USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stratford > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 37
USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 37
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Three years later, some of the people of Stratford insti- tuted measures for depriving General Walker of this privi- lege, and he being an old Revolutionary soldier, and having a
407
The Old Yellow Mill.
will of his own, determined not to be defeated. He had then expended much money and time, and therefore petitioned the legislature, at the October session of 1795, for action on the matter, with advantageous result :
" Upon the petition of Joseph Walker of Stratford, in the County of Fairfield, showing to this Assembly that the inhab- itants of the town of Stratford at a legal town meeting held on the 5th day of March, 1792, granted to him, his heirs and assigns the exclusive privilege of a certain salt water creek or arm of the sea on the easterly side of the Newfield Harbour in said town, being known and called by the name of Old Mill Creek, for the purpose of erecting a tide mill, and that he has proceeded to improve said grant, and laid out and expended large sums of money in prosecuting said business, and that he now finds some individuals in said town object to his proceedings to improve said grant, praying relief as per petition on file :
Resolved by this Assembly, That said grant of said town of Stratford, as aforesaid, made to the petitioner be and the same is hereby ratified and confirmed ; and liberty is hereby granted to the petitioner, his heirs and assigns to erect and build a dam across said creek or river, at or near Benjamin's Bridge, in such manner as to use and employ the mill or mills that may be there erected to the greatest advantage ; pro- vided, nevertheless, that nothing in said resolve shall be con- strued to bar said town of Stratford from compelling the petitioner, his heirs and assigns, to repair any injury he or they may do said Benjamin's Bridge by erecting said mill- dam; and also provided that nothing in this resolve contained shall be construed to bar or affect the right which any indi- vidual may have to any action against the petitioner, his heirs and assigns in case they are damnified by the overflowing of the waters occasioned by said dam."
Old Mill creek is what is now called the Yellow Mill- pond and Pembroke lake, and extended northward to Old Mill Green. The elder residents of Stratford remember when vessels of considerable size were built at the head of the creek and floated down and over the causeway, at high water, to the harbor.
408
History of Stratford.
The tide in this creek always set back to Old Mill until the railroad culvert was built, which stopped the water from flowing above that point.
This mill, built by Gen. Joseph Walker, had a number of owners, the last of whom was Mr. George F. Cook, and he was the unfortunate loser when it was set afire and burned down in 1884.
The mill was painted yellow, and had been known many years as the Yellow Mill.
The desire for a new township or townships continued with increased interest and effort and in 1786, in town meet- ing, they gave consent that Ripton, North Stratford and New Stratford might become separate towns, and in 1789, Ripton and New Stratford were made a separate township.
In August, 1787, the following action as to the ferry road was taken : " Voted, that the selectmen procure an highway at New Pasture Point to accommodate the Ferry, and if they cannot agree with the owners of the land, to apply to the County Court for the purpose aforesaid."
The road was secured, and passed around the point from where the Steel Works now stand, along the shore to Benja- min's Bridge.
The only public road or highway coming to this Point was what is now Pembroke street, which had been in use probably more than one hundred years.
The Congregational Church and Meeting-house.
The third meeting-house in Stratford village had served the congregation well about forty years, was in good repair, when, on the afternoon of June 17, 1785, it was burned to the ground, being struck by lightning. This edifice stood on Watch-house Hill, and the destruction of it, so soon after the Revolutionary War, was a great calamity to the society and people.
Some description of this unfortunate occurrence, and the building of a new house, has been preserved by the thought- fulness of one of Stratford's own citizens, having been writ- ten in an Almanac for that same year, which is now just one hundred years ago ; and it is here produced with pleasure.
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Burning the Meeting-house.
In this house Mr. Gold had preached about eight years, and Mr. Izrahiah Wetmore twenty-seven years, but had re- signed his pastorate five years before, and Mr. Stephen W. Stebbins had preached in it about one year when it was burned.
The burning of the Stratford Meeting-house as recorded by John Brooks.
"On Friday, the 17th day of June, 1785, at about 6 o'clock in the afternoon, Stratford meeting-house was struck with lightning and within about one hour and a half it was totally reduced to ashes. The fire broke out from the steeple, round the plate on the south side, all in an instant. The house on that side was one continued blaze instantaneously. The quantity of fire contained in the clap or explosion, was sup- posed to be very great, and all efforts to save the house was in vain.
" The Society having collected timber and other materials erected another house of the same dimensions as the former and placed it on Hiell's hill, so-called. The frame of this new house they commenced raising on Friday, the 17th of May, 1786, and finished it on Saturday the 18th at about sun- down.
