About Us | Clouds Hill Museum | Rhode Island
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BECAUSE OF THEM . . .

Clouds Hill is grateful for the stewardship of the four generations of women who have kept this home through the years. 

Elizabeth Ives Slater Reed  (1849-1917)

Helen Slater Reed Allen  (1872-1952)

Anne Crawford Allen Holst  (1908-1997)

Anne Dietrich Holst  (living)

It is because of them and the many people who participated in the construction and furnishing of the beautiful house, historically known as the Mrs. Alfred Augustus Reed Estate or Cedar Hill, that we enjoy and learn from it today. 

 

We are fortunate to have General Walker’s account register and supporting receipts to be able to share the names of those involved in the building with all who visit . . . (italic information comes from invoice headers).

Barker Whitaker and Co.: Hardware and House-Furnishing Goods.  The first general hardware store, in the city of Providence, was kept by Peckham & Barker, about the year 1776, on Weybosset Street, near where the Arcade stands.  This firm was succeeded by Cyrus Barker, who was subsequently succeeded by Brown & Barker, as jobbers, in 1830.  In 1846, William Whitaker was admitted as a partner, under the firm-style of Brown, Barker & Co.  In 1849, Mr. Brown retired.  In 1852, F. A. Barker was admitted to the firm, and the firm-title changed to Barker, Whitaker & Co.  In 1855, Joseph A. Barker was succeeded by his brother, William Cyrus Barker, the firm-style remaining the same.  In 1867, Mr. George H. Chadsey was admitted to the concern.  The business of this house has increased from year to year, and the present firm rank among the leading business institutions in the State.  They are located at Nos. 22 and 24 Westminster Street, and are importers and jobbers of hardware and cutlery, and dealers in manufacturers, machinists, and builders' supplies.

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Carr, George M.:  No. 102 Weybosset Street, Providence - Gas, Steam and Water Pipe Fitting

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Congdon, James L.:  East Greenwich - Dealer in Choice Family Groceries, Floor, Provisions, Hardware, Wooden Ware, Earthen

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Congdon, W.

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D. C. Jenckes:  48 South Water Street Providence

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D. D. Sweet & Co.:  Providence - 15 Eddy Street - Manufacturers and Dealers in Windows, Doors, Blinds, Shutters, Mouldings, Inside Finish, Stair Rails, Balusters, Newel Posts, Gutters, Conductors, &c. - Glass Glazing, Blinds Trimmed, Painted and Hung, Patent Window Weights, Sash Cords and Irons - Jencks window spring - Speciality: First class inside Blinds and Doors

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Doe & Hunnewell, Office of:  198 & 200 Tremont Street, Boston - Importers, Manufacturers and Jobbers of Upholstery Goods, Designers and Manufacturers of First Class Furniture, Mantels, Mirrors, Drapery Curtains and Shades.  Interior Wood Work for Banking Houses and Counting Rooms a Speciality - Factories at East Cambridge

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Dowler, Charles P.: Born in Birmingham, England in 1841, Charles P. Dowler came to Providence, RI, in 1863 as a gunsmith to make munitions for the Union effort in the Civil War.  Mr. Dowler built two homes in Providence during his life.  The first built in 1867 is located at 83 Camden Avenue and was more modest than his second home at 581 Smith Street which was built in 1872.  The house on Smith Street is listed on the National Register.  In the 1874 Rhode Island Business Directory, he was listed as a Carver; by 1884 Charles Dowler was listed as a Designer and Modeller.

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Elliot, Nathaniel

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E. W. Lovell & CoEast Greenwich, RI - Copper Smiths, Plumbers & Roofers and Dealers in Stoves & Hardware - Tin, Britannia, Wooden, Japan & Glass Ware, Force & Lifting Pumps, Lead Pipe, Sheet Lead, &c. - Wm. G. Lovell; E. W. Lovell

 

Freeman & KellyNo 88 Weybosset Street, Providence - Manufacturers of Wholesale and Retail Dealers in Cooking, Parlor, and Office Stoves, Double Oven Ranges, Brick and Portable Furnaces, Also, Grates, Registers, Ventilators, &c Tin, Sheet Iron, and Copper Work made to order

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French, Mackenzie & Co.Providence - Contractors and Builders - Stairs of all Descriptions Built to Order - Warren A. French; Hector Mackenzie; Wm. E. Atwood

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Grant, AlexanderNo 19 Meeting Street, Corner Benefit - House Painters and Interior Decorators, Make a Speciality of Tinting Walls and Ceilings in Oil or Water Colors

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Halden, F.

