Christopher Lippitt
Encyclopedia
Christopher Lippitt was a prominent Revolutionary War officer and founder one of the earliest textile mills in Rhode Island.
. Lippitt was first elected to General Assembly at age 21 and continued serving until Revolution. At age 22 made captain of militia and Justice of the Peace. Lippitt owned a sawmill and a farm and was recorded as having six slaves in the 1774 census and two slaves in 1790 census.
, which defended Prudence Island
from British warships. In 1776 his regiment joined the Continental Army on George Washington
's orders and went to Harlem Heights
, New York. Lippitt commanded a regiment at the Battle of Princeton
, Battle of White Plains
and Battle of Trenton
. He was eventually brevetted a brigadier general of the Continental Army by General Washington for his actions on the battlefield. He spent the winter at Morristown and returned to Rhode Island in the spring when the regiment's tour of duty expired. Upon returning to Rhode Island, Lippitt was promoted to the rank of brigadier general of Rhode Island militia in 1780, and commanded a brigade when the French troops occupied Newport. He served as a general until 1783.
After the Revolution Christopher Lippitt returned to farming for a period and was elected to the Rhode Island General Assembly
and was appointed justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
. In the 1780s, Lippitt was dismissed from political office by voters for supporting adoption of the U.S. Constitution which was unpopular in Rhode Island at the time.
Christopher Lippitt was an active Christian and was a member of the local Methodist congregation. Lippit was raised by his mother as an Episcopalian. He was introduced to the Methodists by his brother Charles, while serving in New York during the Revolutionary War. In 1791 Christopher Lippitt invited Jesse Lee, a prominent Methodist evangelist, to preach and teach a class at his house. Lippit's wife and daughter became Methodists at this time. In 1800 Lippitt built a small meeting house on his farm to serve as a Methodist chapel. Prior to this he had offered his home for use by itenerant Methodist preachers. Later in life Lippitt joined the Peace Society
.
In 1805, Lippitt built the house still known today as Lippitt Hill Farm in Cranston.
In 1809, Christopher and his younger brother, Charles Lippitt, along with Benjamin Aborn, George Jackson, Amasa Mason, and William Mason organized a cotton mill under the name the Lippitt Manufacturing Company. The company grew throughout the 19th century becoming a large profitable enterprise in which several generations of the family were involved. The original Lippitt Mill building still stands in Lippitt Village in what is now West Warwick.
Early life
Lippitt was the fourth child of Christopher Lippitt (1712-1764) and Catherine (Holden) Lippitt and the oldest surviving son at the time of his father's death in 1764. Since 1715 the Lippitt family had owned Lippitt Hill in the Hope neighborhood in the southwestern part of Cranston, Rhode IslandCranston, Rhode Island
Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet, is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. With a population of 80,387 at the 2010 census, it is the third largest city in the state. The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Cranston...
. Lippitt was first elected to General Assembly at age 21 and continued serving until Revolution. At age 22 made captain of militia and Justice of the Peace. Lippitt owned a sawmill and a farm and was recorded as having six slaves in the 1774 census and two slaves in 1790 census.
Service in Revolution
At the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, Lippitt was chosen Lieutenant Colonel of the Rhode Island regiment and of the minutemenMinutemen
Minutemen were members of teams of select men from the American colonial partisan militia during the American Revolutionary War. They provided a highly mobile, rapidly deployed force that allowed the colonies to respond immediately to war threats, hence the name.The minutemen were among the first...
, which defended Prudence Island
Prudence Island
Prudence Island is the third largest island in Narragansett Bay in the U.S. state of Rhode Island and part of the town of Portsmouth. It is located near the geographical center of the bay. It is defined by the United States Census Bureau as Block Group 3, Census Tract 401.03 of Newport County,...
from British warships. In 1776 his regiment joined the Continental Army on George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's orders and went to Harlem Heights
Harlem Heights
Harlem Heights may refer to:*Harlem Heights, Florida*Morningside Heights, New York City*Harlem Heights , reality docu-drama series on BET...
, New York. Lippitt commanded a regiment at the Battle of Princeton
Battle of Princeton
The Battle of Princeton was a battle in which General George Washington's revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey....
