Historical note:

            These are the papers the family of Hope (Manchester) Adams (1889-1967): both of her parents, all four of her grandparents, and several of her great-grandparents and great-great-grandparents. For details of the family history, please see the inventory section below.

Bibliography:

Faxon, George L. History of the Faxon Family..., 108-110, 169. Springfield, MA: Springfield Printing Co., 1880.

Phetteplace, Edward G. Genealogies of the Phetteplace Family, 27, 68-69. Norwich, N.Y.: 1983.

Rhode Island Cemetery Database

Rigdon, G.T. A Contribution to the History, Biography and Genealogy of the Families Named Sole, Solly, Sowle, Soulis..., 1020. Lewiston, Me.: Journal Press, 1926.

Return to top

Scope and content:

            This is collection includes a wide variety of miscellaneous material from many different families. Particularly interesting items include:

  Two letters from Charles Faxon, serving in a Massachusetts regiment in the War of 1812.

  Several letters among the women of the Faxon family re production of braid and bonnets

  Asahel Phetteplace's 1828 contract to receive 200 tons of stone

  Abner Soule's blacksmith ledger showing his accounts with customers back to 1769

  Sixteen letters to Caroline Stone from her sisters in Smithfield, 1853-1854.

  Papers of Lemuel Stone, a prominent railroad official from North Providence

Return to top

Provenance:

            The Phetteplace papers were passed on to Asahel Phetteplace's daughter Caroline (Phetteplace) Stone (1825-1924). Her daughter Caroline P. (Stone) Manchester (1850-1941) added the papers of her father Lemuel Stone and her husband George Manchester's Manchester, Soule and Faxon ancestors. These papers were inherited by her daughter Hope (Manchester) Adams (1889-1967), who passed them on to her step-son Henry Judson Adams. They then passed to his daughter Karen (Adams) Ludwig, who donated them to the R.I.H.S. in 2000.

Return to top

Processing note:

            Donated with this collection were two folders of papers of John C. Borden and his family of Troy / Fall River, Massachusetts. After extensive research, no connection was noted between Borden and the Phetteplace family or with Rhode Island. These papers were then given to the Fall River Historical Society.

            Five photographs of the Stone family were transferred to the Graphics Division.

Return to top

Inventory:

Relationships are given to Hope (Manchester) Adams, who first assembled these papers as a unit.

Faxon Family. Fanny Faxon (1796-1875) was the grandmother of HMA; she married Cornelius Manchester. These papers relate to her parents Samuel Faxon (1758-1821) and Priscilla (Thomas) Faxon (1765-); her siblings Priscilla Stockbridge, Lucy Sweet, Charles Faxon, Luther Faxon and Elbridge G. Faxon; her uncle James Thomas (1784-1827); and her cousin Mary Thomas (b.1797); her uncle Noah Hobart (1767-); and her aunt Deborah (Thomas) Hobart (1767-1834). The family was dispersed across southeastern Massachusetts in Duxbury, Bridgewater, Foxboro, Wrentham, Mendon and Uxbridge; two of the letters are addressed to Rhode Island, as noted below.

Folder 1. Family correspondence, 1807-1837:

            1807/04/14     Priscilla Faxon to Noah and Deborah Thomas

            1810/11/10     James Thomas to Noah Hobart. Death of nephew Nathan Thomas.

            1811/02/18     Benjamin Faxon to brother Samuel Faxon

            1813/09/21     Mary Thomas to cousin Fanny Faxon. Discusses making braid to sell.

            1814/07/28     Charles Faxon (serving in Maine) to parents Samuel and Priscilla.

            1814/09/11     Luther Faxon to mother Priscilla Faxon. Going to serve in army in Boston.

            1814/09/22     Noah Hobart to Charles Faxon. Farm and family news.

            1814/10/10     Charles Faxon to Noah Hobart. Discusses troop movements in Maine.

            1817/02/03     Luther Faxon to father Samuel Faxon, with moral advice for brother.

            1817/11/20     Luther Faxon to parents Samuel and Priscilla Faxon.

            1818/05/15     Noah Hobart to niece Lucy Faxon

            1819/09/02     Luther Faxon to sister Lucy Faxon, with advice for brother Elbridge

            1822/03/11     Luther Faxon to sister Lucy in Providence.

