Colonial home, circa 1750-1770 Listed by New England, Realtor MLS ID # 1085380 Price $449,900.00 Includes 2.45 Acres Lampercock Spring Farm Please call us for more details... New England, Realtor 260B Columbia Street South County, RI 02879 Phone Direct (401) 885-7785 FAX (401) 885-7795 http://www.newenglandrealtor.com Copyright 1995-2015. All trade marks are the property of their respective owners. REALTOR is a registered trade mark of the National Association of Realtors All Information in this document may be deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
Early history of the area The Town of Lincoln was originally part of the Providence Plantations, settled by Roger Williams in 1636. Williams granted land to John Smith, one of his original party, and the area became known as the Outlands. In the 17th century, population expanded slowly to the north and west. In 1731, the Outlands were set off into the towns of Scituate, Glocester and Smithfield (named for the aforesaid John Smith). The latter included what would later become Smithfield, Lincoln, North Smithfield and Central Falls. Lincoln was incorporated as a separate town in 1871. Land evidence and other Town records prior to that date are archived in the Central Falls City Hall, which also houses old Smithfield records prior to 1850. Lampercock Spring Farm was at various times a horse farm and a dairy farm. The milk would be sent to Providence by wagon down the Old Louisquisset Pike, often to be transferred to or combined with wagons carrying milk from other farms. Today the farm consists of the home situated on 2.45 Acres of land. Wilbur Road was previously known as Jeremiah Smith Road, and Georgiaville Road before that. Part of the trail in the present Lime Rock Nature Preserve was once the rail bed of the Providence to Woonsocket Trolley line. A member of the Wilbur family used to ride the wooden trolley, but would fall asleep during the trip. The others would wake him up when the trolley got to his stop by calling out Wilbur s Crossing. Thus the road became known as Wilbur s Road.
Early history of the area cont. Anecdotal evidence and a 1975 newspaper reference suggest that the main house at Lampercock Spring Farm may have been built sometime around 1775. Other evidence, however, suggests an earlier date. While it is sometimes difficult to quantify eighteenth century dates of construction, the strongest clue to the home s age may well be Professor Houghton s comment that the house is a little older than his family s Smith-Houghton house down the road, which is known to date from around 1755. The ell The main house was probably built around 1750. Typically, the ell in this case the one story structure at the west end of the main building dates from decades earlier than the main house. It can be structurally identified as having originally been a stand-alone building. Young families built what they needed and lived in the small section while the larger house was constructed as means provided and the family grew. This is why evidence of more than one kitchen can be seen. It is estimated that the Lampercock ell probably dates to around 1720. Original fireplace Main home
Lampercock Spring Farm Lampercock Spring rises on the former Wilbur property across the road from the farmhouse. It travels under the road to the stone Spring House in the lower meadow, where it collects in a small reservoir, where it travels under a rock walkway to another reservoir by the Ram House. In early times, it was the primary source of water in the area, renowned for its quality. Milk was brought from the dairy barn in large containers to cool in the Spring House between milking and delivery. It is said that the temperature in the Spring House was a constant 48 cool year-round, making it ideal for that purpose, and to cool milk, eggs and other perishable foods. Part of the flow travels to a Ram House, so-called, containing a contraption which operated under its own power to provide water to the dairy barn. The spring becomes a stream and flows out of the property to the southeast, eventually joining with other waterways and flowing into the Moshassuck River, then to Providence, where it joins the Woonasquatucket, empties into the Providence River and eventually into upper Narragansett Bay.
