A Century Well-Lived: Remembering Eleanor Spears Dove

The United States and the world have seen unimaginable change over the course of the last 100 years: world-changing innovations in technology, two world wars, the advent of commercial air travel. So few now are left who remember that time, their stories immortalized on audio recordings and in books. Here in Rhode Island, one of the most cherished was that of Eleanor Spears Dove, Pretty Flower, the centenarian matriarch of the Narragansett Tribe.

I had the honor of meeting Dove myself in July 2018, speaking with her in her home just a few days before her 100th birthday. Small in stature, Dove was an elegant woman, sitting up proudly in her chair with a signature sparkle in her eyes and a speaking with a clear, strong voice. Surrounding her were photographs, both recent and historical, depicting Dove and her family, along with other treasured objects that served as reminders of her full life.

Dove was born on August 1, 1918 in East Providence, spending her first years of life at her grandmother's house. She told me that some of her earliest memories are of the garden that was in the yard, which kept her family fed when the Great Depression hit.

In 1937, Dove went to a dance with her aunt, who was close to her in age. There, she spied a handsome young man, remarking "I'll take the tall one." And, so she did, marrying Ferris Babcock Dove just a year later.

For a time, Dove worked as a model at the Providence Art Club, where an artist made a bust of her that was later exhibited at the world's fair.

The couple had four children, three daughters and one son. From a young age, Dove had a love and talent for cooking, and she started her culinary life as a caterer, serving her food in Charlestown, Newport and Watch Hill, as well as the Westerly Yacht Club. In the 1940s, the young family were caretakers at the Chemawockee Lodge in Charlestown, living in a small cabin with no running water or electricity, but with kerosene lamps that were kept so clean and polished that many thought they did have electric lights, her daughter Dawn remembered.

Precise and organized, Dove always ran a tight ship. Dawn recalled the house being spotless and tidy, with clothing washed and pressed and everything exactly where it could easily be found. Along with their own brood of four, there were always other people staying in the Dove household, which was always open to extended family, friends and anyone in need of a warm bed.

In 1955, the Doves purchased what would become their iconic restaurant, Dovecrest, in 1955. The restaurant opened its doors five years later, becoming known across the state and country for its delicious, homey Native American food, and the first restaurant of its kind in the nation. In the years leading up to the restaurant's opening, Dove had worn a variety of hats, serving as a supervisor at Kenyon's Grist Mill for a time and opening her home to both guests and boarders along with her catering business.

"It seemed silly to make strangers breakfast, but not my husband," Dove said of her shift from catering to the restaurant.

In 1979, Dove's johnnycakes, those classic corn pancakes beloved to South County residents and Native Americans, received the "America's Best!" award. Just a few years later in 1981, Dovecrest was written up in the New York Times, which praised Dove's "raccoon pie" and other classic staples. Venison stew, succotash, string beans and seafood — the home-cooked meals Dove had already been making for her family for years — were the restaurant's menu. Customers came from near and far, representing all 50 states and several countries in the restaurant's guest book.

Throughout her life, Dove was extremely active in the Narragansett Tribal community. As a young girl, she attended celebrations and ceremonies with her grandmother, who was born on the Narragansett Reservation before it was detribalized in 1880. Dove and her husband were married in the Narragansett Indian Church, and Ferris served as the tribe's war chief, somewhat of a misnomer, as he was dedicated to working with Rhode Island and national politicians to keep the peace. He also served as the first and only indigenous postmaster in the area, as well as the head of the Rhode Island Liquor Association and a tax assessor in Rockville.

Until her death, Dove was dedicated to her community, serving on the Narragansett Indian Church Board of Trustees and opening a Native American gift shop in nearby Arcadia Village. Each summer, she delighted in attending the tribe's powwows, never missing a single one, and even traveling internationally during the 1990s with Native American dance troupes for performances at the World Folk Festival in Martigues, France and at the Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Dove was also instrumental in the establishment of the Tomaquag Museum in 1969, which houses a vast collection of Native American artifacts from Eva Butler. Following Butler's death, the collection found a new home at the back building of Dovecrest, where many of Dove's possessions would join the displays over the years. Today, the museum is run by Loren Spears, Dove's granddaughter.

On that hot day in 2018, I asked Dove what she thought was the secret to a long life. She told me she never smoked and would have a glass of wine "once in awhile," along with her preferred diet of fresh vegetables and salads. Her daughter also pointed to the family's "good genes" which had blessed her siblings with full lives well into their 90s.

"Her only weakness is chocolate," Dawn told me with a smile, saying her mother loved Hershey's dark chocolate bars with almonds.

While many at her age are confined to their homes, beds or wheelchairs, Dove refused to let age hold her back, playing cribbage and other card games, reading voraciously and enjoying outings with her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. When asked what was her favorite thing to do, Dove had only word in response: "Go."

"I like to go to lunch and be with people," Dove told me."I'm certainly happy I'm still here, and I hope to stay a few more years."

Dove died peacefully on Saturday, "encircled by the love of her family in her home," her family said in a press release.

Visiting hours will be held from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the First Baptist Church of Hope Valley, located at 1059 Main St. The next day, a celebration of life will be held at the church at 10 a.m. , followed by a graveside service at First Hopkinton Cemetery in Ashaway.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made in Dove's name to the Tomaquag Museum at 390 Summit Rd., Exeter, Rhode Island.