USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > Clinton > Two hundredth anniversary of the Clinton Congregational Church, held in Clinton, Conn., November 13th, 1867 > Part 1
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
V
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01148 6682
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/twohundredthanni00cong_0
TWO HUNDREDTA
ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
linton
ongregational
Church,
NOVEMBE 19TH, 1867.
Tundersom: Www . B .:
THE 3º CHURCE BORT IN 1721 60 TEET BY 38
TWO HUNDREDTH
ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
linton
ongregational
burch,
HELD IN
CLINTON, CONN.,
NOVE OVEMBER 13TH, 1867.
NEW HAVEN : TUTTLE, MOREHOUSE & TAYLOR, STEAM PRINTERS.
1868.
PRELIMINARY MEETING.
1166926
At a meeting of the Church and Congregation, Sep- tember 15, 1867, it was voted, that the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the organization of this Church be celebrated with appropriate exercises; and that a Com- mittee be appointed to make the necessary arrange- ments. Gen. Ely A. Elliot, Hon. Henry Taintor, Dr. D. H. Hubbard, George B. Hilliard, Esq., Capt. Dota L. Wright, and Rev. William E. Brooks, were appointed said Committee.
October 14th, Committee met at the residence of Gen. Ely A. Elliot, and selected the 13th of Novem- ber, 1867, for the Bi-Centennial Anniversary.
Voted, That the Rev. Wm. E. Brooks be invited to prepare and deliver the Bi-Centennial Address.
Voted, That this Address be delivered at 10 and 1-2 o'clock, A. M., to be followed by a Collation served in the basement of the Church. The afternoon to be devoted to short speeches from invited guests.
Voted, That a Committee of twelve be appointed to arrange the tables, and direct the entertainment.
Voted, That Messrs. George E. Elliot, Alfred Davis, Ely Stannard, Jared Buell, Andrew J. Hurd, Samuel L. Stevens, Jr., Mrs. Henry A. Elliot, Mrs. Ely Stan- nard, Mrs. Jared Buell, Mrs. Leander Hull, Mrs. Silas Stannard, Mrs. Andrew J. Hurd, be said Committee.
D. H. HUBBARD, Secretary.
$100
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At an adjourned meeting held November 19, 1867, it was voted, that the very interesting Address by the Rev. Wm. E. Brooks, be published, and that a copy be requested for publication.
Voted, That the programme of the public exercises of said day, be also published with the Address.
ELY A. ELLIOT,
HENRY TAINTOR, D. H. HUBBARD, Committee.
GEORGE B. HILLIARD,
DOTA L. WRIGHT,
D. H. HUBBARD, Secretary.
ANNIVERSARY.
The decorations of the Church for this festive occa- sion, were entrusted to a committee consisting of Mrs. Wm. E. Brooks, Mrs. Leander Hull, Miss Mary Leffing- well and Miss Roxanna Buell. They were assisted in the execution of their work, by a large number of the young ladies and gentlemen connected with the Church and Congregation, who brought willing hearts and ready hands to the task.
The building is a parallelogram, sixty-nine feet by forty, having a gallery on three sides, east, west and south. The north end being occupied by a recess for the pulpit and the platform.
The faces of these galleries were festooned with heavy ropes of the Ground Pine. Each loop encircling the name of one of the previous Pastors of this Church, commencing on the right hand as you enter, with WOODBRIDGE, and following round with PIERSON, ELIOT, HUNTINGTON, MANSFIELD, TALCOTT, WOOD, FOSTER, HINE, HUNTINGTON, 2d, to the opposite side, where it ended with MOORE. Brooks, the name of the pres- ent beloved Pastor, appeared in large letters on the front of the Pulpit. The letters which composed these names were formed of the shining, dark green leaves of the Mountain Laurel. This produced a very beauti- ful effect, as each name, encircled by its evergreen wreath, stood out clear and distinct on the white back- ground. Mrs. Henry Taintor contributed two Harps
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wrought of Laurel, with minute flowers of Golden Immortelles for strings. These were placed on each side of the south gallery, devoted to singers. The un- fading Laurel, a beautiful symbol, that the memory of the lives of the departed shall remain evergreen in the hearts of the people ; although long ere this, all but two have gone to strike their Golden Harps where Flowers Immortal bloom.
