USA > Connecticut > A complete history of Connecticut, civil and ecclesiastical, from the emigration of its first planters, from England, in the year 1630, to the year 1764; and to the close of the Indian wars > Part 56
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In 1737, an episcopal church was incorporated at Nor- walk, by the Rev. Mr. Canner. It continued under his care until his brother, the Rev. Richard Canner, arrived, in orders, from England, and became its priest. He offi- ciated there four or five years, and then removed to Staten- Island. In 1751, Mr. John Fowle was recommended to the society in England, for orders, for that church. He returned in orders, and officiated there about five years. The people by that time, were so dissatisfied with his mor- al conduct, that he was dismissed. To him succeeded the Rev. Jeremiah Leaming.
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536
HISTORY OF
CHAP. XXVII.
BOOK II.
About the year 1736 or 1737, an episcopal church was formed in what was called Norwich long society. The Rev. Ebenezer Punderson was appointed their missiona- ry. He had been pastor of the second church in Gro- ton. In 1733, he professed himself to be a conformist to the church of England. Some time afterwards he went to England, and became priest of that church for several years.
About the same time, several people appeared to be churchmen in Newtown and Waterbury. The Rev. John Beach was appointed incumbent over the episcopalians in Newtown. In 1737, there were but two or three families of church people in Waterbury, and they increased very little, until the year 1742, when a considerable number of families professed themselves to be of the church of Eng- land ; and went off from the congregation to which they formerly belonged, and joined that communion. Soon af- ter, a church house was erected. Before this, one Mr. Arnold preached to them a few times. He had been minis- ter at West-Haven, and, imbibing episcopacy, he went to England, and took orders for West-Haven and Derby. He returned about the year 1737. He preached to them a few years, and then removed to Staten Island. Dr. John- son of Stratford, and Mr. Beach of Newtown, visited them occasionally, preached and administered the ordinances to them. Soon after the erecting of their church house, one Mr. Morris was appointed, by the society in England, to preach to them and other churches of that denomination, He continued but a short time, and it seems that, not liking the country, he returned to Europe.
An episcopal church and congregation had been formed at Derby, and one Mr. Lyon was appointed missionary for Derby and Waterbury. He continued with them a- bout four or five years, and then removed to Long-Island. To him succeeded the Rev. Richard Mansfield, about the ycar 1749. He preached part of the time at Derby and the other part at Waterbury, until the year 1758. By this time, the church in Waterbury had greatly increased. In the society of Northbury, a majority of the people were, for a time, churchmen, and the Rev. James Scovil was ap- pointed their missionary.
In 1740, a church house was erected at Ripton. The church in this place was under the care of Dr. Johnson, until the year 1755, when the Rev. Christopher Newton was appointed their missionary.
The church was formed in Stamford in 1747, and anoth- er small one soon after at Greenwich. Their only mis- sionary has been the Rev. Ebenezer Dibble.
1
537
CONNECTICUT.
CHAP. XXVII.
About the year 1750, a church professing episcopacy Book II. commenced at Middletown, and, two years after, they erected them a handsome church, with a steeple and bell. In 1751, Mr. Ichabod Camp went to England for ordina- tion, with a view to the church in Middletown and Walling- ford. In Wallingford, there were thirteen subscribers for him, ten in the first society and three in Cheshire. In North-Haven, there were two only. He returned in 1752, with an appointment of missionary for. Middletown and Wallingford. In 1760, he left Middletown, and removed to Louisburg in Virginia. To him succeeded the Rev. Abraham Jarvis, afterwards bishop Jarvis, in the church at Middletown ; and the Rev. Samuel Andrews in the 1764. 1762. church at Wallingford. He supplied the church at North- Haven, once in four sabbaths.
In New-Haven, the church of England commenced about the same time as that at Middletown. The Rev. Ebenezer Punderson was their first and only priest from 1755 to 1762, when he removed to Rye, in the state of New-York. He generally officiated once in four sabbaths at North-Haven, while he continued in New-Haven. To him succeeded the Rev. Solomon Palmer, in 1763.
