Barclay Hazard

Hazar'dia: named after Barclay Hazard (1852-1938), a California botanist, born in Newport, RI, the youngest child and only son of Thomas Robinson ("Shepherd Tom") Hazard. From David Hollombe: "The 1880 census shows Barclay at Santa Barbara with his youngest and, at the time only surviving sister (who died later that year) and her husband (another interesting character, Edwin James Dunning, a dentist who had lost his sight 3 years earlier and eventually became an authority on Shakespeare's poetry) At some point, Hazard bought the El Capitan ranch west of Santa Barbara. In 1881 he married Alida G. Blake, who became know as the leading female opponent of women suffrage and as an anti-vice activist. Alida's father, physics professor Eli Whitney Blake Jr., wrote an account of the birds of Santa Cruz Island (published in the Auk). And from C.F. Smith's Flora of the Santa Barbara Region: "In the summer of 1885, Mr. Barclay Hazard, a local resident, visited Santa Cruz Island and noted a small tree that was unusual to him. He called it to the attention of Dr. Edward Lee Greene of the University of California who later named it Lyonothamnus asplenifolius, our Santa Cruz Island Ironwood. In 1886, Greene, apparently excited by this find, came to Santa Barbara and made collecting trips to Santa Cruz and San Miguel islands in July, August, and September. In spite of the late season, Greene managed to collect many species unknown to science. And for Hazard's help in insular botany, a shrubby genus was named Hazardia (Haplopappus)." (ref. genus Hazardia)

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 Rhode Island Estates Company Records

Estate management company, Peace Dale, R.I.
Records, 1887-1964. Bulk, 1913-1947.
Size: 7 linear feet
Catalog number: MSS 483 sg 40
Processed by: Steve Dalpe and Rick Stattler, November 1996
©Rhode Island Historical Society

Manuscripts Division

Historical note:

           The Rhode Island Estates Corporation was incorporated under the laws of New York in 1913, with Barclay Hazard the sole stockholder. He had served as the executor of the estate of his aunt Anna Hazard (1820-1905), and had lost large sums of money in that capacity. The R.I.E.C. was formed to transfer Barclay Hazard's personal real estate into family hands; the stock was purchased by family members Rowland G. Hazard and Franklin P. Ufford, with the money used to repay part of Barclay's debt to the family. The family through ownership of the company stock then managed the land. Ufford, an attorney, devoted over thirty years to resolving the affairs of the company in his role as secretary and treasurer.

There were three major pieces of land that the company held, in addition to securities. One was the El Capitan estate located in Santa Barbara, California; it was leased by the government to station troops during both World Wars. The land was also used for agriculture, and later for drilling oil. It was also leased by the state of California for road improvements. In 1941, the company appointed Peace Dale Offices Inc. as its agent to sell El Capitan. The land was sold to the Gila Land Company in 1947, with R.I.E.C. retaining 40% oil and gas rights.
The R.I. Estates Company also owned several lots in Rhode Island. The "Vaucluse Estate" and several adjoining lots were on the Sakonnet River in the southeastern part of the town of Portsmouth, and had been in the hands of Barclay Hazard's family since the mid-19th century. The actual Vaucluse building was in a state of great disrepair and was eventually torn down. A tenant/caretaker named Barclay Gifford lived in a more modern building, possibly on the adjoining Rogers Farm. The property was sold in 1937, and was the last Rhode Island property owned by the Corporation.
The 258-acre "Sachuest Estate" comprised the bulk of Sachuest Neck in Middletown, jutting out into the bay. The lot was sold to the St. George's School in 1925, and is presently a wildlife refuge. The company also owned several small lots in nearby Newport (at 27 Kay St. and a vacant lot on School St.), which were sold early on.
The company's headquarters was in New York City. It was partially liquidated in 1941, with most of the shares sold to Peace Dale Offices, Inc. It continued to transact business until November 15, 1961, when the final payments to bond holders were made.
Presidents:

           Rowland G. Hazard 1913-1918

Rowland Hazard 1919-1927
Thomas P. Hazard 1928-1961
Vice-Presidents:

           Barclay Hazard 1913-1917

John G. Hazard 1918
I. Peace Hazard 1919-1929
Daniel Reese 1930-1932
I. Peace Hazard 1933-1946
John N. Hazard 1946-1961
Secretary/Treasurers:

           Franklin P. Ufford 1913-1949

Earl W.G. Howard 1950-1961
Bibliography:

"Brief Account of the Financial Tragedy of Barclay Hazard", in series 4 of this collection.