USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stratford > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 27
USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 27
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The farmers of Stratford resided in the village, and went out to their farms, from one to three miles, in the true oriental style, to do the work of the farm. In the morning they were seen going out with their teams, many of them to the south, to the Old Field, and the Great Neck, all of which was put into one great field, about 1693, the fence crossing from the rocks on Little Neck, west to mill brook, and all the land south of it, being in the field. The Old Field, at first did not include the Great Neck. Other of the farmers went to the New Field, joining the village on the southwest, between it and the swamp. Then there was a field called Nesingpaws, on the west side of Mill brook, as called in the deeds about 1700, and after, or west of the swamp extending to Bruce's Brook: and from this field, or Bruce's Brook to the old
295
Grants of Mill Privileges.
yellow mill, was the Far-field; then the Newpasture field south of Old Mill Green, and Pequonnock field south of Golden Hill. There was also a common field-not very large-at Oronoke, besides what was called the great meadow at that place.
Gristmills, Sawmills, and Fullingmills.
As the families settled back into the wilderness, they needed mills of various kinds to facilitate the work and com- fort of life. To build a small saw mill was an enterprise of venture, requiring much energy and considerable money, as then money was estimated. The town owned all the mill- sites, as well as the land around them, and therefore none of them could be used without a grant from the town. At first, besides granting the privilege of the mill, the town gave to the person who should build a gristmill several acres of land, upon condition that the party "should grind the town's corn," for a sixteenth or twelfth or an eighth part of the grain brought to the mill.
At this time, 1700, there had been two gristmills and two fulling mills built, and soon after several other mills were erected, as the following records show :
" January 26, 1702-3, the town granted liberty to Eben- ezer Curtiss, James Lewis and Edmund Lewis, to erect a sawmill near Misha hill."
" December 25, 1704, Benjamin Sherman, John Williams, and John Seeley were granted liberty to erect a gristmill upon Pequonnock river at the narrows below Essay's pond." Upon securing this site they were to sign certain articles of agreement with the selectmen.
" January II, 1705-6, the town granted liberty to Mr. Ephraim Stiles to set up a gristmill at Farmill river, a little below Black brook, near the place called the Plum-trees." At the same time the town granted full liberty to Lt. Tomlin- son to maintain his fulling mill on Farmill river.
" February 14, 1721-2, Mr. John Edwards requested lib- erty to " erect a fulling mill upon the river on the west side of Ox hill," and in 1724 Mr. Edwards and Lt. Richard Hub-
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History of Stratford.
bell, erected a fulling mill at the same place, then called Jack- son's river, it being near Fairfield line.
" December 5, 1725. Upon the request of Zechariah Beardslee, Charles Lane and Ephraim Judson, to erect a saw- mill and make a dam for said mill at the south corner of Acquanquedy plain on the west sprain of the Farmill river, the town grants their request, with this proviso, that they satisfy for all damage that their dam may cause in any par- ticular person's land."
" December 29, 1725. Liberty was granted Captain Josiah Curtiss and Mr. John Willcoxson, Jr., to erect a saw- mill on the halfway river," at the north end of the town.
Ecclesiastical Progress and Prosperity.
The Rev. Israel Chauncey died at Stratford March 14, 1702-3, in the 39th year of his ministry, and the 59th year of his age; which appears to have been an unexpected event without forewarning, as he was not aged, or in any way en- feebled. He had been a successful, faithful minister, and seems to have been very acceptable in the parish, his salary having been increased at several times, being the highest, and standing at £112, and his yearly allowance of wood, at his decease.
Two candidates for the supply of the pulpit were soon secured; Mr. Nathaniel Hubbard, of the class of Harvard, 1698, and Mr. Joseph Morgan. Upon this the town came together on May 7, 1703, and voted to buy a house " of Dan- iel Shelton for £100 cash, for the minister in Stratford," but "after the vote was recorded, Isaac Knell, Joseph Fairchild, Edward Hinman, Samuel Peat, sen., and Timothy Titharton, did protest against buying Mr. Shelton's house." This is the first intimation of trouble that the records afford, nor is there any reason stated for the opposition.
.
