BURRILLVILLE – Seventeenth century man Roger Williams, advocate of freedom of conscience and friend of the indigenous people at a time when these were radical ideas, visited Mapleville Farm in Burrillville on Sunday, May 4 in the 21st century – or rather: John McNiff, historian and re-enactor, gave a presentation as Williams before a full house.
“Did you come here on vacation?” a local boy in the audience, Roman Mainville, age 10, asked Roger Williams.
“What is a vacation?” responded McNiff as Williams.
The audience erupted in laughter.
McNiff’s portrayal of Roger Williams “was fabulous, like we were listening to someone living in the 1600s,” said the ten year old’s grandmother, Pam Poirier.
Her daughter Amanda Mainville had no idea she would encounter Roger Williams.
Mainville “just came by for the croissants, then discovered this,” she said.
“I’m the biggest history buff in the family. I could have listened all day, and had no clue he was on the run. That must have been terrifying: they’re coming for you,” she said of the historic man’s famous taking to the wilderness to avoid persecution.
“It’s important to bring Roger to life for folks so that they realize history is the result of the actions of real people, much like themselves,” said McNiff. “The people we take note of in history were not icons, marble or bronze statues, but humans of flesh and blood, with all the joys and doubts we live through.”
McNiff brought the famous figure of the 1600s to vivid life from the pages of historical documents and history books.
Whether discussing his persecution for standing up to the rulers of Massachusetts Bay Colony, or describing his fleeing into the winter wilderness or establishing the colony of Providence Plantations for freedom, Roger Williams seems to have held the audience spellbound.
“He mesmerizes me every time,” said Carol Cullen of Cranston.
“This is the third time I have attended,” and McNiff’s presentation is “wonderful,” she said.
McNiff “is excellent, his language, his accent are very authentic. He knew everything, could answer every question,” said Betty Mencucci, president of the Burrillville Historical Society, filmmaker of two documentaries about Burrillville, and author of Burrillville Revisited.
Also a member of the Roger Williams Family Association, Mencucci said she “wouldn’t miss a chance to meet Roger. He’s my ninth great-great grandfather.”
The Sunday when McNiff visited was Rhode Island Independence Day, said Michael Ryan, one of the four sibling owners of Mapleville Farm.
Rhode Independence Day annually observes that in 1776, the colonists denounced allegiance to England’s King George, two months ahead of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4.
A visit from Roger Williams “is a little off the beaten path. Really cool and kind of fun,” said Ryan, adding that awareness of history and the significance of Roger Williams is important.
“Freedom of speech, the first amendment, and separation of church and state, are something we feel strongly about,” said Casey Cassano, who was at work greeting people at the farm.
Roger Williams attracted a “great turnout,” said Michael McKenna of Warwick. McNiff “really paints a picture of that time period…the land, but we are seeing it through his eyes.”
“On separation of church and state; Roger Williams was a very forward thinking guy. He had a lot of ideas people would agree with today,” said Ben Ryan, another of the sibling owners.
“It’s really important for people to know their history,” he added. “RI has an interesting, cool history very relevant to what’s happening today, to what’s going on in the world.”
The farm owners’ father, Tom Ryan, seemed pleased his children were hosting the visitor from the past.
“Roger Williams started this country,” he said. “It’s important that people get back to the beginning. The country is so far from it, it’s time to get it right again.”
The audience at the Roger Williams presentation stepped back in time four centuries for a glimpse into the beginning of what became the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. And Williams didn’t seem to mind when the audience brought in some technology from the 21st century, taking selfies with him.
