▁divine ▁Prov idence . ▁On ▁February ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁the ▁town ▁had ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁ 1 5 0 ; ▁there ▁were ▁three ▁phys icians , ▁five ▁stores , ▁two ▁hot els , ▁a ▁school , ▁a ▁Bapt ist ▁church , ▁a ▁Mason ic ▁l odge , ▁and ▁three ▁to b acco ▁stem mer ies . ▁Loc ated ▁in ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁Black ▁P atch ▁to b acco - g row ing ▁region , ▁Prov idence ▁eventually ▁became ▁the ▁ 3 rd - larg est ▁stem ming ▁market ▁in ▁all ▁of ▁America . ▁ ▁Prov idence ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁when ▁Web ster ▁County ▁was ▁formed . ▁The ▁on set ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁slow ed ▁the ▁economic ▁growth , ▁though ▁no ▁major ▁batt les ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁largely ▁pro - Conf eder ate ▁region . ▁A ▁Confeder ate ▁reconna issance ▁and ▁for aging ▁party ▁led ▁by ▁then ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁Nathan ▁Bed ford ▁For rest ▁passed ▁through ▁Web ster ▁County ▁between ▁November ▁and ▁December ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁and ▁For rest ▁reported ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁wel com ed ▁by ▁the ▁inhabitants . ▁Limited ▁gu err illa ▁war fare ▁also ▁took ▁place ▁near ▁the ▁city ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁ ▁Com mer cial ▁coal ▁min ing ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁Prov idence ▁residents ▁number ed ▁ 4 , 7