Excerpt from A History of the Vernon House, in Newport, R. I There stands in the ancient town of Newport, on the Island of Rhode Island, a house of unusual historic interest. This house has recently been purchased under circumstances which ensure its permanent preservation. It is therefore now entitled to a review of its past, and it has been thought that it would be agreeable and fitting at this time, to consider, somewhat in detail, the scenes that it has witnessed and the distinguished persons who have been entertained within its walls. To such a retrospect, this paper is dedicated. The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, to give it its full title, is the smallest in the Union. It is, nevertheless, as its name indicates, made up of two very distinct parts. Two capitals, persisting to modern times, long reminded us of this dual origin. Providence was founded by the Salem minister, Roger Williams; Rhode Island by a body of men from Massachusetts Bay who differed from the Puritan tenets, and desired liberty of conscience. With this in view. They came hither to found in the wilderness a state, in which, following the inner light, they might also assure to others the freedom which they had been denied. The first settlement on this island was made in 1638. Newport was founded in the following year - May, 1639. Of the nine adventurers who were banded together in this enterprise, one is of special interest to us, for it is on his original grant that the Vernon House stands. Jeremy Clarke was his name, and the tract of land apportioned to him was a choice one. Extending, it is said, from the Parade to Church Street, and from the waterside to a line high on the hill, it covered a number of acres of most desirable land, high and well drained, as well as convenient to the centre of the town. Jeremy Clarke's house stood, it is believed, just above the line of the present Thames Street. With the green plot before it and the water beyond-behind, the orchard and fields - ir must have been a pleasant place of residence. Living and dying here, Jeremy Clarke was buried on his own land, in a tomb by the waterside, the site of which is long since obliterated. To him succeeded his son, Walter Clarke, the Governor, and he it was who divided the land, running a street through it from East to West - called New Lane or Mary Street, the last name traditionally for his wife, Mary. Another street, starting from the Parade and bounding Walter Clarke's orchard, was and is called Clarke Street. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.