The decorations over the Pulpit were designed by Miss Roxanna Buell, and consisted of an Arch on the front of the recess, reaching half way down the side. On the right hand of the speaker, the base rested on an oil painting of the Church edifice erected in Seventeen Hundred and Thirty-one .* On the speaker's left, at the base of the Arch, was a fine portrait of the Rev. Dr. Jared Elliot. Directly under the centre of the Arch, and following its curve, was a section of a few feet, the whole covered with white, and wreathed with a heavy border of the Ground Pine, interspersed with the shining red berries of the Bitter-sweet. On the outer Arch was inscribed in letters. of Laurel, similar to those before mentioned, this motto :
"HE WHO PLANTED HAS SUSTAINED."
On the right hand side of the under section, was the date 1667, wrought in Autumn leaves. On the left, in leaves of Laurel, was the date 1867. Between them, and directly in the centre, were two hands, clasped. The one representing 1667, was composed of Autumn
*December 24, 1730. ** * It was also agreed by voat, that in case they build a new meeting house, it shall be set on the hill where the meeting house now standeth where it shall be judged most convenient. It was also agreed that sd meeting house should be 60 foots in length, 38 foots in breadth, and 22 foots between joynts, and a suitable turrit to be carryed out at one end suitable to hang ye Bell in.
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leaves. The one representing 1867, of Laurel. The whole speaking plainly this sentiment :- 1667 in the sere and yellow leaves of the past, reaches down Two Hundred Years, and with its withered hand, clasps the fresh vigorous hand of 1867, bringing this congratula- tory message : Although bitter has been mingled with the sweet in past experiences, still, He who planted has sustained. Yea, and will sustain, until we exchange the Laurel of Time for the Tree of Life in Eternity.
On the left hand side of the platform below the Pulpit, was a pannel, taken from the Rev. Dr. Jared Elliot's house, on which was painted a view of the hill,* and of the second Church, erected in Seventeen Hun- dred. Seated on a rock in front of the house, is Dr. Elliott, and either he was a very large man, or the Church was very small, or the artist had some singular notions of perspective, as the Rev. gentleman's head is on a level with the eaves of the building. Hovering in the air is an American eagle, which the artist must have seen in a prophetic vision, so large is he painted. The ledges of rocks on the east bank of Indian River, are clearly defined and easily recognized. This painting
*Whereas the town, at a town meeting December 6th, 1698, had agreed to have an addition to the meeting house by gallaryes, the towns men, who were imployed there in, meeting with difficulties in their way, whether the town ware not better to buld a New meeting house then to make an Addition to the old by gallaries, this the town, haveing ben now called to gather to considar, they have now by thur voat agreed to buld a New meeting house, and they have agreed that the meeting house shall be five & thirty foots square, and to stand whare the old house now stands or whear convenient their unto."
At a town meeting in Killingworth, January 28, 1728, * Also it was agreed by voat, that the meeting house shall be repaired as to the walling and covering, so as to secure it from being Damnified by the weather.
8
was executed by an artist from Boston, in the year 1710,-and is a curiosity.
On the right hand of the platform stood the old chair of Rector Pierson, kindly loaned for the occasion by Yale College, and occupied by Prof. D. C. Gilman, as its representative.
The occasion was one of the most heartfelt interest. The spirits of the men whose names we had before us, and whose lives and noble deeds we had assembled to commemorate, appeared to be with us. By some mag- netic influence we seemed to be put in direct communi- cation with the Spirit Land, and messages of Hope, and Love, and Cheer lifted our souls far above the ordinary level of existence. Great praise is due to the Rev. Wm. E. Brooks, for the able manner in which he performed his part as historian. Few could have so grasped the spirit of the lives and achievements of these departed worthies, and have brought it so eloquently before us. The hearts of the crowded audience were stirred with emotion, and smiles and tears held alternate sway.
ANNIVERSARY EXERCISES.
The Exercises of the Bi-Centenial Celebration of the Clinton Congregational Church, were held in their house of worship, the Thirteenth of November, Eigh- teen Hundred and Sixty-eight. A most unusual and unseasonable storm of snow prevailed throughout the previous day. During the night, however, the storm ceased, and the morning of the Thirteenth rose clear and bright, with the thermometer nearly at zero, and a hard frozen crust of snow on the ground. Despite the unpropitious weather, the Church was filled to over- flowing.
The Choir, under the direction of Mr. Elias M. Dib- bell, opened the morning service with the old tune of "Denmark," "Before Jehovah's awful throne."
Invocation by Rev. Wm. E. Brooks.
Singing .-- Hymn composed by Miss Wealtha Maria Hilliard.
TUNE-" AMERICA."
" Our fathers' God, to thee, In this, our jubilee, To thee we sing : Thy holy name we praise In our most joyful lays, For all thy wondrous ways, Great God, our King.