            1823/03/27     Priscilla W. Stockbridge to mother Priscilla Faxon of N. Providence

            1823/05/09     Elbridge G. Faxon to mother Priscilla Faxon in North Providence.

            1825/12/13     Elbridge G. Faxon to mother and sisters [in North Providence?]

            1829/04/07     Luther Faxon to sister Fanny Faxon

            1831/11/20     Lucy Sweet to sister Fanny (Faxon) Manchester in N. Providence.

            1832/08/29     Priscilla Faxon to daughter Lucy Sweet

            1833/01/04     Lucy Sweet to father-in-law Henry L. Sweet. Writing from Michigan.

            1835/06/07     Deborah --- to aunt Fanny (Faxon) Manchester in N. Providence.

            1837/11/02     Lucy Sweet to mother Priscilla Faxon in N. Providence

            Undated          "B.K." to Priscilla Thomas

            Undated          Priscilla Faxon to mother Priscilla Thomas. Discusses bonnet-making.

            Undated          Priscilla (Faxon) Stockbridge to mother Priscilla Faxon.

Folder 2. Miscellaneous Faxon papers:

                        Faxon-Thomas family record, 1758-1828 (3 copies)

                        Deed, Paul Crocker to James Thomas of Nova Scotia land, 1772

                        Priscilla Thomas, power of attorney to William White, 1782

                        Samuel Faxon commissions as sergeant, 1788 and 1792

                        Broadside dated Bridgewater, September 9, 1801

                        Poem by Mary W. Thomas, 1811

                        Penmanship sample, Elbridge G. Faxon, 1814

"An Address Before the Officers and Soldiers, of the 40th Regt. U.S. Infantry, Lord's Day Morning, March 27, 1814" (broadside)

                        Pension claim acknowledgment of Priscilla Faxon, 1855

                        Invitations, poem, teacher's commendations, recipe (undated).

Caroline P. (Stone) Manchester (1850-1941). Wife of George A, Manchester, mother of HMA.

Folder 3. Miscellaneous:

            Deeds, 1878-1895

            Related property memoranda, 1887 and 1906

            Swatch from great-great-grandmother Nancy Waterman's wedding dress

Cornelius Manchester (1798-1876). Blacksmith, of North Providence. Grandfather of HMA. Married Fanny Faxon. Their son George A. Manchester (1838-1923) m. Caroline P. Stone (Asahel Phetteplace's granddaughter).

Folder 4. Deeds, 1828-1849

Folder 5. Miscellaneous:

                        Memorandum re pearl stone found in 1800

                        Marriage certificate, 1829

                        Letter of appointment as postmaster, 1833

                        Letter from U.S. Postal Solicitor's office, 1836

                        Letter to Horatio Stockbridge, 1838, re pension for mother-in-law

                        Pew deeds, Second Baptist Church of North Providence, 1840, 1843

                        Release of debt, 1842

                        Letter from sister-in-law Jane Faxon, 1843

                        Insurance policies, Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Co., 1845, 1852

                        Commission as notary public, 1858

                        Family record, 1859

Manchester, George A. (1838-1923). Son of Cornelius; husband of Caroline; father of HMA.

Folder 6. Miscellaneous:

                        Deeds, 1878-1883

                        Promissary note to Lemuel Stone, 1883

                        Letter from H. Woodward re property in Florida, 1887

                        Certificate re World War I monument in North Providence, [1919?]

Asahel Phetteplace (1788-1838). Of Burrillville and Smithfield. Great-grandfather of HMA. Raised in Glocester, and settled in Smithfield, R.I. Married Nancy Smith (1783-1873), daughter of James and Nancy (Waterman) Smith. Children: Henry M. Phetteplace (b.1812); James S. Phetteplace (1814-1900); Thurston E. Phetteplace (1816- ); Ann Maria Bartlett (1818- ); Zalmon Phetteplace (1821-1822); Caroline L. (1825-1924); Anna M. Richards (1826-1864)

Folder 7. Deeds, 1810-1831

Folder 8. Paid bills, 1825-1847.

