The early 20th century was a period where the idea of paternalism was very strong in villages such Hill’s Grove. As might be expected, residents in the village recalled living there with different feelings of gratitude, nostalgia and hardships. Some who worked in the R.I. Malleable Iron Works and the Elizabeth Mill saw the village as an opportunity to lead a better life in the United States. Others found paternalism stifling and dreamt of a day when they could leave the village to pursue their dreams. For one young girl, Ursula Maine, it was a place of adventure and fun. Ursula shared her experiences in Hillsgrove in the early years of the 20th century in a 1991 interview for the Warwick Beacon. Her father, William G. Maine, was the “boss” farmer on the large farm that was once on Post Road and supplied the village with milk and vegetables.

Mrs. Ross, then known as “Sulie” or “the kid at the farm,” recalled with great pleasure the times that she and her girlfriend would be asked by William G. James, the mill superintendent, to ride with him in his Stevens-Duryea automobile. Mr. James would take the payroll to the Bay Mill in East Greenwich and would often take a few children with him to disguise the purpose of the trip. Apparently, this worked well, as he often carried large amounts of cash and was never accosted. For Sulie and her friends it was great fun, especially for the lucky one who got to sit in the “jump-seat” of that very “classy” automobile.

All time spent on the farm for young children like Sulie wasn’t playtime, of course. There was always plenty of work to be done. Mrs. Maine cooked three full meals a day for the family and the four hired hands that lived in the house, and Ursula helped in preparing the food. “Every meal,” she recalls, “had johnnycakes cooked on a huge griddle.”

One very unforgettable day in Mrs. Ross’ life in Hillsgrove was Armistice Day in 1918. She arose early that morning and went to the Hillsgrove Methodist Church. She, another girl and two boys of about the same age were given the very pleasant task of pulling on the thick red cord and ringing the bell all day long in celebration of the end of World War I.

Other pleasant times revolved around errands to the post office, rides on the train and visits to the railroad station. During the week, Ursula and other youngsters of the same age attended the grammar school on Kilvert St. and, on Sundays, Ursula spent much of her time at the church, which was an important part of her social as well as religious life.

The farm, obviously, no longer exists. The Methodist Church has survived and prospered, but the bell that rang out so gloriously in 1918 has been removed because the tower interfered with air traffic. The train tracks have been fenced in, the station removed, the train no longer stops at Hillsgrove and the post office is the Sandwich Junction restaurant. In the near future, Hillsgrove will have a new train station that will connect with the airport and make Hillsgrove an important transportation center. While there are mixed feelings about this and a strong tendency against change, most residents seem to feel that the village will prosper as a result of the changes and that Hillsgrove’s long history will be remembered.

The story of Hillsgrove, the village created by mill owner Thomas J. Hill, will be continued.

(Editor’s note: Don D’Amato’s latest book, “Warwick Villages,” is on sale at the Warwick Beacon office and the Warwick Historical Society.