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E. Holmes  Burglar Alarm Telegraph Co:  Office No. 571 Broadway New York - Electro Magnetic Burglar Alarm or House Alarm Telegraph, Electric Hotel and House Annunciators, Electric Call Bells, &c, &c

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Johnson, George

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Kelley & Mooney:  259 and 261 Tremont Street, Boston - Plasterers, Stucco Workers and Whiteners - John Kelley; O. D. Mooney

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Kelly, Patrick

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Lawton & Lee170 South Main Street, Providence, RI

 

Lewis, G. W.

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L. Marcotte & Co. (1860 - 1918):  Decoration - Manufacturers and Importers of Cabinet Furniture, Looking Glass Plates, and Frames, Gas Fixtures, Bronzes, and all articles of Art - French Aubusson and Moquette Carpets, Silk, Woolen and Lace Materials for Curtain and Chair Covering - Sole Agents in the U.S. for Royal Carpet Manufactory of Holland - Paper Hanging, Painting, &c. - Warehouse, Union Square, 29 East 17th Street, one down from Broadway, Factory, 158 West 32nd Street, New York - House in Paris, 15 Avenue de Villars

     Leon Alexandre Marcotte (May 15, 1824 - January 25, 1887), known as a decorator and cabinetmaker whose clientele included the affluent and sophisticated elite of New York.  Born in Valognes, Manche, France, attended the École des Beaux Arts and trained as an architect in the studio of the leading neoclassical, rationalist architect, Henri Labrouste. Marcotte came to New York in 1848.  Marcotte’s exhibits at the Centennial Exposition at Philadelphia marked a high point in the firm’s history. Marcotte’s displays included ebonized woodwork and furnishings, and a large carved cabinet with enamel plaques and oxidized silver mounts.

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Mason, Chapin & Co. (formerly Butts & Mason): Nos. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 Canal Street, Providence—Importers of and Wholesale Dealers in Drugs, Dye Stuffs, Chemicals, Medicines, Paints, Oil, Window Glass, and Manufacturers’, Bleachers’ and Calico Printers’ Supplies - E. Philip Mason; Wm. P. Chapin (Frank Butts; E. Philip Mason; Karl P. Mason)

 

McLoughlin, Joseph

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Miller & Coates279 Pearl Street, New York - Importers of Plumbers Materials of all kinds, Minton’s Encaustic Tiles, Garnkirk Chimney Tops, &c

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Mitchell, Vance & Co.: 597 Broadway, New York - Manufacturers of Every Description of Gas Fixtures - Gilt, Bronze & Glass Chandeliers - Clocks, Bronze Figures & Ornaments

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Morss & Whyte:  Manufacturers of and Dealers in Wire Cloth, Sieves, Riddles, Coal and Sand Screens, &c. - Bird Cages, and wire work of every description, On hand, fine Brass & Copper Wire Cloth, as fine as No. 100, from 24 to 72 inches wide, suitable for Paper Makers, Cylinders covered at short notice - Also, Sole Agents for the sale of Power Loom Twilled Sparker Netting. - Boston Wire Works, and Wire Railing Company - 75 to 81 Cornhill and 11 Brattle Street

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N. B. SchubarthNo. 29 Weybosset Street - Room 8 - Architect, Civil & Hydraulic, Engineer and Land Surveyor - Special attention given to the erection of Factories, Churches, Public and Private Dwellings.  Plans and Designs, Estimates and Specifications, furnished at short notice and Moderate Charges.

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Rathbun, Raymond A.

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Rhode Island Cement Drain Pipe CoProvidence - Manufacturers of Cement Drain and Sewer Pipe - Beach Street, Near Park - M. Burt, Agent; O. W. Coe, Treas.