"Our kindred hearts here meet And hold communion sweet Friend with his friend, While from the courts above Thy smiles, O God of love, Our worship to approve, On us descend.
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"Thy grace, O God, impart, Unto each waiting heart Before thee now. Do thou our praises own, And let thy power be shown, While here before thy throne We humbly bow.
" Help us to serve thee still, Teach us to do thy will In all our ways : And thus, a light divine, Reflected, Lord, from thine, O'er all our lives shall shine Through endless days."
Reading of the Scriptures and Prayer, by the Rev. James D. Moore. Psalm read, the 90th, commencing with " Oh ! Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations."
HYMN.
God of our fathers, to thy throne Our grateful songs we raise ; Thou art our God,-and thou alone,- Accept our humble praise.
Here thou wert once the pilgrim's guide ; Thou gav'st them here a place, Where freedom spreads its blessings wide, O'er all their favored race.
Here, Lord, thy gospel's holy light Is shed on all our hills; And, like the rains and dews of night Celestial grace distills.
Still teach us, Lord, thy name to fear And still our guardian be ; O, let our children's children here, Forever worship thee.
HISTORICAL DISCOURSE.
-
INTRODUCTION.
IN giving a Historical Sketch of this Church on this, its Two Hundredth Anniversary, I shall be forced to throw myself on your Christian charity and your kindly forbearance.
The few months which have elapsed since my settlement here, and the brief time allowed me to collect and arrange the materials from which a history might be written, must be my apology for whatever lack of detail there may be, and the passing by of most important and interesting facts. But what I have been able to accomplish in the time allotted me, and amid the pressure of other duties, I will now place before you.
It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the assistance which I have received from the older members of the Church, in respect to the former pastors, and the events of by-gone days ; and my indebtedness to the Rev. J. D. Moore for the information I have obtained from the Historical Sketches which were published in " The Clinton Advertiser ;" to these persons, in a great measure, is due whatever of interest there may be in the present Discourse.
DISCOURSE.
"LORD, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations."= Ps. xc : 1.
The statement has somewhere been made, that the history of the world is but a history of God's Church : and so it may be said with especial truth, that the history of this town is to a great extent the history of this Church, and so closely are they united, that a brief notice of the former is essential to a clear and full knowledge of the latter.
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The first name of this place was Hammonassett, so called after a tribe of Indians that lived upon these hills and roamed along these shores.
In 1663, at the October Session of the General Court that convened at Hartford, it was resolved, "that there should be a plantation formed at Hammonassett, and S. Willis, Mr. Wolcott, and Wm. Wadsworth, were appointed a committee for the ordering of the plantation at Hammonassett," who con- cluded on nine binding articles to be observed.
The 9th was, " That there shall be thirty families on the east side of Hammonassett River at the least."
The committee then entered twenty as planters. Soon after, ten of this number deserted the place ; and it was not till December, 1665, two years after the grant of the Assembly, that the required number of families had located themselves upon the " new plantation ;" and even then it was necessary to call the parsonage lot 29, and the minister's first lot 30.
The 7th article read thus : "They shall settle an able, orthodox, godly minister, free from scandal, with the advice of the major part of the magistrates of Connecticut." Thus we see that this Church was provided for at the very outset, and formed, if I may so speak, a part of the town, so that, as stated at the first, the one is inseparably linked to the other. And there can be no doubt that among the first buildings erected was the " Meeting House," small in size, but suffi- ciently large to accommodate the few, who were here to attend church, " till 1700, when the " new meeting house was built."+
* At a Town meting : November : 15th : 1703, the town have agreed, and Conclued by their voate to have a scoll houes bult : of sixteen foot square besides rome for the chimmie, and to be set on the meting houes hill whear judged most conveniant-allso the town have agreed : and voted that they wold have a skol : keept this year ackording to Law : and on halfe of the time to be keept in the winter and the other in the sumer. All so Atenry Crane Senior is voted and made Choyce of for a skoll mas- ter for the year insuing, for a leven shillings per week.
All so town voted to take down the old meting hous and to improve it to buld a skool houes.
+ Town meeting, Kenillworth, January the 18: 1704 :
The town have agreed with Samuel Buell Senior to hew Draw and
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The Rev. Mr. Moore, in his historical sketches, states that previous to the organization of the Church, a Mr. John Col- ton labored among the people ; but who he was, whence he came or whither he went, I know not, as I have been unable to learn anything more concerning him. It is quite evident, however, that they were wont to hold weekly service, for on the 28th of Sept., 1666, " the town bargained and agreed with Nathan Parmelee for forty shillings per year to beat the drum Sabbath days, for the calling of the people together, and to maintain the drum at his expense ;" and it is more than prob- able that this custom continued till a bell was procured, for on April 14th, 1668, " The town agreed with Samuel Gris .. wold to beat the drum Sabbath days for one year and to give him one pound and ten shillings,"# a novel and curious way of calling people to the worship of God.
