West Greenwich Preservation and Heritage Commission

09/12/2026

🇺🇸 West Greenwich Revolutionary War Soldier Profile 🇺🇸

Judge Benjamin Johnson
1749–1813

SAR
DAR

Judge Benjamin Johnson was born on January 23, 1749 in West Greenwich. He was the son of Isaac Johnson, Esq., who was himself a featured West Greenwich Revolutionary War Patriot, and Audry Spencer.

Benjamin married Mary Weaver, the daughter of Benjamin Weaver and Deborah Vaughn, in 1772. Together, they had four known children who survived infancy: Levi, Elisha, Isaac, and Deborah.

🇺🇸 During the American Revolution, Benjamin Johnson answered the call to serve his country. In 1778, he served as a Private in Rhode Island’s Second Regiment, 1st Battalion, under Capt. Joseph Hopkins. His military and civil service is recorded in Smith’s Civil and Military List of Rhode Island, 1647–1800, Vol. I.

Following the Revolution, Benjamin continued a long career of public service. He served as a Justice of the Peace in West Greenwich, and later rose to considerably higher judicial office.

By 1800, Benjamin Johnson was serving as a Justice of the Kent County Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace, an important county court that handled both civil and criminal matters. Rhode Island records continue to list him among the Kent County justices in the early 1800s.

His judicial career eventually carried him to the highest court in the State of Rhode Island. In May 1808, Judge Benjamin Johnson was elected as one of the justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Judicial Court. He was again listed on the court in 1809. After a one-year absence from the court in 1810, he returned to the Supreme Judicial Court in 1811 and continued serving through 1812 and 1813.

At this time, Rhode Island Supreme Judicial Court justices were elected annually by the General Assembly. The Supreme Judicial Court was Rhode Island's highest court and was the predecessor of today's Rhode Island Supreme Court.

Judge Benjamin Johnson was still a member of the Supreme Judicial Court when he died. The Rhode Island civil list records his reelection in May 1813 and, at the October session, notes that Benjamin Johnson was deceased and Charles Brayton was selected to replace him on the court.

Judge Benjamin Johnson died on August 15, 1813, at the age of 64 in West Greenwich. He is buried in the Isaac Johnson Lot, also known as WG-039, in West Greenwich.

🇺🇸 From serving as a Private during the American Revolution to sitting as a Justice on Rhode Island's highest court, Judge Benjamin Johnson devoted much of his life to the service of his community and state. Today, we remember and honor his military, civic, and judicial service to West Greenwich and Rhode Island. 🇺🇸

09/09/2026

New fence protecting the Casey Lot at the Harrington Preserve. The only known inscription is from 1742. The other graves are marked by field stones. Thanks West Greenwich Preservation and Heritage Commission for taking care of this historic site.

Photo by Cheryl Swinconeck/TNC

09/06/2026

🇺🇸 West Greenwich Revolutionary War Soldier Profile 🇺🇸

John Matteson
1706–1784

John Matteson was born on October 27, 1706. He was the son of Capt. Henry Matteson and Judith Weaver. On March 30, 1732, he married Elizabeth Hunt, who had previously been married to Timothy Sweet. Together, John and Elizabeth had seven known children: Sarah, John II, Henry, Joshua, Abel, Thomas, and Job.

🇺🇸 During the American Revolution, John Matteson served in Captain Samuel Wall’s Company of Colonel Archibald Kasson’s 2nd Kent County Regiment of the Rhode Island State Militia. Captain Wall commanded the Coventry Alarm Company, a local militia unit responsible for responding when Rhode Island faced an immediate military threat.

In the summer of 1778, Captain Wall’s Company was called into service as Rhode Island and Continental forces prepared to challenge the British occupation of Newport. Records show the company serving on alarm under Major General John Sullivan from July 24 through July 30, 1778, during the buildup to Sullivan’s expedition against British forces on Aquidneck Island.

The 2nd Kent County Regiment under Colonel Kasson formed part of Rhode Island’s militia mobilization during the campaign that culminated in the Battle of Rhode Island on August 29, 1778. 🇺🇸

John additionally served in Tillinghast’s Regiment, most likely Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Tillinghast’s 1st Kent County Regiment of Rhode Island Militia. Tillinghast’s regiment remained active during the later years of the war, with militia companies called into service and sent to Newport to relieve troops already stationed there.

🇺🇸 John’s service is particularly noteworthy because he was already in his seventies during the Revolution. His participation reflects the important role Rhode Island’s local militia played in defending the state, responding to alarms, and supporting larger military operations during the fight for American independence.

John Matteson died on March 11, 1784, at the age of 77. He is buried in the John Matteson Lot, also known as WG-075, located within the Big River Management Area in West Greenwich.

