Samuell Gorton: A Forgotten Founder of our Liberties; First Settler of Warwick, R. I.

In the mid‑1600s a handful of daring settlers pressed beyond the familiar shores of Providence into the wild Shawomet wilderness. Among them was Samuell Gorton, a man whose determination and foresight helped lay the foundations of what would become Warwick, Rhode Island. Janes sketches Gorton’s early trials—negotiations with the Narragansett sachems, the struggle to secure land, and the modest beginnings of a community that would later blossom into one of the state’s most populous towns.

The narrative weaves together contemporary accounts, town records, and personal letters, offering a vivid portrait of colonial life without the later romantic gloss. Readers hear the sounds of bustling streams, the clatter of early mills, and the quiet resilience of settlers who prized liberty above comfort. This concise yet richly detailed sketch invites listeners to rediscover a forgotten founder whose legacy still echoes in the New England landscape.