Historical note:

            The town of Johnston was set off from the western part of Providence in 1759. It was named after Augustus Johnston, who was then the state's attorney general. Parts of the village of Olneyville were returned to Providence in 1898 and 1918.

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Scope and content:

            The bulk of these records are transcriptions made circa 1946 by genealogist Clarence I Brown from original records in the Johnstown town hall. They include a few items transcribed by Brown that were not official Johnstown records. A few original records have been added from various sources.

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Provenance:

            The large majority of these records were donated by Clarence I. Brown in 1947. The 1778 tax books were purchased from John Conti in 1969. Two of the town sergeant summonses were purchased from William Longo in 1980, and the other was a gift of Mrs. Robert S. Ames in 1981. The 1774 letter to the town council was purchased from M&S Rare Books in 1983. The 1776 militia bill from Ebeneazer Sprague was a gift in 2000 from Rick Stattler, who had purchased it via Internet auction. A card index to most of the papers is available in the card catalog at the Manuscripts Division.

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Inventory:

All records are hand-written transcriptions from the original records, done by Clarence I. Brown, except original items marked with an asterisk *.

Box l (original records)

* Letter to the Johnston Town Council, from Joseph Wanton, Henry Ward, John Mawdsley, John Collins, and William Ellery, dated January l5, 1774. Requesting assistance in forming union of colonies.

* Letter to Johnston Town Council from Col. Robert Elliot, dated June 11, 1777, requesting permit to move rum from town.

            * Sheriff, 1757-1768. 15 loose pages (writs, etc.)

            * Justice Court, loose warrants and minutes, 176l, 1763, 1767.

            * Treasurer, 1776. Receipted bill from Ebenezer Sprague for militia service and supplies.

            * Treasurer, 1779. Receipt for $400 borrowed by town from Christopher Olney.

* Letter to Johnston Town Clerk from Theodore Foster, Town Clerk of Providence, re smallpox innoculation, July 19, 1776

            * Roads, 1805, 1806, 1814. Lists of men taxed for Augustus Brown's road district.

            * Tax lists, 1778, for town and state taxes.

            * Tax lists, 1822, for town and state taxes.

            * Tax lists, 1823, for town and state taxes.

            * Committee to set bounds for Plainfield Street, 1856

            * Town Sargeant - notices from General Assembly:

                        1788, to choose general officers.

                        1790, to choose delegates to Constitutional convention.

                        1796, to choose representatives.

            * List of voting freemen, 1780

            * Town meeting - contemporary copies from minutes:

                        1767, selecting deputies

                        1784, resolutions re representation and trade

                        1795, selection of town council members

                        1803, resolution opposing relief of turnpike company