Important People

Roger Williams: Nobody knows when Roger Williams was born, because his birth records were destroyed in the London fire. But we do know that he was born around 1603. Williams sailed to Massachusetts, but was banned and sent to jail almost immediately. He believed that religion and government should be kept separate. He also tried to keep relations good between native tribes and colonists.

Richard Smith: Richard Smith was born in Thornbury, Gloucestershire . In 1596, and he was Richard Smith Jr.'s father. He was a friend to Roger Williams and builder of Smith's Castle. Roger William also sold Cocumscussoc to Richard Smith.

Richard Smith Jr: Richard Smith Jr. was Richard Smith"s son and kept the name Smith's Castle to honor his father. Richard Smith Jr. also updated Smith's Castle a lot and made it much fancier. He was a trader.

Captain Lodowick Updike: Lodowick Updike is Richard Smith's nephew. Lodowick started to turn the trading post into a plantation. He was also the founder of Wickford.

Daniel Updike Esquire is the son of Lodowick Updike and he updated Smith's Castle after he inherited it from his father in 1737. He turned turned it into a Georgian-Style house. He was also a important lawyer and Rhode Island's Attorney General. He tried to run for governor but he lost.

Canonicus: Canonicus was a chief of the Narragansett tribe in the 1600's. He was famous for selling land in Rhode Island to Roger Williams and Richard Smith and helping them with the beaver fur trade. He was also Miantinomi's uncle.