Folder 9. Miscellaneous:

                        Writs, 1813, 1814

                        Contract for the Killingly Slag Quarry to deliver 200 tons of stone, 1828

                        Writ of execution, 1831

                        Estate papers re father Eliakam Phetteplace, 1831-1837

Eliakam Phetteplace (1755-1832). Of Glocester and Burrillville. great-great-grandfather of HMA. Born in the northern part of the town of Glocester, R.I., which was set off as the new town of Burrillville in 1806. Children: Arca Phetteplace (1775-1858); Thankful Phetteplace (1778- ); Rhoda Moon (1781- ); Nancy Eddy (1785- ); Asahel Phetteplace (1788-1838); Phebe Keach (1794- ).

Folder 10. Deeds, 1779-1806

Folder 11. Miscellaneous:

                        Agreement with Hezekiah Bellows, 1794

                        Apprenticeship indenture for Nathan Truman for husbandry, 1817

                        Paid bills, 1827-1831

Nancy (Smith) Phetteplace (1783-1873). Widow of Asahel. Great-grandmother of HMA.

Folder 12. Paid bills, 1845-1855

Thurston Phetteplace (1816-1899). Son of Asahel. Great-uncle of HMA.

Folder 13. Paid bills, 1836, 1847; deeds, 1849

Phetteplace family

Folder 14. Miscellaneous:

                        Duty Phetteplace receipt, 1828

                        George Phetteplace deed to Hannah, 1848

                        Henry Phetteplace receipt, 1831

Smith family. Family of Nancy (Smith) Phetteplace, maternal great grandmother of HMA.

Folder 15. Bills of James, Amos and Miss R. Smith, 1827-1835

Abner Soule (1748-1814). Blacksmith of Tiverton. Grandfather of Cornelius Manchester, and great-great-grandfather of HMA.

Folder 16. Blacksmith ledger, 1769-1776.

Caroline (Phetteplace) Stone (1825-1924). Daughter of Asahel Phetteplace, wife of Lemuel Stone, grandmother of HMA.

Folder 17. Miscellaneous:

                        16 letters from sisters Hannah Phetteplace and A.M. Bartlett, 1853-1854

                        Four letters from daughter and grandchildren, 1871 and undated

                        Deed from son-in-law George Manchester, 1881

                        Stock sale receipt, 1893

                        Probate inventory, 1924

Lemuel M.E. Stone (1820-1895). Railroad superintendent of North Providence. Maternal grandfather of HMA. Children: Caroline m. George Manchester; Waterman Stone; Charles Stone. The R.I.H.S. also has Stone's original diary from 1867 to 1881, cataloged separately.

Folder 18. Miscellaneous:

Letter from William Woodford of Ohio re Henry A. Stone and the Daniel Winsor estate, 1842

                        Six deeds, 1846-1884

                        Letter of recommendation, 1851

                        Letter from Henry Stone of Smithfield, 1854

                        R.I. House of Representatives roll call re Ives vs. Hazard case, 1859

                        Will of Lucina Stone, 1867

                        Four letters from Asa Winsor re Stone's mother's estate, 1867

                        Small scrapbook of clippings re retirement, 1871

                        Obituaries, 1895

                        Obituary of sister-in-law Emily Stone, no date

                        Obituary of wife Caroline (Phetteplace) Stone, 1923

Miscellaneous.

Folder 19.

            Abstract of 1782 deed

            Abstract of note on Winsor family, 1847

            1861 letter from Melissa --- to Charles and Waterman Stone

Return to top

Subjects:

Apprentices - Rhode Island - Smithfield

Blacksmiths - Rhode Island - Tiverton

Cottage industries - Massachusetts

Faxon Family

Hobart, Noah (1767-)

Killingly Slag Quarry

Manchester, Cornelius (1798-1876)

Massachusetts - Social life and customs

North Providence, R.I. - Social life and customs

Phetteplace, Asahel (1788-1838)

Phetteplace, Eliakam (1755-1832)

Smithfield, R.I. - Social life and customs

Soule, Abner (1748-1814)

Stone, Caroline (Phetteplace) (1825-1924)

Stone, Lemuel M.E. (1820-1895)

Thomas Family

Tiverton, R.I. - Commerce

Truman, Nathan

United States - History - War of 1812

End of finding aid - return to top

RIHS1822