Newport, Rhode Island recent comments:

Owned now by Jay Leno

Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church in Newport is a part of the AME denomination. Not to be confused with the AME Zion Church which is a separate denomination with its own structure, bishops and their own history. The AME Church was founded in 1787 with Rev. Richard Allen and consecrated as its first bishop in 1816. On the other hand, in 1796, due to frequent acts of discrimination and segregation in white Methodist churches, many black parishioners left to form separate ministries. This exodus led to the creation of the AME Zion denomination which started as an informal meeting of multiple, black-founded churches from various cities. The AME Zion Church was founded in New York City with Bishop James Varick as its first bishop in 1821. The majority of churches listed below as similar places, with the exception of two are AME Zion churches not AME Churches. However, although totally separate and independent denominations, the AME & AMEZ Churches are in communion with one another along with the CME and United Methodist Churches. (comment from Rev. Alvin T Riley, Jr., Pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church in Newport, RI and the Historiographer of the New England Annual Conference and the 1st Episcopal District of the AME Church

Nathan Mathews Jr. was a Mayor of Boston. However. He was born in 1854. Age 17 when Vernon Court was constructed. So his father must have commissioned the cottage. Can't seem to find any record of him. Anyone know where I can find records of Nathan Mathews (Sr.)

i believe it was owned not by the Wanamaker family but by the Clothier family of Philadelphia, founding member of Strawbridge & Clothier Department Store in Philadelphia.

In the 1950s the house was owned by two ailing sisters who eventually left the property abandoned. In the 1960s, homeless "hippies" entered through the windows and lived in the house with no water or electricity for months or years. The damage was extensive and the house was sold by a probate attorney to Ralph and Catherine Gunning, who worked to restore the house themselves and rent out portions. The house was purchased in the 1980s by DC lobbyist (and Rhode Island native) Thomas Quinn as a summer house for the Quinn family.

Joseph Vernon Reed Jr, former ambassador to Morocco 1981-1985, was born in 1937. It appears to be more likely that Seafair was built by his father, Joseph Vernon Z Reed. (1902-1973) The grandfather of Joseph Vernon Reed, Jr. was Vernon Reed (1863-1919) born in Ohio, became one of Colorado's richest men from gold mining.

This house was demolished by developers in 2016.

Who was the Sayer who founded Sayer's Wharf please can you tell me? Ken Sayer, England.

Was just purchased...

You can read about the trial in a book called The Pirates of The New England Coast 1630-1730, written by George Francis Dow and John Henry Edmonds

Arthur, This is our new place in Newport! You write this about WF Whitehouse?? Alison❤️

You still can in many of them!

The Cloister was purchased by James T. Woodward (1845-1910), brother of William Woodward (1876-1953) sometime after 1883, but before 1907. The original stables structure still stands at 221 Ruggles Avenue.

Also known as "Periwinkle" and "Court End", the house was built by architect Dudley Newton. The lot was subdivided from the corner property owned by Evaline A. Taylor.

A.L. Whiting also owned "Swanhurst" located directly across Bellevue Avenue.

"Shady Nook" was owned by Charlotte D. Hardy in 1876. Atherton Blight (1834-1909) owned the property in 1879 and, by 1907, he acquired the property to the north at 89 Webster Street.

The above information is correct for 20 Catherine which is not the location shown. This location is 38 Catherine Street which was built by Thomas Alexander Teftt (826-1859) for Joseph B. Tompkins in 1853. The house was later owned by Samuel Pomeroy Colt (1852-1921)

An original house had been built prior to 1907 on land originally owned by John Alfred Hazard and later, the Newport Hospital. That house was demolished to build "Windswept."

The home was dedicated to the Newport Art Association by Judge Swan's GRANDdaughter, Sara Swan Whiting (Belmont) Rives. (Named after her mother Sara Swan Whiting, Judge Swan's daughter) Originally bequeathed by Sara Swan Whiting-Belmont-Rives to her daughter, Mildred Rives, Mildred died in childbirth in 1927, causing a provision in Sara's will to cause the home to be donated to the art association. The Art Association sold the property to the private sector.