USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 18
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The Church of the Nativity (Episcopal), a very pic- turesque stone building located on Sylvan avenue and Carson street, was erected mainly at the expense of the Rev. E. F. Bishop, of Bridgeport, with some assistance from Joseph Richardson, of North Bridgeport. Previous to this a mis- sion school had been maintained by members of St. John's Church, Bridgeport, in a small building belonging to the woolen mills, then under the proprietorship of Nathaniel Green. E. F. Bishop officiated as lay reader, under the direction of the rector of St. John's Church, the Rev. Gurdon S. Coit, from the time he was licensed to that office by the Rt. Rev. Thomas C. Brownell, Bishop of Connecticut, Nov- ember 21, 1856.
This church was organized June 4, 1856, the persons present being Mr. Bishop, Joseph Richardson, Eli Thompson, Ira Gregory, John .Hurd, William M. Hubbell, and Henry M. Sherman, all laymen of St. John's Church. The sittings have always been free, and the service choral. The services have been conducted much of the time by Mr. Bishop himself. Rev. Gurdon S. Coit, D.D., held the rectorship until 1863 or 4. Mr. Bishop, having been ordained deacon May 21, 1860, and priest September 22, 1863, by the Rt. Rev. John Wil- liams, assistant bishop of the diocese, was elected to the rec- torship, being assisted at various times by the Rev. H. C. Stowell, the Rev. Charles H. W. Stocking, D.D., the Rev. O. L. Prescott, the Rev. Joseph W. Hill, until 1872, when the Rev. Henry Darby was elected rector and held it, nominally, until 1884, though much of the time he was absent from the charge. The services were carried on during this time partly
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History of Bridgeport.
by the priests of St. John the Evangelist, with which society he was at first connected ; then by the Rev. D. Lounsbury, and Lewis W. Wells, D.D. Mr. Bishop frequently officiated here until near the time of his decease, December 7, 1883.
A choral service in this part of the country, at the time it was started in this place, was a new thing and called forth much comment.
On the day of the consecration of this church the bishop and clergy having returned to dine with Mr. Bishop at his home, were listening to the amusing incident which was being related by some one at the table, that an owl had obtained an entrance into the church in some way and lodged itself among the beams so securely that it required much trouble to eject it before the service began. Much merri- ment was excited by Mr. Bishop's mother (who was a Presby- terian) pithily remarking that " Perhaps it came in to make the responses."
The First Methodist Episcopal Church of Bridge- port .- In 1784 William Black, a preacher of the Methodist church in Nova Scotia, visited the United States for the purpose of consulting Dr. Coke and procuring assistance. He traveled by way of Boston, Mass., where he preached twice. He met Dr. Coke in Maryland and, either on his way thither or when returning, he preached several times in the Congregational Church in Stratfield, then standing at what is the corner of North and Park avenues. The impression made by his preaching was at first favorable, but upon a discovery of his Arminian theology he was pronounced a wolf in sheep's clothing. In one sermon, while preaching, he was interrupted by the pastor of the church, who stamped upon the floor and declared his doctrine to be damnable." He was the first Methodist preacher known to have visited the State of Connecticut or New England. There is evidence that his preaching had good results, for, according to Rev. Jesse Lee (memoirs, page 110), a desire was thereby awakened for the ministrations of Methodisin. About the same time, or soon after a number of persons began to assemble for the purpose
13 Rev. Robert Ross,
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of social religious exercises. Among those who thus assem- bled were a Mrs. Wells and a Mrs. Wheeler, both living at the south end of Park avenue," then called Mutton Lane.
In May, 1789, a Methodist conference was held in the city of New York, where Jesse Lee, the pioneer of New England Methodism, was appointed to the Stamford circuit, which appears to have included the greater part of the State lying west of the Connecticut river. On the 17th of June, 1789, he preached his first sermon in the State under a tree at Norwalk.1 June 18th he rode to Fairfield and preached in the Court House at 6 o'clock in the evening to about forty persons. He stopped over night at a public house kept by a Mr. Penfield. The next morning Mrs. Penfield, who heard him preach, gave him a note of introduction to her sister, Mrs. Wheeler of Park avenue, representing her as interested in the subject of religion, and desiring him to call on her.