🇺🇸 Today, we remember John Matteson for answering the call to serve his community, Rhode Island, and the cause of American independence. 🇺🇸

08/30/2026

🇺🇸 West Greenwich Revolutionary War Soldier Profile 🇺🇸

James Allen
1750–1821
SAR # P342493

James Allen was born on October 3, 1750. He was the son of Samuel Allen and Mary. On April 8, 1779, he married Mary Sherman, the daughter of Jonathan Sherman and Mary Gardner. James and Mary had one known child, their daughter Amey Allen.

⚔️ Revolutionary War Service
During the American Revolution, James Allen served as a Sergeant in Captain James Parker’s Company in Colonel Archibald Crary’s Regiment.

Colonel Archibald Crary was an experienced Rhode Island officer who had served in the Continental Army before commanding Rhode Island State Troops. In 1776, Crary served as Lieutenant Colonel of Colonel James Mitchell Varnum’s 9th Continental Regiment and distinguished himself at the Battle of Harlem Heights on September 16, 1776. In June 1777, he became Colonel of the 2nd Rhode Island State Regiment.

Rhode Island’s State Troops were organized following the British occupation of Newport in December 1776. Unlike Rhode Island’s Continental regiments, these troops primarily served within Rhode Island, where they helped defend the state during the British occupation of Aquidneck Island. Although their service was primarily within Rhode Island, they were active military forces and participated in the campaigns to protect the state.

Surviving records held by the Rhode Island Historical Society document Captain James Parker’s Company of Colonel Archibald Crary’s Regiment during November and December 1777. The records identify the unit as part of the 2nd Regiment of Rhode Island State Troops and include the names, ranks, and pay of the soldiers serving in the company.

As a Sergeant, James Allen would have been a noncommissioned officer with responsibilities beyond those of a private soldier. Sergeants helped maintain discipline, organize the enlisted men, carry out the orders of commissioned officers, and assist in keeping their companies prepared for duty.

James Allen died on July 13, 1821, at the age of 70. Following his death, his widow, Mary, applied for a widow’s pension based upon James Allen’s Revolutionary War service, helping preserve a record of his contribution to the cause of American independence.

🇺🇸 James Allen is buried in the Allen-Tanner Lot, also known as West Greenwich Historical Cemetery WG-117.

Today, we remember Sergeant James Allen and the Rhode Island soldiers who served during one of the most dangerous periods in our state’s history, when British forces occupied Newport and Rhode Islanders were called upon to defend their homes and communities.
We remember his name. We honor his service. We preserve his history. 🇺🇸

08/24/2026

As we head into cooler weather, it is time to resume cleanup work on our historic cemeteries.

We could use all the volunteers we can get to help preserve our local history and ensure these important places are not lost to time.

Whether you can help with clearing brush, removing leaves and debris, or general cemetery maintenance, every set of helping hands makes a difference.

Please consider volunteering with the West Greenwich Preservation and Heritage Commission as we continue working to protect, preserve, and honor West Greenwich’s historic cemeteries for future generations. 🇺🇸

Help us preserve the past—one cemetery at a time!

08/22/2026

🇺🇸 West Greenwich Revolutionary War Patriot Profile 🇺🇸

Deacon Samuel Niles

1720–1778

DAR Patriot

Deacon Samuel Niles was born on February 8, 1720. He was the son of Nathaniel Niles and Tabitha Gardner. Around 1740, he married Martha Pitcher, daughter of Jonathan Pitcher and Phebe Hopkins.

Together, Samuel and Martha had nine known children: Jonathan, George, Phebe, Joseph, Samuel II, Deborah, Martha, Tabitha, and Almy.

Long before the American Revolution, Samuel answered the call to service during the French and Indian War. In 1757, he served in Capt. Greene’s Company, part of the colonial military forces raised during the conflict between Great Britain and France for control of North America.

Nearly two decades later, as tensions with Great Britain developed into the American Revolution, Samuel again served his community—this time in a civil capacity. In 1776, the historic year in which the colonies declared their independence, Deacon Samuel Niles served as a member of the West Greenwich Town Council. His recognized civil service during the Revolutionary period is recorded by the Daughters of the American Revolution as Patriot .

Samuel's story reminds us that the struggle for American independence depended not only upon the soldiers who served on the battlefield, but also upon the local citizens and public officials who helped govern and sustain their communities during the Revolution.

Deacon Samuel Niles died on October 3, 1778, in West Greenwich at the age of 58.
He is buried in the Niles-Nichols-Congdon Lot, also known as WG-054, located within what is now the Big River Management Area.

🇺🇸 Today, we remember and honor Deacon Samuel Niles for his service during both the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, and for his contribution to the history of West Greenwich. 🇺🇸

08/17/2026

🇺🇸 West Greenwich Revolutionary War Soldier Profile 🇺🇸

Capt. Joseph Fry
1752–1833

Capt. Joseph Fry was born on March 6, 1752. He was the son of Thomas Fry IV and Penelope Rhodes. Joseph married Mary Rice, and together they had three known children: Benjamin, Samuel, and John.