" The society with united zeal proceeded with this build- ing and completed, painted, glazed and plastered it on Satur- day, the IIth day of November, in just 25 weeks after it was erected ; and on the Sunday following, Nov. 12, 1786, the congregation met in it in the forenoon for the purpose of public worship which was conducted by the Rev. Stephen W. Sebbins, who introduced the services by singing the 102d Psalm, 2d part. Next in succession followed a very pertinent extempore prayer suitable to the occasion and dedication of said house. The Ist text was from the 107 psalm at the 7th verse. The subject matter of the sermon was upon the duty of attending the public worship and other ordinances of Christ's Church, with becoming reverance and fear; and the sacrament of the Lord's supper was administered the same forenoon.
" In the afternoon the service began at 3 o'clock, intro-
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History of Stratford.
duced in the usual manner, and a sermon delivered by the Rev. Mr. Stebbins before a very numerous audience composed of the two Societies, in this place, unitedly convened with their respective pastors-the Rev. Mr. Leaming, the Episco- pal Rector-and a number of gentlemen from the other parishes of the town. The sermon was on the subject of God's recording his name in his temple; and William Brooks had a child baptized by the name of Anna,2 the first to whom that ordinance was administered in said house.3"
This was a commodious edifice, located near the site of the present house of worship of the same society, and it con- tinued in use until the one now standing was built in 1858. Of this building a good picture is preserved, showing it to have been an imposing structure for the times, built with much skill of architecture and workmanship. This is espe- cially exhibited by the representation of the interior of the house. There were doors on the south side and the two ends, it being the same style of meeting-house that prevailed for a hundred years or more in this State, the first one of the kind having been built at Farmington.
When this house was to be torn down, and the carpen- ters had commenced their work, Mr. Rufus W. Bunnell, on the morning of November 1, 1858, stepped into the front door to take a last look at the familiar seats and walls, when the thought struck him-yes, struck him-to make a drawing as it then appeared. This he did, on an old scrap of paper, so perfectly that the wood engraver4 has produced the accom- panying finely-finished illustration of the sacred old inclosure. The paneling, table, carpet, windows, pulpit and sounding- board over it are to be seen in life-like vividness, as they were when the congregation last departed from that long familiar place. The sounding-board was finished in a more ornamental style than was usual, by the dome-like paneling
2 The family record says Polly.
3 This record was made by John Brooks in the back part of a Connecticut Register for 1785-Green's first Register-the calculations being made by Nathan Daboll, of the academy in Plainfield. (Manuscript of the Rev. B. L. Swan.)
4 Mr. John E. Sweet, of Bridgeport.
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The Sounding-board.
INTERIOR OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI TAKEN NOVEMBER I. 1S5S.
412
History of Stratford.
above it, forming a much more imposing appearance than was customary in the meeting-houses of that day. It was not the intention of the artist to represent the pews, but only the main aisle and the side of the house on which the pulpit stood.
It is with much satisfaction that the accompanying cut is secured for this work.
This was the fourth house of worship for this, the old society, and in 1858 they commenced the fifth, which was completed in modern style inside and out, and was dedicated on the 27th of October, 1859, an ornament to the village, and . a pleasant house of worship.
The Manual of this Congregational Church of Strat- ford is a more than usually historical, extensive and val- uable work of the kind, having been published in 1881, con- taining 84 pages. From it are taken the following sketches of Ministers and list of Deacons :
"Rev. Israhiah Wetmore," the third son of Rev. Izra- hiah and Sarah (Booth) Wetmore, born August 30, 1729, at Stratford, was graduated at Yale College in 1748, received the degree of A.M. from the same institution in 1751 ; studied theology and entered the ministry ; was settled pastor at Stratford from May, 1753, until 1780, at Trumbull from 1785 until 1798.
" He preached the Election Sermon before the Legisla- ture of Connecticut in 1773 ; also a sermon in pamphlet form at the ordination of David Lewis Beebe to the pastorate of the first Church of Christ at Woodbridge, February 23, 1791 ; and other autograph sermons still preserved.
" He was warmly attached to the cause of Independence, and it is related of him that, ' When the news of the surren- der of Lord Cornwallis to General Washington reached Stratford it was on Sunday and during worship. Word was immediately taken to the pulpit, while parson Wetmore was delivering his discourse. Straightening himself to his full height, and making known the intelligence, he said : It is no
5 This sketch is taken from the Wetmore Genealogy.
413
Biographical Sketches.
place for boisterous demonstrations in the house of God, but we may, in giving three cheers, only go through with the motions.'"