The next proceeding, at the same meeting, was to apply for Mr. Reed to preach, and " Nathaniel Sherman was by vote chosen as agent for the town, forthwith with all convenient speed to go to Hartford and endeavor, by all lawful means, the obtaining of Mr. Reed for the work above said." Mr.
297
Mr. Reed's Ministry.
Reed was secured and preached, and the August following the town voted him " £40 pay in provision and £6 for fire- wood for half a year, and Mr. Nathaniel Sherman, Sergt. John Hawley, Mr. Jeremiah Judson, were appointed a com- mittee to " take care of transporting Mr. Reed's family from Hartford, and providing a suitable habitation for him." The next February-8, 1703-4-on a proposition for settling a minister, Mr. Reed received 96 votes ; Mr. Hubbard, 18; and Mr. Morgan, 15.
Mr. Reed continued to preach regularly until November 14, 1704, when he received 70 votes, and there were " 14 votes to the contrary." On the 24th of April, 1705, "there being some persons dissatisfied with the former vote," another was taken, and Mr. Reed received 67, for settlement, there being "43 otherwise," and 32 not voting. The last vote taken to settle him was on September 25, 1706, in which the whole number of votes was much smaller, he having 63 votes.
Very soon, following this last vote, perhaps before, some talk was indulged in by the public, which Mr. Reed resented and demanded inquiry, and hence the following action by the town :
" November 20, 1706. Whereas, the Revd. Elders in their advice to the town of Stratford, recommended to take all suitable care to purge and vindicate Mr. Reed from such scurrilous and abusive reflections (if any be) that such senti- ments may reasonably be supposed to being upon him; and Mr. Reed in order thereto, having laid before the town his request that the town would be pleased to call a Council of Elders to hear what shall be proper to lay before them in order for a clearing of his name from those abusive reflec- tions that he is apprehensive have been put upon him."
In harmony with this request choice was made of the " Revds. Mr. Andrews, Mr. Pierpont, Mr. Webb and Mr. Chauncey, by the town, to be a committee for that end ;" and a day of fasting and prayer was appointed.
No indication as to what was said offensive to Mr. Reed or to his parish, has been found, except the intimation that he had made overtures to join the Episcopal Church ; but what-
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History of Stratford.
ever it was, it is certain that he declared the matter to be " scurrilous and abusive reflections."
It has been represented, also, that Mr. Reed was unkindly and almost uncivilly treated by his parish, in an effort to deprive him of his salary; and that they were countenanced in it by the neighboring ministers. This is a wholly gratui- tous reflection, since his salary was continued regularly by town vote at one hundred pounds a year-a salary nearly equal to that of the preceding minister, and also to that of Mr. Cutler, who followed him, and this salary was as regularly paid, probably, as that of any minister in the Colony ; as exhibited in the records in the book of town acts for those cur- rent years of his service.4 Mr. Reed regularly resigned his ministerial relations to the town on the 27th of March, 1707, and a full settlement was made with him.
Following Mr. Reed, Mr. Francis Goodhue was a candi- date, and on July 18, 1707, he had 41 votes for settlement, with quite a number of persons present not voting. The meeting was adjourned one week when he had 42 votes, out 83 cast, and the town voted to allow him one hundred pounds a year while he should preach here; but he continued only a short time and Mr. James Hale preached for a time in the latter part of the year 1707.
The next candidate for settlement seems to have been Mr. Azariah Mather who, August 24, 1708, had a vote favorable
4 " April 1, 1708. Then upon the adjustment of accounts with Mr. Reed, wee find as followeth :
" In ye year 1704, ye rate fell short of ye 1001bs. Mr. Samuel Hawley collector, £00-17-91
" In ye year 1705, ye rate fell short of the 100lbs, sundry per- sons being non-solvent, I-15-OI
"In ye year 1706 ye rate fell short of ye 1001bs, several per- sons being non-solvent, allowed, 2-00-00
4-12-2 " In 1702, due to Mr. Reed to a quarter of ye year 251bs, agreed.
" Of which sums remains due from ye collector to Mr. Reed,
14-15-10
" Francis Griffin, Dr., upon arrears of his rate 1700 yet to see pay'd to Mr. Reed, £3-00-011/2
" Richard Nicolls, Dr. upon his arrears of his rate 1706, yet to see pay'd to Mr. Reed, 7-12-612."
299
Mr. Cutler's Settlement.
