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John Sullivan (1740-1795) was born in Somersworth, New Hampshire, the third son of Irish settlers from County Cork who, as Catholics, fled Ireland because of the English Penal Laws. After studying law as a teenager, Sullivan began its practice in 1763. Because of his increasing professional prominence and his opposition to British policies, he became
In 1747, Rhode Island settled a long-standing boundary dispute with Massachusetts for a new line of demarcation extending from Cumberland in the north to Little Compton in the south. Bristol was Rhode Island’s prize acquisition in that transaction. The former Plymouth Colony town, dating from 1680, came with two Massachusetts traditions – a town common
Governor Samuel Ward’s second son, Samuel Jr. (“Sammy”) was born November 17, 1756 in Westerly. He graduated from Rhode Island College (Brown University) in 1771 at the age of fifteen. His military career began when he was commissioned a captain in the Rhode Island Army of Observation in May, 1775, at the age of eighteen.
Norman “Sandy” McCulloch was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1926 to Norman and Mary McCulloch. Many of his early summers were spent on Adams Point in Barrington until 1935 when his family moved to Barrington permanently. His education continued at Nayatt School, Providence Country Day School, Barrington High School ’43, and Phillips Academy, Andover
Barnet Fain — known to many as “Bunny” — was a prominent businessman, artist, philanthropist, and community leader in Rhode Island. Barnet was born in Providence on March 31, 1932 to Irving I. and Miriam (nee Grossman). A resident of Providence in his youth, Barnet graduated from Classical High School and went on to Colby
Everett Gardner Weeden, Jr. (“Tall Oak”), a documented descendant of the Mashanticut Pequot, Narragansett, and Wampanoag tribes, was an artist, an activist, survivalist, and historian, He was born in Providence on September 4, 1936 to the late Everett G. Weeden, Sr, and Bertha (Ramos) Weeden Summers. At age nine Everett moved with his family to
Michael Thomas Flynn is a retired United States Army Lieutenant General who served the nation with honor and distinction in various significant assignments for thirty-three years. One of nine siblings, Michael was born to Charles Francis Flynn and Helen Frances (née Andrews) in Middletown, Rhode Island, on December 24, 1958. He attended local grammar and
Ray Dwyer was an outstanding athlete, teacher, coach and nationally recognized sports official throughout his long, accomplished life in Rhode Island. Born in the Rumford section of East Providence on July 21, 1923, Ray was the son of Edward M. and Mary F. (nee Mather) Dwyer. His track prowess began as a student at LaSalle
Brigadier General Michael T. Byrnes, U.S. Army Ret, born on February 10, 1940, passed away after a long illness on January 9, 2023. A native of Bristol, he was a son of the late Thomas H. and Constance G. (Campanella) Byrnes, Jr. Michael’s father was a state representative, Bristol town administrator and a founder of
The Rhode Island Law Enforcement community lost a true champion, when North Kingstown’s John J. “Jack” Leyden passed away on March 3, 2021, at the age of 89. Born in the Smith Hill section of Providence on July 3, 1931, Jack was the son of Thomas and Katherine (McGovern) Leyden, along with brothers Thomas and
Leonard Bacon, a poet, translator, critic, and professor, was born on May 26, 1887, in Solvay, New York, the son of Nathaniel Bacon and Helen Hazard. He grew up at his mother’s familial estate in Peace Dale, Rhode Island. He came from a family of Congregationalist ministers, including the clergymen relatives for which he was
United States Army LT Robert Turner Waugh is one of three Rhode Islanders to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor during World War II. Each of the three Medals was presented posthumously. Robert was born in Ashton (a mill village of the Lonsdale Company that eventually would become part of incorporated Cumberland), Rhode Island to
Milton Rhenquist, born on June 6, 1897, was the son of Frederick and Albertina (Bachman) Rhenquist. His family relocated to the Fairmont area in southern Minnesota, where he bravely enlisted in the Army and served overseas in WWI. This early display of resilience and dedication set the stage for his future achievements. After his military
Robert “Rocky” Kempenaar II is a highly successful businessman in the field of commercial real estate and development specializing in the hospitality (hotels) segment of the industry throughout Middletown, Portsmouth, and Newport, as well as in other New England states. In addition to his proven busi-ness acumen, Mr. Kempenaar is a pillar of the Aquidneck
Sevellon Brown, the publisher of the Providence Journal and The Evening Bulletin, was known as a person who expected great things from the American press and did everything in his power to achieve them. He founded the American Press Institute at Columbia in 1946 to improve the professional, leadership, and technical skills of those in
Allen, William Henry, 1784-1813 Far less known than Rhode Island’s Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the September 1813 Battle of Lake Erie, Captain William Henry Allen was no less daring and courageous. He was born in Providence on October 21, 1784, the son of Sarah Jones, sister of Governor William Jones, and Major William
Major General Morphis Albert Jamiel, 1922-2013, truly exemplified the very best of America. Born into the well-known Jamiel family of Warren in 1922, his parents were the late Albert and Mary Jamiel. He had twelve brothers and sisters. From this humble origin in the small town of Warren, he eventually carved out a notable career
John Nicholas Brown, 1900-1979, was a former assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, senior fellow at Brown University and a director of the Smithsonian Institution. He directed the search and recovery of the works of art stolen by the Nazis for which he was decorated by the French and Belgian governments.
