USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > A biographical history of the county of Litchfield, Connecticut: comprising biographical sketches of distinguished natives and residents of the county; together with complete lists of the judges of the county court, justices of the quorum, county commissioners, judges of probate, sheriffs, senators, &c. from the organization of the county to the present time > Part 7
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When first settled, he was regarded (and probably justly so,) as belonging to the Calvinistic School of divines. But after a few years his brethren in the ministry gradually became dis; satisfied with some of his religious tenets, and the Rev. Mr. Day, of the neighboring parish of New Preston, was deputed to converse with him on the doctrines. Not being satisfied with Mr. G.'s conduct and opinions as expressed on that occa- sion, Mr. Day made an unfavorable report to the Association, and ultimately preferred charges against him. What the pre- cise charges were, are unknown to the author of this volume, far her than that they were designed to impeach his orthodoxy, and did not in any way affect his moral character. Mr. Gris- wold, however, was cited to appear and make answer thereto
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before a session of the Association convened at Roxbury .*
From some cause of alledged informolity, he refused to ap- pear in person, until they should first annul their proceedings claimed to be irregular, and receive his explanation as from an. uncensured brother. To this proposition the Association did not think proper to accede, but forthwith proceeded against him ex parte, cutting him off from his connection with that body. The people of his charge very generally espoused his cause with much zeal and earnestness, and he continued his minis- trations with them for several years after his connection with the Association had been thus forcibly dissolved.
In March 1801, the democrats of the State held a Jubilee at Wallingford, in New Haven county, in honor of the election of Jefferson and Burr to the Presidency and Vice Presidency of the United States, and Mr. Griswold was invited to deliver a Sermon on the occasion. He accepted the invitation, though. strenuously advised against it by his friends, who warned him
Since this Sketch was prepared for the press, the Rev. Truman Marsh, of Litchfield, has put into our hands a pamphlet entitled, " A Statement of the Singular Manner of Procceding of the Rev. Asso- ciation of the South Part of Litchfield County, in an Ecclesiastical' Prosecution by them instituted against the Rev. Stanley Griswold, Pastor of the First Church of Christ in New Milford ; who, without being heard in his own defence, was by them sentenced to an exclu- sion from their Associate Communion. Together with a subsequent Address to said Association, by Nehemiah Strong, Esq., of said New Milford, late Professor of Natural Philosophy in Yale College. Hart- ford : Printed by Elisha Babcock, 1797."
On the 2d of July, 1797, the charges against Mr. Griswold were, at his request, read before his church and congregation, immediately after divine service. Mr. G. having retired, it was Voted, unanimous- ly, that, having attended constantly on his preaching since his settle- ment in New Milford, " they have never been led to entertain an opin- ion opposed to the doctrines preached by him, but ever have and still do feel satisfied with his preaching ;" they deprecated " all interfer- ence from aboad," and further express their " serious wish that there. may be no further interposition from said Association," &c. The Commmittee appointed to record and transmit the vote to the Associ- ation were, Sherman Boardman, Nehemiah Strong, Abel Hine, Josiah Starr, Elizur Warner, Philo Ruggles, and Daniel Everett.
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of the consequences of such a step to him as a minister. But as he had evidently ere this resolved upon leaving the ministry. these admonitions had less effect than they might otherwise have had. His sermon was published and had a wide circula- tion .* This, together with a private letter from him to the Hon Mr. Coit, Representative in Congress from New London coun- ty, (which by some means found its way into the public prints,) brought his political sentiments fully and fairly before the world. It was such an unusual event for a minister of the " standing order," in New England, to avow his preference for the opinions of the democratic party, that his name and fame spread rapidly throughout the country.
In the fall of 1802, Mr. Griswold resigned his pastoral charge in New Milford, much against the wishes of many members of his church and congregation, who regarded him as persecuted on account of his political opinions. He subse- quently preach for a short time in Greenfield, though not with the design of settling-and soon after abandoned the pulpit altogether.