At the close of the year 1764, to which this history is brought down, there were thirteen ministers of the episco- pal denomination in the colony. They had pluralities. Few of them were confined to one church only.
They were missionaries from the society for propagat- ing the gospel in foreign parts. They generally had a salary from the society, of about fifty pounds sterling, up- on an average : some had more and some less.
The churches were supplied with books suited to their mode of worship, from the society in England. To them the missionaries annually transmitted an account of their labors and churches. This was the state of the episco- pal churches, in Connecticut, until the American revolu- tion.
538
HISTORY OF
CHAP. XXVIII.
Воок 11.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Sketches of the Separates and Baptists.
0 F the separation from the standing churches, an ac- count has been given, and of the disorders and op- pressions of those times when they commenced. Church- . es of this character were formed in New-London, Stoning- ton, Preston, Norwich, Lyme, Canterbury, Plainfield, Windsor, Suffield and Middletown. Some of their church- cs and congregations were nearly as large as some of the standing churches. There were ten or twelve churches and congregations of this denomination, first and last, in- the colony. Some of them carried their enthusiasm to a greater extreme than others. In New-London, they car- ried it to such a degree, that they made a large fire to burn their books, clothes, and ornaments, which they called their idols ; and which they now determined to forsake and utterly to put away. This imaginary work of piety and self-denial they undertook on the Lord's day, and brought their clothes, books, necklaces and jewels together, in the main street, They began with burning their errone- ous books : dropping them one after another into the fire, pronouncing these words, " If the author of this book died in the same sentiments and faith in which he wrote it, as the smoke of this pile ascends, so the smoke of his torment will ascend forever and ever. Hallelujah. Amen." But they were prevented from burning their clothes and jew- els. John Lee, of Lyme, told them his idols were his wife and children, and that he could not burn them ; it would be contrary to the laws of God and man : That it was im- possible to destroy idolatry without a change of heart, and of the affections.
How much they held to a miraculous and immediate as- sistance of the Spirit, in their performances, may appear by a charge given to elder Paul Parks. of Preston, at his ordination. He was solemnly charged not to premeditate. or think, before hand, what he should speak to the people ; but to speak as the Spirit should give him utterance. The preachers of this denomination were laymen, and their or- dinations were of the same sort.
Their zeal and enthusiasm abated as they were kindly treated, and the oppressive laws were repealed.
For this purpose the dissenters in England deeply in- terested themselves. They had a committee to guard
539
CONNECTICUT.
CHAP. XXVIII.
their liberties, and to oppose all measures which might be Book II. attempted to infringe them. At the head of this, was Dr. Avery, a very noted and influential gentleman. He wrote to a gentleman in New-England, " I am very sorry to hear of the persecuting spirit that prevails in Connecticut. It is unaccountable, that those who live and breathe by liberty, should deny it to their brethren. If any gentle- men that suffer by these coercive laws will apply to me, I will use my influence that justice shall be done them."* This letter was read in the General Assembly. In conse- quence of it, governor Law wrote to Dr. Avery, acquaint- ing him with the disorders and extravagancies into which the people ran, under a pretence of, and zeal for religion, which had occasioned such laws to curb their excesses. The Dr. replied, that he disliked such wildness and disor- der as much as he did; but that civil penalties were not the proper remedy to heal them. Upon a revision of the laws soon after, the laws which had given so much trouble and done so much dishonor to the colony, were expunged, or left out. The churches of this denomination are now generally extinct. Some have returned to the standing churches, but they have generally turned baptists.
. With respect to this denomination of christians, there were but a few of them in the colony, at the period to which this history comes down. The first appearance of them, in Connecticut, was at Groton, about the year 1700. In 1710, Mr. Valentine Wightman was ordained their pastor. He continued in his ministry with them between thirty and forty years. He died, June 9th, 1747. He was succeeded by elder Daniel Fisk, from Rhode-Island, who was installed in autumn of the same year. He continued with them in ministry about ten years, and was dismissed. To him succeeded Mr. Timothy Wightman, son of their first pastor, who was ordained, May 20th, 1756.
