This week in Block Island history
?May 10, 1894?

Recent view of the old Benjamin Rose house on Calico Hill.

By Robert M. Downie

This week in history, on May 10, 1894, Benjamin Rose died at the age of 64. He lived in a white house on Calico Hill, built about 1870, that our generation often refers to as Flavia Clark?s old home. Rose had a deeply rooted Block Island family tree.

Benjamin Rose was survived by one of his three brothers: Percival Rose, of Water Street. His deceased brother, Joshua, owned the small white cottage on High Street across from today?s Block Island Health & General Store; and his other departed brother, Alanson, operated the Woonsocket House hotel, at the foot of Calico Hill, which is now the Historical Society.

Cousins abounded: Erastus Rose lived in a Cape Cod house, since demolished, nearby off Ocean Avenue, behind today?s Island Hardware store. The family of another cousin, Samuel W. Rose Jr., lived on Old Town Road in a Cape Cod house, also since torn down, that stood just a little to the east of today?s Gazebo guest house. And a third cousin, William L. Rose, was also nearby on Old Town Road.

But the family of Benjamin Rose?s wife, Mary, was even more deeply rooted. She was one of seven sisters, daughters of Gideon Dodge, of whom the local Mid-Ocean newspaper reported: "all of whom reside here, and all but one within a radius of a quarter of a mile."

For the record, the seven sisters were: Mrs. William P. Lewis, Mrs. Almanza Littlefield, Mrs. Molly Rose, Mrs. Almira Rose, Mrs. Edward P. Littlefield, Mrs. Benjamin T. Coe and Mrs. Darius B. Dodge.

So at the funeral of Benjamin Rose, 107 years ago, the reporter duly noted:

"The bearers were as follows, all brothers in-law of the deceased: William P. Lewis, Edward P. Littlefield, Benjamin F. Coe and Darius B. Dodge.

"The undertaker, Alamanza Littlefield, was also his brother-in-law."