The first two recorded votes for the support of the ministry were the following : "Feb. 7th, 1667. The town voted to free Mr. Woodbridge from paying any rate for two hundred Pounds estate, during his abode with us."
2d. The town voted to give him (Mr. Woodbridge,) " Fifty- five Pounds for the ensuing year, and parsonage land and his transportation and a house ; and further, it is left with the committee, if he will not come for the above said sum, to give him five Pounds more,"-exhibiting even at that early day, Yankee shrewdness in trade making.
The plantation continued to be known as Hammonassett till not far from May, 1667, when it " was called Kenilworth,. after a town in Warwickshire, England, from which, according to tradition, some of the settlers at first emigrated." The
frame timbar for a school houes of twenty one foots, in length, sixteen foot wide, the timbar to be soficent and Drawen to the place appointed by the town for the skoole hous to stand, this to be finished at or before the last of Aprill next, and for his satisfaction the town have agreed to give him the frame of the old meeting house, and thirty five shillings in Currant paye next year.
* In the Town Records is found the following :
" At a town meeting, December 6th, 1698.
#
*
*
the town have agreed that there shall be a new Drum bought for the town."
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name was gradually changed from Kenilworth, being spelt sometimes Kenelworth, Kenellworth, "and in the State records, Kenelmeworth until the year 1707. In that year Sar- jant John Crane was chosen Town 'Clark.' From that time the name in his hand writing is Killingworth, and has remain- ed so ever since."
It was, as I have already stated, in February, 1667, that the town voted to secure the services of Mr. Woodbridge ; and in October, of the same year, the following petition was for- warded to the General Assembly, which convened at Hartford on the tenth of that month :
" May it please the Honored Court : Whereas the plenary enjoyment of all the sacred ordinances and institutions of Christ, and all possible communion with him therein, is that one thing that we should desire and seek after, and all tedious and unnecessary remissenesse in the prosecution of so sacred a designe, grandly culpable; and forasmuch as the Honored General Court haue formerly in their wisdome established that no persons or inhabitants within this Colony imbody themselves in a Church without their favorable approbation ; we the inhabitants of the Town of Ken- elmeworth, in obedience to so, not more just then, necessary a law, humbly craue and entreat their benigne aspect and approving allowance of so profitable and desirable a work as the gathering of ourselves into Church order, for the full and regular enjoyment of the aforesaid ordi- nances and institutions. As we therefore beseech your acceptance of us and incouragement to us in this proceeding, so we humbly implore the Eye of Almighty God to guide you in all your affaires.
JOHN WOODBRIDGE, EDWARD GRISWOLD, WILL HEAYDEN.
" In the name & with the consent of the rest." " Oct. 11th, '67.
This petition was forwarded to the General Court which had assembled at Hartford the day previous, and was granted in the following words :
" This Court, upon the petition of the inhabitants of Kenilworth, doe hereby declare and give them theire approbation and encouragement to gather themselves into Church order according to the order of the Gospell."
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The precise day on which the Church was organized, I have not been able to learn ; but as the petition was not signed till the 11th of October, (O. S.,) which would be the 22d, (N. S.,) and as Dr. Field, in his History of Middlesex County, says that it was within a few weeks, it was probably not far from this time, if not on this very day of the month, that the Church was organized.
Two hundred years ago, then, it may be to a day, on this hill, and near the spot we now occupy, this Church was duly established, and John Woodbridge, a young man of twenty- three, was ordained and installed its first pastor, concerning whom, I learn from Dr. Sprague's Annals, (Vol. 1st, page 129, &c.,) that he was the grandson of the Rev. John Woodbridge, a distinguished Non-conforming minister, and that his grand- mother was the daughter of the Rev. Robert Parker, who by his writings is well known to have been a strong friend and advocate of non-conformity. His father, whose name was also John, was born at Stanton, Wiltshire, England, about the year 1613, and was sent to Oxford to be educated, but, when the oath of conformity was required of him he refused, and was therefore obliged to leave the University. He then pur- sued his studies privately. "The ceremonies of the Church being rigorously enforced," and being deeply imbued with the spirit of dissent, he came to this country in company with his uncle, Rev. Thomas Parker, in 1634. In 1641 he married the daughter of the Hon. Thomas Dudley, and was ordained and installed first pastor of the Church in Andover, Mass., where John Woodbridge, the first pastor of this Church was born, in 1644, and graduated at Harvard College, in 1664. During a portion of the next three years, he was doubtless devoting him- self to the study of Theology, and became first pastor of this Church in 1667. " At his settlement he had allotted to him eight acres of land as a home lot, located on Main street, rest- ing on South street, in compliance with a vote passed February 15th, 1664 :"
" That the first minister that is called and settled amongst us shall haue the lott that lyes by the high way that goes down to the landing place."