John William Middendorf II of Little Compton was born in Baltimore, Maryland on September 22, 1924. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1945 with a bachelor’s degree in naval science after having served in World War II as an engineering officer and navigator aboard LCS 53. He then earned an A.B.
Esek Hopkins (1718-1802) was one of nine children born in Scituate to farmers William Hopkins Jr. and Ruth Wilkinson. His older brother and patron was Governor and Signer Stephen Hopkins. Upon his father’s death, Esek went to sea at the age of twenty and eventually served on several merchant vessels. As a sailor, he rose
Gonzalo Edward “Ned” Buxton Jr. (1880-1949) was born in Kansas City, Mo., to Dr. G. Edward and Sarah A. Harrington Buxton. When he was a teenager, his family moved back to their Rhode Island ancestral home. Showing early signs of leadership and intelligence, Ned graduated from Worcester’s Highland Military Academy in 1898 as class valedictorian.
Everitte St. John Chaffee is credited with developing standards of excellence for the Rhode Island State Police when he was appointed as its founding Superintendent on April 2, 1925. The appointment of Colonel Chafee as first Superintendent was not popular, but Gov. Aram J. Pothier, who selected Chaffee, and the General Assembly resisted any efforts
Bliss, George Newman, 1837-1928 George Newman Bliss was born in Tiverton, Rhode Island on July 22, 1837, the son of James and Sarah (Stafford) Bliss. He attended Brown University, secured a bachelor’s degree from Union College, and earned a law degree from Albany Law School in 1861. Enlisting in the Civil War as a private,
Ambrose Everett Burnside was born in Liberty, Indiana on May 23, 1824, one of nine children of Irish and Scottish ancestry born to Edghill and Pamela (Brown) Burnside. His father had been a South Carolina slaveholder who moved to Indiana after freeing his slaves. Edghill Burnside became a legislator in his adopted state–a position that
Reginald A. Centracchio was born in West Warwick. He enlisted in the R.I. National Guard at 17 and graduated from Officer Candidate School five years later. He is the only adjutant general from Rhode Island to serve his entire career within the Rhode Island National Guard. During the Cold War years, he served as a
Elisha Hunt Rhodes, eldest son of ship captain Elisha Hunt Rhodes and Eliza Ann (Chace) Rhodes, was born in Pawtuxet Village on March 21, 1842. This lineal descendant of Roger Williams attended schools in Cranston and Providence including Potter & Hammond’s Commercial College. His father’s death at sea when Elisha was only sixteen left him
Frank Wheaton (1833-1903) was a Providence native who distinguished himself with the United States and Mexico Boundary Commission and with the U.S. Cavalry during and after the Civil War. Born on May 8, 1833 in Providence, the son of Dr. Francis L. Wheaton and Amelia S. (Burrill) Wheaton, Frank attended public schools and studied engineering
General Harold Read started his military career in 1942 as a member of the Rhode Island State Guard. He was inducted into federal service during World War II and served in the European Theater as a member of the IX Troop Carrier Command, First Allied Airborne Army. He participated in the airborne invasions of Normandy,
Dr. Stanley Aronson was the founding Dean of Brown University’s Alpert School of Medicine, a prolific writer, an advocate for community organizations, and one of Rhode Island’s most prominent public intellectuals. His career spanned more than 70 years, and he was a world-renowned doctor, medical researcher, and leader in medical education. He was a co-founder
Burrillville native Vice Admiral Walter E. “Ted’ Carter, Superintendent of the US Naval Academy, is one of the living giants of Naval aviation history. Carter flew 125 combat missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. Since earning his Naval Flight Officer wings in 1982, Admiral Carter, a record-setting “Top Gun” aviator, has made 2,016
Major General John J. Salesses, Ph.D. (Jay) was born in Providence, RI on February 13, 1933, a son of the late William and Alice (McConnell) Salesses. He was raised in Providence and, while in high school, spent summers in Bristol, RI, working at the Rhode Island Soldiers’ Home. He attended Henry Barnard School, graduated from
Herbert R. Dean, 1882-1941, spent most of his long life in the military including duty in the cavalry during World War I, service as Adjutant General of the Rhode Island National Guard under four governors, and Director of the Selective Service Board for Rhode Island at the beginning of World War II. He was also
