1889 R.I. NARRAGANSETT CHARLESTOWN WESTERLY SOUTH NORTH KINGSTOWN EAST GREENWICH For Sale

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON AND KENT COUNTIES, RHODE ISLAND, Including Their Early Settlement and Progress to the Present Time; A Description ofTheir Historic and Interesting Localities; Sketches of Their Towns and Villages; Portraits of Some of Their Prominent Men; and Biographies of Many of their Representative Citizens.By J.R. Cole.Published in 1889 by W.W. Preston,New York.11” x 8” x 4” half-leather binding.Gilt titles on spine.Illustrated with full-page portraits and engravings. 1344 pages.

Condition:GOOD ANTIQUE CONDITION. FOUR INCHES THICK. FOURTEEN POUNDS OF LOCAL HISTORY!Exterior as shown in photos.The wear is typical for 19th-century books of this extreme size and weight. Leather split along front exterior joint, board still well attached. Some splitting of leather on spine, backstrip pulling away somewhat at bottom.Text block firm, text block is clean and complete.No torn, loose or missing pages.

History of Washington and Kent Counties, Rhode Island is one of the grandest and most ambitious county histories produced in the late nineteenth century—an enormous, four‑inch‑thick volume that combines exhaustive historical research with a lavish program of engraved portraits, architectural views, and scenes of local interest. Published in 1889, it remains a cornerstone reference for anyone studying Rhode Island’s early settlement, civic development, prominent families, and industrial growth.

Cole’s work presents full local histories of the towns and villages that shaped Washington and Kent Counties, including Warwick, East Greenwich, West Greenwich, Coventry, Exeter, Richmond, Hopkinton, Charlestown, South Kingstown, North Kingstown, Westerly, and the smaller communities and mill villages within them. Each section traces the area’s origins, early land divisions, religious and civic institutions, military participation, maritime activity, and the evolution of local industries—from textile mills and manufactories to shipyards, farms, and coastal enterprises.

A major feature of the volume is its extensive biographical department, containing numerous detailed biographies of prominent men and their families. These entries highlight leading figures in politics, business, education, religion, and community life, often accompanied by finely engraved portraits that give the book its distinctive visual richness. The biographical sketches preserve genealogical information, family lineages, and personal achievements that are invaluable to researchers and collectors.

Equally impressive are the engraved views of magnificent residences, historic homesteads, manufactories, mills, churches, and notable local landmarks. These illustrations provide a vivid record of Rhode Island’s architectural and industrial landscape in the late 1800s, capturing everything from stately village homes to sprawling mill complexes and picturesque rural scenes. The engravings are printed with exceptional clarity and lend the book the feel of a visual atlas as much as a written history.

Taken together, History of Washington and Kent Counties, Rhode Island stands as a monumental publication—massive in size, rich in detail, and unmatched in its combination of narrative history, genealogical material, and beautifully executed engravings. For collectors of Rhode Island history, genealogists, and enthusiasts of nineteenth‑century illustrated county histories, it remains an extraordinary and highly desirable volume.

Table of Contents (Cole, 1889)

Chapter I — The Indians Chapter II — The Narragansett Country Chapter III — Early Settlers of Narragansett Chapter IV — Washington County Chapter V — Military History Chapter VI — The Bench and Bar of Washington and Kent Counties Chapter VII — The Physicians of Washington County; The Physicians of Kent County Chapter VIII — Town of Westerly Chapter IX — The Village of Westerly Chapter X — Biographical Sketches of Westerly Chapter XI — Town of North Kingstown Chapter XII — Village of Wickford Chapter XIII — Town of South Kingstown Chapter XIV — Town of South Kingstown (concluded) Chapter XV — Town of Charlestown Chapter XVI — Town of Exeter Chapter XVII — Town of Richmond Chapter XVIII — Town of Hopkinton Chapter XIX — Kent County and Its Institutions Chapter XX — Town of Warwick Chapter XXI — Town of Warwick (concluded) Chapter XXII — Town of East Greenwich Chapter XXIII — Town of West Greenwich Chapter XXIV — Town of Coventry Chapter XXV — Personal Paragraphs

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