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In This IssueIn This IssueIn This IssueIn This Issue Page 2 Wish List Page 4 Exhibit Preview Party Page 5 Family Day Celebration Page 6 Speakers’ Series Annual Meeting Page 7 Little Compton Antiques Festival

Past Times Published by The Little Compton Historical Society ~ Summer 2016

Save The DatesSave The DatesSave The DatesSave The Dates Exhibit Preview Party July 1 Family Day July 2 Antiques Sale August 5 Annual Meeting August 10 Cider Social October 11

If Jane Should Want to Be Sold Stories of Enslavement, Indenture & FreedomStories of Enslavement, Indenture & FreedomStories of Enslavement, Indenture & FreedomStories of Enslavement, Indenture & Freedom

In Little Compton, Rhode IslandIn Little Compton, Rhode IslandIn Little Compton, Rhode IslandIn Little Compton, Rhode Island

Book & Special Exhibition 2016 Restoring VoicesRestoring VoicesRestoring VoicesRestoring Voices This summer the Little Compton

Historical Society will restore the

voices of over 250 forgotten people to

our local history. The Historical

Society’s latest project uses hundreds

of primary source documents to

bring to light the lives of people of

African, Native American, and

European descent who were enslaved

and forcibly indentured in Little

Compton between 1674 and 1816.

The organization will share their

stories with the public in a year-long

effort that includes a book written by

Managing Director Mar jor y

O’Toole, a special exhibition that will

run through February 2017, a

permanent addition to the Wilbor

House tour, a memorial to the

enslaved in the Old Burying Ground,

a lecture series, programs for school

children and a research database.

SponsorsSponsorsSponsorsSponsors The project has been sponsored by

the Rhode Island Council for the

Humanities, the Newport County

Fund, the Rhode Island Foundation

and the Ocean State Charities Trust

as well as over 70 local donors.

The Book The Book The Book The Book Entitled If Jane Should Want to Be

Sold, Stories of Enslavement, Indenture

and Freedom in Little Compton, Rhode

Island the Historical Society’s new

book is based on three years of

primary source research and tells the

true stories of people like Jane who

were enslaved by Little Compton

families. Jane’s story includes a

decision whether or not to be sold, a

marriage, a move to another

community, and the loss of a son in

the Revolution. The Revolution also

factors into the story of Boston

Wilbor, an enslaved man who

Moselle Gray, Enslaved in North Carolina and brought to Little Compton as a free child c.1860.

Continued on page 3

SUMMER HOURSSUMMER HOURSSUMMER HOURSSUMMER HOURS

Wilbor House Tours Special Exhibition

Thurs.-Sun.

1-5 PM

or

by appointment.

Research

by appointment

Office Hours Tuesday ~ Friday 9 AM ~ 3 PM

Summer HoursSummer HoursSummer HoursSummer Hours

Wilbor House Tours Thursday ~ Sunday 1 PM ~ 5 PM

Research

Educational Programs by appointment

Office & Shop Hours Tuesday ~ Friday 9 AM ~ 3 PM

Corporate MembersCorporate MembersCorporate MembersCorporate Members Local businesses play an important role in the preservation and presentation of Little Compton’s history. Additional Corporate Members are always welcome. Please call 635-4035 or complete the membership form on page 8.

SEASON SPONSORSSEASON SPONSORSSEASON SPONSORSSEASON SPONSORS Briggs Beach, Inc. Compton Catering & Clambakes Lees Supermarket SCHOOL PROGRAM SPONSORSSCHOOL PROGRAM SPONSORSSCHOOL PROGRAM SPONSORSSCHOOL PROGRAM SPONSORS Goulart Petroleum, Inc. Roger King Fine Arts Madden Electric Company Mataronas Lobster Co., Inc. Phil’s Propane

