Hidden History of Rhode Island: Not-To-Be-Forgotten Tales of the Ocean State

Surprising tales and unexpected anecdotes color Rhode Island s legacy, from the accounts of its three brave Titanic survivors to the whirlwind Revolutionary War romance between a Smithfield girl and a French viscount. Rhode Island historian Glenn Laxton uncovers the exceptional citizens whom history has forgotten, like Robert the Hermit, a man who endured three escapes from slavery before finding liberty and peace in Rumford; the illustrious Lippitt family, who spearheaded advancements in deaf education; and Christiana Bannister, a Narragansett tribe member, nineteenth-century entrepreneur and wife to the most successful African American artist of the time. With moments of tragedy, as in the Lexington steamboat disaster, as well as triumph, as in the case of small-town boy turned baseball hero Joe Connolly, Hidden History of Rhode Island delivers the best Ocean State stories you ve never heard before."

Glenn Laxton is an Emmy Award winning journalist who has worked in broadcasting in Rhode Island for 41 years. He produced and narrated a six-year-long weekly series on WPRI called Not to be Forgotten about the unsung heroes of his home state. On the board of directors for the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame and the Blackstone Valley Historical Society, Glenn also writes bi-monthly articles for Your Smithfield Magazine. He regularly gives talks and video presentations for historical societies and is the co-author of Rhode Island: A Genial History with Paul F. Eno.