A singular experience was George’s 1901 purchase of the
“Building Upon the Ashes of A & W Sprague” school he attended as a child on the corner of Cranston and Cranston Historical Society
By John Dyer
There was a man named John brought up in the beautiful
School (Howard) Streets. This was a Sprague built edifice for
employee children. This building stands today altered by
1351 Cranston Street
Cotswold Hills of England. A nearby woolen mill was a long George. The School House Plat offered George the Cranston, RI 02920
time family employer but employment was in decline. Time opportunity to build, by his own hand, in the schoolyard what
was, however, when the river that powered that mill ran vivid some remember, in the ‘50’s, as the A&P store along with the 401-944-9226
red from dye while fabricating uniforms for the “Red Coats”, Gansett News where a child could purchase penny candy and a www.cranstonhistoricalsociety.org
circa 1776. But those days were gone. John married Mary and Nehi Root Beer from Mrs. Clegg, the friendly woman behind
moved to “her” town where the prospects, long term, were to the counter.
be no better. Here is where George Dyer, fourth of six During any given spring George and his young sons could
children, was born in 1868. John heard of the promises made be found in nearby newly cultivated fields happily searching
by A & W Sprague’s England agents so, in 1871, he boarded a for Indian arrowheads and implements. In clearing their lands
ship in Liverpool bound for Boston. Upon arrival John settled decades earlier farmers plowed thru Indian middens, (trash
temporarily at 1614 Cranston Street in Knightsville. After a heaps), dispersing their contents through the fields. Each
year establishing himself, he sent for Mary and the children. Spring the thaw, and the local farmer, worked this unusual
Though only three years old at the time, George would speak crop to the surface.
with an English accent for the remainder of his 80 plus years Cranston Street and Howard Avenue properties were
in Cranston. purchased in 1909. In 1912 George built, by his own hand, a
All too soon the Sprague enterprise went bankrupt (1873) three-story tenement on Pendleton Street (years later a
and failed altogether in 1881. By necessity or because property wedding present to his youngest son). Several of these
values had plummeted too low to be ignored, John started properties were part of the Sprague Homestead Plat originally
buying income producing and vacant properties. By 1900 we offered for sale in 1886. In 1914 he purchased, from his
find John fairly comfortable as a landlord and still purchasing mother, properties on Potters Avenue, Puritan, Byron,
properties as late as 1903. In 1904 John died at 18 Cedar Warman, and Sheldon Streets and a lot on the corner of
Street at the age of 65. Gansett and Appleton Streets.
When George was ten years old, he told his father he Tragically George lost his two eldest sons. On January 30,
wanted to work to earn money to buy a watch. His father 1924, the second oldest son drowned while alone on Spectacle
found him a job at the Print Works at $2.00 per week. Later Pond skating too close to a recent ice harvesting operation.
he earned $3.00 per week at the American Enamel Works. He Sadly, he was one of ten statewide lost that season to thin ice. Our next meeting will be
learned the trade of machinist at the Corliss Steam Engine At eighteen years of age the eldest son had had enough of
Works earning $2.40 per week for three years and, then as George’s quarrelsome nature and left home never to return. August 21, 2007
regular machinist, earned 20 cents per hour. The Corliss For a short time in the ‘30’s Annie, too, would leave. George’s
factory produced the steam engine that powered the former mother, Mary, would die in 1926.
Sprague mill. That Corliss steam engine is now on display at Although easily affording the purchase George never “You Must Be This Tall”
the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Maine. owned a car. Being an avid bicyclist he never saw the need.
At 24 years of age George purchased a former Sprague So when the youngest son “needed” a car it was an uncle who David Bettencourt will be
superintendent’s house at 1260 Cranston Street in 1892. His furnished a well-used 1924 Elcar. It’s distinguishing feature
residence bettered his father’s residence of a former Sprague were two narrow glass vases behind the front seat on each discussing his film about Rocky
mill workers duplex on Cedar Street in the “Village”. By way
of a letter written in July, 1898 George tells us of the stone
door pillar in which, presumably, the owner would place …a
rose! This car would make several “much needed” two-day
Point.
bridge being built on Cranston Street, (near the church), and long journeys to Maine possible. Later Annie, not George,
mentions briefly that the Indians (again) were setting up camp bought her son a new Plymouth.
for the summer behind the Village, in present day Hugh B. John and George were lucky fellows who overcame their Sprague Mansion
Bain athletic field. It may have been at this time, while share of misfortune. John came to Cranston specifically to find
managing affairs for his father vacationing in England, that opportunities and found them in abundance even in the wake 7.30 p.m.
George realized he would follow in his father’s footsteps. of the Sprague demise. George was unlike any of his family
George met his future bride on the Print Works Pond while before him having been given, nearly from birth, the promise
skating. Unlike his family, Annie’s family were not recent and opportunity that Cranston offered. His interests, faults, Members will last names T
Cranston Historical Society
arrivals. Her family (a doctor) was on board the Half Moon strengths and weaknesses are very much recognizable within
with Henry Hudson’s arrival at New Amsterdam (New York) his family today. to Z, A to B please bring your
Cranston, Rhode Island
in 1609. There were other differences with George and Annie George capitalized on John’s success, lived modestly, and
favorite treat to share.
1351 Cranston Street
as well. In the ‘20’s George was a Democrat candidate for had the dubious distinction of being, in his time, one of the
“Overseer of the Poor” and Annie was a Republican who highest taxpayers in Cranston. But all Cranstonians, whether
marched in the streets for women’s suffrage along side Alva they knew it or not,, were richer for having had the Spragues
Vanderbilt …with whom she had had tea in Newport. In 1900 and their enterprise in town.
