USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > North Haven > A chronicle of two hundred years of St. John's Church > Part 3
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parish was gathering strength.
For several years there is no record of the parish contributing to the support of the bishop. On October 21, 1819 it was voted: "that Daniel Pierpont, Esq. , be appoint- ed agent to execute a bond to the trustees for securing donations for the support of the bishop, binding said so- ciety to pay on the first day of January next the sum of $6.90 and annually thereafter the same amount".
An entry by Isaac Stiles, Clerk, states that $7.20 was paid in August 1820 and nothing more until May 30th 1823 "when a compromise was made with the agent by paying $40. and the obligation was given up". ($10. was from the treasury and $30. was borrowed from Elmon Blakes- lee. ) "For any further information on the subject refer- ence may be had to documents in the hands of Daniel Pier- pont, Esq. ".
From the previous entries we find the first payment due January 1st 1820. At the time of cancellation in May 1823 the bond had covered four payment dates for a total of $27.60. The parish actually paid a total of $47.10, so the cancellation of the bond must have been attained by payment of nearly three years in advance.
On April 3d 1820 it was voted "That the committee hire Mr. Holcomb one fourth part of the time for one year. "
Mr. Holcomb accepted and under his leadership the parish was moved to improve the church building. On Sept. 21st 1820 it was voted "that we paint the Church house if a sufficient sum be raised for that purpose". A committee was appointed, but seems to have made no pro- gress for on Oct. 24th a meeting voted: "That the commit- tee proceed to repair and paint the Church, and that all the taxes now due from Eli Jacobs, James Pierpont, and Billa Thorpe be applied to that purpose, and that no other money raised in the Society by taxes be applied if the ob- ject can be accomplished without; if not, the Society to be holden. " We do not have the rate book for 1819 (collec- table in 1820) but the rate book of 1821 (which should be no lower than 1820) shows the tax due from Eli Jacobs to be $1.063 and from James Pierpont $1.792, and Billa Thorpe's name is not listed. Certainly not much could
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be accomplished with $2.85 1/2.
On Oct. 30th a subscription paper was started to en- deavor to raise the necessary money. The paper lists seventeen subscribers, and an additional item "Present from the Rev. Origen P. Holcomb $5.". The total amount- ed to $38.23 1/2. In November these subscribers held a meeting at the home of Isaac Stiles. They elected Zophar Stiles, Moderator and Elias Pierpont, Clerk. They voted: "that Zophar Stiles and Merit Pierpont be a committee to lay out the money agreeable to a subscription dated 30th Oct. 1820". They also voted that Elias Pierpont be collector to raise the money on said subscription. They then voted: "That the color of the inside of the Church be as follows: Viz: The Pulpit and the fronts of the galeries be pure white and the rest to be a Blue cast and the rail- ing to be a mahogany stain". The bills show:
Materials purchased by Zophar Stiles from Nathaniel Lewis
$18.11 1/2
George W. Royce, Painting - 25 days @ 50ยข per day $12. 50)
Jared Jessup (helper ?) 2. 50)
15.00
Isaac Stiles - Boarding Royce & Jessup 5.00
George Royce - Painting numbers on pews & slips 1.12 1/2
Total of bills $39.24
Less credit by Geo Royce for excess
materials
1.00
$38.24
Total amount of subscription
$38.23 1/2
Deficit .00 1/2
The several parties gave receipts for payment in full, but the summary gives no record as to how the one- half cent deficit was taken care of. It would seem possi- ble that Mr. Lewis dropped it from his bill.
Mr. Lusk mentions two innovations in the musical life of the parish, that occurred in 1820. One was the in- troduction by Ezra Stiles, then sixteen years of age, of "the first musical instrument, after the 'pitch-pipe', a
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tenor viol". The other was chanting. The book used for this was "Wainwright's Chants for Morning and Evening Prayer and the Holy Communion", published in Boston in 1819. At another time Mr. Lusk has mentioned chanting in 1789. There were no regular chants, but the prayer book contained, in addition to the twenty-seven hymns, 150 psalms in metre.
From 1785 until well into the 1800s the Episcopal Church in the United States was in the process of getting established. In separating from England changes in the prayer book became necessary. Changes in the services, and different methods of procedure were also necessary. In all this confusion it was not strange that a few men would appear in the ministry who did not belong there.