Admiral William S. Sims modernized gunnery and professionalism in the late 19th and early 20th century U.S. Navy, placing him among the most influential figures of the modern Navy. During World War I, he commanded all United States Naval forces operating in Europe. He also served twice as president of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode
Born in Providence, John Hubbard Chafee became one of the most successful governors of Rhode Island. Promoted to the rank of second marine lieutenant during the Second World War, he fought bravely in the battles of Guadalcanal and Okinawa. Following the war, he received his B.A. from Yale University and was awarded a law degree
DeOrmond “Tuss” McLaughry was an American football player and coach. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Westminster (PA) College, in 1916. During his early days in coaching, McLaughry spent his spare time playing professional football with the Massillon (Ohio) Tigers. Knute Rockne, famed coach at the University of Notre Dame, was a
The late John E. “Jack” Martin, formerly of Cranston, was a longtime schoolboy sports editor of the Journal-Bulletin. He was often referred to as “the father of Interscholastic Leagues in Rhode Island”, and is credited with the establishment of the Schoolboy Injury Fund and the Journal-Bulletin honor-roll for athletes. He served as Executive Secretary of
Edward Peter Gallogly enjoyed a career that saw him occupy many seats onthe public stage. He is one of the few Rhode Island citizens who served inall three branches of state government as well as an arm of the Federalgovernment. Gallogly was born in Providence on August 28, 1919 one of nine children ofLawrence and
George J. Peters was a private in the United States Army who received the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty” for action in Germany during World War II. George was one of seven children born to Portuguese immigrants in Cranston, Rhode Island on March
Vice Admiral Hayward of Newport served 70 years in the U.S. Navy before retiring in 1995. As a World War II naval aviator, he helped develop one of the two atomic bombs that was dropped on Japan in the closing days of the war. Later, he was a pioneer in the development of nuclear propulsion,
Major John T. Godfrey, USAF, a Candian native raised in Woonsocket, was a highly decorated and widely recognized World War II flying ace credited with shooting down or destroying on the ground, 36 German planes. He later became prominent in public affairs as a State Senator. He also operated a successful Lace manufacturing business in
Keen, William W. (William Williams), 1837-1932 Dr. William W. Keen (1837-1932) of Swedish and Dutch extraction, was a man of stern principles and unwavering convictions and a diligent worker in the Calvinist tradition. He was born on the last day of Andrew Jackson’s tenure as president; and he died in the waning months of Herbert
Lewis, Ida, 1842-1911 Idawalley “Ida” Lewis is considered the most famous person ever to serve in the U.S. Lighthouse Service, an agency that evolved into the U. S. Coast Guard. She was born in Newport on February 25, 1842. When she was eleven years old, her father Hosea was appointed keeper of the Lime Rock
Admiral Thomas R. Weschler, USN, a native of Erie, PA, and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, was highly decorated as a veteran of World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He retired in 1975 after 34 years of duty, and later served as the Director of the Center for Continuing Education. He
John S. Collier, a Phi Beta Kappa scholar at Brown University, won a bronze medal in the 110-meter-high hurdles in the 1928 Olympics with a 14.8 clocking. He finished third behind South African Syd Atkinson and American Steve Anderson. As a captain of the Brown track team in his senior year, Collier gained national ranking
Harold Gardiner Bowen Sr. was a United States Navy Vice admiral, former head of the Office of Naval Research, and a mechanical engineer. He was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, and he was the namesake of the USS Bowen. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on November 6, 1883, to Amos Miller Bowen
Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer), 1840-1914 Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914), the best known and most influential naval officer of the late 19th century, ironically was born at West Point, the son of Dennis Hart Mahan, a professor of military engineering and dean of faculty at the U.S. Military Academy. Admiral Mahan was a
