USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Oxford > A history of Christ Church, Quaker Farms in Oxford, Connecticut > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
The subscription list follows.
65
SUBSCRIPTION LIST FOR THE FIRST CHURCH BELL
ST. PETER'S CHAPEL IN QUAKERS FARM (Copied from the original)
Oxford April 29, 1817.
We the subscribers do hereby promise and bind ourselves to pay David Tomlinson Esqr for the purpose of procuring a Bell for St. Peter's Chapel in Quakers Farm the sum set against our names X
NAMES
SUMS
X Abijah Hyde - Paid Mr. Hurd by Sam1 Meigs
5 00
Moses (X) Wheeler Payd X David Tomlinson 25 X
X Elisha Wheeler, Middlebury Payd William Hurd 2
Charles Gurney do 2
David Tomlinson
$45
Gearshom (or Yearshom?) Shelton Wait Lewis $
8
2
Aaron Humphrey for Wm. Burr $ 3
Aaron Humphrey for Wm. Hurd $ 5
X Isaac Smith $ 3 paid S. Meigs Sept. 1824
Benj (X) Hurd
X $3
Clark Beardsley
$ 4
Asa Hawkins X
$ 2 paid S. Meigs March 1824
X Levi Candee X Paid S. Meigs
12 Dec 1823
$ 5
Judson English
$ 2
Jonas Smith $ 5
Shadrach (X) Osborne
X $ 5 paid Wm. Hurd
X Henry H. Proutt Paid Mr. Hurd by Sam 1 $ 1 Meigs.
LIST CONTINUED ON BACK OF ORIGINAL SHEET
Amos Candee Wm. Lydda Hawkins
X Cyrus Hawkins
$ 3 Payd David Tomlinson
$ 1 Payd David Tomlinson $ 1 Payd to W. Hurd by D. Hurd
66
$ c,
(Subscription list for Bell (Continued)
NAMES
SUMS
$
c.
$ 2
$ 1
$ 1
$ 1 Paid Sam1 Meigs 30th June 1824
$ 1 Paid Sam1 Meigs 17 Feb. 1824
$ 1 X
$ 1
$ 5
$ 1 Paid Wm. Hurd by Samuel Meigs.
$ 1 Payd William Hyrd $ 1
$ 3 Paid Wm. Hurd $1-00 by G. W. Thorndon. wmHurd $2
$ 4 Wm. Hurds Order $ 2 Payd Wm Hurd $6 - 19
Aaron Brunson
X Hosea Dutton X
50 Cents X paid to
D. Tomlinson
(Note - The total of the subscriptions listed was $165.50)
LIST OF MEMBERS OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH LIVING IN QUAKER FARMS IN 1823 (Given in the Record Book of St. Peter's Church)
Nath. Wooster
Asahel Hyde * Arad Sikule
wm Woodin
Samuel Meigs, Esq
Ira Hyde
wm Chatfield
Ira Hawkins
Isaac Nichols
John Chatfield
John Smith Elizh Chatfield
Russel Nichols
Isaiah Chatfield
Truman Bassett
Lois Nichols Asahel Hurd
Amunden Chatfield Walker Lake
Anson Chatfield
Wells Judson
Abijah Hyde
Truman Loveland
Levi Cande, Esq.
Elisha Bates
Silas Hawkins Joseph Hyde Amos Bates wm Tomlinson
Lu Hawkins Hazel Smith (or Mozel?)
(* Probably Arad Skeels, writing uncertain.)
67
Elisha Oatman Cyrus Hyde Sam Wooster
X Calvin Hyde
X John (X) Smith (X) Jr.