, Battle of White Plains
Battle of White Plains
The Battle of White Plains was a battle in the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on October 28, 1776, near White Plains, New York. Following the retreat of George Washington's Continental Army northward from New York City, British General William Howe landed...
and Battle of Trenton
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
. He was eventually brevetted a brigadier general of the Continental Army by General Washington for his actions on the battlefield. He spent the winter at Morristown and returned to Rhode Island in the spring when the regiment's tour of duty expired. Upon returning to Rhode Island, Lippitt was promoted to the rank of brigadier general of Rhode Island militia in 1780, and commanded a brigade when the French troops occupied Newport. He served as a general until 1783.
After the Revolution
Rhode Island General Assembly
The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A bicameral body, it is composed of the lower Rhode Island House of Representatives with 75 representatives, and the upper Rhode Island Senate with 38 senators...
and was appointed justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court
Rhode Island Supreme Court
The Rhode Island Supreme Court, founded in 1747, is the court of last resort in the U.S. State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The Court consists of a chief justice and four associate justices. The current Justices of the Rhode Island Supreme Court are:*Chief Justice Paul A...
. In the 1780s, Lippitt was dismissed from political office by voters for supporting adoption of the U.S. Constitution which was unpopular in Rhode Island at the time.
Christopher Lippitt was an active Christian and was a member of the local Methodist congregation. Lippit was raised by his mother as an Episcopalian. He was introduced to the Methodists by his brother Charles, while serving in New York during the Revolutionary War. In 1791 Christopher Lippitt invited Jesse Lee, a prominent Methodist evangelist, to preach and teach a class at his house. Lippit's wife and daughter became Methodists at this time. In 1800 Lippitt built a small meeting house on his farm to serve as a Methodist chapel. Prior to this he had offered his home for use by itenerant Methodist preachers. Later in life Lippitt joined the Peace Society
Peace Society
The Peace Society, International Peace Society or London Peace Society originally known as the Society for the Promotion of Permanent and Universal Peace, was a society founded on 14 June 1816 for the promotion of permanent and universal peace; it advocated a gradual, proportionate, and...
.
In 1805, Lippitt built the house still known today as Lippitt Hill Farm in Cranston.
In 1809, Christopher and his younger brother, Charles Lippitt, along with Benjamin Aborn, George Jackson, Amasa Mason, and William Mason organized a cotton mill under the name the Lippitt Manufacturing Company. The company grew throughout the 19th century becoming a large profitable enterprise in which several generations of the family were involved. The original Lippitt Mill building still stands in Lippitt Village in what is now West Warwick.
Family
Christopher married Waity (or Waite) Harris (1755-1836) in 1777, and had the following children:- 1. Susanna (1778-1818)
- 2. son (1779-1779)
- 3. son (1781-1781)
- 4. son (1782-1782)
- 5. Christopher Jr. (1783- )
- 6. Waity (1784- )
- 7. daughter (1785-1785)
- 8. William (1786-1872)
- 9. Joseph (1790- ), settled in Ohio.
- 10. son (1793-1793)
- 11. Mary (1795- )
- 12. Benjamin (1797-1803)
Notable Lippitt family members
- Charles W. LippittCharles W. LippittCharles Warren Lippitt was an American politician and the 44th Governor of Rhode Island.-Early Life and Family:...
, governor of RI - Henry LippittHenry LippittHenry Lippitt was the 33rd Governor of Rhode Island from 1875 to 1877.-Family:Lippitt was the son of Warren Lippitt and Eliza Lippitt, married to Mary Ann Balch. He was the father of Charles Warren Lippitt, another Rhode Island Governor, and the father of Henry F. Lippitt, a U.S...
, governor of RI - Henry F. LippittHenry F. LippittHenry Frederick Lippitt was a United States Senator from Rhode Island. Born in Providence, he attended private schools, graduated from Brown University in 1878, and entered the cotton manufacturing business. He was director of a bank and of several mill insurance companies, and was vice president...
, U.S. Senator - John ChafeeJohn ChafeeJohn Lester Hubbard Chafee was an American politician. He served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island, as the Secretary of the Navy, and as a United States Senator.-Early life and family:...
, U.S. Senator, Governor of RI - Lincoln ChafeeLincoln ChafeeLincoln Davenport Chafee is an American politician who has been the 74th Governor of Rhode Island since January 2011. Prior to his election as governor, Chafee served in the United States Senate as a Republican from 1999 until losing his Senate re-election bid in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon...
, U.S. Senator, Governor-elect of RI