John Higgins, 1916-2004, was fourth place finisher in the 100-meter breaststroke at the 1936 Berlin Games. During his remarkable career, Higgins set world records and American records in the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly breaststroke, the individual medley, and the medley relay. In these events he won eleven U.S. national championships. Later, he became swim coach
Judge Frank Darigan was born on September 21, 1942 to a South Providence Irish-Catholic family. He never severed his roots. Of the many Hall of Fame inductees from Providence’s South Side, Frank’s nearly six decades of volunteer social service to his neighborhood is unmatched by any of these honorees. Darigan served as a judge of
Major General John M. McGreevy served the state as a National Guard Officer, Adjutant General, and Civil Defense Director. He was project engineer at Elmsdorf Airbase and Commander of the 176th Engineer Regiment. President Kennedy invited him to meet with the National Security Council, and he was appointed as Coordinator of Emergency Services during the
Major General John W. Kiely, a former Adjutant General of Rhode Island and Commanding General of the Rhode Island National Guard. He completed his forty-eight year of military service as a highly decorated World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veteran whose awards include The Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, and Bronze Star.
Commander John A. McIntyre was a former U.S. Navy flying ace in World War II and the Korean War. He held distinctions that included the Silver Star, two distinguished Flying Crosses, and four Air Medals. He was a former three-sport star athlete for LaSalle Academy, and later an All-America football player at Notre Dame. A
The late Brigadier General Chester A. Files, formerly of Barrington, RI, had a distinguished military career that spanned thirty-five years. He began in the Rhode Island National Guard as an enlisted man, and covered four different periods of conflict starting in 1916 with the Mexican Border Skirmish as a “mule skinner”, and ending as a
Lieutenant General John Phillips of East Providence and Washington, D.C., had a distinguished career in the United States Marine Corps, covering thirty-five years with tours of duty in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He was highly-decorated with numerous awards, citations, and key leadership positions, and received the Navy Marine Corps Distinguished Service Medal, the
The late Major General Harold R. Barker whose distinguished thirty-three year military career that spanned service under the famed General John Pershing in the battle with Mexican Revolutionary leader Poncho Villa, and through both World Wars. A native Rhode Islander who settled in Pascoag during his retirement years, he was a highly decorated U.S. Army
On August 10, 1790, a week before George Washington completed his trip from New York City to Rhode Island to acknowledge and celebrate the reluctant thirteenth state’s entrance to the Union, Captain Robert Gray of Tiverton completed another journey in Boston harbor: he was the first American to circumnavigate the world. Gray–who has remained relatively
Kenneth R. Dooley was born in Providence in 1931. He graduated from LaSalle Academy and Providence College (Class of 1959). He spent a career in publishing and film production with the media giant Prentice Hall in New Jersey as an executive vice president of the Bureau of Business Practice (1960-1977). He oversaw 600 employees and
Lieutenant General William S. Lawton, 1900-1993, was native of Newport who later lived in Bethsesda, MD. His distinguished military career spanned forty years with service in World War II and the Korean War. He was a highly decorated U.S. Army Officer, and held key staff positions throughout his career following graduation from West Point in
The late John, “Jack” McGee, 1885-1918, was a celebrated aviator whose accomplishments and bravery as a pioneering pilot at the turn of the 20th century became legend in his chosen profession. A native of Central Falls he grew up in the Blackstone Valley area and became a famous as a barn-storming test pilot who foresaw
James W. Norman of South Kingstown, was a multi-award winning Sports Information Director at the University of Rhode Island and a radio voice of the Rams for twenty-eight years. He has served as President of Word Unlimited, the Providence Gridiron Club, and the URI Ram’s Club. He is a member of the Universities Athletic Hall
Hank Soar was arguably the most talented, versatile athlete ever to come from Rhode Island. He was born in Alton, Rhode Island, on August 17, 1914, to Arthur and Edith (Nelson) Soar. He played football, basketball, and baseball at Pawtucket High School and captained all three teams. Soar also played goalie in soccer. He was
