It’s Providence, Another Tavern!
I recently posted a story entitled, The Shot Heard Round Buckman Tavern that chronicled my family connection to the famous tavern on Lexington Green in Massachusetts. This story is about my 10th great-grandfather Roger Mowry (1610-66) who ended up owning and operating a tavern and inn in Providence, Rhode Island.
In 1628, Roger sailed from England aboard the ship Abigail, a small sailing vessel with only 13 passengers, arriving in Massachusetts Bay and then residing in Salem.
In 1636/7, Roger was appointed by the town of Salem to serve as a neat-herd! Pray-tell us, what is a neat-herd?
In 1649, Roger and his wife Mary (Johnson) moved to Providence, in the Colony of Rhode Island, were they joined Puritan minister Roger Williams. By 1640 nearly 40 families were living in Providence, where they by oath declared that religious freedom and separation of church and state would be among their guiding principles. (Liberty of Conscience)
In 1653, the Court of Providence appointed him to keep an inn and tavern. The Roger Mowry House/Tavern was the gathering place for town meetings and where tradition says Roger Williams held prayer meetings. Below is a description of the Roger Mowry House.
Note: Roger Williams blamed my 9th great-grandfather John Cotton for his banishment from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