In 1804, he left his native State, and established a demo- cratic newspaper at Walpole, New Hampshire, which was conducted with great ability and obtained a wide-spread influ- ence and popularity. During the following year he was call- ed from this situation to Michigan, having received from Presi- dent Jefferson the appointment of Secretary of that Territory -the notorious Gen: William Hull then being Governor. For reasons which were never given to the public, the Governor and Secretary did not long harmonize in their views. The
* A new edition of this Discourse was printed at New Haven in 184 5, by Mr. J. H. Benham. It is entitled, " Overcome Evil with Good : A Sermon Delivered at Wallingford, Connecticut, March 11th, 180 1, before a numerous collection of the Friends of the Constitution, of Thomas Jefferson, President, and of Aaron Burr, Vice President of the United States. By Stanley Griswold, A. M., of New Milford. Hartford-Printed by Elisha Babcock, 1801."
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former, it is said, suspected the latter with attempting to sup- plant him. However that may have been, the Secretary short- ly resigned his post and took up his residence in Ohio.
In 1809, Mr. Griswold received from Governor Huntington the appointment of Senator in the Congress of the United States, to fill a vacancy then existing in the Ohio delegation. In that illustrious body he soon distinguished himself as an el. oquent debater, and men of all parties acknowledged his abili- ty as a statesman and his integrity as a patriot.
Soon after the term for which he was appointed had expir- ed, he was nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate, as United States' Judge for the North Western 'T'er- ritory. This new post he was destined to occupy but a short time. While out upon a judicial circuit, he contracted a fever which terminated fatally. He died at Shawneetown, Illinois, August 21, 1814, aged 51 years.
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MARTIN CHITTENDEN
The subject of this sketch was a son of the Hon. Thomas Chittenden, (the first Governor of the State of Vermont,) and was born in Salisbury, March 12, 1766. In 1776 the entire family removed from Connecticut to Williston, in the northern part of Vermont-a region which was at that time almost an unbroken wilderness. During the same year, they took up their abode in the south part of the State, where they remain - ed until the close of the revolutionary war.
MARTIN CHITTENDEN fitted for college, in part, under the instruction of the Rev. Mr. Farrand, of Canaan, in his native county, and subsequently studied at More's School, at Hano- ver, New Hampshire. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1789. In consequence of feeble health at this period, he did not study a profession, but engaged in agricultural pursuits -an employment of which he was passionately fond, and which (aside from his public duties,) chiefly occupied his time and attention through life. He located himself in Jericho, Chittenden county ; in 1789 he was appointed a Justice of the Peace, and during the following year was elected County Clerk, and a Representative to the Legislature. To the last office he was re-elected for six successive years, and several times afterwards. In 1793, he was appointed Judge of the County Court, and, three years after, was elected Chief Judge, the duties of which latter station he faithfully performed for seven years, and until transfered by the people to a higher post of duty and responsibility. He was elected a Represen- tative to the National Congress in 1803, and held his seat in
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that honorable body until 1813-a period of ten years. His congressional career was eminently useful and popular, though not brilliant. He seldom addressed the House, yet the views and opinions of few members were more respected or had more influence, in and out of Congress, than his.
In 1814 and 1815 he was elected Governor of the State. The period of his administration was one of great excitement and alarm among his constituents, occasioned by the war then existing between the United States and Great Britain. Ver- mont, being upon the frontier of the British possessions, and lying along the borders of a lake which extended into the en- emy's country, was peculiarly exposed to the incursions of the foe. During the September of 1814, it was ascertained that a British fleet was coming down the lake. General Macomb, who commanded the American troops at Plattsburg, opposite Burlington, sent over a summons to Governor Chittenden for the immediate presence and aid of the Vermont Militia. Gov- ernor C., (considering it uncertain upon which side of the lake the enemy would land, and believing it to be his first duty to protect the inhabitants of his own State,) peremptorily refused to comply with the summons of the commanding General. A portion of the enemy's troops landed at Plattsburg, though the principal fight was upon the water. This act of the Gov- ernor's-though now generally regarded as right -- was seized upon with great avidity by his political opponents, and with such success as to overthrow his administration in 1816.
We have thus far spoken of Governor Chittenden only as a civilian. As a military officer he was eminently popular, and rose to the highest honor. At the age of twenty-four, he was appointed aide-de-camp to Lieutenant Governor Olcott ; and at the age of thirty-three he had attained the rank of Major- General.