Although he was born in Pawtucket, Walter Schroder, the son of German immigrants, spent his early years in Germany where he was drafted in 1944 at age fifteen to serve with an antiaircraft battery. Captured by the British in 1945, he served as a P.O.W. interpreter. Following his release, he enlisted in the U.S. Army
Matthew C. Perry was an American naval officer who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War. He played a leading role in the Perry Expedition that ended Japan’s isolationism and the Convention of Kanagawa between Japan and the United States in 1854. He was born April 10, 1794,
Domina “Dom” C. Jalbert was an early parachuting pioneer who greatly advanced the sport of skydiving. He did extensive work on kites, balloons, and canopies, earning many patents. For the skydiving community, his greatest contribution was the multi-celled canopy, which he patented in 1963. In 1964, he patented the Multi-cell Wing Type Aerial device, known
Robert E. Quinn was born on April. 2, 1894, in Phoenix, Rhode Island, son of Charles Quinn and Mary Ann (McCabe) Quinn. Named for the noble Irish patriot, Robert Quinn led the political transformation of Rhode Island from Republican to Democratic during the turbulent 1920s and 1930s. As a young boy, Quinn went to St.
George L. Sutcliffe was a WWII flying ace whose heroic exploits as a fighter pilot have been chronicled in several books and films. He flew eighty missions and earned numerous decorations. He enlisted in the Army Air Forces shortly after Pearl Harbor and was deployed to Europe with the 368th Fighter Group. He flew four
Nathanael Greene was born in the Potowomut section of the town of Warwick on July 27, 1742 (or August 7, according to the New Style Julian calendar adopted in England and the American colonies in 1752). His father, for whom he was named, was a farmer and an iron maker whose second wife, Mary Mott,
Major General Low was a former U.S. Airforce Director of Aerospace Programs and highly decorated World War II pilot. General Low was born in Westerly, R.I., in 1917, and completed public school there. He attended Rhode Island College of Education for three years. He began his military career in June 1936 when he enlisted in
Oliver H. Perry was the oldest of five boys born to Christopher and Sarah Wallace Perry (Alexander) in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, on August 23, 1785. As a boy, Perry lived in Tower Hill, Rhode Island, sailing ships in anticipation of his future career as an officer in the United States Navy. Perry came from
Eugene Buonaccorsi was sports editor of the Providence Journal-Bulletin, spending forty-six years in sports journalism. He began his career as a Journal schoolboy reporter and copy editor, and was named assistant sports editor in 1946, after serving as a U.S. Army Airborne test glider Captain in WWII. He retired in 1984 after assembling one of
State and national eminence in the medical profession came to Dr. John W. Keefe of Providence, Rhode Island, through his exceptional skill as a surgeon and his many notable and humane achievements in a career in which his service in his chosen profession was distinguished for nearly half a century. He was a founder of
John E. Moran Sr., 84, was a member and leader of numerous organizations, the chairman emeritus of McLaughlin & Moran Distributors Inc., Cranston, distributors of Anheuser-Busch products, and a former state senator and fundraiser. He was born in Providence on November 28, 1912, son of Timothy Moran and Jennie (McGovern) Moran. He attended La Salle
Irving J. Fain was a philanthropist, successful businessman, and community leader whose perseverance and ideals almost single-handedly led to the establishment of a fair housing law in Rhode Island. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, to Alfred and Elizabeth (Stoneman), Russian immigrants, on Aug. 11, 1906. He had two brothers, Edgar and Norman, and
Dr. Vincent Turco was a world-renowned orthopedic surgeon and specialist in clubfoot. The son of Italian immigrants, he was born in Newark, New Jersey, on Sep. 10, 1916. The family moved to Westerly, Rhode Island when he was six, and he attended public schools in the area. In 1937, he graduated from the University of
Major General Zenas Randall Bliss was born in the Johnston village of Simmonsville on April 17, 1835. He passed a comfortable youth in a middle class family until he won a direct appointment to the United States Military Academy in 1850, at the age of fifteen. At West Point Bliss graduated near the bottom of
