USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stratford > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 55
USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 55
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2 See page 227 of this book.
622
History of Stratford.
The following record is conclusive : "At a lawful meeting of the Society of Stratfield held on 22 day of December, 1743, it was voted that Capt. John Burr, David Sherman, Jr., and Timothy Wheeler be a committee to order the prudentials of the society for the year ensuing." Col. John Burr was moderator of this same meeting, so that his position as a prominent man of the Congregational society at that date is also decided. It is indicated that Col. Burr and Timothy Wheeler united with the Episcopal Church in the year 1744, since in the annual meeting of the Stratfield society, Decem- ber, 1744, neither of their names occurs.
John Beardslee, who has been supposed to have been a member of the Episcopal Church some years earlier, was moderator of the Stratfield society's meeting in October, 1743. Samuel Beardslee was not prominent in the Stratfield society ; he conformed to the Episcopal Church, probably, with others in 1744, and after several years joined the Baptist Church.
It is therefore quite certain that in 1740 there were very few if any communicants of the Episcopal Church residing within the boundaries of the Stratfield society.
The records of this St. John's Church now in existence, begin with a copy of the summons of "those persons profess- ors of the Episcopal Church, inhabitants of Stratfield Society, to appear at the Church in said Society, Thursday the ninth day of instant December, at two of the clock in the afternoon, for the purpose of forming themselves into one body Corpo- rate, or Society, for to chuse Society officers for the well- ordering and governing the prudential affairs of said Episco- pal Church as they in their wisdom shall judge meet and fitting." This document bears the date December 1, 1784. The first meeting was held on the day designated and after choosing the parish officers it was " voted to settle Mr. Philo Shelton in this Society." Mr. Shelton at that time was a candidate for orders, and continued to officiate as lay reader until the arrival of Bishop Seabury, who admitted him to the order of Deacons of Christ Church, Middletown, and to the order of Priesthood in Trinity Church, New Haven, in 1785. Aside from the fact that his rectorship was the first after the
623
Bridgeport.
organization, and the longest that the parish has known, he is also to be remembered as the first individual who received Episcopal ordination in this country, as appears from the inscription placed over his remains, which were interred in the Episcopal Church which was at Mill Plain, Fairfield, also under his charge. The increase of business and the popula- tion in the borough of Bridgeport, necessitated a change in the locality of the church, and accordingly in 1801 the second edifice was erected at the southeast corner of State and Broad streets in Bridgeport. Mr. Shelton's rectorship continued until Easter in 1824.
The following sketch of his life and labors is taken largely from the "Seabury Centenary of Connecticut," published in 1885.
Rev. Philo Shelton, son of Samuel and grandson of Daniel Shelton, was born in Ripton-now Huntington -- May 7, 1754. He was graduated at Yale College in 1775, and offi- ciated as lay reader in several places, principally at Fairfield, Stratfield and Weston, after 1779. While waiting for ordina- tion he married, April 20, 1781, Lucy, daughter of Philip Nichols, Esq., of Stratford-now Bridgeport. In February, 1785, a formal arrangement was made that his services in each of the three places should be proportioned to the num- ber of churchmen residing in them respectively, and until he should be in orders it was stipulated to pay him twenty shillings lawful money for each day that he officiated. Rev. Ashbel Baldwin, his nearest neighbor in parochial work, and most intimate friend and associate in efforts to build up the church in Connecticut, used to say that the hands of Bishop Seabury were first laid upon the head of Mr. Shelton on the 3d of August, 1785, so that his name really begins the long list of clergy who have received ordination in this country by Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church. In the Diocesan Convention, under an established rule of that body, he invariably outranked Mr. Baldwin, and so was frequently the presiding officer in the absence of the Bishop, which is another proof that he was his senior by ordination as well as in years.
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History of Stratford.
After his admission to Holy Orders, according to his own statement, Mr. Shelton took full " pastoral charge of the cure of Fairfield, including Stratfield and Weston, dividing his time equally between the three churches, with a salary of one hundred pounds per annum from the congregations, and the use of what lands belonged to the cure." Five years passed away before the enterprise of building a new church in Fairfield was really begun, and then it was erected about a mile west of the site where the old one stood, and was only inclosed and made fit for occupancy at the time and not fin- ished and consecrated until 1798.
Then the population was drifting from Stratfield toward the borough of Bridgeport, and in 1801 it was deemed advisa- ble to demolish the old church and build a new one in a more central locality ; and Mr. Shelton, seeing the wisdom and advantage of this movement, encouraged it.
