1838 RI SIGNED Church Document Slave Trader Civil War & Rev War Soldiers DeWolf

Description

Offered for your consideration is an antique
1838 Bristol, RI SIGNED Church Document... One side of this old St. Michael's Church document contains a detailed schematic of the church's individual pews, their designated inhabitants, and what appears to be the graduated pew assessment fees which are higher, the closer the pew is to the Pulpit.
The reverse contains the signatures of many prominent Bristol, RI citizens including
Levi
DeWolf
, a member of the well-to-do DeWolf family and an active
participant in the extensive Negro slave trading activities that some, but certainly not all, members of this family conducted.
This document also contains the signature of
Nathaniel Munro
--
Nathaniel served in the Revolutionary War, as evidenced by his pension. He served in Taunton from December 8 to December 30, 1776, and several other times. He also served on the privateer "Lady of Washington" in the West Indies for several months in the late summer and fall of 1776. They captured and brought back two vessels.
Also signing this document was
Jacob Babbitt Jr.
--
The following appeared in the Bristol Phoenix, Dec. 27, 1862:
We are grieved to record the death of our gallant townsman, Major Jacob Babbitt. Major Babbitt was born in Bristol in the year 1809; he was a son of the late Jacob Babbitt, who was a wealthy and prominent citizen of this place. He was educated in a Military Academy, at Middletown, Ct. At an early age he was married to Abby E.P., the only daughter of the late lamented Dr. L.W. Briggs of this town. After the death of his father in 1850 he became extensively engaged in the manufacturing business. At the breaking out of the present Rebellion, he received a commission as Major in the Tenth Regiment of R.I. Volunteers. As an officer he was brave, cool and self-possessed. At the battle of Fredericksburg he was severely wounded in the breast and arm. He died from the effects of these wounds at the Mansion House Hospital, in Alexandria, Va., December 23, 1862. At the time of his death he was President of the Commercial Bank of this town, and Chief Engineer of the Fire Department.
The signature of
Isaac Liscomb
is also contained in this document--
Isaac Liscomb (1803-1886) was born in Bristol, Bristol County, Rhode Island to Isaac Liscomb (1776-1837) and his wife Margaret DeWolf Diman (1773-1832). He married Mary Darling and had five children. During the Civil War (1861-1865) he was the Master (Commander) of the U.S. Brig
Dragoon
, formerly a private merchant vessel,
E. Remington
.
Remington
was purchased by the U.S. government October 31, 1861, in New York for ,750. Commander Liscomb had retired from his seafaring career by 1870 and was a widower by 1880 according to the Federal Census.
Nathaniel Bullock
was also a signer of this document--
Nathaniel Bullock
(May 1, 1777 - November 13, 1867) was a lawyer, lieutenant governor, of Rhode Island
, and Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
Additional research into the signatories may indeed turn up additional notable early Rhode Island citizens, although those cited above comprise a rather impressive list of distinguished Bristol, RI inhabitants...
As for the document itself, it should be noted that the middle fold has almost completely separated with only a small portion along the fold remaining attached....also, some noted wear and tear to the edges of the document as shown...otherwise, all remains legible...
Quite the significant, rare, and interesting early Bristol, RI piece...great for those with a RI genealogy interest...
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Thanks for looking...Good Luck!