4.4. Tfie HAZARD FAMILY 
     
    
   
   
    
     rather an unsettled life, ——- he lived in the old house which was taken down about 
     
     1850 to give place to a more modern structure. This house was built by Robert 
     
     Knowles, grandfather of Thomas Hazard’s wife. He used to say that the mansion 
     
     was one of the two oldest houses in the town. It was a quaint old structure, and 
     
     evidently built for protection as well as shelter, as was shown by the strong 
     
     wooden shutters and double doors inside. When Hazard was an old man he 
     
     lost the possession of his home by the trickery ofa trusted friend. ' 
     
    

    
     The “ B.” in Mr. Hazard’s name was added, as so many other middle names 
     
     were added, as a distinctive sign. He was also called “ Nailor Tom,” from one of 
     
     his many occupations. He had a great fund of anecdote, and was an entertain- 
     
     ing conversationalist. He was highly esteemed in his native town, and held 
     
     numerous places of trust. For two years he was a Senator, and was elected by 
     
     one hundred majority. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and appro— 
     
     priately to his belief was often a peacemaker and arbiter of differences. He im- 
     
     pressed his personality strongly upon his associates. His features were sharply 
     
     defined, so that people now living can describe him even to—day with singular 
     
     fidelity to nature. 
     
    

    
     “ Nailor Tom’s ” diary, or Blue Book, was highly esteemed by his townsmen, 
     
     and was considered authority upon the matters noted. It is said that Mr. Wilkins 
     
     Updike, the well—known lawyer and historian of Narragansett, used to say that 
     
     he had rather see the Devil come into the court—room than “ Nailor Tom ”with 
     
     his book. “ Shepherd Tom" writes that the people of South Kingstown used to 
     
     swear by “ Nailor Tom’s " book. Glancing through this famous book casually, 
     
     its jottings would seem to be scanty andb commonplace, but to one who reads 
     
     carefully there are valuable data, and little incidents that give an insight into the 
     
     manner of living and social condition of the people of the time. 
     
    

    
     Thomas Hazard was a most ingenious man, with a strong bias for invention. 
     
     In the blacksmith shop that stood Within a few rods of his house, he made many 
     
     quaint and curious articles, —-a self—acting rat—trap being amongst the number, 
     
     so construéted that the captive rat set the trap for his successor. 
     
    

    
     Thomas Hazard was a great politician. Though not seeking office for himself, 
     
     he was an indefatigable worker for his friends. He was not a demonstrative man. 
     
     An anecdote told by an eye—witness is illustrative of his charaé’cer and his man— 
     
     ner of speech. He was once called as a witness in a lawsuit between James Rob- 
     
     inson and Rowland Hazard, the question being as to the raising the mill-dam 
     
     in Wakefield, which threw back— water on the wheel in Peacedale. When Thomas 
     
     B. Hazard was called upon for his evidence, he commenced by quaintly remark— 
     
     ing, “I had a goose once. This was met by a burst of laughter; when quiet 
     
     was restored, he repeated the remark, only to be met by repeated laughter on 
     
     the part of Mr. Robinson. When this had subsided, he said with the same even, 
     
     quiet voice with which he had made the first statement, “Friend Robinson, if 
     
     thee will have a little patience I think that the goose will hatch something for 
     
     thee.” And it did hatch a defeat for “Friend Robinson.” For this historical 
     
    
   
   
    
     gOOSC