Frederick Peck's first American ancestor was Joseph Peck who immigrated to
Hingham, Massachusetts in 1636. With captain
Myles Standish, Governor
William Bradford and others, Joseph Peck purchased a tract of land located between Narragansett Bay and the Taunton River in 1641 from
Massasoit (or Ousamequin Sachem). Nathaniel Peck, Joseph's son, settled on part of this land in Barrington which he called Ousamequin Farm. This property remained in the family homestead into the twentieth century. Before Ousamequin Farm descended to Frederick Peck on his father's death, he purchased an adjacent piece of land with the intention to erect a stone residence for which he would name Belton Court for the early home of the Pecks in
England.
Architecture The first wing of the building was put up between 1905 and 1906, with its main elevation facing east onto Middle Highway. Two-and-a-half stories in height, the house was built of rough masonry granite with segmental relieving arches over the windows and doors. With Peck's expanding interests and activities, a larger residence was constructed between 1927 and 1928 north and west of the original section, forming a U-shaped court facing south; this major addition was more
medieval in appearance but maintains the basic massing, height, and materials of the 1905 unit. At the northeast corner, a four-story,
crenellated tower, formerly containing a water tank, dominates the complex to this day.Peck's manuscript library was one of the finest private collections in the country at the time, it included multiple sets of
signers of the Declaration of Independence, two complete sets of letters signed by presidents while in office, and a more unusual collection of letters by the wives of multiple presidents. His collection also notably included a collection of the letters and papers of
George Washington and documents relating to Rhode Island, including letters of
Roger Williams and an undated order from
President Tyler to authorize the use of federal troops in the
Dorr Rebellion. Other areas of collecting interest included Roman and Phoenician glass, Native American artifacts, and eighteenth-century English portraiture. The following list is of notable artists whose original and attributed artwork once hung within the halls of Belton Court; a majority of these paintings were hung in the limestone and marble gallery corridors connecting the 1905-06 section to the 1927-28 section while other paintings were hung in the ballroom, reception hall, and foyer: •
Sir William Beechey •
Sir Thomas Lawrence •
Sir Henry Raeburn R.A. •
William Hoare R.A. •
Thomas Gainsborough R.A. •
John Hoppner R.A. •
Gilbert Stuart •
Sir Martin Archer Shee P.R.A •
Sir Joshua Reynolds •
Johannes Lingelbach •
Sir Godfrey Kneller R.A. •
Sir Anthony Van dyck (Attributed) •
Jacques Louis David •
Ozias Humphry R.A. •
Sarkis Diranian •
George Romney R.A. •
Francis Cotes R.A. •
Giovanni Paolo Panini •
John Francis Rigaud R.A. •
James Northcote •
George Henry Harlow •
Francois Boucher •
Alberto Passini •
Frank Duveneck N.A. Grounds and staffing The 800-acre estate of Belton Court featured several other structures that serviced daily life at the mansion. A fully functioning farm was located on-site, complete with cows, oxen, horses, and pigs. Not much is known about the farming aspect towards the end of the estates life; however, a large 20,000 square-foot stable complex was formerly located at the end of Primrose Road near the bank of the
Hundred Acre Cove. Belton Court's
greenhouse complex consisted of a central 130-foot greenhouse with three 70-foot greenhouses branching off, dedicated to
orchids,
chrysanthemums, and
succulents. The outdoor flower beds from the cutting garden had rows of
roses and
gladiolus. Over the years Frederick Peck had two superintendents to manage the estate, including one by the name of John S. Doig. Frederick employed 64 Full time Staff to maintain the grounds and home, some lived in house & others lived in a selection of 11 homes peppered throughout the property. A mechanic by the name of Axel Paulson was one of Belton Court's full time mechanics that serviced farming equipment and Frederick Peck's automobiles.
Life at Belton Court Firsthand accounts from former staff recall that two to three lavish political parties were held at the mansion every week. Large and small intimate gatherings were hosted regularly at Belton Court from its construction in 1905–06 through the early 1940s. Even during Prohibition, the estate’s two wine cellars were reportedly always stocked with spirits and fine wines. The formal dining room table could be set for thirty guests, and formal china and silver services were custom-made bearing the Peck family crest—a cubit arm grasping three roses. Notable guests included
Charles Curtis (
Vice President of the United States),
Corinne Roosevelt Robinson (sister of
Theodore Roosevelt),
Ogden L. Mills (Secretary of the Treasury),
Robert Livingston Beeckman (
Governor of Rhode Island and close acquaintance of the Peck family), Mrs. Edward E. Gann (sister of Vice President Charles Curtis),
William Henry Vanderbilt III (Governor of Rhode Island),
Aram J. Pothier (Governor of Rhode Island),
Henry F. Lippitt (Governor of Rhode Island), and
Nicholas Longworth (38th
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives). Most notably, it is rumored that President
Calvin Coolidge—and possibly President
Herbert Hoover—stayed at Belton Court in the late 1920s. == Institutional use ==