John C.A. Watkins, 1912-2000, was Publisher and Chairman of the Board of the Providence Journal-Bulletin beginning in 1974. His journalistic career began in Dayton, Ohio, in 1934, and he came to these newspapers in 1945 as assistant to the publisher. Throughout his leadership and direction, Rhode island’s major news sources became considered among the finest
Armed with his religion and dedication to “the spirit of social service,” Rev. John Byron Diman founded St. George’s Episcopal boarding school. He continued establishing two other education hubs — a vocational school in Fall River for high school “dropouts” and Portsmouth Priory School. Diman came from a line of prestigious Rhode Islanders — his
George Bancroft, 1800-1891, was an American historian and Statesman who became a citizen of Newport with his home the famed “Rosecliff” mansion, named after the American Beauty Rose that he and a colleague developed. Over forty years, he wrote nine volumes of The History of the United States, and was credited with the existence of
General John Bruce Blount was a career U.S. Army Officer who, according to available records, was the only native-born, three-star general in Rhode Island history. Known by his middle name, Bruce, he was raised in Kingston, RI, and was a 1950 graduate of RI State College (now URI), where he excelled in both baseball and
Bernard Mondor, 1925-2010, was a Canadian-born business man who became one of R.I.’s most outstanding sports promoters as owner of the Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball Team, which was recognized as the strongest franchise in the International League. He entered the business world after service in the Navy, acquiring seven corporations with sales over $13 million.
Samuel Pomeroy Colt, a brother of U.S. Senator LeBaron Colt, shared his sibling’s impressive lineage. Born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1852 as the youngest of six children, he received his early education in Hartford, graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1873, and from Columbia Law School in 1876. Samuel (or “Pom” as
Dr. Blas Moreno, 1928-2011, became a resident of Rhode Island after emigrating from Cuba in 1954. He fashioned a distinguished career as a leading physician, community leader, and philanthropist, and has been at the forefront of developing medical care programs for the National Guard of the United States, serving as the State Air Surgeon for
Early in 1922, Rep. Lucius Garvin took the floor in the Rhode Island Senate to move for action on a bill to reduce the work week for children under sixteen from fifty-four to forty-four hours a week. His motion was defeated by a vote of four ayes to thirty nays. As had been the case
John H. Stiness was born in Providence, Rhode Island on August 8, 1840, the son of Philip Bessom Stiness and Mary (Marsh) Stiness. He was descended from English ancestors who came to this country and settled in Marblehead, Massachusetts during the Revolutionary War. His father was one of the founders of the New England Screw
Most inductees to the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame are chosen because of their impact upon their state, or even the nation. Some, however, have such a pervasive and beneficial impact on their community or region that their life and work demand induction. Carlton Brownell is such a person. His impact upon Little Compton
Albert Tavani was a Director of Division of Airports of the State Department of Transportation. He retired in 1977, after serving as a fighter pilot in World War II and as state aeronautics chief for thirty-one years. He was instrumental in the upgrading of Greene airport into a prime regional terminal and the establishment of
George Bucklin was a great benefactor to the Boy Scouts of Rhode Island, donating all of the land and buildings that became Camp Yawgoog in 1916. He was honored by having his name on the large administrative hub building for the Yawgoog Scout Reservation, the location of the Three Point Dining Hall. The Bucklin Marksmanship Medal for
Major General Leonard Holland served as the Adjutant General of Rhode Island from 1961 to 1983. Enlisting in the army on April 16, 1941, he fought in the North Solomon Islands and New Guinea campaigns during World War II. Commissioned a second lieutenant, Infantry on August 6, 1942, he was promoted to major on February
Reverend Joseph L. Lennon has been called the “ubiquitous Father Lennon,” the versatile Father Lennon, and “Mister Providence College.” Joseph Luke Lennon was a native Rhode Islander and maintained a lifelong connection with the Elmhurst section of Providence. He was born on September 21, 1919, the son of John J. Lennon and Marjorie (McCabe) Lennon.