While Mr. Lee was approaching the place Mrs. Wells was at the house of Mrs. Wheeler on a visit, and the two were in conversation upon the religious interests of the neighborhood. Just at the moment of his arrival that conversation became a point of extraordinary interest. Mrs. Wells told Mrs. Wheeler that on the preceding night she had dreamed that a man rode up to a house where she was, got off his horse, took his saddle-bags on his arm, and, walking directly into the house, said : " I am a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and am come to preach to the people of this place. If you will call your neighbors together I will preach to them to-night." Then Mrs. Wells said she retained so per- fect a recollection of the man's face and general appearance that she would certainly know him if she should ever see him. While she was yet speaking she looked out the window and exclaimed, " Why, there is the man now !". Mr. Lee rode up, dismounted, took his saddle-bags on his arm, entered the house, and addressing the women, said : " I am a minister of
14 No. 3, on page 41.
15 " The Rev. Cornelius Cook preached the first Methodist sermon in Norwalk, near the New Canaan parish line, in 1787 ; the Rev. Jesse Lee preached the next sermon on the 17th of June, 1789, in the highway, near the centre of the town."- Hall's History of Norwalk, 170.
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History of Bridgeport.
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and have come to preach to the people of this place. If you will call your neighbors together I will preach to them to-night." Mrs. Wells was so deeply affected as to be scarcely able to stand. Mr. Lee was wel- comed, the neighbors were called together, Mr. Lee preached to them, and tradition says three conversions was the result, and that two of them were Mrs. Wells and Mrs. Wheeler. This service was held in the old yellow house on the south end and east side of Park avenue, on the 19th of June, 1789.
After visiting other places in the State Mr. Lee preached on the 3d of July at the house of Deacon Elijah Hawley, at Stratfield, and on the 5th of August preached again at the same house, though in the latter entry in his journal it is said to have been at Newfield. The house is still standing on the northwest corner of Thomas and Water streets. On the 14th of August Mr. Lee was again in this vicinity and preached at the house of Mr. Wells. The nucleus of the first Methodist society in this neighborhood, and, it is believed, the first in New England, consisted of a class organized by Mr. Lee September 26, 1789, in a house which stood on Toilsome Hill, on the west side of the highway, and hence in Fairfield. The three persons composing the class were Mrs. Wells, Miss Ruth Hall her sister, and a Mrs. Risley. These all died in great peace, within the memory of persons now connected with this church.
In 1790 Mr. Lee was made Presiding Elder of the New England work, but at that time the districts had no name, and scarcely any limits. The name of the circuit including this region of country was called Fairfield, and it extended to several townships, Redding being one of them. In this neighborhood preaching was held on week-day evenings, somewhat regularly, at the four following places: at Stephen Wells', on Division street, at widow Nichols', on Pequonnock Green, Ebenezer Brown's, on Toilsome Hill, at Father Pen- field's, on Holland Hill, the house being occupied now, or recently, by Lewis Penfield. In 1797 a Methodist Church was built on Division street road north of Toilsome Hill at the corners of the roads about three miles north of the pres- · ent North avenue. The late Dea. David Sherwood, who died January 24, 1873, aged 94 years, was at the raising of this
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church, being then eighteen years of age. This statement was made by Dea. Sherwood to Dea. R. B. Lacey and others, and written down at the time for permanent record. After 1797 preaching was held, probably, most regularly at the new meeting house on Toilsome Hill, until 1815. During this early stage of this church the Conference, Circuit, Presiding Elders, and Preachers were :
1790. Jesse Lee, Presiding Elder, Fairfield circuit; John Bloodgood, preacher.
1791. Nathaniel B. Mills and Aaron Hunt, preachers.
1792. Jacob Brush, P. E .; Joshua Taylor and Smith Weeks, preachers.
1793. Thomas Ware, P. E. ; Aaron Hunt and James Coleman, preachers.
1794. George Roberts, P. E .; Zebulon Kankey and Nicholas Sneathan, preachers.
1795. The name of the circuit was changed to Redding ; George Roberts was P. E., and Daniel Dennison and Timothy Dewey, preachers.