"Rev. Stephen William Stebbins, son of Stephen Stebbins, was born in East Long Meadow, Mass., June 26, 1758, graduated at Yale College in 1781, and ordained pastor of this Church, July 7, 1784. Just before his ordination, the Church made declaration of independency and reaffirmed the half-way covenant. He was dismissed in August, 1813, and afterwards settled in West Haven.
"Rev. Matthew R. Dutton was born in Watertown, Conn., June 3, 1783, graduated at Yale College in 1808, and was ordained in Stratford, September 20, 1814, having de- clined an urgent call from the Church in Portsmouth, N. H., Mr. Dutton continued pastor, universally esteemed and be- loved, until the autumn of 1821, when he accepted the appoint- ment of Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in Yale College. He died July 17, 1825.
" When Mr. Dutton was called to the Church, its spiritual condition was very low. Various causes, long operating, had greatly adulterated the doctrinal belief of many members. Some of the most prominent had become believers in Univer- salism. The enforcement of discipline, for errors in belief, had become wholly impracticable. Mr. Dutton, as a condi- tion of accepting the call, stipulated for an open, thorough re-confession by the Church, of sound doctrine, and an assent to a solemn covenant to enforce discipline. The Confession of Faith and the Covenant now in use were, at that time, adopted, and only those who would assent to it were enrolled as members of the Church.
" Mr. Dutton's ministry was blessed to the spiritual life and efficiency of the Church. In 1821, on one Sunday, seventy persons were added to the Church.
"Rev. Joshua Leavitt, D.D., was born in Heth, Franklin county, Mass., Sept. 8, 1794, graduated at Yale Col- lege, in September, 1814, and ordained pastor of this Church in February, 1825. He was dismissed in 1828, to become the Agent of the American Seamen's Friend Society in New
414
History of Stratford.
York. After that he was connected with the religious and secular press, and also with several institutions of Christian benevolence and moral reform. He died in 1873.
"Rev. Thomas Robbins was born in Norfolk, Conn., August II, 1777, entered Yale College in 1792, and at the close of the Junior year he left and joined the Senior class in Williams College, where he was graduated in August, 1796. In September following he took the same degree, B.A., in his former class at Yale. In 1803 he was ordained Missionary of the Home Missionary Society, to the northern part of Ohio, where he labored until impaired health obliged him to return East. In May, 1809, he was installed pastor over the Church in East Windsor, Conn., where he continued until 1827, when he was dismissed at his own request. In Febru- ary, 1830, he was installed pastor of this Church, and on September 9th, the following year, he was dismissed. He removed to Metapoisett, Mass., where for fourteen years he labored as pastor, and then resigning his charge became librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society at Hartford. He died at Colebrook, September 13, 1856, in the Soth year of his age.
"Rev. Frederick W. Chapman was born in Canfield, Trumbull county, Ohio, November 17, 1806; graduated at Yale College in 1828, and ordained pastor of this Church, September 5, 1832. He was dismissed April 16, 1839, and subsequently settled over the Church at Glastonbury. He died in 1876.
"Rev. William Bouton Weed was born in Canaan, March 22, 18II, graduated at Yale College in 1830, and for several years devoted himself to teaching. He was converted under a sermon which he heard at Chilicothe, Ohio, from the text, 'Be ye thankful.' In 1836, he began the study of the law, but abandoned it for the ministry and was ordained at Stratford pastor of this Church, December 4, 1839.
" During his ministry, which was a most successful one, Mr. Weed received many flattering calls to other pastorates. At length, thinking that a new field of labor might conduce to the invigoration of his enfeebled health, he accepted the
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Biographical Sketches.
invitation of the First Church in Norwalk, Conn., where he was installed June 27, 1855. He died December 3, 1860.
Mr. Weed was held in prominent regard by the ministers and churches of the State, as a man of eminent ability, and his teachings are gratefully remembered by those who were permitted to receive them. A book of his sermons, to which is prefixed a biographical notice, has been published.
"Rev. Joseph R. Page was born in New Brunswick, N. J., and was ordained pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Perry, Wyoming county, N. Y., February 6, 1839, from which place he came to Stratford, where he was installed pastor February II, 1857. In October, 1858, he was dismissed, and soon assumed again the pastoral charge of his former Church at Perry. In June, 1868, he removed to East Avon, where, for about five years, he was acting pastor of the Presbyterian Church. In November, 1872, he removed to Rochester, where he served as missionary of the Rochester Presbytery. In February, 1875, he was installed pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Brighton, N. Y. In 1876, the degree of D.D. was conferred on him by Hamilton College.