There were two or three in Connecticut. For the most part they caused trouble only in their own parishes. There was one man who caused confusion in several pla- ces, and complete disregard of diocesan authority in one or two. Some of our neighboring communities were af- fected by him. St. John's did not become involved with any of these men. The clergy "hired" by the parish com- mittees to officiate here were able, intelligent, and firm in their faith. The older men were already well known and respected, and most of the younger ones soon acquired a place among the leaders in the diocese. The parish can well take pride in the ability and judgment of the commit- tees who served during these thirty-five years.
There is no record of any clergyman officiating at St. John's during the year from Easter 1821 to 1822. Mr. Thorpe states that the fourth confirmation service took place in 1821, when Bishop Brownell confirmed nineteen persons. This would indicate that some clergyman offi- ciated at St. John's at least part of the time. It could have been Mr. Holcomb, for on April 8th 1822 the parish voted "That we hire Mr. Holcomb one fourth part of the time". There was a second vote: "that we engage Mr. Garfield one fourth part of the time". Mr. Garfield was studying for the ministry, and read the service for $1. per Sun- day. Mr. Holcomb served a short time beyond Easter 1823, - the last payment was made to him on May 24th.
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On April 7th 1823 the parish had voted: "That Mr. Perry be our clergyman for the year ensuing if he can be obtained at a reasonable price". A committee was ap- pointed to consult with him as to terms. Agreement was reached. Mr. Perry didn't start immediately, but, presum- ably, in August, since the first payment to him was made on September 8th. He continued to officiate one fourth part of the time until January 1828.
During the period from 1821-1831 the rate of taxa- tion was three cents on the dollar.
Between January and Easter The Rev. Ashbel Bald- win officiated occasionally, and on April 7th a meeting voted to "employ the Rev. Mr. Baldwin the ensuing year". Mr. Baldwin remained for three years at the rate of $111.11 per year. This was, of course, only part time service.
We speak of Mr. Baldwin at great length because of his personal high reputation in the diocese and his great influence on St. John's. Mr. Baldwin, born of a Congrega- tional family, graduated from Yale in 1776. He could not enter the army because he was lame and accepted a posi- tion as tutor with an Episcopal family in New York State. "It was at that time customary for the tutors in the old colonial families to conduct the family worship, and when the house was remote from church, to read the service and a sermon to the household and neighbors. " Mr. Bald- win was entirely ignorant as to the use of the Episcopal Prayer Book, so he consulted a friendly gardener who made him familiar with the book. Through this experience he became interested in the Episcopal faith, and further study led him to accept and conform to it. His position as tutor lasted two years. He then secured a position as quar- termaster in the Continental Army, and was stationed at Litchfield in charge of a large supply depot. He continued to study for the ministry, and was one of the four men or- dained deacon at the first ordination conducted by Bishop Seabury in August 1785. In September 1785 he was or- dained priest at Trinity Church, New Haven. In 1824 he resigned from the position of Rector of Christ Church, Stratford, after thirty years association. He moved to Wallingford intending to retire but became involved with
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the work in Southington and Meriden. He was a very able man and had held many important positions in the Dio- cese. His experience and ability were of inestimable val- ue to St. John's. In addition to conducting services, he did much visiting among the people, and often conducted even- ing prayer services in the homes he visited. Mr. Lusk says; "Mr. Baldwin was 71 years of age when he began to officiate in North Haven in 1828. He was exactly the man for the circumstances. The older people loved, and the younger people reverenced, him, and his patriotism during the Revolutionary War was above suspicion. The Sunday School of St. John's Church was started in 1828 by this venerable clergyman. There were four teachers and nine- teen scholars. He had a special Bible Class of thirty per- sons in 1829-30. Eight persons were confirmed in 1829, and eight in 1830. He introduced the first distinctive lit- erature for children: "The Children's Magazine", forty copies being taken here and in Northford. " Before he left the parish, he started a movement to improve and increase the parish library.
