East Greenwich Then and Now

A few people have asked me to review some of my columns that ran locally for some 6 years. They were mostly historical in nature, dealing with Town things and under the heading East Greenwich Then and Now. I was reminded this morning that soon we will be celebrating the 100th Birthday of the East Greenwich Free Library. This greatest of town buildings was donated, fully funded, including the land and stocked with books, by local gentleman, one Daniel Albert Peirce. Here then, is that column, updated a bit by what we found out later:

Who was Mr. Daniel Albert Peirce?
We know that he presented our library to the town years ago. But what else do we know about him? Nothing. In school, we were told a little about some of the town fathers, but Mr. Peirce wasn’t among them.

Martha McPartland, our former librarian and local historian has this to say about him on page 117 of her book,  The History of East Greenwich, Rhode Island 1677-1960:

“In 1913, Mr. Daniel Albert Peirce, a trustee and treasurer of the [Library] Association, reported to the trustees that he had in mind the erection of a new library which he would build and present to the Association. Not only would he build it, but he would equip and endow this library! So, on the site of his boyhood home, on Peirce Street, the library was built. The handsome structure, built of Coventry granite, was dedicated on the 29th of June in 1915, and has since been the pride and joy of every citizen of the town. Built without regard for cost and entirely for the pleasure and convenience of the townspeople, this building offered, and still offers, the finest of library facilities. The children’s room, a memorial to Mr. Peirce’s daughter, Adeline, who died at an early age, is spacious and complete. The reading and reference room is well equipped with current reading and reference material. The stacks are open to the public and special collections, such as Rhode Island history and genealogy, are available.”
McPartland goes on to add:

“The library’s main source of support is still, of course, the income from the endowment left by Mr. Peirce.”

I doubt that in light of the exploding cost of things these days that this is still true, but it stands testament to his genrosity of the time.

Well we’re going to find out a little bit more about this benefactor lost in the mist of history. These right things and right people deserve our remembering.
The thing that caught my attention about Mr. Peirce was the picture of his chauffeur William W. Wilson standing alongside the automobile he drove for his boss. It was a 1924 Rolls Royce, and as wealthy as some of these local guys might have been, I don’t recall any of them tooling about in anything more than a Lincoln or Cadillac. A Rolls! Imagine! There has to be more to this man than the donation of a library.

There was. Much more. From The Rhode Island Pendulum, August 25, 1932, in the former newspaper style of descending headlines, subheads, sub-subheads and after-thoughts, this obit:
DANIEL A. PEIRCE,
LONG PROMINENT
RESIDENT, DEAD
Cowesett Resident Succumbs
Suddenly at Home in His 95th Year.
NOTED FOR PHILANTHROPY
Helped Organize Narragansett
Electric Company and Was
Official for Years
Daniel Albert Peirce, philanthropist, banker and investment broker, died suddenly yesterday afternoon at his home on Spencer Avenue, Cowesett, in his 95th year.
Although Mr. Peirce had been feeble for several years, he retained the use of his faculties almost until death.
Mr. Peirce was one of the organizers of the Narragansett Electric Company and was treasurer and a member of the board of directors for many years. Prior to that time, he conducted a brokerage and investment business under the firm name of Peirce & Salisbury, with offices in the old Atlantic Bank Building on Weybosset Street.
Born in East Greenwich on May 9, 1838, Mr. Peirce was educated in private schools of Warwick and East Greenwich. He was the son of James L. and Mary (Pinniger) Peirce. After completing his schooling, he entered the banking business with the Roger Williams National Bank in Providence, retiring later to organize the brokerage firm.
With Marsden J. Perry*, he was one of the original organizers of the Narragansett Electric Company in 1888. Subsequently, he assumed control of the Providence, Fall River and Newport Steamboat Company and placed his nephew, the late A. K. Tillinghast, as president of that company.
Mr. Peirce’s philanthropic activities in Warwick and East Greenwich were many. In 1915, on the site of his former home, he erected a library building which he presented to the East Greenwich Free Library Association. A tablet placed on the wall attests to the esteem in which Mr. Peirce was held by the people of East Greenwich and vicinity. A large reading room in the building was dedicated to the memory of Mr. Peirce’s daughter, Adeline Vaughan Peirce.
Mr. Peirce was for many years a member of the vestry of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, East Greenwich, and until recently an active communicant of that church.
Years ago, Mr. Peirce was very active and took a great interest in the Kentish Guards. He held various offices and finally became colonel commanding, a post he filled in a manner that was a credit to himself and to the Kentish Guards. While not active in the organization for many years, his interest remained to the last.
In respect for Mr. Peirce, flags at the Kentish Guards and Varnum armories were lowered to half mast.
The funeral service was held at St. Lukes Episcopal Church by Rev. Charles A. Meader. Burial was at St. Luke’s cemetery. Services were well attended by a large gathering of old friends and associates. As a mark of respect, most of the stores along Main Street were closed during the services.
Daniel A. Peirce's portrait hangs in the reference room at the library today. He was a descendant of Giles Peirce, one of the Kings Grant founders of East Greenwich and whose name appears on the rock in front of the Old Jail.
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*Mr. Perry, at the time, owned and resided in the historic John Brown House on Power Street in Providence, now property of the Rhode Island Historical Society.