There were a few baptists in New-London and Lyme. In 1720, they called one Stephen Gorton, a young man, who was a warm exhorter, from Rhode-Island, to be their teacher ; he was ordained by elder Wightman. He was supposed to be a descendant of Gorton, who gave so much trouble in Massachusetts, in the first settlement of that state. He was brought up in great ignorance. When he came to New-London he married a Connecticut girl, and she learned him to read and write. This church and congregation increased to about an hundred and fifty mem-
* Manuscripts of the Rev. Mr. Birdseye. It is probable, that the gen- tleman to whom the letter was addressed, was rector Williams, for ME. Birdseye says, he shewed him the letter.
540
HISTORY OF
CHAP. XXVIII.
Book II. bers, and were respectable among the baptists in Rhode- Island. They attended their general meetings. The ministers in the vicinity of New-London began to be a- larmed ; and as they understood that Wightman of Gro- ton, Moss of Providence, Gorton of New-London, and one Hitchcock, a seventh day baptist, were about to meet at Lyme, for the propagation of their opinions, on the 7th of June, 1727, the Rev. Messrs. Adams of New-London, Bulkley of Colchester, Griswold, Noyes and Mather, met with them, by agreement, and they had a public disputa- tion, on the points of difference between them. But they parted much as they began, each retaining their former opinions. There were, probably, a few scattering bap- tists at Lyme, attached to Gorton's congregation, which was gathered from different places.
Gorton was not of a good moral character. Soon after the disputation at Lyme, he was accused of sodomy, by his own church ; and, after many trials before them, the cause was referred to a general meeting of the baptists in Rhode-Island. Many witnesses appeared against him, and the general meeting condemned his conduct as unworthy of an elder, and advised the church to dismiss him. He persisted in his office, but it scattered his congregation, and left but very few hearers.
A number of baptists appeared in Wallingford, about the year 1735. They consisted of about ten families. They built them a small house of worship, in which they assembled for a number of years. Their first elder was Timothy Waters, who was succeeded by John Merriman. They were laymen of no great talents, and the church, ma- ny years since, became extinct. As late as the year 1764, it does not appear that there was one family of that de- nomination in the town.
There were a considerable number of baptists in the so- ciety of Weston, and a small number in Greenwich, on the line between Connecticut and New-York. It is believed that these were all the baptists in Connecticut, before the year 1764.
APPENDIX
NUMBER I.
A PLAN of a proposed union of the several colonies of Massa- chusetts Bay, New-Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode-Island, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North- Carolina and South-Carolina, for their mutual defence and security, and for extending the British settlements in North-America, in July, 1754.
I. That humble application be made for an act of parliament of Great-Britain, by virtue of which, one general government may be formed in America, including all the said colonies, within and un- der which government each colony may retain its present constitu- tion, except in the particulars wherein a change may be directed in the said act, as hereafter follows.
II. That within months after the passing of such act, the house of representatives that happens to be sitting within that time, or that shall be especially for that purpose convened, shall choose members for the grand council in the following proportions, that is to say,
Massachusetts Bay, 7
New-Hampshire,
2
Connecticut,
5
Rhode-Island,
2
New-York,
4
New-Jersey,
3
Pennsylvania,
6
Maryland,
4
Virginia,
7
North-Carolina,
4
South-Carolina, 4-[Total, 48]
who shall meet for the first time "at the city of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, being called by the president general, as soon as conveniently may be after his appointment.
III. That there shall be a new election of the members of the grand council every three years ; and on the death or resignation of
542
APPENDIX.
any member, his place shall be supplied by a new choice at the' next sitting of the assembly of the colony he represented.
IV. That after the first three years, when the proportion of the money arising out of each colony to the general treasury can be known, the number of members to be chosen by each colony shall, from time to time, in all ensuing elections, be regulated by that proportion, yet so as the number to be chosen by any one pro- vince, be not more than seven, nor less than two.
V. That the grand council shall meet once in every year, and of, tener if occasion require, at such time and place as they shall ad- journ to at the last preceding meeting, or as they shall be called to meet at by the president general on any emergency ; he having first obtained, in writing, the consent of seven of the members to such call, and sent due and timely notice to the whole.