X William Wister per D. Tomlinson L. Hawkins per D. Tomlinson Alson Hendrix per do
X Anson Chatfield
Pervis Summers X Russel Wooster
Enoch Perkins X
Asael Hyde
$10 cr rope for the bell $3 .. $1
Sarah Twichel
David Tomlinson
Wid. Carrington Bennet Wooster Joseph Ferris Augusta Tomlinson
THE REV. BEARDSLEY NORTHROP 1821-1823
In the Bishop's address to the convention in 1820, he says "The Rev. Aaron Humphrey has received an appointment in the Eastern Diocess, and we shall henceforth be deprived of his services." Mr. Humphrey was succeeded at Oxford by the Rev. Beardsley Northrup. In the address by Bishop Brownell to the 1821 Convention, he states "I have admitted the Rev. Beardsley Northrop, lately a minister of the Methodist Convention to the holy order of deacons, Wednesday May 2, 1821 - The Rev. Beardsley Northrop, lately admitted to holy orders has been appointed to the Parishes in Oxford. - June 6, 1821 Thursday, before the Convention I have admitted the Rev. Beardsley Northrop to the Holy Order of Priests."
The parish was apparently still unable to employ a minister full time, for on March 4, 1822 it was voted "to lay tax of $140. on the members of the Society to be applied towards the pay of Mr. Northrop's salary which shall be at the rate of $7.00 per week, and he shall preach in the current year 40 Sundays at that rate. Mr. Northrop agreed to these terms".
At the meeting of 1822, it was voted to ask Mr. Northrop to write out all his Sunday sermons!
THE REV. J. M. GARFIELD 1824
The Convention Journal for 1823 notes that "The Rev. Beardsley Northrop has removed from the Parish of Oxford to that of Bridgwater" and that "the parishes of Oxford are vacant." It reports further that "the Rev. J. M. Garfield is usefully occu- pied with the charge of an Academy in New Haven, and officiates in the vacant parishes in his vicinity". One of these was Oxford, for in the 1824 Journal, the Bishop says in his address that "The Rev. John M. Garfield who has officiated in Oxford during the past year has relinquished that post."
THE REV. ASHBEL BALDWIN, D. D. 1824-1825
On Oct. 21, 1824, at St. Peter's it was voted "that the Wardens invite ye Rev. Ashbel Baldwin to take up his residence in the parish and to employ him as a minister so far as our
68
fund will pay him & as much more as they can get subscribed, - salary not to exceed seven dollars a Sunday, - term of time so long as he and ye parish can agree." Dr. Baldwin seems to have agreed to these somewhat unusual terms. (We shall see later that he came back a second time to Oxford in 1831.)
The Convention Journal for 1825 lists him as Rector at Oxford, but also lists him as Rector of St. Andrews, Meriden. It seems hardly likely that he could have served at the same time as rector in two such widely separated parishes. Possibly, at the time of the Convention held in June, he may have ar- ranged to leave Meriden and come to Oxford.
It is interesting to note that the Journal reports The Rev. Chauncey Prindle as still residing in Oxford.
At the 1825 Convention the basis for representation by lay delegates in the convention was changed to one lay delegate per church, except those churches having more than 50 families to have two delegates. Previously the dividing line had been a Grand List of $10,000.00. This is of particular note as it shows the beginning of a healthy swing away from representation by financial status to the more democratic basis of numbers.
The new arrangement continued until 1918, when it was changed to "more than 100 communicants".
69
CHAPTER IX
CHRIST CHURCH, QUAKER FARMS, BECOMES A SEPARATE PARISH. 1826
Mr. Douglas, in his historical address, says "It was most natural that the people of Quaker's Farm should eventually be- come a separate parish". It may have been natural, because the two sections of the town were so widely separated by dis- tance and terrain as measured by horse drawn travel, but it was certainly a big undertaking, when they had had so much dif- ficulty in supporting a minister with the churches united.
In the St. Peter's Record Book it is recorded under date of July 26, 1826, "At a meeting regularly warned, Mr. Benjamin Bunnell chosen moderator."
"Voted that Quaker's Farm be set off as a distinct society to be bounded by the military line of Oxford."
(Note. The writer has been unable to learn what the "mili- tary line of Oxford" was.)
