Pierce taught school several terms in early life, and has given much of his leisure time to the study of local history. He is engaged in farming.

 

John W. Phillips, born 1819, is a son of Peter (1781-1865) and grandson of Thomas. He was married in 1846 to Abbie A., daughter of Willet Himes. She died in 1881. Their children are: James E., John W., Jr., and Ada. Mr. Phillips has always been a republican. He was formerly a railroad employee, and is now engaged in farming.

 

Thomas Phillips, born in 1815, is a brother of John W., mentioned above. He was married in 1860 to Melissa, daughter of William Hall. Their only son is George T. Mr. Phillips' farm is a part of the original Phillips homestead.

 

George L. Prentice was born in 1843 in Lawrence, Otsego county, N. Y. He is a son of Joseph S. and grandson of Joseph Prentice. His mother was Sarah S. Hull. Mr. Prentice has been engaged in the livery business about twenty years and opened the Wickford House in June, 1886. He was married in 1872 to Henrietta S. White, who died in December, 1876. He was married again in 1881 to Ellen D. Days, daughter of Anton Lucas, of Provincetown, Mass. He has one son, George L., Jr., born 1883. The west part of the house in which Mr. Prentice now lives is said to have been used in the days of the revolution for the enlistment of soldiers.

 

 

 

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