History of Slavery

Sadly there is a history of slavery at Smith’s Castle. Primary documents show that by 1690 Richard Smith Jr. had owned eight enslaved people- Ceasar, his wife Sarah, their five children, and Ebid-Melich. Before Richard Smith Jr. died he declared that he would free the three adult slaves and give each of them 100 acres of farmland and the five children should be freed at the age of 30. We do not know if this ever happened. By 1757 Daniel Updike had owned nineteen enslaved people which made him one of the largest slave owners in Rhode Island. By 1798 Daniel’s son, Lodowick only had one slave and slowly slavery ended in Cocumscussoc.

Photo: Inventory of the Estate of Daniel Updike, 1757. Includes 19 slaves listed as property. The largest amount recorded at Comcumscussoc.