Governor Chittenden was married, March 12, 1796, to Anna
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Bently, who died September 25, 1827. They had two sons and two daughters ; the sons only are living.
Governor C. departed this life, September 5, 1840, in the 75th year of his age-leaving a large estate, and an honorable fame, to his posterity.
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SAMUEL J. MILLS.
SAMUEL JOHN MILLS, " the Father of Foreign Missions. in America," was the son of Samuel J. Mills, a venerable con- gregational clergyman in Torringford, (celebrated no less for his ardent piety than for his eccentricities,) at which place he. was born on the 21st of April, 1783. His mother was a wo- man of pre-eminent piety, and early dedicated him to the God whom she delighted to serve. The years of his childhood were spent beneath the paternal roof, in the enjoyment of such instructions as were commonly bestowed upon the children of New England ministers at that period.
During a revival of religion which took place in his father's parish when the subject of this sketch was about fifteen years of age, his mind became painfully exercised on the great themes of religion. In vain he struggled for light and hope. All that resided beneath the same roof, and all who remained of his father's descendants, himself excepted, had expressed a hope of pardon, and had united with the church-still he gro- ped in darkness and despondency. In this state of mind he continued for more than two years. In November, 1801, after a most solemn and earnest appeal from his mother, young Mills left home with the design of spending the winter at an Acade- my in Litchfield, about sixteen miles distant, The morning of his departure was a memorable one in his history. After he had left, the mother betook herself to earnest prayer for her son-and he for himself. "That very morning," says the Rev. Dr. Spring, " it pleased th" TI ly Spirit to knock off the chains from this unhappy prisoner, and introduce him to the
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liberty of the sons of God. He had not gone far before he had such a view of the perfections of God, that he wondered he had never seen their beauty and glory before. He retired a short distance into the woods, that he might be the more at lib- erty to contemplate the character of God, and adore and extol his amiable sovreignty."
The direction of young Mills' thoughts may be gathered from a single suggestion soon after his return from Litchfield, viz., ' that he could not conceive of any course of life in which to pass the rest of his days, that would prove so pleasant as to preach the gospel to the heathen.' It is worthy of remark that from that hour, though but a youth of sixteen, he never lost sight of his darling object. During his stay at home, and while toiling at the plough, he made a solemn consecration of him- self to the cause of foreign missions. "Thus," adds Dr. Spring, " in a retired field in Litchfield county, was the King of Zion beginning that great course of operations which have produced such a mighty revolution in the American Churches, and which, bear so intimate a relation to the progressive glories of his kingdom."
In 1806, Mills entered Williams College, and graduated in 1810. While in that institution there was an extensive religious revival there, of which he was the chief instrument, and very many who have since become foreign missionaries became sub- jects of grace at that time.
Previous to the efforts of Mills, several Missionary Societies had been formed in this country, but they had all been devoted exclusively to the support of domestic missions. But in trac- ing the rise and progress of Foreign Missions, we have little else to do than to follow the leading events of Mr. Mills' life, from his first year in college, to the embarkation of the Amer- ican Missionaries for Calcutta, under the direction of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, in the year 1812. Although from a youth he had manifested a re-
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markable interest and zeal in the cause, it was not until he became a member of college that his real objects and designs were made manifest to the world. He there unburthened his mind to a few fellow-students ; these he led to a secluded spot, where, by the side of a large haystack, they devoted the day to fasting and prayer, and familiar conversation on this new and interesting theme ; and he had the satisfaction of finding a like spirit kindling in their bosoms.
After graduating, he became a resident graduate of Yale College. His ostensible object was the study of theology : but his great purpose was to ascertain whether there were not some kindred spirits in that institution. Shortly after his arri- val in New Haven, he became acquainted with Obookiah, a heathen youth from Owyhee, one of the Sandwich Islands, who will be again referred to hereafter.