" not one vote against or for any other person, but the vote was so small that nothing was done further until January fol- lowing, when he had 55 votes in favor, and 38 for others. The next June they voted to seek for a stranger, and ap- pointed seven prominent men to obtain one ; the result being that, on September 16, 1709, action of the town was taken " for the continuance of Mr. Cutler amongst us in the work of the ministry in order for a settlement, of 103 in favor and none against ;" and he was offered £80, yearly salary, which was less than they had paid, during several years previous, but it was afterwards raised.
They next proposed a settlement, and September 30, 1709, " voted to give Mr. Cutler a home lot of one or two acres, to build a house on it of forty-two feet in length and twenty in breadth, a girt house, two story high with a suita- ble porch, every way well finished, and one hundred acres of land in the six-mile division, to be his own, his heirs, execu- tors forever, provided he settle with us and continue in the work of the ministry, and to give him the use of eight acres pasture and four or five of meadow, and after two years to pay him yearly £140 country pay as salary. This amount was afterwards changed to £93-06-8, current money, instead of " produce at fixed prices." " All, provided his disciplin- ing be agreeable with the way of the Colony or country at present or future."
During these years of progress from 1680, the meeting house, from which the old bell rang out a cheerful sound every day at nine o'clock in the evening, became crowded, and on January 22, 1700-I, the town voted that there should be a gallery built in the meeting house, and a committee was appointed to proceed with the work, which they did, for the remaining expense of it was ordered paid the next January. This was an end gallery, for in 1715 " two side galleries" were built "at the charge of the town," and on March 2,
5 "Dec. 29, 1691. The present townsmen by vote were impowered to hire some suitable person or persons to sweep the meeting house and ring the bell on all public days and at nine of the clock every evening.
6 "January, 1715-16. The committee of the Meetinghouse gallery then agreed and bargained with Josiah Hubbell and Israel Burritt to build the flank galleries
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History of Stratford.
1718, they "voted that the seats of each gallery shall be seated, the west side gallery with married men, the east gal- lery with married women, and antiant bachelors and antiant maides the second seats."
In May, 1713, the town voted liberty to Doctor Laboree to "erect and build a pew on the south side of the west door of the meeting house at his own expense." A few years previous to this, Richard Blackleach had made a pew for his family in this house, and these probably were all the pews then in the house; the other seats were high backed slips like other meeting houses at that day.
In 1715, "liberty was granted to the farmers to erect suitable shelter for their horses on all public days at some convenient place, with the advice of the selectmen."
The Rev. Timothy Cutler had preached in Stratford just ten years, when the trustees of Yale. College invited him to become Rector of that institution, and Stratford reluctantly consented to the change. The town, in response to the desire of the trustees, communicated to it, July 31, 1719, ap- pointed a committee to hear the propositions which might be made, and adjourned to a specified day, to hear the report ; which was communicated at the time and action taken :
" At `a town meeting in Stratford, September 7, 1719, several proposals presented by the Rev. Trustees Respecting Mr. Cutler's Remove from us to the Great work of a Rector of Yale College being laid before the town for further thought and consideration, and the town seriously consider- ing thereof did unanimously signify their great grief and sorrow Respecting Mr. Cutler's Remove from us who under God hath been the happy instrument of uniting us in love and peace after so many years of contention. However, if the Revd Mr. Cutler and Trustees are fully satisfied that Mr. Cutler hath a warrantable Call of God to Remove from us, we desire passively to submit to Divine providence.
" And as to the proposals made by the Revª Trustees, the town for peace and to maintain their good affections to
of the meeting house-both the joiner's and the carpenter's work to be done well according to rule, and finish the said gallery by the first of June next, and for their labor the committee promises to pay them thirty-three pounds in money."
301
Mr. Cutler's Dismission.
Mr. Cutler Do allow to him the hundred acres of woodland to be his own according to his desire ; the said Mr. Cutler returning the house and home lott which he received of the town, to the town again in the capacity it now is, with all betterments, fences, &c .- always provided that the Rev. Trustees or General Court allow to the town of Stratford one hundred pounds money for and towards the charge of settling another minister among us.
Test, Jos. CURTISS, Town Clerk."
Mr. Cutler went to Yale College, but there was much trouble in settling money matters between him and the town of Stratford, for one or two years afterward.
