The sixth child of Rowland Hazard and Mary Peace Hazard, Joseph Hazard was born February 17, 1807 in Burlington, New Jersey. The family relocated to Bristol, Pennsylvania, and Hazard attended the Westtown School, a Quaker institution, from 1816-1820, and again from 1822-1824. Hazard then moved to Peace Dale , Rhode Island, and became involved in the family textile mill, which was owned by his brothers, Rowland G. and Isaac P. Hazard. Hazard became a partner of R.G. Hazard and Co. (later renamed Peace Dale Manufacturing Company) in 1828. He also built an addition to the mill in 1835, as well as an axe factory.
However, citing his lack of competence in business, Hazard abandoned his factories around 1845 and began to devote his time to travel, the study of spiritualism, and the construction of his home, “The Castle,” and “Druid’s Dream House,” both of which were in Narragansett, Rhode Island, as well as “Memorial Tower” at Tower Hill in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Joseph Peace Hazard died in Peace Dale on January 18, 1892.
The collection contains correspondence, personal papers, photographs, and artifacts relating to Joseph Peace Hazard and his interests. The correspondence mostly contains letters Hazard sent his brother and sisters while traveling in Europe and South America. The correspondence also includes letters with mediums Mary Hull and Dinah Sherman, and Luther Colby (editor of the spiritual publication “Banner of Light”), which document Hazard’s interest in spiritualism. The collection also includes Hazard’s personal papers, such as his power of attorney, lists of securities and income tax statements, as well as his writings, which include Hazard family biographical sketches, recollections on séances and seeing the spirits of Theodore Parker and Robert Burns, a notebook chronicling Hazard’s encounters with the supernatural, and notes concerning the construction of “The Castle” in Narragansett and the “Memorial Tower” at Tower Hill. Photographs in the collection primarily consist of images of the grave of Jane Anne Terrill Gibson (relative of Mary Peace, Hazard’s mother) in Washfield, England. The collection also includes artifacts and objects, which consist of foliage taken from Lord Byron’s estate and grave, and cuneiform tablets Hazard purchased on his travels.
Researchers are advised to contact Rhode Island College Special Collections for questions regarding permissions to reproduce, distribute, or otherwise publish material from this collection. Although Rhode Island College has physical ownership of the collection, it does not necessarily hold literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
The collection is open for research.
Joseph Peace Hazard papers, MSS-0090, Special Collections, James P. Adams Library, Rhode Island College.
The collection has been arranged into the following series:
The collection was given to Rhode Island College in 1968 by Martha Bacon Ballinger, with the consent of her husband, Ronald B. Ballinger, as well as her sister, Helen Bacon Westlake, and Helen’s husband, J.T. Westlake.
After the collection arrived in 1968, Rhode Island College Professor Norman Smith conducted preliminary sorting of the collection. The processing of the papers and the preparation of the original finding aid was funded by a National Historical Publications and Records Commission grant. The initial finding aid was prepared by Norene Rickson, library assistant in RIC Special Collections, with the assistance of Michael Kohl, Assistant Librarian in Special Collections. At this time, photographs were removed from their original locations and added to the other photograph files. Books were also removed from the collection and added to various book collections in Special Collections. In 2023, the finding aid was converted to current archival standards by Veronica L. Denison, Digital Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Rhode Island College. At this time, the papers of Rowland Hazard, Joseph Peace Hazard, Thomas Rutherford Bacon, Caroline Hazard, Helen Hazard Bacon, and Leonard Bacon were removed from the Nathaniel Terry Bacon papers and made into their own separate collections to better reflect the various creators and their materials. Items in this were also reboxed into archival boxes and items foldered and the photographs and objects that were collection by Joseph Peace Hazard were added back to this collection. Additional publications were removed from this collection and added to the Special Collections Book Collections.
“Joseph P. Hazard, Record of Watch Ringing:” Journal by Hazard detailing instances of watch ringing which he believed to be communication with a spiritual was transcribed and a facsimile available in Special Collections Reading Room: SP COLL BF1277 .H39 2018 RIColl.
Rhode Island College Special Collections contains additional collections relating to the Bacon and Hazard families:
The Peace Dale Library at South Kingstown Public Library also has materials relating to Joseph Peace Hazard.
The Rhode Island Historical Society holds the
And the University of Rhode Island holds the
This collection was separated from the Nathaniel Terry Bacon papers (MSS-0005) and made into its own collection in 2023. Contact the Rhode Island College Special Collections for further information.
Select items from this collection have been digitized and are available in DigitalCommons@RIC.
This series has been arranged into four separate subseries: outgoing correspondence, incoming correspondence, travel letters series one, and travel letters series two. The incoming and outgoing correspondence includes letters with mediums and spiritualists, as well as with family members chronicling events affecting the Hazard family. The travel letters were written by Joseph Peace Hazard while traveling in Europe and South America. These letters were numbered by Hazard and detail the social and economic conditions of the places he visited and provide descriptions of the architecture and geography of the areas.
This subseries contains copies of correspondence Joseph Peace Hazard sent. Arranged chronologically.
This subseries contains letters sent to Joseph Peace Hazard. It includes correspondence with multiple family members, as well as with mediums Mary Hull and Dinah Sherman, Luther Colby (editor of the spiritual publication “Banner of Light”), spiritualist Theodore Parker, philosopher Robert Dale Owen, and poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Arranged alphabetically.
The correspondence in this subseries was written by Joseph Peace Hazard to his siblings while traveling in Europe. The letters were numbered by Hazard when he wrote them. Included with some of the letters are flora and fauna which Hazard collected and sent with the letters. The subseries is arranged chronologically.
The correspondence in this subseries was written by Joseph Peace Hazard to his siblings while traveling in Europe and South America. The letters were numbered by Hazard when he wrote them. Included with some of the letters are flora and fauna which Hazard collected and sent with the letters. The subseries is arranged chronologically.
This series contains the papers and writings of Joseph Peace Hazard. Included are biographical and historical sketches relating to Boston, Narragansett, Newport, Theodore Parker (minister and transcendentalist), as well members of Hazard’s family. Also included are his recollections on séances and seeing the spirits of Theodore Parker and Robert Burns; a notebook chronicling Hazard’s encounters with the supernatural; notes concerning the construction of “The Castle” in Narragansett and the “Memorial Tower” at Tower Hill; leaflets, fliers, and poems relating to spiritualism, religion, organizations, and businesses; bills, invoices, and receipts for household, travel, and other expenses; and pressed flowers, plants, and seeds Hazard collected.
Arranged alphabetically by folder
Journal transcribed and facsimile available in Special Collections Reading Room: SP COLL BF1277 .H39 2018 RIColl.
This series contains photographs and sketches of members of the Hazard family, friends, and the grave of Jane Anne Terrill Gibson (relative of Mary Peace) at St. Mary the Virgin Church in Washfield, England.
This series contains items likely collected by Hazard during his travels. It includes seeds, foliage taken from Lord Byron’s estate and grave, stones/gems, a bronze spearhead, a figurine, bronze spearhead, and cuneiform tablets.