"Voted that one third of the present funds shall be allowed to the said society to be expended in said society for preaching by preachers ordained and allowed by the Bishop of the Episcopal order of this state or his suc - cessors or the General Committee of said state of the protestant episcopal order ---- excepting the donation of Ruth Terrill."
(Note. She apparently must have disapproved of the proposed separation and would have no part of it! But before she died, in 1846, she relented, for in that year a legacy of $200.00 was re- ceived by Christ Church, Quaker Farms, from her estate.)
"Voted that there shall be a committee appointed to deliver to the said society the sd part of sd funds when sd society is duly organized- and to quit claim the chapel situated in sd society, and Chauncey Hatch, Cyrus Humphrey and Hiram Osborn were duly chosen for the afore said business."
The money set aside for the new parish amounted to $660.00.
70
THE RECTOR OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH WHEN THE SEPARATION OCCURRED IN 1826
The 1825 Convention Journal records that as of June 1st. of that year, the Rector of "the church in Oxford" was the Rev. Ashbel Baldwin. There is no record in the Journals of 1826 or 1827 as to any rector in those years, so apparently the church was vacant.
A biography of Mr. Baldwin does not mention his being in Oxford in 1825, but says that when he resigned from the church in Stratford in 1824, he began "to officiate at Southington and Meriden", and in 1827 took charge of St. Johns, North Haven, and St. Pauls, Walligford. So apparently his stay in Oxford was short.
It is possible that when the separation occurred, the Rev. Chauncey Prindle, who was still living in Gunntown, may have been supplying at St. Peter's.
THE MINISTER AT CHRIST CHURCH WHEN THE SEPARATION OCCURED IN 1826
The minutes of the first meeting of Christ Church as a sep- arate parish, held Dec. 2, 1826 records that the Rev. Mr. (Sturges) Gilbert had been holding services there in 1826.
71
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE ORGANIZATION OF CHRIST CHURCH, QUAKER FARMS AS A SEPARATE PARISH IN 1826
During the time when Christ Church was being organized as a separate parish, and for many years afterwards, Mr. Samuel Meigs was Parish Clerk, of whom we have already spoken. He preserved several of the original documents pertaining to the separation of Christ Church from St. Peter's, and its organiza- tion as a separate parish. Until recently, these have been in the possession of his grand-daughter, Miss Mary Lorena Meigs, now of Waterbury, who spent her summers, as a girl, in Quaker Farms. She lived in the house on Quaker Farms Road, now occupied by Mrs. Johanna M. Thompson. Through the writer, Miss Meigs has turned the documents over to the Diocesan Archives now housed in the library of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.
The first of these documents is the petition dated Oxford, Aug. 11, 1826, requesting the setting off of Christ Church, Quaker Farms, as a separate parish.
It is to be noted that the dividing line between the two par- ishes was to be "the military line". What this was and what was its location, the writer has been unable to establish. Its origin may go back to pre-Revolutionary days when the militia were organized in what were known as "Train Bands", the name being a shortened form of "Training Bands." Capt. Zachariah Hawkins and Capt. Isaac Tomlinson were captains of Train Bands.
A copy of this document follows, with the names of those signing it, -
72
Petition Dated Aug. 11, 1826 Requesting the Setting Off of Christ Church As a Separate Parish.
A Day, Church Oxyao to
bit of the district of Que with all the hr Banish infatis un'un
Dxcal
and to how one thing of the fun of the four vill of the aforemed.
blessed with to be legally for he he known by the in
regulation of the rich utile auch tom
Lorena Tomlinson Nathaniel Noother fully Michals - .
$
Levis Chateado altro Harga
Marcus Jan
vilas fiction Dude Monster
73
Petition (Continued)
Rigs Nichole
· Philo Bassett - your Chattedla. Wathe Labi Lui Candce
Cyrus Perry
Juhus Kimberly Clique Bata
Prace Hund
Thomas Sanders
Tuy Macddaleg
·
John Barrett.