VI. That the grand council have right to choose their speaker ; and shall neither be dissolved, prorogued, nor continued sitting, longer than six weeks at one time, without their own consent, or the special command of the crown.
VII. That the members of the grand council shall be allowed for their services, ten shillings sterling per diem, during their ses- sion and journey to and from the place of meeting ; twenty miles to be reckoned a day's journey.
VIII. That the assent of the president general be requisite to all acts of the grand council, and that it be his office and duty to cause them to be carried into execution.
IX. That the president general, with the advice of the grand council, hold or direct all Indian treaties, in which the general in- terest of the colonies may be concerned ; and make peace and de- clare war with Indian nations.
: X. That they make such laws as shall be judged necessary for regulating the Indian trade.
XI. That they make all purchases from the Indians, for the crown, of lands, not now within the bounds of particular colonies, or that shall not be within their bounds when some of them are re- duced to more convenient dimensions.
XII. That they make new settlements on such purchases, by granting lands in the king's name, reserving a quit rent to the crown, for the use of the general treasury.
XIII. That they make laws for regulating and governing such new settlements, till the crown should think fit to form them into particular governments.
XIV. That they raise and pay soldiers, and build forts, for the defence of any of the colonies, and equip vessels of force to guard the coasts, and protect trade on the ocean, lakes, or the great riv- ers ; but they shall not impress men in any colony, without the con- sent of the legislature.
XV. That for these purposes, they have power to make laws,
543
APPENDIX.
and lay and levy such general duties, imposts, or taxes, as to them shall appear most equal and just, (considering the ability and other circumstances of the inhabitants in the several colonies,) and such as may be collected with the least inconvenience to the people, rather discouraging luxury, than loading industry with unnecessary. burthens.
XVI. That they may appoint a general treasurer, and particular treasurers in each government, when necessary, and from time to time, may order the sums in the treasuries of each government into the general treasury ; or draw on them for special payments, as they find most convenient.
XVII. Yet no money to issue but by the joint orders of the president general and grand council ; except where sums have been appropriated to particular purposes, and the president general is previously empowered by an act to draw such sums.
XVIII. That the general accounts shall be yearly settled and re- ported to the general assemblies.
XIX. That a quorum of the grand council empowered to act, with the president general, do consist of twenty-five members ; among whom there shall be one or more from a majority of the colonies.
XX. That the laws made by them, for the purposes aforesaid, shall not be repugnant, but as near as may be agrecable to the laws of England, and shall be transmitted to the king in council, for ap- probation, as soon as may be after their passing ; and if not disap- proved within three years after presentation, to'remain in force.
XXI. That in case of the death of the president general, the speaker of the grand council for the time being, shall succeed, and be vested with the same powers and authorities, to continue till the king's pleasure be known.
XXII. That all military commission officers, whether for land or sea service, to act under this general constitution, shall be nomi- nated by the president general; but the approbation of the grand council is to be obtained before they receive their commissions. And all civil officers are to be nominated by the grand council, and to receive the president general's approbation before they officiate.
XXIII. But in case of vacancy, by death or removal of any offi- cer, civil or military, under this constitution, the governor of the province under which such vacancy happens, may appoint, till the pleasure of the president general and grand council can be known.
XXIV. That the particular military, as well as civil establish- ments in each colony, remain in their present state, the general con- stitution notwithstanding ; and that, on sudden emergencies, any colony may defend itself, and lay the account of the expense thence arising before the president general, and general council, who may allow and order payment of the same, as they judge accounts just and reasonable.
Doctor Franklin, who afterwards appeared so firmly and nobly in
544
APPENDIX.
the defence of the liberties "of America, was a warm advocate for the plan of a general council, agreed upon in the preceding arti- cles, which the legislature of Connecticut judged would be more subversive of their liberties than the government of the king and parliament. They therefore opposed it by all means in their power.
NUMBER II.
Literature of the State of Connecticut, January, 1818.
OF YALE COLLEGE, ITS BUILDINGS, FACULTY, AND LIBRA- RIES.
Buildings. Length and breadth. Four stories. All in a line.
NORTH College,
108 feet by 40 feet.