Annie, not George, purchased 1254 Cranston Street. George
later purchased it from his wife. The first of three sons was
02920
born in 1902.
President’s News
Sherlock Holmes, was the topic of the July 17th Curator’s Corner by Bette Miller
meeting. We would like to thank Dr. Al Silverstein for “What Can You Do With Hair – Other Than Wear
a wonderful presentation and if you didn’t attend the it? “
meeting you missed a great evening!
&RPLQJ$WWUDFWLRQV
Actually, there are quite a number of things that can be
I am pleased to announce the appointment of John done with hair by anyone who has a need or a little ingenuity.
Membership News Everyone wore wigs in Colonial times – even runaway
O’Leary to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors. slaves. Wigs were made of horse hair, goat hair and human
There are other openings if any member would like to hair. People employed in different trades wore different styled
join us for the operation of the Cranston Historical MUSIC AT THE MANSION wigs.
Society properties. Welcome to our new members: Wigs were made over a wooden block. Then they were
“ALL IN A CHORD” taken to the powder room where they were liberally filled with
The September Arts and Craft Show is a major August 19, 2007 powder. The powder room was a closet with double doors.
undertaking and we will need many willing workers to Mr. & Mrs. William Downing (Rose) - The top half could be opened so that the wig could be held
help set up and break down and others to work on the Cranston 4:00 p.m. inside and heavily powdered without spreading powder
food, bake sale and silent auction tables. Someone with everywhere else.
an expertise in publicity would be greatly appreciated. Barbershop music will fill the Sprague Mansion Since hair was a common commodity, a great deal of
ingenuity could be used to make use of it, both for practical
The Craft Show and the Concert of “All In Chord” when the ladies perform their patriotic and show purposes and for ornamental projects. Hair wreaths and
are important fund raisers and we need the support of tunes and a sing along. jewelry were popular items in Victorian times.
everyone. Tickets are $8.00 for members. For people who had lost their hair through a serious illness,
General Admission is $10.00 wigs could be made to restore a person’s self respect and
David Bettencourt is scheduled for our August improve their appearance.
meeting to discuss his movie about Rocky Point, “You Hair could also be used for monetary gain as well as for
Must Be This Tall.” This should be a great night of Thanks to the generosity of many of our sentimental purposes and could be sold if ten inches long.
memories of childhood. Just a reminder that Col.
members, we have been able to collect over
Arts and Craft Show Woven into rings and bracelets, hair jewelry bound people
Byron Sprague, son of the first governor Sprague, sold together for any number of reasons. Young girls could cement
his interest in the A. & W. Sprague Company and $10,000 of Shaw’s grocery receipts. Shaw’s September 22, 2007 happy life-long friendships by braiding their hair into bracelets
turned his attention to the hospitality business. He saw Supermarkets will donate 1% of the or hair jewelry – or, using the hair of a deceased loved one, the
jewelry would serve as a constant reminder of that person.
the potential of the property on Warwick Neck and built submitted receipts to participating non-profit 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Hair of different shades could be wound around fine wires
a hotel there. organizations. Although all receipts are to imitate flowers to be incorporated into wreaths that would
later be framed under glass. A perfect example of a such a
Washington Trust has opened a new branch office welcome (we’ve received some for as little as wreath is on display at the Sprague Mansion. The hair of two
at 1203 Oak Lawn Avenue. Stop in and see the vintage $1.99), we are especially grateful to those Thanks to our supporters sisters who made that particular wreath is displayed in the
photos of Oak Lawn from the archives of the Mansion.
people who have sent us hundreds of dollars Cranston Print Works center of the wreath. Fortunately, thee is a great variety of in
This year is a very special one in the history of the color of the hair, so that by winding small strands of hair
of receipts such as Patricia Albanese, Mary Stiller Distributors over fine wire facsimiles of petals could be made that could
Cranston, July 31, 1867 was the opening day of the Albert Realtors
Narragansett Trotting Park. Mostly forgotten today, the
Keefe, Marie Sanda, Jean-Ann Sherry and later be incorporated into the design of a wreath.
Louise Stone. Keep up the good work! Lockets, made of gold or silver, were made to contain locks
of hair from small children or departed friends or relatives.
$16 ,21&/($183' $<
$16, 21&/($183'$
Women who had cut off their hair to accommodate to a
shorter, more modern style, could make use of the hair which
had been cut off by making into bands or ringlets which could
Cranston High School West will commemorate Please join us on August 9th at 9 be attached to their shorter cuts if they changed their minds.
AM to give the mansion an early fall The Indian Sachem Queen Wetamoe, managed to give her
the opening of the school with a 50th anniversary hair an unusual tinge by powdering it with the powder of dried
yearbook. The advisor, Mr. Anthony Loporchio, cleaning. pine roots.
67 acre park was home to the Grand Circuit of Harness
is seeking photographs of the property, And so, as styles came and went, there were many uses
Racing, the Rhode Island State Fair until 1899, and the Many hands make short work. made of that common commodity – the hair on our heads –
place were the first automobile race held on an oval (especially as the Cranston Sand and Gravel Pit)
whether it was black or blonde, straight or wavy. It could
track took place in 1896. The grandstand and Memorial before construction of the school commenced. change appearance overnight.
Gates were taken down in the 1920’s and a fire Any other press clippings regarding the opening Hollywood stairs changed the color of their hair about as
destroyed what was left of the barns and stables some of the school and related publicity are also often as they changed costumes. A glorious head of hair was
years later. For those of you wondering where was the sought. Mr. Loporchio can be contacted at certainly a thing to be noticed and envied.
Narragansett Trotting Park, it was in the vicinity aloporchio@cpsed.net
opposite the Hugh B. School property.