Chestr. Bunnele 4
Truman Babett
Anon Profit
Figur Curtis.
74
PETITION DATED OXFORD AUG. 11th, 1826 REQUESTING THE SETTING OFF OF CHRIST CHURCH, QUAKERS FARMS, AS A SEPARATE PARISH · (Copied from the original now in the Diocesan Archives.)
"Whereas it is contemplated by a vote of St. Peter's Church, Oxford to set off the chapel of the district of Quakers farms so called with all the members of the parish living west of the military line to be incorporated as an independent Parish to have and to hold one third of the fund of the parish of the afore said parish of (sic) St. Peter's Church to have and to hold (sic) for the benefit of the Church in Quakers farms, We the subscrib- ers whose names are hereunder written do hereby signify our desire and wish to be legally organized into an ecclesiastical Society (sic) Parish to be known by the name of the Parish of Christs Church of Quakers farms. And that we will abide by the rules and regulations of the Parish untill such times as we withdraw our names or signify by certificate our wish to leave the Parish.
Oxford 11th. August A.D. 1826.
(Signed) Lorena Tomlinson Sally Nichols Lois Nichols
Nathaniel Wooster Samuel Meigs Ira Hawkins Arad Skeels
Ira Hyde Lewis Chatfield
Alfred Harger Marcus Sanford
Abijah Hyde Marvin R. Sanford
Silas Hawkins Philo Wooster
Abner Tibbits John Smith
SIGNATURES ON THE BACK OF THE DOCUMENT
Russel Nichols Riggs Nichols Isaac Nichols Sheldon Beebe Philo Bassatt John Chatfield Walker Lake
Isaac Rowe Isaac Hurd
Thomas Sanford Clark Beardsley
John Bassatt
Roswell Smith
Amos Bates
75
Levi Candee Wells Judson Cyrus Perry George A Tomlinson Asael Hyde Joseph Hyde Lewis B. Candee Julius Kimberly Elihu Bates
Silas Tomlinson Chester Bunnell John C. Hull Triman Bassett Clark Tomlinson Anson Chatfield Samuel Smith Agur Curtiss
The next document which they drew up was a formal declar - ation of separation from St. Peter's Church, Oxford. A copy of this follows, with the names of those signing it, - Declaration of Separation from St. Peter's Church, Oxford (Copied from the original now in the Diocesan Archives)
"To the Clerk of the Saint Peetters (sic) Church in Oxford.
We hereby declare that we choose to operate and do separate ourselves by this certificate from said society and declare we consider ourselves no longer members of said Society, Oxford Aug. 26, 1826.
Nathaniel Wooster Abijah Hyde Wells Judson
Asael Hyde Joseph Hyde John C. Hull
Ira - Hawkins
Roswell Smith
Silas Hawkins
Samuel Smith
Silas Tomlinson
Walker Lake
Lewis Chatfield
Marcus Sanford Truman Bassett
Marvin R. Sanford Sheldon Beebe Philo Bassett Riggs Nichols Russel Nichols
Cyrus Perry Samuel Meigs
Clark Beardsley
Isaac Nichols Lewis B. Candee
Chester Bunnel
Isaac Hurd
Clark Tomlinson Arad Skeels
Elihu Bates
Amos Bates Ira Hyde Julius Kimberly Anson Chatfield
Philo Wooster John Smith Abner Tibbits
Alfred Harger
John Chatfield Levi Candee
After the formal declaration comes the warning of the organizing meeting, duly signed and acknowledged by the sig- natories, - as follows, - 76
John Bassett
Geo. A. Tomlinson
Declaration of Separation From St. Peter's Church, Aug. 26, 1826
To the Church of Thesaint Mutter Church in Oforce
the hudby aware that use
whoou to seperate and alo referente ourselves. by the sitefuente pour rais hicies auce dulance we consider ourselves no longer Oxforac Quis 26 A20 minibus of rent raciste
Nathaniel Hooftr 2 think tyder Well, Youfm Fra Cautions silas Hawkins Pilas tomlinson Levis Chatfiets
Samuel itmit Hadder Liebe Marcus Dung. Truman Ballet Gyrus Perry
Thatjogo Bella Which Balett
Clark Bainsley John Bufret
Chester Bunnel
James os Candu Clusa Tomlinson
Elitu Bates Shila roster
John Smith
John Chatfield
Julius Kimberly
Luis bandu
+
As ach Af tych
77
3-
Notice Dated Aug. 26, 1826 Of Meeting to Organize
association for the purpose of godmina a sachety
which festa when organisere is to. he govern es la habanause delphine of the Protestant Episcopale Chicchi wieis it being nefertari That a meeting be helal for the purposele organizing laced Pacecity, according to have choong Freety: Ofere, ecure for bilne minpour! competente fa a toutes to transacto. Que cada activacule que una have recuerde notice 5 attendo a meeting of the prescin 20 a facetere to be holder at the Church in Zwecken fanns
It's at three Ochach in the afternoon Difrac 25 august 15mg Rido Schools
Nathaniel Hoff
quele
Black Tomlinson til thurs Annes Bates - .
