An exhibition at the John Brown House in Providence, opened by the Rhode Island Historical Society in October 2025, highlights the often-overlooked role of Mary Williams, wife of Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island. While Roger is well-known for his radical religious views and advocacy for separation of church and state, Mary played a crucial part in the colony’s daily life and development. The exhibit was developed through a collaboration between Roger Williams University historian Charlotte Carrington-Farmer and RIHS staff, inspired by Carrington-Farmer’s 2024 article “More Than Roger’s Wife: Mary Williams and the Founding of Providence.”

Carrington-Farmer, who has extensively studied Roger Williams, began focusing on Mary in 2020 when commissioned to create a Women’s History Month piece. Researching during the COVID-19 pandemic, she uncovered limited but revealing clues about Mary’s life, including her literacy—a rare skill for women in 17th-century New England. The exhibit portrays Mary managing household affairs, raising six children, caring for the sick, and hosting Native leaders while Roger was often away. It emphasizes the challenges women faced and the importance of recognizing their contributions to early colonial history.