In the 1820 s and 1830 s, the horses, sometimes with their owners, would be hired to pull the barges along the Blackstone Canal, which they would do for a certain distance and then be handed off to others further along the way. What follows is a brief account of the time, the place, and the people. It is by no means comprehensive, but should suffice to provide an interesting overview of the history. What became the Hedberg property was originally part of the large farm owned by James Phetteplace. It is found on a map of the area in an 1895 atlas accompanied by his son s name. James was born in 1802 and died in 1890. Apparently, James acquired the farm in sections at different times between 1836 and 1839 from Dan Smith, Sarah Pain and Mercy Angell, the three youngest children of Rufus Smith, who had been bequeathed the farm by their father after his death in 1826. By the 1930 s, the farm had been in the Phetteplace family for five generations. As might be expected, the Smith family had extensive land holdings in the area, as did other families, including those of Harris, Arnold, Mowry, Steere, and Waterman. Rufus Smith was born on January 17, 1740 and died in 1826. In 1818, he acquired what is now known as Lampercock Spring Farm from Simon Harris. On his death, the property was divided and set off to his widow and children. This procedure was typical of the time. The family patriarch divided the land among his heirs according to their popularity with him or based on what he had done for them during his lifetime. Rufus had six children and his property was divided among them. Rufus will, was admitted to probate in September of 1826. It is recorded in the Smithfield Probate records located in Central Falls, and is followed by a recorded inventory of his personal property, down to the smallest nail. Some of the children and grandchildren got cash, others got personal property, and the three youngest got the real estate. Rufus devised to his daughters Sarah Pain and Mercy Smith portions of the farm he bought from Simon Harris by deed dated October 12, 1818 and duly recorded. Dan Smith got all the rest not otherwise devised, which he later conveyed to James Phetteplace. In Rufus will, the three oldest children got less than the three youngest because I have lately within a few years given them one thousand dollars a piece he stated. Two deeds recorded in 1831 between Sarah and Mercy are of interest. Sarah (who later became the wife of James Phetteplace) conveyed five parcels of land to her sister Mercy Smith (who later became the wife of Daniel Angell), including a twenty-six acre parcel. In consideration of that conveyance, Mercy Smith, in a deed recorded immediately after Sarah s deed to her, conveyed to Sarah two lots of land, the first containing a little more than 26 acres.
James Phetteplace died in 1908, leaving the farm in his will to his wife, Phebe for her life, and then to his son Morton. In 1921, Phebe leased the farm to Morton, and it became his outright in 1930 when Phebe died. It was in the ten or so years after this, that Professor Houghton and his brother worked on the farm. Morton Phetteplace operated Lampercock Spring primarily as a dairy farm, transporting the milk to his customers mostly by horse and cart, but sometimes by automobile. Later History Lampercock Spring Farm is said to have comprised approximately two hundred acres. Mr. Phetteplace sold off three or four lots of an acre or two each. In 1946, the State of Rhode Island acquired 138 acres of the farm, intending it for use as part of the North Central State Airport. The property sold to the developer comprised about 57 acres. All told, the two hundred acre estimate seems quite close. As previously stated, in the 1950 s, Mr. Phetteplace conveyed a few lots of an acre or so to various purchasers who built their suburban homes there. The rest of the property was acquired after his death in 1962 by a development company consisting of three partners, one of whom was Professor Houghton. The land was subdivided in multiple phases between 1964 and 1974. In Section two, one and a half acre lot was created around the farmhouse, along with a separate one acre lot comprising the former lower meadow where the spring house and ram house are located. Eventually, both were acquired by the Hedbergs, the residence in 1970, and the lower meadow lot in 2003. When the Hedbergs acquired the residence from the Manekofsky family (it having been sold to them by the developer in 1969), the house was vacant. A major restoration was undertaken which today appears to have preserved the original look.
The Phetteplace Family Cemetery The Phetteplace Family Cemetery sat in the middle of a meadow and, according to Professor Houghton, was largely unattended and overgrown. Today it sits in the front yard of a house located at 19 Lampercock Lane. A right-of-way created in the subdivision allows for access. The present owners of the house keep the grass cut, and the cemetery looks well cared for today. Eight family members are buried in the cemetery. Birth dates are approximate, calculated from the information the headstones. Sarah (Pain) 1801-1865 Wife of James. James Phetteplace 1802-1890 Original purchaser of the Farm. Julia Ann Phetteplace 1818-1834 Rufus Phetteplace 1836-1882 James N. Phetteplace 1837-1908 Wife of Morton [presumably not the Morton of Lampercock Spring Farm, but an earlier relative. Son of James and Sarah, Father of Morton. Lydia 1840-1845 Daughter of James and Phebe. Phebe Phetteplace 1841-1930 Wife of James N. Mother of Morton. Josephine 1856-1864 Daughter of James and Phebe. Conclusion The history of Lampercock Spring Farm is indeed a fascinating one, touching as it does on the early Colonial days of the Country, early settlers, the development and growth of the area, and its relevance up to the present day. One marvels at the physical labor that was part of daily life. It has been suggested that the name Lampercock is derived from a Native American name, which is entirely possible since it is well-known that Wampanoags, Shawomets and Narragansetts inhabited the area. Please call us for more details... New England, Realtor 260B Columbia Street South County, RI 02879 Phone Direct (401) 885-7785 FAX (401) 885-7795 http://www.newenglandrealtor.com