Smithfield’s Pig Road – Smithfield, R. I.

November 9, 2025

Smithfield’s “Pig Road”

Click on map to enlarge.

     Smithfield’s “Pig Road” appears on 19th century maps of the town, but today it is all but gone and forgotten. Yet before it was closed for good in the 1980s, it became the center of some local controversy as to who owned it, and weather it was a public road or a right of way.

The road had always been an unpaved dirt pathway running more or less north and south connecting Austin Avenue to Putnam Pike in West Greenville. The road passed through property owned by the Steere family.

According to an article which appeared in The Observer on August 19, 1982, a 1978 court order gave the road to the Town, but the road was never officially deeded over, and nor was is ever maintained by the D.P.W. This didn’t become an issue until 1982 when the Greenville Water District laid water lines under Pig Road connecting to a water tower under construction on Mapleville Road. This spurred a lawsuit from an abutting property owner maintaining that the water company lacked the authority to lay the pipes because the Town didn’t own the road.

It was noted that in 1978, a U. S. District Court judge had ruled that a landfill company operating on Tarklin Road could improve Pig Road so that large trucks going to and from the landfill could use it as a short cut to Putnam Pike. This decision would no doubt benefit those living on Austin Avenue who would no longer have to endure the trucks passing their homes. However, the court decision was never acted upon and the landfill later closed.

The Town’s position was that it owned the road, but the plaintiff’s lawyer disagreed, and an independent title search revealed that there was no record indicating that Pig Road had ever been officially accepted by the Town. Despite the arguments, the pipes had already been laid, and they would remain, and do so to this day. Yet Pig Road as a right of way is no more. All that remains is the portion leading into the Village at Waterman Lake, and it’s now called Mapleville Road.

Source: The Observer, “Road Or Right Of Way? The Question Remains…”, by John Rufo, August 19, 1982.

1895 Map of West Greenville, R. I.
Click on map to enlarge.

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Smithfield Historical Cemetery #47

November 9, 2025

The Relocation of Smithfield Historical Cemetery #47

Smithfield’s Historical Cemetery #47 is presently part of Historical Cemetery #44, located in a brushy area along the northern bank of Sebille Pond between the end of Sebille Road and Route 295. It was established in 1822, but was relocated to its present location during the summer of 1973.

In April of that year, the town council approved moving all 25 graves to a new location to make way for ramp construction for Route 295. The 151-year-old graveyard had fallen into disrepair with most of the tombstones having been toppled and broken. Some had become unreadable. And the iron fence enclosure had severely rusted.

One grave that was still legible was that of 82-year-old Mary Barnes who died in 1900. The inscription read:

“This languishing head is at rest,

its thinkings and achings are o’er.

This quite, immovable breast,

is heaved by afflictions no more.”

She was buried next to her husband, William Belknap.

Others buried in the cemetery included Mowry and Rosanna S. Barnes and their children, Gilbert, age 10 months, died in March of 1850; Albert, who died at nine months in October of 1850; Adison, age 6, who drowned in 1854; Caroline, age 19, who died in 1855; Anne, age 18, who died in 1856, Franklin, age 23, who died in 1875.

An inscription on the grave of Rosanna Barnes who died at age 43 in 1855 read:

“Friends nor physians could not save

Her mortal body from the grave.

Nor can the grave confine her here,

When Christ shall call her to appear.”

The state department of transportation advertised the proposed move to give decedents the chance to have the remains interred elsewhere, but if any relatives came forward, it was not recorded in the newspapers.

A license funeral home was hired to oversee the relocation which took place in July. The broken headstones were not repaired, but instead were duplicated as closely as possible.

Sources:

The Observer, “Route 295’s Deadly Move”, by Gregory Smith, May 4, 1973.

The Observer, “Care And Concern Taken In 295 Grave Relocation”, by Ellen F. Hall, July 26, 1973

Click on images to enlarge.

 

 

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Greenville Bridewell

October 6, 2025

     A bridewell is and old English term for a jail. The Greenville bridewell was located in the basement of Oscar Tobey’s store at the corner of  Putnam Pike and Smith Avenue.  The store was lost to fire in 1924, and a brick structure was built in its place.  The new brick structure also had a bridewell in the basement. 

     The following article appeared in The Olneyville Times on September 11, 1896.    