This was the foundation of a library that eventually contained nearly one thousand volumes (later lost, or oth- erwise disposed of). Charles K. Shipman, the leader in the project, circulated a subscription book, and Dr. Arza Andrews was named collector. The amount raised from forty-one subscribers was $21.50. Mr. Shipman was au- thorized to purchase books, and Dr. Andrews to "frame a Constitution". The total number of books purchased was seventy-eight, - this included pamphlets, magazines and tracks in bound form. There remained from the old par- ish library of the 1700s, together with bound magazines published between 1807-1818 and a few miscellaneous books, a total of forty volumes. Mr. Shipman gave some books and magazines, and twenty-two books and pamphlets were presented by Mr. Young, the librarian of Trinity Par- ish, New Haven. This gave the library at the end of the year, a total of about two hundred volumes. Dr. Andrews presented a "book case". This information is from Mr. Lusk, but the recorded vote says: "Charles Shipman, Isaac Stiles, and Dr. Arza Andrews be a committee to frame a
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constitution for the library in said Church and to make a selection of the books. "
In 1827 Ezra Stiles had been elected as the first Chorister with Zophar Jacobs and Asahel Pierpont also on the committee. From this date forward Ezra Stiles was the leader in the music life of the parish. Mr. Lusk states "in the winter of 1831-2 Mr. Stiles, hearing that the organ used in St. Paul's Church, Wallingford, was for sale, immediately undertook to secure it for St. John's, It was promptly purchased, and in 1833 was in use in the old wood church. It was purchased by subscription, the amount to be raised being $105.". There are twenty- seven subscribers listed. Possibly Ezra Stiles first pur- chased the organ to hold it for St. John's, for the records show no action by the parish until April 20th 1835 when it was voted: "That Society buy the organ". Originally the organ was purchased by Capt. David Cooke on one of his trips to England. It was brought to this country and installed in St. Paul's Church, Wallingford in 1762, the gift of Captain Cooke.
When it arrived the organ consisted of a wooden case about seven feet high, five feet wide and one and a half feet deep. Pipes were set upright inside this box. The or- gan was operated by turning a crank which caused a wood- en cylinder, twenty inches in circumference, to turn. Small spikes were placed on the surface of the cylinder, and as it revolved these spikes struck a certain combination of keys and caused melodious sounds to be emitted from the pipes. These spikes had to be changed for each song so the instrument was capable of producing quite a number of slow tunes. In 1825 a bank of keys was added, and it was otherwise rebuilt into a modern pipe organ. This was its condition when it was brought to St. John's, where it remained in use until 1856. In 1869 it was removed from the church and destroyed. Souvenirs were given to some parish members.
1832 records make no reference to a new clergyman. There is a record of a payment of $100. to the Rev. Charles Bradley. Ten persons were confirmed by Bishop Brownell, and the Sunday School increased to forty-five
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scholars. In March 1833 the parish voted to give the Rev. Chas. W. Bradley a call to preach three fourths of the time the ensuing year. Mr. Lusk says that because of ill health Mr. Bradley felt he must take a leave of absence. It is ev- ident that Mr. Bradley came to North Haven during the first half of the year of 1832, and was called for 1833.
We come to the end of the year 1833. We find the par- ish growing beyond the capacity of its seventy-three year old building, which had suffered from the ravages of time. One imagines the faithful parishioners of that year ear- nestly seeking the answer to the question "What course shall we pursue ?"
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1834-1879
Up to this time money had been raised by a tax on the Grand List, the rate varying from year to year as we have noted in the preceding chapters. Now we find a vote:"That we employ the Rev. Chas. W. Bradley one half the time for the ensuing year if the money can be raised by Subscrip- tion. " Thus subscription became the method of raising money, and this was the method used in 1834-35.
In 1835 there is no vote to employ a clergyman, but there is one: "That the rector be empowered to draw rules and regulations concerning the library. " Then on Novem- ber 12th, 1835, Mr. Charles Bradley issued a receipt for payment "in full of all demands." So Mr. Bradley remained rector until late in 1835.