This new church in the borough was so far completed that it was used in the beginning of Advent, 1801, and two years later "the ground floor was sold at public vendue for the purpose of building the pews and seats thereon, and fin- ishing the church, and the money raised in the sale amounted to between six and seven hundred dollars." The building cost about thirty-five hundred dollars above this, and was met by voluntary contributions of the people. Mr. Shelton, in speaking of the whole work, said : " It has been conducted in harmony, with good prudence, strict economy, and a de- gree of elegance and taste which does honor to the committee and adds respectability to the place."
For nearly forty years the scene of his ministerial labors was undisturbed, and he dwelt among his people in quietness and confidence and had the satisfaction of seeing them attain to a high degree of worldly prosperity. The silent influence of a good life carried him along smoothly and left its gentle impress wherever he was known. "A faithful pastor, a guile- less and godly man," is a part of the inscription upon the marble monument erected over his ashes in the Mountain Grove Cemetery at Bridgeport, a few years since, by his son William, and these words sum up very appropriately his ministerial and Christian character. While he confined him-
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Bridgeport.
self closely to the duties of his cure, he shrank not from work put upon him by the diocese and was for twenty-four years a member of the standing committee and a firm supporter of ecclesiastical authority in seasons of trial and trouble. He was also several times chosen a deputy to the General Con- vention, and never failed to attend its sessions.
Mr. Shelton continued to serve in this parish until his resignation of the pastorate of St. John's Church, which took effect at Easter in 1824. After this he confined his labors regularly to the church in Fairfield, but did not long survive the change, for he died February 27, 1825, and was buried under the chancel of the old church in Mill Plain, Fairfield, where he had ministered so many years, and a marble tablet was provided by the congregation to mark his resting place, on which, among other things, were inscribed the date of his birth, graduation, admission to Holy Orders, and the words : " being the first clergyman Episcopally ordained in the United States."
The remains of Mr. Shelton now have a final resting-place with those of his wife and two of his daughters in Mountain Grove Cemetery. A monumental tablet in the wall of St. John's Church, Bridgeport, " bears an affectionate testimony to his Christian worth and ministerial fidelity." Bishop Brownell said of him: "For simplicity of character, amiable manners, unaffected piety, and a faithful devotion to the duties of the ministerial office, he has left an example by which all his surviving brethren may profit, and which few of them may hope to surpass."
His widow survived him thirteen years, being an intelli- gent and devout churchwoman, who, as it has been said, " left a name only to be loved and honored by her friends." Two of his sons entered the ministry. George Augustus Shelton, the younger, was a graduate of Yale College, and died rector of St. James's Church, Newtown, L. I., in 1863. The other son, William Shelton, D.D., succeeded his father for a time in Fairfield, and then went to Buffalo, where for more than half a century he was the distinguished rector of St. Paul's Church, the oldest parish in that city. Both died childless.
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History of Stratford.
Rev. Henry R. Judah in 1824 succeeded the Rev. Philo Shelton in the pastorate of St. John's Church, and continued therein until the year 1833, when he was followed by the Rev. Dr. Gurdon S. Coit. In 1836 the third church edifice was built, located at the southeast corner of Broad and Cannon streets, and Dr. Coit served the parish until 1861, when he resigned.
Gurdon Saltonstall Coit, D.D., was born in New London, Conn., October 28, 1808, and was graduated at Yale College in 1828, and became rector of St. John's Church, Bridgeport, in October, 1833. In 1836, during his labors here, the third edifice of worship for this church was built on the corner of Broad and Cannon streets, a stone structure of dignified proportions and commodious capacity. It is still standing but occupied for other purposes, the congregation having removed to their new edifice on the corner of Park and Fairfiefd avenue.
Dr. Coit continued rector of this parish with much suc- cess until he accepted the chaplaincy of Colonel Berdan's regiment of sharp-shooters, September 26, 1861. After the war he became rector at Naugatuck and subsequently at West Haven. He died in Southport, Conn., Nov. 10, 1869.
In 1861 Dr. Coit was succeeded by the Rev. Junius M. Willey, whose brief rectorship was terminated by his untimely death on April 7, 1866. This is the only instance in the long history of the parish in which its members have been called to follow the remains of one who while yet their official head had been summoned from the labor of earth to the rest of the blessed.