Pilas duiking
L'avis Chatfield
Julius Kimberly
Shelteri Berlin
yough these
Som & Hulle
78
Notice (Continued)
Refwill Smith Samuel Soit
ogath tube
TrumanZufall Gerai Ferry
Clash Boundary John Bassett
Chester Bunnel
Thomas Sanford Isaac Hard
de the Bates Stile Wooster John Smith Ana Tillile John thatfête é Aqui Curtis
79
NOTICE OF FIRST MEETING (Copied from the original now in the Diocesan Archives)
"The undersigned having voluntarily associated for the pur- pose of forming a society at Quakers farms to be called "Christ Church in Quakers farms in the Town of Oxford" which society when organized is to be governed by the Canons and discipline of the Protestant Episcopal Church and it being necessary that a meeting be held for the purpose of organizing said Society according to Law choosing Society Officers and for other pur- poses competent for a Society to transact. We each acknowledge that we have received notice to attend a meeting of the persons so associated to be holden at the Church in Quakers farms on Saturday the second day of September 1826 at three o'clock in the afternoon.
Oxford 26, August 1826
Nathaniel Wooster
Abijah Hyde
Wells Judson
(Continued) Julius Kimberly Anson Chatfield
Continued (On reverse side) Roswell Smith Samuel Smith
Ira Hawkins Alfred Harger Silas Hawkins Asael Hyde Silas Tomlinson Joseph Hyde
Walker Lake
Marcus Sanford
Lewis Chatfield
John C. Hull
Truman Bassett Cyrus Perry Samuel Meigs Clark Beardsley John Bassett Geo. A. Tomlinson
Marvin R. Sanford Sheldon Beebe Philo Bassett Riggs Nichols Russel Nichols Isaac Nichols Lewis B. Candee Levi Candee
Chester Bunnel
Thomas Sanford
Isaac Hurd
Isaac Rowe
Elihu Bates
Philo Wooster
John Smith
Abner Tibbits
Clark Tomlinson Arad Skeels Amos Bates Ira Hyde
John Chatfield Agur Curtiss
Then follow the minutes of the organizing meeting held Nov. 13, 1826, at which Samuel Meigs was chosen Clerk, and minutes of subsequent meetings held Nov. 25th., and Dec. 2d., 1826, all in the same document.
80
Minutes of Organization Meeting Nov. 13, 1826
to members Showcated for the purpose of 1
-Freiety in Junkersturn To be pulled Christ Church legally warned and held at the church on the 13 th they of fromuber 1826.