Having succeeded, in an eminent degree, in infusing a mis- sionary spirit into a goodly number of students and graduates of the college, he became a member of the Theological Sem- inary at Andover. Here he was more than ever active in urg- ing the claims of the heathen upon the attention of his breth- ren in the institution ; and it is sufficient to add, that from their number went forth in after years, a Newell, a Hall, a Nott, and a Judson. The hallowed influence of Mills spread rapid- idly among the religious people of New England. It was by his instrumentality, and the advice and co-operation of the Professors at Andover, and the Rev. Drs. Worcester and Spring, that on motion of the last named gentleman the subject was first introduced to the attention of the General Association of Massachusetts, at their annual meeting at Bradford. June 27, 1810. On that occasion the following paper was intro- duced-
" The undersigned, members of the Divinity College, respectfully request the attention of their Reverend Fathers, convened in General Association at Bradford, to the following statement and inquiries :
"They beg leave to state, that their minds have long been impress-
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ed with the duty and importance of personally attempting a Mission to the Heathen-that the impressions on their minds have induced a serious, and they trust a prayerful consideration of the subject in its various attitudes, particularly in relation to the probable success and the difficulties attending such an attempt-and that after examining all the information which they can obtain, they consider themselves as devoted to this work for life, whenever God in his providence shall open the way.
"They now offer the following inquiries, on which they solicit the opinion and advice of the Association. Whether, with their present views and feelings, they ought to renounce the object of Missions as visionary and impracticable-if not, whether they ought to direct their attention to the eastern or the western world ; whether they may ex- pect patronage and support from a Missionary Society in this country, or must commit themselves to the direction of a European Society ; and what preparatory measures they ought to take previous to actual engagement ?
" The undersigned, feeling their youth and inexperience, look up to their Fathers in the Church, and respectfully solicit their advice, di- rection, and prayers.
ADONIRAM JUDSON, Jr. SAMUEL NOTT, Jr. SAMUEL J. MILLS, SAMUEL NEWELL."
This document was referred to a special committee, who reported favorably, urged the young men to persevere in their glorious undertaking, and submitted the outlines of a plan which at that meeting was carried into effect in the appoint. ment of a Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, " for the purpose of devising ways and means, and adopting and prosecuting measures, for the spread of the Gospel in heathen lands." Here was laid the corner-stone of an edifice, which will long be an ornament to the American Church ; such was the origin of an institution, which, for the extension of its plans and the wisdom of its direction, has long been a distinguished monument of divine favor to the American people.
The first efforts of this organization, resulted in the embark- ation of the Rev. Messrs. Hall, Nott, Judson, Rice, and New- ell, for Calcutta, in February 1812. Missions were also soon after established in Ceylon, the Sandwich Islands, &c.
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In consequence of the deep interest which Mills felt in the welfare of Obookiah, he conceived the idea of establishing a Mission School for the education of heathen youth: He took the young Owyhean under his personal care, and instructed him in the use of language and in the precepts of religion. They lived together in New Haven, Torringford, and Andover. Wherever they went, the interest excited in behalf of the youth was very great. Meantime Mills continued to agitate his favorite project, until he had the gratification of seeing the Mission School established at Cornwall, in his native county. The institution was received under the care of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in the autumn of 1816, and it was from this School that the Sandwich Island Mission originated. In 1819, it contained thirty -two pupils from various heathen nations.
Mr. Mills received ordination as a gospel minister, at New- buryport, Massachusetts, in company with Messrs, Richards, Bardwell, Meigs, Poor, and Warren, on the 21st of June, 1814, all destined to missionary services. Shortly afterwards, he began to make preparations for a missionary tour through the western and southern States, Such was his impression of the the importance of this service, that he performed two distinct tours through those sections of the Union-the first of which was made under the direction and patronage of the Connecti- cut and Massachusetts Missionary Societies ; and for the sec- ond, he obtained the assistance of the Philadelphia Bible and Missionary Societies. The objects of these tours were, to ex- plore the country and learn its moral and religious state-to preach the gospel to the destitute -- and to form and promote the establishment of Bible Societies and other religious and charitable institutions. In connection with the Rev. John F. Schermerhorn on his first, and the Rev. Daniel Smith on his second tour, he passed through New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, &c., to New Orleans, Nearly six hun-
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dred miles of their route lay through a mere wilderness. The Report made by Mr. Mills, of these tours, is one of the most interesting ever given to the public, Preaching to the soldiers of Generals Jackson, Adair and Thomas, at their respective camps-visiting the hospitals for the sick and wounded-and attending to the spiritual wants of the British prisoners in their dungeons-these were some of his employments during his mission to the south west in 1814.
