RHODE ISLAND HISTORY - Rhode Island Historical Society

3
Seth Luther. Stonecarver of the
Narragansett Basin
by
Vincent F. Luri"
In the quiet comers of cemeteries in Providence and
in a few surrounding towns are some gravestones
that have completely escaped the attention of
historians and cultural antiquarians. Although these
stones are clearly the work of one man, a talented
and even inspired artist, they have gone unheralded.
Despite this lack of recognition. the carved
stones are singular and intense examples of the
work of an early New England stonecarver.
The carved stones are noteworthy - striking. in
(act - because they differ from other stones located
in the Narragansett Basin. Anistically, the carving
style is unlike other styles that were popular in the
area and that have since become better known. The
style of these stones is reminiscent of the massive.
bold renderings of Connecticut carvers. but the
geographical distribution of the stones (with a
strong concentration in Providence) and the unique
idiom of style point to a native carver. a Rhode
Island craftsman of talent and ability.
Fortunately, the identity of this carver has been
recently revealed. His name was Seth Luther.
Following a lead first uncovered by Harriette
Forbes in her pioneering work on New England
stonecarvers, I discovered Luther's name hidden in
the probate records of Providence.' In 1756, John
Anthony Angel. a Providence stonecutter, "being
sick and weak of body," bequeathed his real estate
and working tools to his brother-in-law, Seth
Luther.' The tools were an important an d valuable
heirloom. In fact, when Luther wrote his own will,
dated July 11, 1783, he described himself as a
"housewright alias stone cutter" and left his tools to
one of his sons. Brightman, of Scituate, Rhode
Island.'
Seth Luther was born in Swansea. Massachusetts.
on November 23. 1709. the son of Joshua and
Experience (Braman) Luther. In 1733, while living
in Rehoboth. he married Mary Vorce (Vase).
Apparently, he later married a Rhode Island woman.
although records of this second marriage have
not been found . Records do reveal, however, that he
married Mrs. Esther Brightman in Portsmouth on
September 25. 1740. Although he and Abiah Luther
bought forty acres of land in Rehoboth in 1738, by
1742 Seth Luther had become a freeman of Rhode
Island residing at Newport.' Sometime during the
next fourteen years. he moved to Portsmouth and
probably lived there until he inherited John Anthony
Angel's land in Providence.' In 1757 he became a
freeman of Providence and in 1764, when the
boundaries of the North Burial Ground were revised.
he received a grant of fifty square feet of
land.' During the early 1760s. his name also appeared
in some Nova Scotia records as a subscriber
for shares in a settlement on the Tantramar River.
He may have moved to Nova Scotia. perhaps in
1763, but most likely he remained in Providence
along with other subscribers who never made the
journey north.' He died in Providence on September
26. 178.5.
Luther probably learned the art of sronecarving
from John Anthony An gel, his relative and benefactor.
It appears. in fact. that Angel and Luther
worked together as stonecarvers, sometimes on the
same stones, On certain stones dating from the
"Mr. Luu .. pml_ 01 m" .1 South_em Ma..;h.-n:o
Univftwny,