Rev. Benjamin L. Swan was born in Medford, Mass., July 31, 1813; entered College in the Junior Class, but was providentially hindered from completing the course. He received the honorary degree of A.M. from Yale in 1844. He was ordained pastor of the Church in Fair Haven, Conn., in 1836; was installed pastor of the Church in Litchfield, Conn., in 1846. He was acting pastor at the South Church in Bridgeport, from June, 1856, to November, 1858. In September, 1858, he accepted the invitation of this Church, and was installed in October, 1858, and dismissed in 1863. In the spring of 1866, he became pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Oyster Bay, N. Y., where he labored until the Autumn of 1875, when domestic bereavement and ill health obliged him to resign his pastorate.
Rev. Lewis Charpiot was installed pastor of this Church May 25, 1864, and dismissed April 12, 1866.
Rev. William K. Hall was born in Boston, Mass., Nov. 4, 1836, was graduated at Yale College in 1859; pursued
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History of Stratford.
his theological studies in New Haven and Berlin, Germany, and was ordained October 17, 1862, chaplain of the Connecti- cut Volunteers. He was installed pastor of this Church, October 24, 1866, and the relation was dissolved at his request in May, 1872. In January, 1873, he accepted a call from the First Presbyterian Church in Newburgh, N. Y. He was chosen moderator of the New York Synod in 1878, and in the following year was appointed by the Secretary of War as one of the Board of Visitors at West Point.
Rev. Frank S. Fitch was born in Geneva, Ohio, Feb- ruary 24, 1846. He was graduated at Oberlin College in 1870, and at Yale Divinity School in 1873. He was ordained pastor of this Church June 17, 1873, and resigned in October, 1878, and on November 21st of the same year was installed pastor of the Seventh Street Congregational Church, Cincin- nati, Ohio.
Rev. S. H. Dana was installed pastor March 12, 1879, and dismissed December 31, 1881.
Rev. Joel Stone Ives, son of the Rev. Alfred E., and Harriet P. (Stone) Ives, was born in Colebrook, Conn., Dec. 5, 1847; graduated at Amherst College, July 16, 1870, and from Yale Divinity School, May 14, 1874; licensed to preach by the New Haven Centre Association, May 4, 1873, and or- dained the tenth pastor of the first church in East Hampton, September 29, 1874. From this church he was dismissed October 31, 1883 ; began to preach in Stratford November I, and was installed pastor November 20, 1883.
He married, July 15, 1874, Emma S., daughter of Mr. Joel Ives Butler, of Meriden, Conn. Their children are Anne Emma, Mabel Sarah, died in 1879, and Joel Butler.
This Church has given to the Ministry the following named persons from her members :
"Rev. Benjamin Blakeman, son of the first pastor, was graduated at Harvard College in 1663. Closed a min- istry at Malden, Mass., in 1678. He afterwards preached at Scarborough, and was subsequently in secular business.
417
Biographical Sketches.
Rev. Charles Chauncey, son of the pastor Israel, was the first pastor of the Stratfield Church and Society from 1695 to 1714, he having preached for that people considerably if not regularly two or more years before 1695. He died in 1714.
Rev. Isaac Chauncey, son of the pastor Israel Chauncey, was pastor at Hadley, Mass., from 1696 to 1745, when he died.
Rev. Nathaniel Chauncey, nephew of Israel Chaun- cey, the pastor, was the first recorded graduate of Yale College, and was pastor at Durham, Conn., from 1711 to 1756, when he died.
Rev. John Beach, son of Isaac Beach, of Stratford, was the pastor of the Congregational Church at Newtown from 1725 to 1732, and Rector of the Episcopal Church of the same place from 1732 to 1782, when he died.
Rev. John Goodsell, first pastor of the Church on Greenfield Hill from 1726 to 1756, when he died. He was only twenty years of age when he settled in the parish, the Church being organized at the time of his settlement, with twenty-six members, and at the close of the year 1741 the number was one hundred and sixty.
Rev. Jeremiah Curtis was the first pastor at South- ington, and labored there from 1728 to 1755. He died there in 1795, aged eighty-nine years.
Rev. Jonathan Ingersoll was pastor at Ridgefield, from 1740 to 1778, when he died.
Rev. Mark Leavenworth was pastor at Waterbury from 1740 to 1797, when he died.
Rev. Nathan Birdsey was pastor at West Haven from 1742 to 1758, when from domestic considerations he retired to his homestead at Oronoke in Stratford, where he died in 1818, aged 103 years 5 months and 9 days. When one hundred years old he made the prayer at the ordination of Mr. Dutton. He had twelve children, and at his death his grandchildren had numbered seventy-six, his great grand- children one hundred and sixty-three. The Rev. Joseph P. Thompson, D.D., was a descendant.