Lyceum,
56 by 46
Middle College,
100 by 40
Chapel,
50 by 40
South College,
104 by 38
Back of the colleges, is a Kitchen and large Dining-Room.
Under the Lyceum, is a Laboratory for chemical operations. It is furnished with an extensive apparatus, and a full course of in- struction is given in this branch, as well as in natural philosophy, for which there is also a very valuable apparatus. The great mine- ral cabinet of colonel Gibbs, consisting of more than 10,000 choice specimens, is deposited in Yale College, which, also, possesses a. good cabinet of its own, and full courses of instruction are given in this branch also.
FACULTY.
Rev. JEREMIAH DAY, LL.D. President, and Professor of Mathe- matics and Natural Philosophy.
ENEAS MONSON, M. D. Professor of Materia Medica and Botany. NATHAN SMITH, M. D. C. S. M. S. Lond. Professor of the Theory and Practice of Physic, Surgery, and Obstetricks.
BENJAMIN SILLIMAN, Professor of Chemistry, Pharmacy, Minc- ralogy, and Geology.
JAMES L. KINGSLEY, A. M. Professor of the Hebrew, Greek and Latin Languages.
ELI IVES, M. D. Adjunct Professor of Materia Medica and Botany. JONATHAN KNIGHT, Professor of Anatomy and Physiology.
Rev. ELEAZER T. FITCH, A. M. Professor of Divinity.
Rev. CHAUNCEY A. GOODRICH, A. M. Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory.
ALEXANDER FISHER, A. M. Adjunct Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy.
TUTORS.
ELISHA MITCHELL, A. M. HORACE HOOKER, A. B.
FREDERICK MORGAN, A. M. HUBBARD ROCKWELL, A. B.
WILLIAM DWIGHT, A. M. JOSEPH WICKHAM, A. B.
T 3
346
APPENDIX.
Resident Graduates, 21
STUDENTS.
Senior Class, 67
Junior Class, 50
Sophomore Class,
73
Freshman Class, -
72-283 total.
LIBRARIES.
The College Library consists of between six and seven thousand volumes.
There are three libraries in the college, owned by the students, under the names of Linonian, Brothers', and Moral Libraries. They consist of the number of volumes following :
The Linonian Library consists of
354 volumes.
Brothers'
of 860
Moral
of 303
Total, 2,017
The whole number of volumes, exclusive of those possessed by the officers of the college, and individual students, which are many, amount to nearly 9,000, and they are constantly increasing.
The Medical Institution, connected with the college, has a large, handsome stone building, adjoining to which there is a botanical garden.' The present number of students, is 50.
ACADEMIES.
Of these, there are a considerable number.
The Episcopal Academy, in Cheshire. This had originally a fund of about 13,500 dollars. It has increased since to about 25,000 dollars. It has a good brick building, 54 by 34, erected by the town, in 1796. It was incorporated in 1801, and styled the Epis- copal Academy of Connecticut; and has a library of about 200 volumes, consisting principally of Greek and Latin authors.
Rev. TILLOTSON BRONSON, D. D. is Principal. Rev. ASA CORN- WALL, Professor of Languages. BURRAGE BEACH, Esq. Treasurer and Secretary. Anniversary, the first Wednesday in October. The average number of scholars, is about 70.
Bacon Academy, in Colchester, was founded in 1803. The ori- ginal fund, or donation of Mr. Bacon, was 36,000 dollars. The academy is a very beautiful building, 73 feet by 34, three stories high. Preceptor, JOHN WITTER, A. M. The average number of scholars is about 200. .
Staples Academy, in North-Fairfield. This was founded in 1781, in consequence of a generous donation in lands, and notes on' interest, to several trustees named by Mr. Staples, and appointed for the purpose of erecting a free school in the society of. North- Fairfield, in the town of Fairfield. The trustees named by the do- nor, viz. the Rev. Robert Ross, the Rev. Samuel Sherwood, and James Johnson, were incorporated by the general assembly, May,
547
APPENDIX.
1781, by the name of The Trustees of Staples' Free School ; and were enabled to hold property to such an amount, that the annual interest should not exceed a thousand dollars. The present in- structor is the Rev. NATHANIEL FREEMAN, A. M.