1796. There were two P. E's, Freeborn Garretson and Syl- vester Hutchinson, dividing all New England between them. The preachers for Redding circuit were Elijah Woblsey and Robert Leeds.
1797 to 1800. S. Hutchinson, P. E .; preachers: 1797, David Buck, Augustus Jocelyn; 1798, William Thatcher; 1799, David Brown.
1800. F. Garretson, P. E .; Augustus Jocelyn, preacher.
1801. The ministers began to give names to the districts ; this circuit was in the New York district; F. Garretson, P. E .; S. Marvin, Isaac Candee, preachers.
1802. The same P. E .; J. Coleman and I. Candee, preachers. 1803. The same P. E .; James Campbell and N. W. Tompkins, preachers.
1804 to 1807. Wm. Thatcher, P. E .; preachers: 1804, P. Mo- riarty and Sylvester Foster; 1805, P. Moriarty and S. Merwin ; 1806, Nathan Felch and Oliver Sykes.
1807 to 1810. Joseph Crawford, P. E .; preachers : 1807, J. M. Smith and Zalmon Lyon; 1808, Noble W. Thomas, J.
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History of Bridgeport.
Lyon ; 1809, Billy Hibbard and I. Candee ; ISIo, Nathan Emory and John Russell.
1811. Redding circuit was included in the Rhinebeck district. Wm. Anson, P. E., two years ; preachers : A. Hunt, O. Sykes, J. Reynolds ; 1812, S. Rowell, G. Lyon, S. Beach. 1813 to 1817. Nathan Bangs, P. E .; preachers: A. Hunt and Henry Eames; 1814, E. Washburn and Reuben Harris ; 1815, E. Woolsey and R. Harris; 1816, S. Bushnell and John Boyd.
During this year the old Congregational meeting house at Pequonnock was purchased for use by the Methodists, and for about six years this was their gathering place for public worship, the services by the conference ministers being held on week-day evenings, unless some services were held on Sundays at the old meeting house at the corner of the roads on Toilsome Hill. During the year 1816 Benoni English and Elisha P. Jacobs, who were not members of the conference, preached on Sundays at the Pequonnock house.
1817. For the first time Bridgeport appears in the conference minutes, meaning the old Pequonnock church.
1817 to 1821. Ebenezer Washburn, P. E .; preacher, Aaron Hunt, who being ill, Cyrus Silliman, a local preacher, supplied ; 1818, Bridgeport disappears from the minutes, being connected with Stratford circuit, Samuel Bushnell, preacher ; 1819, S. Merwin, P. E .; preachers : Bela Smith and J. Coleman,
1822. The same P. E .; the preachers being Laban Clark and Eli Barnett. The Rev. John N. Maffit, the revivalist, spent a portion of this year ir this place, and from this time preaching was discontinued in the old meeting house. 1823. Bridgeport again appears on the minutes with Wm. 1. Pease as preacher. His pastoral care did not extend beyond the township, and under his labors the first Meth- odist church within the city limits was erected.
1824. Samuel Luckey, P. E. for three years; the preacher being Humphrey Humphreys.
1825 and 6. Bridgeport was again connected with the Red- ding circuit, the preachers being Marvin Richardson, H. Humphreys and F. W. Sizer.
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1827. Samuel Ostrander, P. E .; preachers, Henry Stead and John Lovejoy.
1828. Bridgeport was again connected with the Stratford circuit.
1829. Laban Clark, P. E .; the preachers were J. Lovejoy and James H. Romer.
1830 and 31. The preachers were H. Bartlett and Charles Sherman.
1832. Heman Bangs, P. E .; preachers: S. Martindale and Laban C. Cheney.
1833. Preachers : James Youngs and J. Tackerberry.
1834. Bridgeport becomes a permanent station on the min- utes of the conference ; S. Martindale, P. E., and Davis Stocking the preacher.
1835 and 6. Wm. Jewett, P. E., and Charles F. Pelton was the preacher.
1837. Harmon D. Goslin was the preacher, but becoming ill, J. W. Lefevre supplied the remaining part of the year.
1838. Daniel Smith, pastor, and Mr. Goslin died and was buried here.
1839. Nicholas White, P. E .; pastor, Daniel Smith.
1840 to 1844. Charles W. Carpenter, P. E .; the pastor in 1840 was John M. Pease ; in 1841 and 2, Salmon C. Perry, and in 1843 and 4, John L. Gilder.