Joseph had deep roots in West Greenwich. In the 1773 will of his grandfather, Thomas Fry III, Joseph was given 200 acres of land in West Greenwich, connecting the Fry family to the community in the years leading up to the American Revolution.

🇺🇸 Revolutionary War Service
During the American Revolution, Joseph Fry served in the Rhode Island Militia in Capt. Benjamin Gorton’s Company, under Colonel Archibald Kasson’s Regiment. His service placed him among the many West Greenwich men who answered Rhode Island's call to defend the state and support the struggle for American independence.

Joseph later received a pension for his Revolutionary War service. Records indicate that his final pension payment was issued in the third quarter of 1834, after his death, meaning the payment would have been made to his widow, Mary.

Capt. Joseph Fry died in 1833. He is buried in the Capt. Joseph Fry Lot, also known as WG-094, in West Greenwich.

🇺🇸 Today, we remember and honor Capt. Joseph Fry for his service during the American Revolution and his place in the history of West Greenwich.

Thank you, Capt. Joseph Fry, for your service to our young nation. 🇺🇸

08/10/2026

🇺🇸 West Greenwich Revolutionary War Soldier Profile 🇺🇸

James Clarke
1754–1815

DAR Patriot

James Clarke was born on January 22, 1754. He was the son of Cornelius Clarke and Patience Carter.

On May 27, 1773, James married Barbara Tillinghast (1755–1809), daughter of Pardon “Molasses” Tillinghast and Hannah Strafford. Together, James and Barbara had five known children: Silas, John, Pardon, James II, and Abigail.

Following Barbara’s death in 1809, James married a second time in 1811 to Hannah Sepson, four years before his death.

🇺🇸 Service During the American Revolution 🇺🇸
During America’s fight for independence, James Clarke served as a Sergeant in Captain Joseph Hollaway’s Company in Colonel Dyer’s Regiment. He also served in the 1st and 2nd Rhode Island Regiments.

His service placed him among the many Rhode Islanders who answered the call during the Revolutionary War and helped secure American independence.

James Clarke died on January 20, 1815, just two days before what would have been his 61st birthday.

He is buried alongside his first wife, Barbara, in the Pardon “Molasses” Tillinghast Lot, also known as WG-078, in West Greenwich.

🇺🇸 Today, we remember and honor Sergeant James Clarke for his service during the American Revolution and his contribution to the founding of our nation. His final resting place remains part of West Greenwich’s rich Revolutionary War history. 🇺🇸

08/09/2026

08/03/2026

🇺🇸 West Greenwich Revolutionary War Soldier Profile 🇺🇸

Gideon Ellis (1724–1793)

SAR #48518 | DAR Patriot

Gideon Ellis was born on October 17, 1724, in West Greenwich, Rhode Island. He was the son of Jeremiah Ellis and Judith Ayars.

Gideon was married three times and fathered fourteen known children.

His first marriage was to Jemima Austin in 1744, the daughter of Jeremiah Austin and Patience Fish. Together they had five children: Eleanor, Wait, Gideon II, Rufus, and Jemima.

Following Jemima's death, Gideon married Lydia Tillinghast in 1756. Lydia was the daughter of John Tillinghast and Phebe Greene and was the widow of a Reynolds. Together they had two children: Welthian and John.

His third marriage was to Elizabeth Arnold, the widow of John Manchester and the daughter of William Arnold Jr. and Anne Coggeshall. Together they had seven children: Arnold, Lydia, Ann, Oliver, John, Solomon, and Peleg.

During America's fight for independence, Gideon Ellis served as a Private in Captain Joseph Draper's Company under Colonel Archibald Kasson's Regiment of the Rhode Island Militia during the 1778 Rhode Island Campaign. He also served under the command of Major General John Sullivan during an alarm, answering the call to defend Rhode Island during one of the most critical campaigns of the Revolutionary War.

In addition to his military service, Gideon faithfully served his community as a Ratemaker on the West Greenwich Town Council during the Revolutionary period, helping oversee the assessment of local taxes needed to support the town and the war effort. His military and civic service is documented in the Rhode Island State Archives, Index to Military & Naval Records, 1774–1805, Roll #10.7, and the West Greenwich Town Meeting Records, Book 2, pages 25, 32, 33, 38, 45, and 59.

Gideon Ellis died on September 30, 1793, in West Greenwich at the age of 68. He was laid to rest in the Gideon Ellis Lot (WG-049).

🇺🇸 Today, we honor Gideon Ellis for his dedicated service to both his town and his country. Through his military service in the Rhode Island Militia and his leadership in local government during the American Revolution, he helped secure the freedoms that generations of Americans continue to enjoy. May we always remember and honor his contributions to the founding of our nation. 🇺🇸