Rev. Eaton W. Maxcy, D.D., became the pastor of St. John's Church at Whit Sunday, 1867, and continued in its service until his resignation took effect on Easter, 1885. Dur- ing his labors here the fourth edifice of worship for this parish was erected, being located at the corner of Park and Fairfield avenues, which was occupied by the congregation the first time at Easter in 1875. It is one of the finest edifices in the city and has one of the most favorable locations. Dr. Maxcy resigned this parish after eighteen years of successful and
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most constant labors, at Easter, 1885, and has since become the rector of a pleasant and prosperous church in the city of Troy, N. Y.
First Congregational Church of Bridgeport.
This was originally the Stratfield Church, the history of which until 1745 has been given in a previous part of this book. The Rev. Samuel Cooke, the pastor, died December 2, 1747, and his successor was Lyman Hall.
Mr. Lyman Hall was born in Wallingford, April 12, 1724, and graduated at Yale College in 1747. He studied theology with an uncle in Cheshire, and was ordained in Stratfield, September 20, 1749, but his pastorate was short, closing June 18, 1751. He then taught school in Fairfield, studied medicine and became a physician. He married, May 20, 1752, Abigail, the accomplished daughter of Thaddeus Barr. She died July 8, 1753, as seen by the inscription on her grave-stone.3
Mr. Hall was in Fairfield as late as 1757, but afterwards removed to the State of Georgia, and early in 1775 took a seat in the Continental Congress as a representative of that patriotic people. He was a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and in 1783 was the first Governor of that State. He died October 19, 1790, leaving a widow but no children.4
3 " Here lies buried the Body of Mrs. Abigail Hall, wife of Lyman Hall M.A., Daughter of Thaddeus Burr, Esqr., died July 8th, 1753, Aged 24 Years.
Modest, yet free, with innocence adorned ; To please and win, by Art and Nature formed ;
Benevolent and wise, in virtue firm ; Constant in Friendship, in Religion warm ;
A partner tender, unaffected, kind ;
A lovely Form, with a more lovely mind,-
The scene of Life tho' short sh' improved so well,
No charms in human forms could more excel ; Christ's Life her copy ; His pure law her Guide ; Each part She acted, perfected, and dy'd."
4 Sermon by the Rev. Charles Ray Palmer, of Bridgeport, 1876.
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History of Stratford.
Rer. Robert Ross,' after an interval of two years and more, succeeded Mr. Hall in the pastorate of the Stratfield Congregational Church. He was the son of Irish parents, but a native of this country. He was born in 1726, graduated at Princeton in 1751, and ordained pastor here November 28, 1753, which position he filled with much efficiency and suc- cess more than forty-two years. He lived on the old stage road, a little west of Church Lane, in a house recently taken down. He was beyond doubt a remarkable man. He was six feet in height and well proportioned. His presence was imposing, and his ruffled shirt, wig, and cocked hat seemed peculiarly in keeping with it. His usual dress was a black suit with knee breeches, and white topped boots. He was distinguished for his classical attainments and was esteemed as a sound theologian ; but he most strongly impressed him- self upon the community through the warmth of his patriot- ism and the decisiveness of his political convictions. He became a man of influence on the patriotic side and propor- tionally obnoxious to the royalists. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War he preached on the text, " For the divis- ions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart," in a way long to be remembered. A company of soldiers, raised to join the invasion of Canada, in the fall of 1775, mustered in his door yard and was commended to God in a fervent prayer by him, before starting on their expedition. He was a steadfast promoter of education and published some school books. He married, first, Mrs. Sarah, widow of Samuel Hawley, December 18, 1753. She was Sarah Edwards before marriage to Mr. Hawley. She died October 10, 1772. Mr. Ross married, second, Eulilia, daughter of Ebenezer and Elizabeth (Williams) Bartram, of Fairfield. She died Decem- ber 9, 1785, in her 49th year, being much esteemed by the people. Mr. Ross married in 1786, Sarah, daughter of Rev. Jonathan Merrick, of North Branford. She died August 29, 1799, leaving a son, Merrick, who died September II, 1799. By his first wife he had a son and daughter. The son, while a lad, was drowned in his father's well, but the daughter, Sarah, married Eliphalet Jennings, and her descendants are
5 Sermon by the Rev. Charles Ray Palmer, of Bridgeport, 1876.
Bridgeport. 629
still living. Another son, of the third marriage, survived his father only a few days.