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Vaughn Granite Mill, Spragueville, R. I.

October 4, 2025

Article from the Providence Morning Star, July 8, 1873. 

 

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Spragueville Mill Accident – 1896

October 4, 2025

Article from the Olneyville Times, December 4, 1896.

 

 

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Vaughn Mill – Spragueville, R. I.

October 4, 2025

Article from the Olneyville Times, December 8, 1899.

 

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Fatal Accident in Greenville – 1902

October 4, 2025

 

Article from the Providence News, March 22, 1902.

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Fireworks Factory Explosion – 1953

July 27, 2025

     The Providence Fireworks Company was once located at the former Bell Farm on Douglas Pike.  It began operations in 1877. 

      On August 22, 1953, a massive explosion occurred that killed one man and damaged a building.  

     At about 3 p.m. that day, 25-year-old Robert P. DiNapoli was sifting aluminum powder in an open area near a small shed about 100 feet from the main building where two other men were working.  For reasons never determined, the aluminum powder suddenly exploded, the force of which hurled DiNapoli 30 feet through the air, fatally injuring him. 

     The force of the blast also buckled the walls of the nearby shed. 

     It was reported that this was not the first accident to occur at the plant.  The first occurred in August of 1930 when lightning struck the large production building setting off a tremendous explosion that destroyed the building.  Another explosion occurred a few days later when a group of boys began throwing rocks at a tube of explosives that had been set aside.  The resulting blast injured six of them.   

     Source: Providence Journal, “Blast Kills Man At Smithfield”, August 23, 1953.   

 

 

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Greenville Baptist Church Ladies Aid Society

July 10, 2025

     The Ladies Aid Society of the Greenville Baptist Church was established in 1865 as the Freewill Baptist Sewing Society.  The ladies met once a month at the church or in their homes and dues collected by the society went towards purchasing quilting material.  Completed quilts were then donated to a missionary, or sold, with the proceeds going towards church related expenses.  

     Early records have been lost, but the society’s first treasurer was Miss Catherine C. Steere, who held that position from 1865 to 1904. 

     In 1893 the Society became known as the Greenville Charitable Society with Mrs. John W. Mathewson as president.   The Charitable Society consisted of seven men and 31 ladies.  

     In 1896 the Society began to hold annual harvest suppers in October, and then added annual oyster suppers to their calendar, with oysters supplied by Walter Battey.  These suppers were still being held in 1916, with ticket prices being thirty-five cents for adults, and twenty cents for children. 

     In 1896, the Society president was Mrs. Frank Gavitt, who held the position until her death in 1923. 

     In 1916, the Society again changed its name to the Greenville Baptist Church Ladies Society, and in 1924 it became the Ladies Aid Society.       

     The Society also held 4th of July clambakes for many years. 

     Funds raised by the society helped with church improvements which included and new roof and water system, renovations to the parsonage, and modern kitchen improvements.  

     During World War II and after, the Society sewed items for the Red Cross.  Ladies from St. Thomas Church joined them in this effort. 

     The Ladies Aid Society disbanded in June of 1975 after 110 years of service.  The remaining members of the Society at the time were reported to be: Elizabeth Vaugh, president; Merrilla Steere; vice president, Gertrude Dingee, secretary,  Dorothy Knight, Minnie McCoy, and Ethelyn Winsor.   

     Source:

     The Observer, “110 Years of Service – A Job Well Done”, June 19, 1975

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The Little Greenville Cemetery

July 9, 2025

     Construction of the Little Greenville Cemetery on Church Street was begun in 1974 as part of a five-year project that was estimated to cost $500,000.   The driving force behind the project was New York developer John Equi, who had family members buried in a small “family plot” cemetery next to the lot that would be developed into the new cemetery. 

      Byron F. Hopkins of Scituate was hired to design the new cemetery which was to accommodate 1,600 graves, and feature rose terraces, trees, planters, park benches, a circular drive, and a stone wall.   The stone wall around the cemetery was built by Frank Rambone of Scituate. 

     After the land was cleared, 40,000 yards of fill were required to bring the land up to grade.  

     A $100,000 trust fund was established at a local bank, the interest from which would be used for perpetual care of the grounds.  

     Source:

     Providence Sunday Journal, “Greenville Woodlands Becoming Cemetery”, September 1, 1974

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