Henry J. Steere

During the Civil War he served at Portsmouth Grove, Rhode Island as part of the guard of the Lovell General Hospital.

[2] Steere entered the textile manufacturing business, eventually building mills in the towns of Providence, Burrillville, Smithfield, and Glocester.

Among his business concerns was the Waskuck Mills which Steere founded with Jesse Metcalf and Stephen Olney.

Because of the mills’ rapid success, expansions were made by Steere on Wild Street in 1884 and on Douglas Avenue by the company in 1893.

Steere donated $340,000 to charities including: Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (home of Oscar the cat, noted for his purported ability to predict imminent death), Beneficent Congregational Church, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Rhode Island Historical Society, Roanoke College, and Tabor College in Iowa.

Jonah Steere, father of Henry J. Steere, portrait now owned by Beneficent Congregational Church
Henry J. Steere was a member and large donor to Beneficent Congregational Church .
Steere was the co-founder and benefactor of the Providence Home For Aged Men, now known as Steere House.
Henry J. Steere's house in Barrington