CORPORATE MEMBERSCORPORATE MEMBERSCORPORATE MEMBERSCORPORATE MEMBERS Able Engineering, Inc. All Metals Welding & Fabrication Arkins Construction, Inc. Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyards John M. Cotta, CPA Country & Coastal Properties C S & M Tele-Systems, Inc. Fern Acres Funeral Home Franlart Nurseries, Inc. Gray’s Daily Grind Gray’s Grist Mill Gray’s Ice Cream Grown Design Hearthstone Home Inspections Lamplighter, Inc. Katharine H. Leary, CPA L.C. Creative, Inc. Partners Village Store, LLC Phil’s Propane Sakonnet Events - Wilhelmina’s Catering Sakonnet Lobster Co. Sayles Livingston Design Serena’s Studio Richard Sisson, Jr. Lawn & Garden Sparks Company. Inc. Dennis Talbot, Inc. Jacob Talbot, Inc., Fine Homebuilder Walker’s Roadside Stand Waring-Sullivan Home of Memorial Tribute Wilbur’s General Store, Inc. Windy Hill Nurseries, Inc. Wishing Stone Farm

President Dora Millikin

Secretary Diane MacGregor

Vice-President/Treasurer Bart Brownell

Directors Claudia Cooley Bell

Shelley Bowen

Fred Bridge

Randy Byers

Piper Hawes

Richard W. Lisle

Jane Lorch

Richard Menoche

J. William Middendorf, II

Carolyn J. Montgomery

Christopher Rawson

Maureen Rego

Mike Steers

Paul Suttell

Caroline Wilkie Wordell

Robert Wolter

Managing Director

Marjory O’Toole

Administrator

Nancy Carignan

Newsletter Designer

Shelley Bowen Little Compton

Historical Society PO Box 577

Little Compton, RI 02837

(401) 635-4035

[email protected]

www.littlecompton.org

Wilbor House Museum 548 West Main Road Little Compton, RI 02837 (401) 635-4035

Antique or Vintage Items

To be sold in our Antiques Sale to benefit

the Historical Society.

Antique Items with

Little Compton Histories

For possible inclusion in our permanent

collection. The Collections Committee will

review each item.

Digital Images of Family Photographs

Your clearly labeled photographs may help

us identify the hundreds of unidentified

photos in our collection.

Digital Images of Early Documents

Scans or photographs of original deeds, wills,

inventories, bonds, contracts, indentures,

manumissions, etc.

Obituaries, Funeral and Memorial

Service Programs, Copies of Eulogies

Help us document the lives of our

residents by sharing

information about your loved ones with us.

Written Histories

Record your Little Compton memories,

and we will archive them.

VOLUNTEERS

Family Day—July 2

Docents

Receptionists

Wanted as gifts or loans!

secured his freedom by volunteering to serve in the

Rhode Island First Regiment. Jane and Boston are just

two of the dozens of men, women and children whose

stories appear in the 300 page, full-color, softcover book.

The book will be available at the Historical Society on

July 1 and 2 for anyone attending the special events

scheduled on those days and during normal business

hours thereafter. The Society will also offer the book in

our booth during the Congregational Church Fair on

Saturday, July 9 and the Little Compton Antiques

Festival on August 5. The cost is $15 for members and

$20 for non-members. For anyone unable to come to the

Historical Society, the book will be available on

Amazon.com beginning July 3. Local stores like Wilbur’s

General Store and Partner’s Village Store will also be

carrying the book. The Brownell Library will have

borrowing copies.

The ExhibitThe ExhibitThe ExhibitThe Exhibit An exhibit by the same title featuring the personal stories

of Little Compton’s enslaved, indentured and newly-free

people opens to the public on July 2. The exhibit will be

open Thursday through Sunday from 1 to 5 PM through

Labor Day and on Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 PM

through Columbus Day. It will also be open upon request

through February of 2017 for individuals and groups.

Admission during normal business hours is free to

members and $7.50 for adults and $5 for children who

are not members of the Society. Guided tours and school

programs are available by appointment.

The exhibition also includes a permanent addition to the

Wilbor House tour that recreates the sleeping quarters of

Fal Solomon, a forcibly indentured Native American girl

who was ordered by the Little Compton Town Council to

work for the Wilbor family until she was 18 years old.

Preview Party & Family DayPreview Party & Family DayPreview Party & Family DayPreview Party & Family Day An Exhibit Preview Party on Friday, July 1 from 6PM to

8PM will celebrate the opening of the Special Exhibition

and the availability of the Society’s new book. The author

will be available to personalize copies. Please see page 4

for ticket details.

A Family Day Celebration of Freedom takes place the

following day on Saturday July 2 and is free and open to

the public. Please turn to page 5 for more information.