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History of Stratford.
Rev. David Judson was pastor of the Congregational Church at Newtown from 1743 until 1776, when he died.
Rer. Hezekiah Gold, the son of the pastor, was pastor at Cornwall from 1755 until 1790, when he died.
Rer. Eden Burroughs was pastor of a Church at South Killingly, from 1760 until 1763, then pastor at Hanover, N. H., from 1772 until 1809. He preached at Hartford, Vt., from 1809 until 1813, when he died, aged seventy-five years. The Rev. E. B. Foster was a descendant.
Rev. Andrew Judson was pastor at Eastford from 1778 until 1804, when he died.
Rev. Nehemiah Beach Beardsley was ordained in 1816 and died in 1868.
Rev. Spencer F. Beard was ordained in 1829, and died at Andover, Mass. in 1876. The Rev. William H. Beard and the Rev. Edwin S. Beard are his sons.
Rev. William Russell, son of Alden and Sarah (Nor- ton) Russell, was born in Stratford, February 15, 1815, grad- uated at Yale College in 1837, and Yale Divinity School in 1841. In 1842 he was settled in Wakeman, Ohio, where he remained three years. In January, 1846, he commenced preaching for the Congregational Church at Easthampton, Conn., and on October 14th was settled there as the seventh pastor of that Church, remaining until October II, 1855, when he was dismissed. The next year he was installed pastor of the Second Congregational Church of New Ipswich, N. H., where after remaining three years he found the climate too severe for his health and was dismissed. In 1860, he became pastor of the Church in Sherman, Conn., and remained three years, at which time an asthmatic affection of long standing obliged him to relinquish the pulpit.
Since that time he has resided in Washington, D. C., in the service of the Government.
He married, May 10, 1842, Sarah Elizabeth Brown, of New Haven. Their children are Hattie Hamlin, b. Mar. I, 1844; Sarah Norton, b. July 6, 1847, and Minnie Williams, b. Nov. 22, 1851.
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Biographical Sketches.
Rev. Phineas Blakeman, ordained in 1843.
Rer. Charles Henry Russell, ordained in 1859.
Rev. Henry Samuel Barnum was graduated at Yale College in 1862 and became a Missionary of the A. B. C. F. M. in Persia in 1867.
Rev. Samuel F. Emerson was graduated at Yale Col- lege in 1872 and Union Theological Seminary in 1879.
Rev. Joyce Curtis, son of Solomon and Jerusha (Walk- er) Curtis, was born in 1787 and died in 1861.
Rev. Hezekiah Gold Ufford, son of Samuel and Abi- gail (Gold) Ufford, was born in 1779, graduated at Yale Col- lege in 1806, and died, January 23, 1863, aged 84 years.
George Wm. Judson. son of George T. Judson, was graduated at Yale College in 1884, and is now in Yale Divinity School.
Elder and Deacons of this Church.
" Philip Groves was the only Ruling Elder in this Church from near its organization to his death in 1676. He was Dep- uty to the General Court from this town as early as 1652, and in 1654 was chosen Assistant and as such was 'empowered to marry persons.'
" John Birdsey is referred to as Deacon in 1678. He died in 1690.
" Timothy Wilcockson is referred to as a Deacon in 1678. He died in 1714.
" Thomas Welles is mentioned as Deacon in 1707. He died in 1721.
" Robert Walker is named as a Deacon in 1722. He died in 1743.
" John Thompson is also mentioned as a Deacon in 1722. He died in 1765.
" Job Peck is styled Deacon on his grave stone, although no record of his appointment has been seen. He died in 1782.
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History of Stratford.
Elnathan Wheeler, appointed in 1751, and died in 1761. Isaiah Brown, appointed in 1755, and died in 1793. Ebenezer Coe, appointed in 1784, and died in 1820. Nathan McEwen, appointed in 1791, and died in 1810. Samuel Ufford, appointed in 1801, and died in 1821. Agur Curtiss, appointed in 1801, and died in 1838.
Philo Curtiss, appointed in -, and died in 1852. Agur Curtiss, appointed in -, and died in 1868. David P. Judson, appointed in 1837, and died in 1869. Agur T. Curtiss, appointed in 1858.
Lewis Beers, appointed in 1858, and died in 1870.
Charles C. Welles, appointed in 1867.
Samuel T. Houghton, appointed in 1877.
Samuel E. Curtis, appointed in 1877.
Sketches of Prominent Men.
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