This does not answer the question posed at the end of the preceding chapter. Nor did we find in the minutes of these years any vote relative to a new church building, to any committees or anything connected with the erection of a new church. Years later there is mention of a claim against the parish rising from the construction of the "Society House. "
From other sources we know that there was a deci- sion to build a new church. A committee was appointed consisting of: James Heaton, Cephas Clark, Isaac Stiles, Horace Stiles, Jared Mansfield, Alfred Thorpe, and Abra- ham Blakeslee. The land was given by Ezra Stiles. The architect was Sidney M. Stone, and the master mason, Miles Barber. This new church faced the west. It was forty-four feet long and thirty-six feet wide. The tower
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in front was thirteen by twelve ft. eight in., originally fin- ished in wood, but remodelled to the present shape in 1871. Inside the tower there was a small room on the south side for fuel, and one on the north side for use of the officiating clergyman. The corner stone was laid by the Rev. Charles Bradley on June 12th 1834, and the building was completed and consecrated by Bishop Brownell on June 17th, 1835,
The cost of the building was $3,551.65. Some of the items in this bill were:
mason for laying 91,900 brick $252.72 and for plastering the interior 52.00
Records of Isaac Stiles show that during the period beginning Sept. 12th, 1834 and ending Oct. 1st, he delivered 45,200 brick which with 46,700 already delivered by Hor- ace Stiles, make the total of 91,900 brick. The bill pre- sented was for $218.30, and Mr. Lusk states that this was for 46,000 brick. As these two brothers frequently worked together in business, it is assumed that they had agreed to furnish the brick but charge for only half of them. Mr. Lusk notes that the men worked at the rate of $30. per month, and that board was from $1.50 to $1.75 per week. (We found a little more specific record that said May 1934 - Boarding masons - ten meals eighty-four cents, two gals. rum $1.20. June - Boarding masons eighteen meals $1.50, three gals. rum $1.80. ) The windows used 1405 lights of glass, and the cost of glazing and painting was $39.17. The amount of putty required was 135 pounds. The woodwork of the exterior was painted a light brown.
The old church building was sold and brought the sum of $80. Mr. Lusk says "subscriptions and subscription papers were numerous for two years until the church was consecrated. " Some of these subscriptions were for regu- lar operating expenses; some for the general building fund; and some for special projects.
Mr. Lusk gives us the following description: "In the interior there were forty-four pews with doors, light pain- ted, and two aisles, no center aisle. There were two pews on the north side of the chancel, and two on the south side,
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facing the chancel. There was a gallery across the west end, in the rear of which was an alcove where the organ was placed. There was a small wood stove, in the west end of the nave, under the gallery. The walls and the ceil- ing, twenty to twenty-three feet high, were hard finished. The floor was without carpet and the pews without cush- ions. There was no arrangement for lighting at night as there was no necessity for that, no evening service being held, except on Christmas Eve. At the east end of the nave was the chancel. There was a railing in front and on the north and south sides. A high pulpit stood against the east wall, approached by winding steps, through a gate in the chancel railing on the north side. In front of the pulpit was a reading and a prayer desk, and on the south side of the pulpit stood a semi-circular communion table. The chancel woodwork and the gallery front were finished in darker color than the pews. " On each side of the church were three long, pointed, Gothic windows with mullions, but there was no window in the east end.
The first baptism in the new church was on July 19th, 1835, and the person baptized was Sarah Marana Blakes- lee, daughter of the then Junior Warden, and great, great grand-daughter of Isaac Blakeslee, brother of Ebenezer, the first Senior Warden.
In 1836 the church building had been completed and consecrated. The Rev. Mr. Bradley had left the parish. The minutes show no record of calling another rector in either 1836, 1837 or 1838. Two receipts, one for $105.76 covering services to Easter Monday, and the other for $28.24, services to May 18th, show that the Rev. Robert Shaw was here during the first part of 1836. Then "5th Sunday after Trinity The Rev. Mr. John W. Wooodward commenced preaching in St. John's Church, - July 3d 1836," and under date of July 17th, 1838, the last of many receipts "in full of all demands for my services", are items that show that The Rev. Mr. Woodward officiated here from July 1836 to July 1838. At this time, and for several years more, the clergymen served part time in North Haven, and the balance elsewhere, usually in North- ford.
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1836 was also the year when the parish first began to raise money by renting the pews annually. A few years later it was called selling the pews, and this was carried out by means of an auction. In 1836 forty-one of the for- ty-four pews were rented, - an old record shows that Nos. 32-33-34 were the ones not taken. The highest rental was $15.00 and the lowest $2.00. The total listed was $251.00. Isaac Stiles was appointed collector at a salary of $6.00. The salary varied in later years. There were fifteen names listed as contributors to the building of the church that did not appear on the list of those who rented pews. In 1837 six pews remained unrented, and the receipts re- mained at $251 .; in 1838 with twelve pews unrented, the receipts dropped to $210.
After Mr. Woodward left The Rev. I. M. Tappan offi- ciated for half a day, in August. Between September 1838 and April 1839, The Rev. A. B. Chapin was at St. John's. On April 1st, 1839 it was voted: "That the committee hire The Rev. Mr. Stocking the coming year if an agreement can be made. " On April 8th, 1840 it was voted: "That we agree to continue Mr. Stocking the ensuing year in case the circulating reports are removed, and the Parish of Northford agrees to unite with us." Receipts show that The Rev. Servilius Stocking came to St. John's in May 1839, and officiated till Easter 1840, - receiving "payment in full" on April 21st, 1840.