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Rhode Island Frear Stone CoProvidence - Manufacturers of all kinds of Building and Ornamental Stone - Office, No 4 Weybosset Street - Manufactury, Valley Street, near R.I. Locomotive Works

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Rice Draper & Co.: 25 & 27 Exchange Place, Providence - Proprietors of the Diamond Ready Made Colors - Importers and Dealers in Chemicals, Drugs, Dye Stuffs, Paints, Oils, Glues &c. - New England Agents for Peter Cooper’s Refined Neats Foot Oil - J. Wm. Rice; Jno. L. Draper

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Smith, H. B.  & Co

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Snow & Lewis67 & 8 Exchange Place, Providence - Wholesale Dealers in all articles used for coloring by Calico Printers and Woolen Manufacturers also Wheat and Potato Startch and other articles used by Bleachers and Cotton Manufacturers

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Tarbox, Joseph: Born in 1818, was the first in the Tarbox family of Frenchtown to operate the granite quarry sited just over the line in West Greenwich near Carr’s Pond.  The quarry produced a fine, light granite used for many area buildings.  Joseph’s son, Joseph, in turn operated the quarry; while his brother ran a nearby gristmill; using stones from the family quarry.  Joseph died in 1888, closing the quarry until 1896 when John David and Jesse Tarbox reopened it in partnership with George Goodwin.

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Thomas Philips & Company

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Tingley Marble Co.Formerly Tingley Brothers & Co. - Monumental and Building Work of Marble, Freestone and Soapstone - Steam Marble Works, No 131 South Main Street - Freestone Yard & Wharf, 417 South Main Street - Providence, RI - Monuments, Tablets, Headstones, Table Tops, Mantels and Grates, Washbowl Slabs, Mirror Slabs, and Brackets, Soapstone Wash-Tubs, Sinks, Factory Rolls, &c, &c

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Tucker, Swan Co:  Successors to Henry C. Clark - Corner of Dyer and Dorrance Streets, Providence - Dealers in Anthracite and Bituminous Coal

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Walker, Gen. William R.:  Wm. R. Walker, Architect - 37 Weybosset Street - Rooms 9 & 10, - Providence - April 14, 1830 - March 11, 1905 He attended the public schools of his native town (Seekonk, MA now East Providence, RI) and after graduating from the Seekonk Classical Seminary in 1846 became a builder’s apprentice in Providence, serving for a term of three years, during which time he studied architectural drawing at Schofield’s College. At the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, he was commissioned First Lieutenant of Company E, First Regiment, Rhode Island Detached Militia, and served until mustered out of his regiment.  In 1864 he established himself as an architect in Providence, in which profession he was engaged at the time of his death.  

 

Weeden, E.

 

William G. Slade:  Pawtucket - Wholesale and Retail Dealer in Building and Wrapping Papers - General Agent for Rhode Island for the Virginia Cane Fibre Company’s Rosin Sized Paper Felts

 

Wm. H. Fenner & Co:  Providence - Plumbers, Metal Roofers and Dealers in House Furnishing Goods - 129 & 131 Broad Street, corner of Eddy - Sole Agents for Chilson’s Cone Furnace, Double Oven Range and Stoves. Also, agents for Richmond Stove Co.

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W. J. McPherson & Co:  440 and 442 Tremont Street, Boston - Decorative Painted, and Stained Glass Manufacturers

 

Wm. J. McPherson:  House Painter and Interior Decorator - Office and Workshops, 440, 442, and 444 Tremont Street, Boston

 

W. & J. SloaneNew York - Carpet & Floor Cloth Warehouse - 649, 651 & 655 Broadway - A furniture and rug store in New York City that catered to the wealthy, the company was founded as a rug importer and seller on March 2, 1843 by William Sloane who had just emigrated from KilmarnockScotland, a town famous for weaving fine carpets and rugs. In 1852 his younger brother John W. Sloane joined the firm, when it was renamed W. & J. Sloane.  It was the first company to import oriental carpets into the United States. It soon expanded to include furniture and other home furnishings, and quickly became the choice of the elite in New York. In the late 19th century the company added an antiques department, started producing furniture, and became the first home furnishings store in the country, billing itself as "W. & J. Sloane Interior Decorators and Home Furnishers." Its flagship store was originally located at Broadway and 19th Street, in "Ladies' Mile."

 

Welcome Whipple & CoDiamond Hill, RI 

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