1844 to 1848. Laban Clark, P. E .; pastors: 1845 and 6, James H. Perry ; 1847, H. Bangs.
1848 to 1852. Heman Bangs, P. E .; pastor in 1848 and 9, George Brown. At the session of the general conference held in 1848 the New York conference was divided, and Bridgeport lay within the bounds of the New York East conference, and during the second year of Mr. Brown's pastorate the present church was erected. It is a very commodious and appropriate edifice. In 1850 John B. Stratton was pastor, and in 1851 and 2, Edwin L. Janes.
1852 and 3. William H. Norris, P. E .; pastor in 1853 and 4, Thomas G. Osborn.
1853 and 4. E. L. Janes, P. E. ; pastor in 1855 and 6, Charles Fletcher. In 1856 Bridgeport gives name to a district in the New York east conference,
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History of Bridgeport.
1856 to 1860. E. E. Griswold, P. E .; pastor in 1857, John M. Reid, and in 1859, William F. Collins.
1860 to 1863. William C. Hoyt, P. E .; pastor in 1860 and 61, Albert Nash. During the pastorate of Mr. Nash there was a reunion of the church, at which time the debt, amounting to $S,ooo, was paid.
The following items of history are compiled from a sketch prepared, and read on that occasion, by Mr. Nash :
"After the organization of the first class in 1789, I am unable to give any satisfactory account of the members of the society for thirty-four years. It is probable that there was no register kept for a number of years, and that for several years succeeding, it was found in connection with Redding circuit. Under the labors of Mr. Maffit, in 1822, a class was formed in the city proper. In 1823, about the time the first church was erected here, we have a register of the persons then connected with the society.16
16 " Nathaniel Ruggles, local preacher,
Griswold Odell,
Ann Cables,
Elias A. Hall,
Mary Ann Patchin,
Burr Penfield,
Chauncy Ward,
William Daggett,
Stephen Wells,
William Bardsley, Ezra Morris,
John Beardsley,
Mary Edwards,
Stephen Durand,
Marietta Wells,
Julia Ruggles,
Esther Durand, Hannah Blackman,
Silas Turney,
Phoebe Hawkins, Catharine Witherill,
Polly Turney,
Mary Hildroup,
Ruth Hall,
John P. McEwen,
Betsey Downs,
Alice Hall,
Harriet McEwen,
Catharine Ufford,
Sylvina Booth,
James Penfield,
Mary Ann Hopkins,
Sally Brown,
Mary Penfield,
Samantha Mosure,
Patience Mitchell,
Anna Turney.
Sally S. Curtis,
Ruth Turney,
Anna Wheeler,
Charles G. Brisco,
Susannah Tupler.
Phoebe Nichols,
Charles H. Wakelee,
William L. Peet, Seth Turney,
Catharine Nichols,
Susan Wakelee,
Hannah Penfield,
Stiles Nichols,
Maria Nichols,
John W. Beardsley, Betsey Porter, Sarah Burritt,
Ebenezer Brown, Sally Green, Harpin Blake,
Sally Hubbell, John Feeley, Zilpha Feeley,
Sophia Plumb,
Harriet Hubbell,
Tracy Freeman,
Eliza Cable,
Hannah Morris,
Diana Lewis,
Harriet Gould,
Mary Baldwin,
Effa Freeman."
Fanny Middlebrook,
Eliza Evitts,
Ruth Edwards,
Mary Wells,
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Ecclesiastical History.
" The following is a review of church enterprises :
" Before the church at Pequonnock was abandoned in 1821, a room was procured for holding Methodist meetings in the borough in what was then called the New Block, at the corner of Main and State streets, over the drug store. This place appears to have been procured mainly by the efforts of Nathaniel Ruggles, who had been converted a few years previous under the labors of the Rev. Benoni English, at the Pequonnock Church. From my best information I conclude this hall was first occupied by our people in the winter of 1821 and 2, and that John N. Maffit then held a series of meetings in it.
