Press Releases
Historic Vernon Papers Return to Newport
June 30, 2010 View more Press ReleasesContacts:
Morgan Devlin
Newport Restoration Foundation
401-849-7300 x14
morgan@newportrestoration.org
Elizabeth Sulock
Newport Historical Society
401-846-0813
esulock@newporthistorical.org
(Newport, RI) An unprecedented collaboration between two local cultural organizations has brought an important collection of colonial documents back home to Newport. Approximately two hundred documents from the Vernon family of Newport were jointly purchased at auction by the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) and the Newport Historical Society (NHS). The collection includes one particularly notable document outlining the protocol for a July 4th celebration in Newport shortly after the Revolution. In the early days of the Republic, Independence Day in Newport called for the ringing of church bells throughout the town as well as a procession through the streets and other patriotic exercises.
Many of the papers are the personal correspondence between William Vernon, son of the silversmith Samuel Vernon and a descendent of Anne Hutchinson, and his son, William H. Vernon. William Vernon was a merchant in Newport during the colonial period who became an active supporter of the effort to separate from Britain. He played a leadership role in the Continental Congress's outfitting of the Continental Navy, and abandoned Newport during the British occupation.
The papers span the period from 1715 through the middle of the 19th century. In addition to providing interesting insights on life in Newport during this period, it offers a view from abroad. William H. Vernon was a student at Princeton during the American Revolution, and lived many years in France during and after the French Revolution, before returning home to Newport.
Vernon House, now owned by the NRF, played a key role in the American Revolution. It served as the headquarters of the Comte de Rochambeau when the French arrived in Newport to assist George Washington's army. George Washington spent time at Vernon House in March of 1781 during which time the initial concept of taking the war to the south is believed to have been developed. Washington and Rochambeau celebrated their ultimate success at Yorktown by returning to Newport for an event at the Colony House.
The collection of Vernon family papers will reside in the archives at the Newport Historical Society, which already owns many Vernon family documents. The papers will be documented and studied by both organizations. Once they are cataloged, they will be available to scholars and the public for research purposes.
The collaboration between NRF and NHS to acquire these documents stems from a shared interest in returning them to Newport. It also represents an extension of their common focus on researching and sharing Newport's colonial history. The two organizations jointly run the popular Newport History walking tours to help visitors explore Newport's historic neighborhoods
Founded by Doris Duke in 1968, the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF) was created to preserve, interpret, and maintain landscape and objects reflecting Aquidneck Island's 18th and 19th century architectural culture. Since its founding, it has restored or preserved 83 colonial-era buildings. Today, NRF owns 82 historic structures with 70 lived in by individual tenant-stewards. www.NewportRestoration.org
Since 1854, the Newport Historical Society has collected and preserved the artifacts, photographs, documents, publications, and genealogical records that relate to the history of Newport County, to make these materials readily available for both research and enjoyment, and to act as a resource center for the education of the public about the history of Newport County, so that knowledge of the past may contribute to a fuller understanding of the present. www.NewportHistorical.org
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