Jamais Meigo chover Club Yathanwe Worstre . Moderator
etathan. anul Monsters
Статьио Мир! -
Tran CHych
Abijat Hyche Vreaserver ,
Notice That the above named Benny ho authoroud and amprocurade to settle with the cause of ! Detay Church in Oxford 4 receive duch part of portion of the Fund and they may an investigation asustain to below to the new organised Dwith in Quakersform
Vota this muting her adjourned to the 25th bush 's ook afternoon To the holden at this place
0- 25% 1826 Mich agreeable to add ons . total the meeting do orfourmed to the 2. day of Deen
Total, Auchan Noted that some person be ofpointed to circuitato a dertien the for the purpose of paying the Bible: Gilbert for path serving and also in futuro the last. theart of the train patin . Marsin R Sanford a cany to orrautat and receive subscriptiong.
Mater the Ground cany he authorusers to employ the ted? non Gilbert to officiate in thisharith 16 part of the Tax
81
MINUTES OF MEETING FOR PURPOSE OF ORGANIZING (Copied from the original, now in the Diocesan Archives)
At a meeting of the members associated for the purpose of organizing a Society in Quakers Farm to be called Christs Church legally warned and held at the church on the 13th. day of November 1826
Samuel Meigs chosen Clerk Nathaniel Wooster : : Comy
Nathaniel Wooster chosen moderator Samuel Meigs
·
Abijah Hyde, Treasurer Ira Hyde ·
Voted That the above named Comy be authorized and empowered to settle with the the Comy of St. Peters Church in Oxford and receive such part and portion of the Fund as they may on inves- tigation ascertain to belong to the new organized parish in Quaker's farm.
Voted This meeting be adjourned to the 25th inst 3 Ock after- noon to be holden at this place
Nov 25th 1826 Met agreeable to adjournment
Voted The meeting be adjourned to the 2ª day of Decr next at 2 o Clock afternoon to convene at this place.
Dec.2d 1826 Met agreeable to adjournment
Voted Nathaniel Wooster, Warden
Voted That some person be appointed to circulate a subscrip- tion for the purpose of paying the Revª Mr. Gilbert for past services and also in future till Easter 1/6 part of the time.
Voted Marvin R. Sanford a comy to circulate and receive subscriptions.
Voted The present comy be authorized to employ the Revd Mr. Gilbert to officiate in this parish 1/6 part of the time till Easter.
The Rev. Mr. Gilbert was at this time the rector of St. Paul's Church in Woodbury. It must have been a long and weary drive or ride on horseback to come from there to Quaker Farms in the winter.
82
CHRIST CHURCH, QUAKER FARMS RECEIVED FORMALLY INTO UNION WITH THE DIOCESAN CONVENTION
A certificate that the two parishes of St. Peter's, Oxford, and Christ Church, Quaker Farms, were now separate was presented formally to the Diocesan Convention held June 6th. and 7th. 1827 and the two parishes were received formally into union with the convention, as shown by the following extracts from the Convention Journal of 1827- page 13.
"The parish of St. Peters Church, Oxford, and the chapel of said church in Quaker farms, a district in the same town, presented a certificate that said church and chapel had mutually dissolved the connection which pre- viously existed; and the latter church, on the ground of said certificate, applied to be received into union with the Convention, under the name of Christ Church.
On motion, - Resolved- That the certificate from St. Peter's and Christ Churches, Oxford, be referred to the Committee on St. Thomas' Church, Canterbury."
Page 21.
The Committee to whom the petition of St. Thomas Church, Canterbury, and the certificate of Christ Church, Oxford, were referred, made the following report which was read and accepted, -
"The Committee to whom the petition of St. Thomas' Church, Canterbury, and the certificate of Christ Church, Oxford, were referred, beg leave to report:
That said Parishes have acceded to the Constitution and Canons of the Church in this Diocese; and that, in the judgment of your committee, they are entitled to be re- ceived into union with the same."
THE LEADERS IN THE MOVE TO MAKE CHRIST CHURCH A SEPARATE PARISH IN 1826
In the first place, we find on the authority of the History of Derby that "prominent names of the first inhabitants of Quaker's Farm were Perry, Wooster, Hawkins, Hyde and Nichols". That of course was in the 1700s.