The trouble anticipated by a town vote in settling an- other minister, when they consented to allow Mr. Cutler to remove, was more than realized. They soon found a candi- date, Mr. Samuel Russell, and took a vote on his settlement, October 1, 1719, but the numbers present being small, the matter was deferred, although there were no votes against him. The next March-1720-the vote stood 83 for him and 4I against and 8 scattering. In the April following a council was called for advice, and the next month the matter went to the General Court, who advised a delegated council from all the ministerial assemblies of the State, if Stratford would pay the expense. This created much greater excitement and difficulty, and many names were entered on the records as protesting against making any expense in that way. Trouble increased during two years, Mr. Russell continuing to preach, until quite a number of inhabitants recorded their names as refusing to pay to his support, November 2, 1721, when it was concluded to seek another candidate.
The next February they held a day of fasting and prayer in view of their trouble in calling a minister, and they soon after found a preacher upon whom they could fully unite, as seen by the town record :
" April 16, 1722. Whereas, the society at a lawful meet- ing March 1, 1721-2, by a unanimous vote called Mr. Heze- kiah Gold to the work of the ministry in Stratford in order for a settlement among us, and having ever since sat under his ministry with great satisfaction and delight; and for his
302
History of Stratford.
incouragement to settle with us in the work of the ministry, it was this day voted and granted to allow him 130 pounds per annum as his yearly salary in money so long as the pub- lic good requires his labors among us. And for his settlement to give him the town house [probably the one built for Mr. Cutler] and home lot of one acre and a half to be his own forever, provided he settles with us and continue with us in the work till death ; also the barn and half the land adjoining to the home lot."
To this he made the following reply :
"To ye old Society and Church of Christ in Stratford, to whom Grace and Peace be multiplied from God our father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Dearly beloved, these may inform you of my greatful and thankful acceptance of your generous and honorable proposals for my incouragement in ye great work of ye ministry among you in which I purpose to continue as God in his providence shall permit, your faith- ful servant in Christ during life. HEZ. GOLD."
Stratford April 23, 1722.
May 8, 1722. The Society appointed the first Wednesday in June next to be the day for the ordination of Mr. Gold.
Jan. 6, 1723-4. Mr. Gold's request of the town, " liberty to erect a pew at some convenient place in the meeting house for his family " was granted. A few years later his salary was fixed at one hundred and fifty pounds a year and so con- tinued many years, but when the inflation of State bills went on a few years, his salary-about 1750-was considerably over two hundred pounds old tenor.
It is during the transactions for securing and settling Mr. Gold, that the distinction between the acts of the town and the ecclesiastical society, are first noticed on the records. The General Court in 1717 passed an act defining the powers and jurisdiction of such a society ;7 and in 1723 added the liq- erty for each society in every town to have its own clerk.
6 An Act for the better Ordering and Regulating Parishes or Societies, and for their Supporting the Ministry and Schools there.
That the settled and approved inhabitants in each respective parish or society within this Colony, shall annually meet together in December, at some time and place, according to the notice thereof to be given them at least five days before
303
Dr. Cutler's Ministry.
During Mr. Cutler's pastorate, in 1717, when harmony and prosperity prevailed throughout the township, the move- ment began, which resulted in the organization of the parish or society of Ripton, of which a careful and full account will be given further on in this book in the history of the town of Huntington.
Timothy Cutler, D. D., son of Major John Cutler, of Charlestown, Massachusetts, was born June 1, 1684, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1701. A call was extended to him by the Stratford Church September 16, 1709, and near or in the following December he was ordained pastor of this Church and congregation.
He served the parish acceptably ten years, but without any marked success, except as a pleasing and entertaining preacher. He was held in high esteem by the parish, was " reputed as a man of profound and general learning," but his letter of resignation, herewith printed, if such it may7 be
such meeting, by the committee for ordering the affairs of the society, or for want of such committee, by the clerk of the same. And the said inhabitants thus met and convened together are hereby fully impowered by their major vote, to choose a clerk for their society, and three or more discreet, able inhabitants to be a com- mittee to order the affairs of the society for the year ensuing. And also the said inhabitants assembled as above, or the major part of them, shall have power to grant and levy such rates and taxes on the inhabitants for the advancing such sum or sums of money for the support of the ministry and school there, as the law directs, and to appoint a collector or collectors for gathering thereof, who are hereby ordered and impowered to proceed in collecting the same, according to the direction of the law to collectors chosen for gathering the town and minister's rates. And in case the collector or collectors shall not perform the trust hereby committed to him or them, he or they shall be accountable for such arrearages by him or them neglected to be gathered, to the committee of such society, who are impowered to demand or distrain for the same, according to the direction of said law.