" In the year 1822 measures were taken for the erection of our first house of worship in this city. The members of the society were first organized into an ecclesiastical body according to law, June 30, 1821, and the principal members are stated in the warrant to have been Nathaniel Ruggles, Burr Penfield, Agur Bassett, Richard Fuller and Stephen Durand.
"At the first meeting, held for the purpose of organiza- tion, Stiles Nichols, long and favorably known as the editor of the Republican Farmer, acted as chairman ; N. Ruggles was chosen clerk; and A. Bassett, John P. McEwen, and R. Fuller were chosen the trustees.
"On the 11th of February, 1822, the meeting voted to proceed in the erection of a house of worship, and N. Ruggles was entrusted with all the business necessary to be done in the matter. The site of the church was located at a meeting held May 13, 1823, and the house, though for some years remaining unfinished, was occupied for worship the latter part of that year, Mr. Maffit preaching the first sermon in it. The trustees at the time of its erection were Charles H. Wakeley, J. P. McEwen, B. Penfield, Abram S. Smith, and Elias A. Hall. That church stood on the site of the present one. It was forty by sixty feet, and its cost, with the lot, was about three thousand dollars. That house stood about twenty- six years, and in 1849 it was burned. Measures were imme- diately taken to erect the present church edifice, and while it was being built the society worshiped in Wordin's Hall, at
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History of Bridgeport.
the corner of State and Water streets. On the 14th of Feb- ruary, 1850, this house was dedicated-the Rev. Dr. Durbin and the Rev. Allen Steele preaching on the occasion. At its completion a debt of about nine thousand dollars remained, which was paid in 1860, Mr. Eben Fairchild generously giving half the sum upon the rest being raised by others.
" The first Sunday school in connection with this society was organized during the conference year commenceing in 1828. The records of this school were burned with the church in 1849."
The pastors in this church since 1862 have been: IS62 and 3, John Miley : 1864 and 5, Ichabod Simmons; 1866 and 7, Frank Bottome; 1867, S and 9, James M. Carroll; IS70, John Dickenson ; 1871, 2 and 3, S. H. Platt; 1874, 5 and 6, Daniel O. Ferris : 1877, S and 9, George A. Hubbell; 1879, So and 81, Charles E. Harris ; 1881 and S2, H. Q. Judd ; 1883, 4, 5, W. W. Clark.17
The Washington Park Methodist Episcopal Church was organized September 12, 1853. The first church edifice was erected on the corner of Barnum and Noble streets, and was completed and occupied in the same year. Its original cost was four thousand dollars, but in 1867 it was enlarged and improved at an expense of eleven thousand dollars. This structure was removed in 1883, and a commodious brick edi- fice erected on the old site. with a chapel and parlor rooms adjoining, for Sunday school and social meetings. The cor- ner-stone of this edifice was laid May 23, ISS3, and the dedi- cation services were held March 30, 1884. Their present pastor is the Rev. Edwin G. Blake.18
The Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in July, 1873. In March, 1874, the house of worship, which stands on North Main street, at the foot of Frank street, was completed, and in the following month the Rev. A. B. Sanford was appointed its pastor. His successors have been the Rev. S. H. Smith, the Rev. David Osborn, the Rev.
17 This historical sketch is taken from a record made in the church book by the Rev. D. O. Ferris, the pastor, at the time, 1878 or 9.
18 After the type were set for this history a pamphlet was obtained containing a full account of the church.
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Ecclesiastical History.
Joseph R. Dumble, who commenced his labors here in March, 18So. The cost of the church edifice, including the lot, was about $4,500. Their present pastor is the Rev. O. F. Tree.
The African Methodist Episcopal Chapels are two, located on Broad, near Whiting street. The older, or Bethel Church, was built in 1835 ; the younger and larger, known as Zion Church, was completed, as a tablet over the door informs the passer by, in June, 1843. These churches hold regular church and Sunday school services.
The German Methodist Episcopal Church is located on East Main street, and the Rev. Gustave Bobolin is pastor.
