their welcome shade, that were saplings in the days of Roger 

 Williams, nearly three hundred years ago; and tradition credits him 

 with planting the Congdon Street American elm, one of the best 

 known trees of Providence, though the story is not considered 

 authentic. Strangely enough, it is an old apple tree with which he 

 had no association in life, that remains inseparably linked with his 

 memory. 



In 1636, Roger Williams, one of the most famous of the pioneers 

 who came from England to the New World in quest of civil and 

 religious freedom, settled in Rhode Island. Boston, where he had 

 lived for a few years, proved a dangerous place for a man of his 

 liberal views, which were little to the liking of the Puritans. Chief 

 among his offenses was his refusal to acknowledge the right of the 

 Commonwealth either to punish for spiritual delinquencies or to bar 

 everyone except church members from voting on civil affairs, while 

 at the same time, all, irrespective of creed, were taxed to support the 

 church. 



He had already left Boston for Salem, Mass., when the au- 

 thorities pronounced a sentence of banishment upon him and sent a 

 sloop to take him back to England. 



Aware of the fate that was planned for him, however, Williams 

 escaped from Salem to Narragansett Bay, wisely selecting a place 

 free "from any English claims or patents." There is a tradition to 

 the effect that, as he and his little party sailed down Seekonk River 

 and rounded "Slate Rock," some friendly Indians called out, "What 

 cheer, Netop?" 



Near the Mooshausick River, he and his companions founded 

 Providence, the first settlement in Rhode Island. As he stated in the 

 deed drawn in 1661, he "desired it might be for a shelter for persons 

 distressed in conscience." Everyone who settled there was required 

 to sign a statement that he pledged himself to submit to its govern- 

 ment "only in civil things." 



When Roger Williams' noble life-work ended, in 1684, he was 

 buried in a spot selected by himself, on the hill-side near his first 

 landing. 



In after years, when the growth of the town rendered it neces- 

 sary to remove the bodies of the early settlers interred there, it was 

 found that an apple tree had sent its roots into his grave, and that 

 they had followed the outline of the human form. This curious 

 occurrence has been twice commemorated in verse. 



M. E. Buhler speaks of the great pioneer's character as follows: 



"All that he had he used, to give 

 That others might more freely live 



In life and death he gave; 

 For when his valiant soul went free 

 Whose passion was for liberty, 

 His dust became an apple tree 



Above his empty grave. 



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