Amos Chafee Barstow

Occupation: Mayor, Providence, Rhode Island

He was of the firm A.C. Barstow & Co., and was extensively engaged in the iron business. He was for several years a member of the Assembly of Rhode Island. He was of correct moral habits, respsected by the community, a friend of temperance, liberal in his disposition, and successful in business...

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Mayor Amos Chafee Barstow (1813-1892) was one of the most accomplished and versatile men in the history of Rhode Island. A Providence native, Barstow made his fortune by the manufacture of stoves. His firm, the Barstow Stove Company, located at Point and Richmond Streets covered two and one-half acres and employed 200 workers. Barstow won the Grand Medal of Merit at the 1873 Vienna World's Fair for the best cooking stoves and ranges.

In addition to Barstow's business pursuits, which included prominent positions in the field of banking, the litany of his achievements indicates his impact upon the history of his native city: mayor of Providence (1852-53) as a member of the Temperance party; state representative and house speaker (1870) as a Republican; member of the Providence Common council; trustee of the Dexter donation; first president of the Providence YMCA; president of the Providence Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers; president of the board of Butler Hospital; builder of the Providence Music Hall; and one of the planners of the present City Hall. He was also a published poet and essayist, a Congregational deacon, and a member and chairman of the U.S. Board of Indian Commissioners, to which he was appointed by President Grant.

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Amos Chafee Barstow, son of Nathaniel and Sophia (Chafee) Barstow, was born at Providence, Rhode Island, April 30, 1813. He was educated at the public and private schools in his native city. He decided to forego the advantages of a collegiate education on account of his passion for mechanics and commercial pursuits. His first position was in a retail store, where he remained only six months, having been tendered employment at double the wages he was then receiving. He advanced from one position to another until 1836, when he became a partner in a small iron foundry at Norton, Massachusetts, engaged in the manufacture of stoves. Here he gave evidence of his mechanical genius; wood at this time was the principal fuel used in America. Anthracite coal was just beginning to come in use for factory purposes, but found its way slowly into houses for use in grates. A small amount of soft coal was imported from England. The stoves for cooking purposes were arranged for the use of wood only; the variety was small, the workmanship faulty and coarse, and their demand limited. Mr. Barstow had for some time been working with a view to making improvements in the manufacture of stoves and made his first pattern in the fall of 1836. In the spring of the following year the result of his improvements was placed upon the market and the stoves met with a ready sale. The capacity of the factory was doubled in size, and in the fall of 1844 removed to Providence, Rhode Island, where it was enlarged from year to year. The products manufactured were sold in all parts of America, in the islands of the Pacific, China, Norway, Sweden, Germany and England.

Mr. Barstow was originally an old time Whig, but in the organization of the Republican party became identified with it, and he became prominent in the temperance and anti-slavery movements. He was elected in 1851 a member of the Rhode Island General Assembly, and in 1870 was made speaker of the house. He was elected mayor of Providence in 1852, and declined a re-election on account of the pressure of his personal business and a natural disinclination for public life. President Grant appointed him in 1875 a member of the United States Board of Indian Commissioners, which office he held until 1880 and he was chairman of the board during the last two years. Mr. Barstow was president of the City National Bank, president of the Mechanics Savings Bank, president of the Providence Gas Company and Mechanics Mutual Fire Insurance Company, a director in the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company, and an officer in various religious and benevolent organizations, national as well as local. Notwithstanding the engrossing demands of his business, he was always ready to work in the cause of philanthropy, either as a private or a public citizen.

Mr. Barstow married, May 24, 1834, Emeline Mumford Eames, daughter of James and Sarah (Mumford) Eames, of Providence, Rhode Island. His death occurred at Providence, September 5, 1894.

Source: History of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations Biographical, NY: The American Historical Society, Inc., 1920, pp. 56 - 58:

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Mayor/Manufacturer. Born on a Friday to War of 1812 soldier Nathaniel Barstow and his wife Sophia Chafee. He can trace his family back to 12 century. His relatives came to this country in 1635. He recieved a basic education and never went to college. He joined a stove manufacturing firm and in 1836 he became the owner. He changed the name to the Barstow Stove Company and turned it into such a large success that his products where sold all over the country, in Europe and the Pacific Islands. His stoves still turn up on auction sites. He received the Grand Medal of Merit at the 1873 Vienna World's Fair for the best stove and range. He married Eemline Mumford Eames on May 28, 1834 and would have 5 girls and 2 boys. One of his sons would run the company upon his death and the other would move to Texas and found the town of Barstow. He served as the 3rd Mayor of Providence having been overwhelmingly elected. He served one term, 1852 to 1853, and did not seek reelection citing to many business obligations. He served on the Providence Common Council and was a Rhode Island State Representative in the late 1860s and early 1870s, serving as its speaker in 1870 to 1871. He was the first President of the Providence YMCA. He also served as President of The City National Bank of Providence, The Mechanics Savings Bank, The Providence Gas Company and the Mechanics Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He was also Trustee of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company. He was also co-owner and president of the Providence Warehouse Company from 1882 to his death. The warehouse was on the site of the present day Providence Convention Center. President Grant appointed him to the Board of Indian Commissioners and served on the board till 1880. He was the Chairman of the Board for the last 2 years. He died on a Wednesday from the effects of a stroke.

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Burial: Swan Point Cemetery, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, USA Record added: Dec 8 2007 By: Matthew Fatale

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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23295501/amos-chafee-barstow

Mayor/Manufacturer. Born on a Friday to War of 1812 soldier Nathaniel Barstow and his wife Sophia Chafee. He can trace his family back to 12 century. His relatives came to this country in 1635. He recieved a basic education and never went to college. He joined a stove manufacturing firm and in 1836 he became the owner. He changed the name to the Barstow Stove Company and turned it into such a large success that his products where sold all over the country, in Europe and the Pacific Islands. His stoves still turn up on auction sites. He received the Grand Medal of Merit at the 1873 Vienna World's Fair for the best stove and range. He married Eemline Mumford Eames on May 28, 1834 and would have 5 girls and 2 boys. One of his sons would run the company upon his death and the other would move to Texas and found the town of Barstow. He served as the 3rd Mayor of Providence having been overwhelmingly elected. He served one term, 1852 to 1853, and did not seek reelection citing to many business obligations. He served on the Providence Common Council and was a Rhode Island State Representative in the late 1860s and early 1870s, serving as its speaker in 1870 to 1871. He was the first President of the Providence YMCA. He also served as President of The City National Bank of Providence, The Mechanics Savings Bank, The Providence Gas Company and the Mechanics Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He was also Trustee of the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company. He was also co-owner and president of the Providence Warehouse Company from 1882 to his death. The warehouse was on the site of the present day Providence Convention Center. President Grant appointed him to the Board of Indian Commissioners and served on the board till 1880. He was the Chairman of the Board for the last 2 years. He died on a Wednesday from the effects of a stroke.