Senator Claiborne Pell, 1918-2009, became a Senior U.S. Senator from Rhode Island. He served in the Diplomatic Service for eight years after duty in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. Senator Pell created a college grant program and wrote the legislation that established the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment
Growing up, he just wanted to become a drummer. However, a new journey to reclaim a post-industrial valley, reveal its history, clean up its river, and build an understanding of events that changed the course of America was about to unfold. Bob built an organization and organized communities to bring back the Blackstone Valley from
Although E. Benjamin Andrews had only one eye – the result of a Civil War wound during the siege of Peterburg in August 1864 – some say he was the most visionary president of Brown University. During his nine-year tenure as the eighth chief executive of Brown, he moved it from its status of a
Frederick C. Williamson was State Director of the RI Department of Community Affairs and Rhode Island’s Historic Preservation officer. He was instrumental in the listing of many of the state’s historic buildings and sites on the National Register of Historic Places. He was born on September 20, 1915, in Lowell, MA, and moved to Rhode
William Barton (1748-1831), of Warren and Providence, was a Revolutionary army colonel whose most notable exploit was leading a daring raid in July 1777 to seize General Richard Prescott, the commander of the British forces occupying Aquidneck Island. Born in the town of Warren, the son of Benjamin and Lydia Barton, William Barton received a
Greene, F. V. (Francis Vinton), 1850-1921 Francis Vinton Greene, son of General George Sears Greene and Martha Dana, was born in Providence on June 27, 1850. He entered the U.S. Military Academy in 1866, and graduated first in his class in 1870. He married Belle Eugenie Chevallie in 1879 and they had six children. He
Christopher Greene (1737-1781) of Warwick, a direct descendant of Roger Williams and the second son of Judge Phillip and Elizabeth Wickes Greene, was one of Rhode Island’s most illustrious military figures of the American Revolution. Prior to the outbreak of war, Greene married Ann Lippitt, by whom he had nine children, and he engaged in
Jonathan Hazard (1744-1825) was born to a Newport Quaker family in 1744. As a young man, he moved to rural Charlestown, became a small farmer, and worked as an itinerant tailor. He was passionately involved in the independence movement. During the Revolution, he served for a time as the paymaster of the Rhode Island regiment
John F. McBumey, Jr., a member of Americas “Greatest Generation,” compiled a remarkable career as a highly- decorated war hero, collegiate and professional baseball star, teacher, influential state senator from Pawtucket, and prominent trial attorney. John was born in Pawtucket in 1925 and raised in nearby Attleboro. After his graduation from Attleboro High School in
Joseph Cannon was born in Providence in 1911, the son of General Francis Cannon and Mary (Milligan) Cannon. He attended Technical High School and graduated from Brown University in 1932. He chose a career in medicine, and in 1936 he earned his degree cum laude from Tufts Medical School. Dr. Cannon then joined the Army
Florence Kerins Murray, 1916-2004,was a high-ranking officer in the Women’s Army Corps, Rhode Island’s first female state senator (and was reelected four times), female judge and member of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
Bartlett S. Dunbar, who grew up on Cape Cod, is presi- dent and founder of Bowens Wharf Company, the first historic urban waterfront rehabilitation in New England. The Bowens Wharf revitalization that began in 1969, two years after Bart arrived on Aquidneck Island, provided the catalyst for rebuild- ing the Newport waterfront. Bowens Wharf is
Stephen Olney (1756-1832), of North Providence, was one of Rhode Island’s most distinguished and longest-serving officers during the War for Independence. He was a fifth-generation descendant of Thomas Olney, a joint proprietor with Roger Williams in the settlement of Providence. In 1774, at the age of eighteen, Stephen Olney became a private in a newly
The late Roger Wheeler was State Recreational Supervisor and Director of Water Safety for more than 20 years. During World War II he designed a life jacket that became standard Air Force equipment and received an Army Commendation for invaluable developments of air-sea rescue procedures.