On May 4th, 1840 the committee was authorized to make inquiry respecting a clergyman, and report to next meeting. At the next meeting on May 18th the parish vo- ted: "That we be united with Northford for the year en- suing provided Mr. Fitch can be obtained. " The commit- tee was directed "to see Mr. Fitch in the course of the week to ascertain if he can be had for the present year. " Mr. Fitch could not "be had, " and the committee was in- structed to hire a clergyman one half time the rest of the year (till the next Easter). April 12 1841 it was voted: to continue The Rev. A. B. Chapin one half the time the en- suing year, which indicates that Mr. Chapin returned to St. John's in 1840. He remained until April, 1843.
In this same April 12th meeting another new plan was
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introduced for we find a vote: "That we have monthly of- ferings on the first Sunday of each month. " Mr. Everlin Blakeslee was appointed treasurer of these offerings, and at the meeting of March 28th, 1842, after it had been voted to continue the practice of monthly offerings, Mr. Blakes- lee reported the first year's receipts totalled $30.25: - $29.25 for general purposes and $1.00 for foreign mis- sions. At a special meeting on March 21st, called to rent the slips, only thirty were rented, and a committee was ap- pointed "to see those who were not present and learn what they will do. " The meeting adjourned till March 24th, at which meeting three more slips were rented, and then at the annual meeting on March 28th four more, making a total of thirty-seven, and the rental price totalled $239.
In 1841 three men were elected as Vestry or Commit- tee. In 1842 the State Legislature passed a law giving War- dens and Vestry of Episcopal societies a status equal to that of the Prudential committee of other societies. From this date the Prudential committee ceased to exist in St. John's, and wardens and vestries have been annually elec- ted, as was done in the years before the Revolutionary War. In April 1843 three things became apparent:
First, the parish in Northford was desirous of contin- uing the plan of uniting with St. John's in "hiring a Minis- ter. "
Second, the parish was still anxious to secure the ser - vices of The Rev.Mr. Fitch. He was "hired" to officiate at St. John's one half the time for the salary of $250. a year.
Third, the proceeds from the sale (or rental) of slips were not even sufficient to meet the clergyman's salary. It was therefore necessary to appoint a committee to raise funds by subscription.
The practice of monthly offerings on the first Sunday, was a matter voted on annually for several years and af- ter a while it became an accepted practice.
Due to an oversight through the years it was not until the meeting in April 1844 that it became apparent that there was still an unpaid claim against the parish, incurred at the time the church was built. Subscription papers were
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started, the money raised, and the claim paid off in the following March, which led to the notation that the Parish was "OUT OF DEBT. "
Mr. Fitch officiated for three years, or until 1846. He occupied part of the Ezra Stiles' house, which from the time of The Rev. Mr. Bradley was known as the "stopping place" of the clergymen. Mr. Fitch was closer than any previous man to being a resident clergyman at St. John's.
In April 1846 the parish was able to secure the ser- vices of The Rev. Charles William Everest, at a salary of $300. Mr. Everest resided in Hamden where he had charge of the "Rectory School" for boys. Mr. Lusk speaks very highly of him both as a priest and a teacher. Mr.Eve- rest officiated here for three years, and Mr. Lusk makes comment that "during this period, and at various times and in various ways afterwards, he rendered valuable as- sistance to the Parish. " In 1847, during the second year of Mr. Everest's ministry, the women of the parish ac- complished their first distinctly church work, (apart from the Music). They decided that carpeting should be placed in the aisles. There had been no carpeting in the old church: - except in the pew of Isaac C. Stiles. Mrs. Stiles made some carpet that was used in that pew during the last few years of the old church's existence. "It was considered decidedly aristocratic. "
The women enlisted the assistance of Rufus Pier- pont, who prepared a subscription paper for them, and acted as treasurer. He also purchased the carpet for them: - forty-nine and a half yards at fifty cents a yard, a total of $24.75. The list of subscribers will be found in the appendix.
In 1849 The Rev. Seth B. Paddock, who was principal of the Episcopal Academy in Cheshire, succeeded Mr. Eve- rest. He served for about two years, (he officiated on every alternate Sunday) until his death June 24th 1851.
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