 In 1636, Roger Williams and a number of early settlers left Salem, Massachusetts and settled on Narragansett Bay.When traveling across the Seekonk River, Williams encountered a group of Narragansett Indians.The Narragansett Indians housed Williams and his followers for the winter until Williams negotiated a deal for the land that would become Providence with the Narragansett Sachems Cononicus and Miantonomo.