Academy at Plainfield. This was founded in 1784. It is vested with charter privileges. It has a fund of 834 dollars. The inte- rest of this, with the bills for tuition, supports the school. The number of scholars, on an average, is about 80. The fund was given by Isaac Coit, Esq. of Plainfield.
There is an academy at Wallingford, which has a charter, but no fund. The Greek and Latin languages are taught; the English grammar, and other branches of useful knowledge. The average number of scholars is about 45.
There are several other academies in the state, which have no charter ; in some of which the learned languages are taught. Be- sides these, there are twelve Greek and Latin schools.
DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
By the law of the state, the several towns in it are divided into districts, for the schooling of the children and youth. Committees are appointed to examine the masters and mistresses of the schools, and take care that they are duly qualified for instructors. The state is divided, according to the best collection I have been able to ob- tain, into about 1,580 district schools, consisting of different num- bers. In some of them there are an hundred scholars, or more; in others there are not more than twenty. On an average, they will amount to fifty-five, or fifty-six. From between one third and one half of the whole population are schooled the greatest part of the year-In the winter, and part of the fall and spring, by masters, and in the warmer and more busy season, by mistresses. For the sup- port of these schools, the legislature have appropriated very ample funds :- one arising from new lands, sold by the then colony, many years since -- the other from the sale of the land in New Connecti- cut. These lands, called the Western Reserve, sold for 1,200,000 dollars. In October, 1815, the value of the fund, as reported by the committee of said fund, was $1,501,914 89, secured by mort- gages and lands. Since October, 1815, there has been funded and added to the principal, 106,759 dolls. making the present amount of the school fund, $1,608,673 89. The dividends on the school funds, paid to the different school societies in the state, for the year ending March 1st, 1818, on the list of 1816, is as follows :
October dividend, 1817, Dolls. 19,761 .. 87 March dividend, 1818, 29,643 .. 11
Allowance of two dollars on the 1000, on the 2. list of 1816, payable out of the treasury, on the old fund,
13,174 .. 68
Dolls. 62,579 .. 66
548
APPENDIX.
Besides the academies which have charters, the grammar and district schools, there are about twenty of higher order, in which young gentlemen and ladies are instructed in higher branches of knowledge than are taught in the district schools.
NUMBER III.
Libraries, Newspapers, and Reading of the State.
EXCLUSIVE of the libraries of the clergy, lawyers, and phy- sicians, and the Masonic libraries, of which there are many large 'and excellent ones, there are libraries in almost all the towns and societies in the state ; formed by particular companies, and, gene- rally, under good regulations. According to the best information which the writer has been able to obtain, there are about 140 of these libraries, containing, in the whole, about 26,000 volumes .* These have, generally, been instituted since the American revolu- tion. They, generally, contain a well chosen assortment of books in divinity, morals, geography, history, biography, voyages, travels, &c. The proprietors draw from them as they please. They afford a stimulus and taste for reading.
There are published, weekly, in the state, fifteen folio newspa- pers, besides the Religious Intelligencer. These papers, it is esti- mated, will average at a thousand each, so that about 15,000 or 16,000 folio papers are read every week. Some of these papers go out of the state ; but, it is believed, more are received and read from the other states, than are sent out of this into them. From this exhibition of the schools, libraries, and public papers, some adequate idea may be formed of the general diffusion of knowledge among the inhabitants, and of the reading and intelligence of the state.
RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.
There are in the state, according to the best information which I have been able to obtain, 145 Congregational associated ministers ; 30 Episcopalians ; and 62 Baptist ministers-237. There are five or six Independent or Separate ministers, several fixed Methodist preachers, and one Sandemanian minister. In the whole, there are about 250 settled teachers, nearly one to every thousand of the in- habitants.
There are about 50 other public teachers, either ministers who have been dismissed in good standing, or candidates for the minis- try. These are employed as missionaries abroad, or in preaching to vacant congregations, as circumstances require.
* From a considerable number of towns, no account of their libraries has been receiv- ed. It is believed, that the whole number of volumes is not less than 30,000.
FINIS. 9552
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