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Besides, I find that he was allowed to take up and hold land the same as any other citizen, as the grant made by the Gene- ral Court in 1671, proves :-
" The Court grants Mr. John Woodbridge, of Kenilworth, 250 acres of land for a farm, provided he take it up where it may not prejudice any former grant to any plantation or perticuler person."
In March, 1669, the town voted to give him "£60 towards the building of him a dwelling." His salary at this time was £60 per year, and fifty loads of wood. He first lived near where Elias Wellman now lives, and afterwards on the corner now known as the Stanton place. For twelve years he was pastor of this Church, and then, for reasons unknown to me, and contrary to the wishes of his flock, he resigned, and the same year (1679) was installed pastor of the Church in Weth- ersfield, where he remained till his death, in 1690, being about forty-six years of age.
His son, John Woodbridge, married Jemima Eliot, daugh- ter of the Rev. Joseph Eliot, of Guilford, and grand-daughter of the Apostle Eliot ; and it may be of interest to you to learn that the town of Woodbridge, near New Haven-for- merly Amity-was so named in honor of Benjamin Wood- bridge, the first, and for forty-three years the only, pastor of the Church in that place, who was the grand-son of the first pastor of this Church ; and that on this 13th day of Novem- ber, 1867, they are celebrating the 125th Anniversary of that Church.
So much in respect to him whose name stands first on the list, both as member and pastor ; and his worthy descent, together with the results of his labors, prove that he was indeed one of "the most excellent clergymen of Connecticut."
The first private donation or gift to the Church for the sup- port of the ministry, was made by William Kelsey, and that you may know in what form it was made, I will give his words, as found in the " Old Church Records :"-
" Know all men by these presents :- that I, William Kelsey, of Kil- lingworth, being desireous to promote Religion and the maintainance thereof according to my Power, do freely give, to be paid yearly and for-
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ever after my decease, Twenty Shillings in current country pay, to the Church of Killingworth, for the use of the ministery that shall from time to time be there called, and for the ensurance thereof I do firmly bind over my Land in the Neckfield, purchased of John Meigs, Jnr., unto the Church of Killingworth, and do give full Power to him or them that are or from Time to time shall be, Deacons of the said Church, or in Case of their absence, to any two of the Brethren thereof to demand, recover or dispose of the money as aforesaid, and upon refusal to pay or in Case of Non-solvency, to seize upon the Land and to use and improve it as they see cause, for the aforesaid end.
In witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand this present June 6th, 1674.
WILLIAM KELCEY."
This land was "resigned up into the Church," in May, 1676, by his son, John Kelcey.
It was a sad misfortune for the Church to lose Mr. Wood- bridge. After his departure, dissensions and divisions sprang up, and it was not till 1694, fifteen years after, that they suc- ceeded in securing as their second pastor, Abraham Pierson, ' the son of the Rev. Abraham Pierson, who was minister suc- cessively at Southampton, L. I., Branford, Ct., and Newark, N. J.' He was born probably at Southampton-though Dr. Sprague says at Lynn, Mass.,-in 1646, being thus two years younger than Mr. Woodbridge, and graduated at Harvard Col- lege in 1668. "He began to preach in 1669, and received a unanimous call from the people of Woodbridge, N. J., to become their pastor. But the people of his father's congrega- tion, desiring him for an assistant, at once made overtures to him to be 'helpful to his father, in the exercise of his gifts in the ministry, for the space of a year.'" In 1672 they extended to him a formal call to become his father's colleague, which he accepted. On the death of his father, in August, 1678, he became sole pastor, and his salary was fixed at £80 per year, "with a supply of fire wood, and freedom from taxation." He continued their pastor till 1692, when, on account of dif- ference of opinion in respect to church government, he was dismissed. He immediately disposed of his property in New- ark, and came into this State, and became, as already stated, the second pastor of this Church, in 1694.
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