Lecture SeriesLecture SeriesLecture SeriesLecture Series A lecture series featuring topics related to slavery will run

through February. Please see page 6 for details.

continued from page 1

This year marks the 200th Anniversary

of the end of slavery in Little Compton. Kate Hilliard, the last enslaved woman

in Little Compton, secured her freedom

on August 5, 1816.

Saturday, July 2 12—4 PM

The Wilbor House Museum

Free and Open to the Public

Celebrating the Opening of the 2016 Special Exhibition

Free: Admission

Special Exhibition

Wilbor House Tours

Refreshments

Children’s Activities

Cake Walk

Trophies for the best:

Pie-Eating

Skillet Throw

Seed Spitting

And more...

Slavery & Freedom

Speakers’ Series July 2016—February 2017

Free & Open to the Public

Little Compton Historical Society

Annual Meeting Wednesday, August 10, 2016Wednesday, August 10, 2016Wednesday, August 10, 2016Wednesday, August 10, 2016

United Congregational Church

Stories of Enslavement, Stories of Enslavement, Stories of Enslavement, Stories of Enslavement, IndentureIndentureIndentureIndenture and Freedom in and Freedom in and Freedom in and Freedom in Little ComptonLittle ComptonLittle ComptonLittle Compton

Speaker Marjory O’TooleMarjory O’TooleMarjory O’TooleMarjory O’Toole Author of If Jane Should Want to Be Sold

LCHS Managing Director

6:30 PM Unveiling of Slavery Memorial Old Burying Ground on the Commons

7:00 PM Business Meeting Church Sanctuary

7:15 PM Speaker

8:00 PM Reception Church Vestry

Free & Open to the PublicFree & Open to the PublicFree & Open to the PublicFree & Open to the Public

Sponsored by

Tuesday, July 19 United Congregational Church 7 PM

The Worm in the Apple: Slavery, The Worm in the Apple: Slavery, The Worm in the Apple: Slavery, The Worm in the Apple: Slavery, Emancipation, and Race in Rhode IslandEmancipation, and Race in Rhode IslandEmancipation, and Race in Rhode IslandEmancipation, and Race in Rhode Island

Joanne Pope Melish Author of Disowning Slavery Professor Emerita University of Kentucky

Wednesday, August 3 Brownell Library 6 PM

Racism & Its Roots in SlaveryRacism & Its Roots in SlaveryRacism & Its Roots in SlaveryRacism & Its Roots in Slavery

Ray Rickman Founder of Stages of Freedom Presented in conjunction with the Brownell Library

Tuesday, September 27 United Congregational Church 7 PM

New England Slavery in an Atlantic WorldNew England Slavery in an Atlantic WorldNew England Slavery in an Atlantic WorldNew England Slavery in an Atlantic World

Linford Fisher Author of The Indian Great Awakening

Co-Author of Decoding Roger Williams Associate Professor of History, Brown University

October TBA

Wednesday, November 2 Location TBA 7 PM

American IronyAmerican IronyAmerican IronyAmerican Irony————Slavery & Religious Slavery & Religious Slavery & Religious Slavery & Religious Freedom in Colonial NewportFreedom in Colonial NewportFreedom in Colonial NewportFreedom in Colonial Newport

Keith Stokes Co-Founder of the 1696 Heritage Group

Wednesday, January 25, 2017 Location TBA 7PM

ReconciliationReconciliationReconciliationReconciliation

Elon Cook Program Manager & Curator of the Center for

Reconciliation, Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island

Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Location TBA 7PM

Two Generations of Freedom: Two Generations of Freedom: Two Generations of Freedom: Two Generations of Freedom: From Kofi to Paul Cuffe From Kofi to Paul Cuffe From Kofi to Paul Cuffe From Kofi to Paul Cuffe

Jeffrey Fortin Paul Cuffe Fellow, Mystic Seaport Museum Assistant Professor of History, Emmanuel College

Thursday, February 23, 2017 Location TBA 7PM

Westport’s Stories of UnfreedomWestport’s Stories of UnfreedomWestport’s Stories of UnfreedomWestport’s Stories of Unfreedom