On his return, it was his paramount desire to turn the a !- tention of the Atlantic Stares to the destitute regions he had visited. He accordingly presented their claims to the Socie- ties in Philadelphia and Baltimore, and to the Connecticut Bible Society-which immediately set on foot measures for the supply of the South and West with Bibles ; the Connecticut Society promptly voting five hundred copies for gratuitous dis- tribution in Louisiana.
Among Mr. Mills' great projects of benevolence was the formation of a National Bible Society. Dr. Spring remarks :
" The formation of this great national institution Mr. MILLS thought of, suggested, and pressed the suggestion, long before it probably en- tered into the mind or heart of any other individual. With the gen- tlemen who were interested in the early stages of this measure, he had frequent interviews ; and though he concealed the hand that moved it forward, was himself the principal mover of the design, and a princi- pal agent in inducing others of greater weight of character, to become its abettors. If the lofty edifice has inscribed on one side the endear- ed and memorable name of ELIAS BOUDINOT, it has on the other the humbler inscription, SAMUEL J. MILLS."
The American Bible Society was formed in the city of New York on the 8th day of May, 1816.
Mr. Mills' next great effort was to unite the Presbyterians of the General Assembly, the Dutch Reformed, and the Associate Reformed churches, in the missionary cause, and the result was, the formation of The United Foreign Missionary Society. About this time he spent some months in the city of New York, seeking out the wretched abodes of poverty and vice, cheering
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and relieving the wants of the suffering, and lifting up the fallen.
But the darling object of Mr. Mills, and the one for which he seems to have been specially raised up, was the ameliora- tion of Africa. The civil, moral and spiritual degradation of that benighted land, lay with continual weight upon his mind. His first effort in his new enterprise, was, to establish a sem- inary for the education of colored men in this country, with a view to their becoming missionaries in the land of their fathers. The institution, through his instrumentality, soon went into operation under the management of a Board of Directors ap- pointed by the Synod of New York and New Jersey, and Mr. Mills accepted an appointment as their Agent. He had at the same time a commission from the Directors of the Foreign Mission School at Cornwall. In a letter dated at Philadel- phia, July 15, 1816, he says -- " I arrived in this place yester- day from Baltimore. I collected for the Mission School while in the State of Virginia, about fifteen hundred dollars. I re- ceived at Baltimore, and two or three other places in Mary- land, for the African School, about eight hundred dollars." These schools flourished for several years ; but at length, miss- ing the fostering care of their projector and friend, they died.
A colonization project had long occupied the thoughts of Mills, and in all his travels South and West, he had labored to awaken on the subject a spirit of inquiry and interest. A kindred feeling, in the meantime, was beginning to burn in the hearts of other distinguished philanthropists. A preliminary meeting of the friends of the scheme was held at the residence of Elias B. Caldwell, Esq., in the city of Washington, towards the close of the year 1816, at which Mr. Mills was present. He was also present and participated in the deliberations of the meeing at which the American Colonization Society was formed, held on the 1st day of January, 1817.
At the commencement of the Society's operations, great
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embarrassment was felt through want of information as to the most eligible places for the establishment of a colony. With a view to obviate this difficulty, it was resolved to commission some person of suitable qualifications to explore the western coast of Africa. This commission, replete as it was with responsibility, was put into the hands of Mr. Mills. No soon- er had he accepted it, than he saw the importance of having a colleague to share the burthen with him in this arduous mis- sion. As the funds of the Society would not then allow of this appointment, Mr. Mills was employed in forming Auxilia- ry Societies in several of the large cities, till the Board felt warranted in incurring the additional expense-and gave Mr. Mills the privilege of selecting his own companion on the tour. His thoughts were at once directed to a kindred spirit, viz , the Rev. Ebenezer Burgess, Professor of Mathematics and Natu- ral Philosophy in the University of Vermont. To him he im- mediately wrote on the subject, and in September, 1817, Mr. B. signified his acceptance of the appointment.
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