A Stillwellite Methodist Church had an existence several years in Bridgeport. The Stillwell itinerant ministers commenced preaching here, at Zoar Bridge, and in Derby in IS21 or 2. Their services here were held in the old Congre- gational meeting house, at the corner of North and Park avenues, which had been several years occupied by the Methodist Episcopal Church of Bridgeport. Their ministers' names were David P. Candill, Lounsbury, and Brewer. The Rev. Mr. Tuckerman came in 1824 and remained about five years, when the society was merged into the Methodist Episcopal Church. There was a class formed of the Still- wellites and a leader appointed. The following were some of the members: Anson Bradley, of Toilsome Hill, Samuel Hodges, of Bridgeport, Joel Mitchell and wife, Mills Middle- brook and wife, Benjamin Bennett, Mrs. Isaac Odell, Capt. Thomas Brothwell and wife.
The meetings were attended by the community, and Mr. Tuckerman was much esteemed, and was supported by mem- bers of various churches living in that neighborhood. He afterwards joined the Congregational church, and preached a time in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he died in the pulpit.
After Mr. Tuckerman left, a Protestant Methodist came and preached a short time. Lorenzo Dow preached in this old church to crowded congregations, the capacity of the house being such as to seat about four hundred.19
19 For all the particulars of this Stillwell Church, see manuscript of Mr. S. M. Main, deposited with the Fairfield County Historical Society.
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History of Bridgeport.
The Hebrew congregation ( Benai Israel), in Bridge- port, was organized September 19, 1859, the first minister being the Rev. A. Jacobs, and the place of worship No. 35 Wall street. The ministers have changed frequently. For a time the congregation met at Freedman's Building, on State street opposite the court house, but it now meets every Fri- day evening at seven o'clock and every Saturday morning at eight o'clock, in the Curtis Building, 483 Main street. The Rev. Gustav Gumpel is the pastor.
The Advent Christian Church of Bridgeport was organized in November, IS49, with fourteen members, and has maintained regular services ever since, on Sunday and week-day evenings, although most of the time without a pastor. About eighty members have been added since the church was formed. The place of meeting is Temperance Hall, on Beach street.
The Church of Christ in Bridgeport have held meet- ings since the year IS71, but were not formally organized as a church until August 23, 1874, under the leadership of Dr. W. A. Belding, of Troy, N. Y. The meetings were at first held in a private house, but for several years past they have been conducted in the hall at No. 356 Main street, on Sunday and two week-day evenings. The church has had no regu- larly installed or employed pastor, but has had the service of revivalists, especially that of Charles Abercrombie, in May, 1880.
St. Augustine's Church-Catholic .- The Rev. Father McDermott was the first Catholic priest who celebrated mass in Bridgeport. This was in the house of Mr. Farrell, on Middle street, in the year 1834, there being then about eighteen Catholic families residing in this city. Soon after- wards, by order of Bishop Fenwick, the Rev. James Smith visited Bridgeport once a month for the purpose of holding services. He built the brick church which stood on the corner of Arch street and Washington avenue, and the church was called St. James's Church. The Rev. Michael Lynch was the first settled pastor of this church and of the Catholic people in Bridgeport, and received his appointment. here in December, 1842.
ST. AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH AND ST. AGNES CONVENT.
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Ecclesiastical History.
On September 2, 1852, the Rev. Thomas J. Synnot was appointed by Bishop O'Reilly pastor of this church. Soon after his arrival he commenced building the church of St. Mary, on Crescent avenue, in East Bridgeport, and finished it in the following year. In this same year he began St. Thomas' Church, at Fairfield, and finished it in 1854. In 1864, the brick church on Washington avenue having become too small, the foundation of the present edifice was laid on the corner of Washington avenue and Pequonnock street. This church, which is the largest in Bridgeport, was named St. Augustine Church and dedicated March 17, 1867, and cost about one hundred thousand dollars. It is built of gray granite from the quarries of North Bridgeport. It is intended to carry the spire about ninety feet higher than its present termination, making it far the highest object in the city, and the more so because of its location on Golden Hill. The whole number of Catholics embraced in the St. Augustine parish is about four thousand souls, and the average attend- ance at mass is estimated to be three thousand. The Sunday school contains about six hundred and fifty members. The amount raised for church purposes, parish expenses, and buildings, during the pastorate of twenty-eight years of the Rev. Father Synnot, cannot be far from a quarter of a million dollars.
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