Our speaker was Jim CONNELL, Director of Linden Place, an 1810 historic house mueseum in Bristol, RI that was the home for 177 years to the DEWOLF and COLT families, including actress Ethel BARRYMORE COLT. Mr. CONNELL did a Power Point presentation showing views of the mansion and entertained us with stories of the families that lived there.

The DEWOLF family were the mansion's first occupants. The family's fortune was made in shipbuilding, sugar and molasses, slaves, rum distillers and Caribbean plantations. Since the family's active involvement in the "Trinagle Trade" became widley known, its standing in history has become greatly tarnished. In contrast, the COLT family name is well-respected in Bristol. Colonel Samuel COLT (his mother was Theodra DeWolf) founded the Industrial Trust Company, but he is better known as the industrialist who took over leadershio of the bankrupt India Rubber Company, based in Bristol, and developed it into the U.S. Rubber Company.

In addition to Linden Place, Bristol is home to lots of beautiful srchitecture and local history. The mansion is located in the center of the town on Route 114 (Hope Street). It is open from May 1st through Columbus Day. Hours are: Thursday-Saturday 10AM to 4PM and Sunday 12PM to 4PM.

Taken from The Pawtuxet Valley Historian, Volume 19 , Issue 9.

LINKS: Linden Place Site
Ethel Barrymore Colt Family Papers
Ethel Barrymore Colt -Internet Broadway Data Base
Picture of the Family
Information on Ethel Barrymore
Home Page
PVHistory@yahoo.com
COLT-DEWOLF Family papers