Tony Connors President Westport Historical Society

Little Compton Antiques Festival The Little Compton Historical Society is proud to partner for the first time with The Little Compton Historical Society is proud to partner for the first time with The Little Compton Historical Society is proud to partner for the first time with The Little Compton Historical Society is proud to partner for the first time with Preserve Rhode Island and Ferguson & D’Arruda Antiques to present the Little Preserve Rhode Island and Ferguson & D’Arruda Antiques to present the Little Preserve Rhode Island and Ferguson & D’Arruda Antiques to present the Little Preserve Rhode Island and Ferguson & D’Arruda Antiques to present the Little Compton Antiques Festival on the grounds of the Wilbor House Museum. Compton Antiques Festival on the grounds of the Wilbor House Museum. Compton Antiques Festival on the grounds of the Wilbor House Museum. Compton Antiques Festival on the grounds of the Wilbor House Museum.

Proceeds from the festival will benefit both the Little Compton Historical Society and Preserve Rhode Island.

Antique or vintage donations for the sale are welcome anytime before the sale.

Join us during the festival:

Antique Festival Preview PartyAntique Festival Preview PartyAntique Festival Preview PartyAntique Festival Preview Party Friday, August 5 6Friday, August 5 6Friday, August 5 6Friday, August 5 6–––– 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM 8 PM Tickets $50Tickets $50Tickets $50Tickets $50 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Antique Festival Antique Festival Antique Festival Antique Festival Saturday, August 6Saturday, August 6Saturday, August 6Saturday, August 6 10 AM 10 AM 10 AM 10 AM–––– 5 PM 5 PM 5 PM 5 PM Tickets $10Tickets $10Tickets $10Tickets $10

Private Tours & School Programs Private tours and age-appropriate school programs are available upon request.

Wilbor House TourWilbor House TourWilbor House TourWilbor House Tour Tour Fal Solomon’s sleeping quarters in the Wilbor

House Museum to learn about the indenturing of

Native children.

Enslaved Cemetery TourEnslaved Cemetery TourEnslaved Cemetery TourEnslaved Cemetery Tour Visit the graves of Little Compton’s enslaved people,

free people of color, slave owners, and slave ship captains

to gain a better understanding of slavery, indenture and

freedom in Little Compton.

Special ExhibitionSpecial ExhibitionSpecial ExhibitionSpecial Exhibition

If Jane Should Want to Be Sold, Stories of

Slavery Indenture & Freedom in Little Compton See the stories of Little Compton’s enslaved, indentured

and newly-free people.

Schedule your group or school visit between July 2016 &

February 2017.

The exhibit panels will be available for loan at the close

of the exhibition.

Call Managing Director Marjory O’Toole 401-635-4035 for more information.

Postal Customer

Non-Profit U.S. Postage

PAID Little Compton RI

Permit No. 30

The Little Compton Historical Society PO Box 577 Little Compton, RI 02837-0577

Return Service Requested Return Service Requested Return Service Requested Return Service Requested

Exhibit Preview Party July 1 Exhibit Preview Party July 1 Exhibit Preview Party July 1 Exhibit Preview Party July 1

Family Day July 2 Family Day July 2 Family Day July 2 Family Day July 2

Membership With Benefits from Coast to Coast

Join or Renew Today!

LCHS participates in the

Time Travelers reciprocal membership program.

Your Historical Society membership card provides you with FREE

or Discounted Admission to 250 historic sites

all across the country! For a complete list of participating sites log onto

www.mohistory.org/content/membershipservices/timetravelers.aspx

or call LCHS at 635-4035.

As always you’ll enjoy local membership benefits including

free admission to the Wilbor House and our special exhibitions,

invitations to special events and advance registration for our most

popular programs. Most importantly, your membership gift helps

preserve Little Compton’s rich history for generations.

Members receive $5 off every copy of

If Jane Should Want to Be Sold, Stories of Enslavement, Indenture and

Freedom in Little Compton, Rhode Island.

LCHS Membership □ Event Sponsor $250 & up

□ Program Sponsor $150

□ Supporting $100

□ Corporate $75

□ Contributing $50

□ Family $30

□ Individual $20

□ My Company will match my membership or gift. Completed matching form enclosed.

Please make checks payable to:

Little Compton Historical Society PO Box 577, Little Compton, RI 02837

Name: ___________________________

Address: _________________________

City: ____________________________

State: ____________ Zip: __________

Phone: ___________________________

Email: ___________________________