To this was added, in October, 1723, "That where there are more societies than one in any town in this government, every such society are enabled, and they hereby have full power, to choose their own clerk." Col. Records, vi. 33.
7 Mr. Cutler's resignation was as follows, dated September 14, 1719: " BRETHREN AND FRIENDS :
I hope I have, with seriousness and solemnity considered the invitation made to me for a removal from you to the Collegiate School at New Haven, and can look upon it as nothing less than a call of providence which I am obliged to obey.
I do, therefore, by these lines, give you this signification, giving you my hearty
304
History of Stratford.
called, does not sustain the reputation thus given him. A brief letter of this description, in which the pronoun of the first person nominative occurs nine times, and six times in the possessive, is doubtless a literary production, but not of a very highly cultivated style; and, instead of resigning his office, he discharges the parish from further service to him, in these words, " and discharging you from the date of this letter forever."
In the summer of 1719 he accepted the presidency of Yale College, which office he discharged acceptably three years, when, professing a preference for the Church of Eng- land and renouncing his connection with the churches of the Colony, he, upon request, resigned the presidency of the Col- lege ; went to England in 1723, where he was ordained priest and honored with the title of D. D., by Oxford University ; returned to America and became pastor of Christ Church in Boston. He died in that city in 1765, aged 82 years.
Rev. Hezekiah Gold, son of Hon. Nathan Gold, Jr., of Fairfield, was born in 1794; graduated at Harvard College in 1719, and was ordained pastor of the Stratford Church on the first Wednesday in June, 1722. Within the first year of his ministry his labors were honored by the accession of sixty persons to membership of his Church; and from that time forward a good degree of prosperity attended his ministra-
thanks for all that respect and kindness I have found with you and praying God abun- dantly to reward you for it-and discharging you from the date of this letter for- ever-and praying you to apply yourselves with all convenient speed to the set- tling of another minister with you.
I intend, if it be not unacceptable to you, to visit you and take my farewell of you as soon as I can conveniently in some Lord's day after my return from Boston, where I am now going, if it please God. When I am bodily absent from you my affections shall persevere towards you and my hearty desires and prayers shall be to God for you, that he would preserve you in his favour and in peace among yourselves ; direct your endeavours for the settlement of another to break the bread of life with you and make your way prosperous, and abundantly make up my removal from you by his gifts and his painful and successful endeavours for the good of your souls and your children after you. Thus, I leave you to the care of the Great Shepherd of the sheep always remaining an earnest well-wisher to your souls and all your concerns.
TIMOTHY CUTLER."
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Mr. Gold's Ministry.
tions. From 1731 to 1746, 260 persons became members of his church ; among whom were the Rev. Nathan Birdseye, who died in ISIS, in his 104th year, and David Wooster, after- wards General in the army of the Revolution.
Mr. Gold was dismissed from the pastorate of the Strat- ford parish July 3, 1752, and died in 1761.6
Mr. Gold was placed in unusual circumstances in his ministry from 1740, to his dismission. From the beginning of his labors his zeal and spirit was in harmony with the gospel idea of saving sinners as well as to teach the church, and hence many were converted and added to the church. When in 1735 an unusual religious interest was developed under the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, at Northampton, Mass., it was in harmony with Mr. Gold's labors as much, probably, as those of any minister in Connecticut ; and it was the same when the Rev. George Whitefield of England came.
The Rev. Benjamin L. Swan made the following notes concerning the Rev. George Whitefield's visit to Stratford.
" Mr. Whitefield preached here Monday afternoon Octo- ber 27, 1740, on his way from New Haven, where he preached on Sunday the 26th, and on the three days preceding. He records an interview at New Haven with the Rev. Jedediah Mills of Ripton parish in Stratford, whom he calls a 'dear man of God. My soul was much united to him.'
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