Silas Talbot (1751-1813) was born in Dighton, Massachusetts, into a poor farm family, the son of Benjamin Talbot and Rebecca Allen. His mother died when he was four. In his early teens, Silas worked on a coasting vessel and then learned the stonemason’s craft. In 1769 or 1770, he moved to Providence to ply his
Frank Herman Alston, Jr. (1913-1978) was a noted artist, teacher and designer of many distinctive insignias, flags, badges and medals for all branches of the United States government and the Armed Forces. Alston was born on December 11, 1913 in Providence the son of Frank H., Sr. and Barbara (nee Hall) Alston. Raised in Providence
James Mitchell Varnum (1748-1789), lawyer, Revolutionary War general, and judge, was born in Dracut, Massachusetts, the eldest son of affluent farmer Major Samuel Varnum and his second wife, Hannah Mitchell. He attended Harvard for a year, but his involvement in a student protest prompted him to enroll at Rhode Island College (Brown), where he earned
Records say that Providence architect James C. Bucklin was a native of Pawtucket, but in view of his family’s Rehoboth origins, the place of his birth on July 26, 1801, was probably on the east side of the Blackstone, an area not acquired by Rhode Island until 1862. His parents were James and Lorania (Pearce)
Abraham Whipple (1733-1819) was a successful privateer and naval officer who was born in Providence, the son of Noah and Mary Whipple. Of humble origins, Whipple went to sea at an early age and became associated with the wealthy and influential Brown family of merchant entrepreneurs. During the French and Indian War, he served as
The transition of Rhode Island from an agricultural and maritime economy into one based on industrial production is no better illustrated than in the careers of Providence merchant-industrialists Nicholas Brown and Edward Carrington. Carrington was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on November 2, 1775, the son of physician Edward Carrington and the former Susan Whittlesey.
Frederick Glassman was a Blackstone Valley business and civic leader who has been honored many times for his community service. He was cited after World War II for his contributions as Chief of Rubber Conservation for the War Department.
Felix De Weldon, 1907-2003, formerly of Newport and Dana Point, California, was a famed sculptor and painter whose bronze statue of the Marine Corps raising the flag of the United States on Iwo Jima during World War II was dedicated as the Marine Corps War Memorial in Alexandria, Virginia. He created more than 2,000 different
Martin, Albert, 1808-1836 Captain Albert Martin (January 6, 1808 – March 6, 1836) was born in Providence, the son of prominent merchant Joseph S. Martin and his wife Abby. He received a good education, including a short stay at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point). His father’s economic reverses prompted Albert, his brother, and their
Navy Lt. Thomas Eadie spent a combined 30 years of service in the Navy from the early 20th century to after World War II, most of them while living in Newport, Rhode Island. His work as an expert diver salvaging shipwrecks earned him several accolades, especially when it came to saving a fellow diver who
Benjamin Waterhouse was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on March 4, 1754. He was a physician, co-founder, and professor of Harvard Medical School. He is known for being the first doctor to test the smallpox vaccine in the United States, which he carried out on his own family. Waterhouse was born into a Quaker family,
Two-term governor of Rhode Island, Bruce Sundlun was a complex, forthright servant of the people. Federal prosecutor, B-17 bomber pilot, CEO of the Outlet Company, to name just a few of his many accomplishments, Governor Sundlun was the quintessential Renaissance man. Bruce Sundlun was born on January 19, 1920, the first child of Jan Zelda
Harry Kizirian, 1925 ” 2002, was the postmaster who oversaw construction of the first automated post office in the nation, which opened in Providence in 1960. Kizirian also won the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star with Combat V, two Purple Hearts, and the Rhode Island Cross as a Marine Corps Corporal in World War II.
George S. Lima, Sr., the son of immigrants from Cape Verde, spent his adolescent years in Harlem, Fall River, and Providence with his Cape Verdean family. His life changed dramatically when he enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University in 1939 on a football scholarship. It was there he also learned to pilot planes. When
Dr. William (Bill) Osmanski began his great football career at Central High School in Providence, Rhode Island. He was born in Providence on December 29, 1915. He earned All-State honors twice and led his team to the Class A state championship in 1934. He picked up the nickname “Bullet Bill” during high school. Osmanski was
Without hyperbole, John Howland can well be called “the father of free public education in Rhode Island.” He was born in Newport on October 31, 1757, the fourth of eight children in the family of Joseph and Sarah (Barber) Howland. He was the namesake and fifth-generation descendant of a Mayflower passenger who had come to
Warwick-born and raised, Martha McSally is truly a renaissance woman. She is an Air Force Academy graduate who was the first American woman to fly in combat and was also the first woman to command a USAF fighter squadron. No slouch at school, Martha was a Rhodes Scholarship regional finalist and a White House Fellowship
Leonard Woodcock, 1911-2001, was national President of the United Auto Workers Union. He headed a group of Americans in seeking final disposition of the Missing-In-Action servicemen who served in Vietnam. He was recognized as one of the more conservative leaders.