Then we know that when Christ Church was built in 1812, the building committee were, David Tomlinson, Nathaniel Wooster, Wells Judson and Russel Nichols. David Tomlinson had died in 1822 but his work was staunchly carried on by his widow, Lorena Bacon Tomlinson.
83
Those heading the list of people signing the petition of Aug. 12, 1826 to form Christ Church Ecclesiastical Society were, -
Lorena Tomlinson Sally Nichols Lois Nichols
Nathaniel Wooster Samuel Meigs Ira Hawkins
Further down on the list appear the names of Wells Judson, Russel Nichols, Silas Hawkins, Ira, Abijah and Joseph Hyde, and Cyrus Perry.
It seems probable therefore that (named alphabetically) the leading families in the move were the Hawkins, Hydes, Judsons, Meigs, Nichols, Perrys, Tomlinsons and Woosters.
THE MEIGS FAMILY
Some account of the Meigs family is given in the "Commem- orative Biographical Record of New Haven County", from which we quote, -
"Samuel Meigs was born in the town of Bethlehem, Litchfield County, Connecticut, in 1791, a son of Dr. Phineas Meigs, a leading physician and prominent citizen of that place who died in 1805. (Note. - Dr. Meigs' wife was Sarah Tomlinson, sister of David Tomlinson.) Samuel Meigs was reared and educated in his native place, and at the age of 20 removed to Oxford, where he was employed by the Hon. David Tomlinson, (his mother's brother), who conducted a general mercantile business at Quaker Farms, a village in the town of Oxford, and was engaged in the West Indies trade, owning vessels plying between Derby, New Haven and those islands; was also largely interested in agri- culture, owning 2300 acres of land, mostly in the town of Oxford, and was a wealthy and influential citizen of that place, serving for a time as Senator in the State Legis- lature."
Samuel Meigs married his first cousin, Lorena, daughter of David Tomlinson. They had five children, among whom was Charles Augustus Meigs of whom we shall hear later.
Samuel Meigs bought the house on the west side of Quaker Farms Road, just North of Seven Mile Brook, now occupied by Mr. Matthew Slater.
84
THE MEIGS FAMILY DESCENT
From the old paper memorandum in the handwriting of Sarah Tomlinson Meigs, now in the collection of colonial letters in The New Haven Colony Historical Society.
Meigs m Thankful b 1697 d June 16, 1767
Sarah Tomlinson m Dr. Phineas Meigs
b 1760
d Aug 12, 1805 1786
Dr. John Meigs
John'Meigs
Benj. Meigs
Samuel Meigs
Charles Meigs
b. Apr. 29, 1725
b Oct. 26, 1787
b Aug. 8 '89
b Apr. 27, '91
b Oct. 25, 93
m Rebecca
d Dec. 31, 1802
m Lorena Tomlinson -
b Dec. 7, 1725
dau. of David Tomlinson
d July 3, 1795 Children
Charles Augustus Meigs m 2d Bernice Riggs
Irine b Sep. 22, 1745
Mary Lorena Meigs
Charles Meigs
Abner June 12, 1747
Sarah b Mar. 5, 1755
Rebecca b Mar. 5, 1755
(Note. Sarah Tomlinson was the younger sister of David Tomlinson who married Lorena Bacon. Sarah Tomlinson was born May 12, 1765. Lorena Tomlinson was daughter of David Tomlinson and Samuel Meigs was son of David's sister Lorena. Samuel and Lorena were therefore first cousins.)
SILAS HAWKINS, SR.
We have already given some account of Silas Hawkins in the story of the Hawkins Family in connection with the starting of the church in 1812. It will be remembered that in 1795 he was listed as a member of the Oxford Episcopal Society and that he was instrumental in starting Christ Church in 1812. By 1826 when the Quaker Farms church became an independent parish, Silas Hawkins was seventy years old, so he evidently remained a staunch supporter of the church, and unafraid to undertake new burdens.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.