Mr. Ross resigned his charge April 30, 1796, and died August 29, 1799, of a fever, and within twenty-four hours Mrs. Ross died of the same disease. They were buried in the same grave.
The long period covered by the pastorates of Cook, Hall, and Ross-over eighty years-saw many changes in the com- munity at Stratfield. The inhabitants were no longer solely farmers and stock growers, but had developed, before the middle of the century, in spite of all discouragements, a coasting trade of quite honorable proportions, and a race of mariners had been bred to the ocean. Mechanics and trades- men, in a new form, had found means for living in Stratfield, and thus the simple uniformity of the earlier period passed away. Political events, too, brought about changes. The French and Indian wars introduced no foeman within the borders of Connecticut, but her sons did yeoman service in the struggles of sister colonies. The Revolution, as is well known, laid heavy burdens upon the Connecticut coast, and the long train of evils which accompanied and followed it went far toward ruining every interest of society. The last ten or twenty years of Mr. Ross's ministry were, for many reasons, times of trial. The diseases, vices, sufferings, losses, universal insolvency, which came with or were entailed by the war, made darker days than had ever been seen before. Good morals were forsaken and godliness decayed to a dis- astrous extent. The difficulties, depressions and straits of the church during this time must have tasked even so ardent and zealous a man as Mr. Ross. As the process of recuper- ation slowly went on, another change in the community worked important results. The little cluster of houses and stores which acquired the name of Newfield, on the shore of the harbor and in the vicinity of the present intersection of State and Main streets, began to increase in importance, and this was the nucleus of the future town and city of Bridge- port, in which the individuality of Stratfield was eventually to be lost.
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630
History of Stratford.
Rev. Samuel Blatchford was the successor of Mr. Ross in the pastorate of the Stratfield Church. He was the son of Henry and Mary Blatchford, and born in Devonport, Devonshire, England, in the year 1767. His father's family sympathised with the American cause during the Revolution, and he was often employed to convey means of relief to American prisoners of war in the Mill prison. His interest in these objects of his friends' bounty led him to an early purpose to visit this country. He was placed at a boarding school at Willington, in Somersetshire, and afterwards at Homerton College, near London. After completing his stud- ies he was employed as assistant minister, and in November, 1789, he was ordained pastor at Kingsbridge, near Dartmouth. He married, in March, 1788, Alicia, daughter of Thomas Windeatt, Esq., of Bridgetown, Totwas, a lady admirably fitted for her station, and spared to him to the end of his life. In 1791 Mr. Blatchford removed to Topsham, near Exeter, and thence, in 1795, he emigrated to America, according to his long cherished purpose, and arrived in New York August Ist of that year. He preached first in Bedford, N. Y .; then for a year at Greenfield Hill, succeeding there President Dwight.
In February, 1797, he was invited to preach in the Strat- field church for six months, with the view of a settlement, which he afterwards accepted, and he was installed Novem- ber 22 of the same year. His salary being inadequate, he added to it by teaching an academy for boys. He lived in a house now numbered 644 Main street, and his academy was just below, on land now owned by Thomas Calef. He lab- ored here until March 20, 1804, when he resigned to accept a call to Lansingburgh, N. Y., where he continued until his death, March 17, 1828. He was honored with the degree of D.D. by Williams College in 1808. He had seventeen chil- dren, of whom ten survived him. While here he had not developed his best powers, for, being unfamiliar with Amer- ican life, scantily supported, burdened with work and care in his double duties, he could not do justice to himself. But he became an able, prominent man. As a preacher he was instructive in matter, unaffected and impressive in manner.
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Bridgeport.
He was well read in theology, and decided in his convictions. He possessed generous sympathies and was interested in all enterprises of beneficence, especially in the education of young men. His labors here were of great service to the church, and only too soon terminated. The church at his coming was low as to prosperity, but he gave it a rising impulse. A revival in 1800 added a number of persons to the membership, and in 1803 a movement to build a new house of worship was successfully inaugurated. He died December 2, 1846.
A story is told of Mr. Blatchford's ready and appropriate use of language in rendering thanks at the table of William Worden. Mr. Worden had been to short beach and just returned with some fine clams, which Mrs. Worden had hastily cooked, as Mr. Blatchford happened to call. A very plain table was set with bread, butter, milk, tea and the clams, and Mr. Blatchford was invited to share the meal and ask a blessing, which proposition he accepted, and in giving thanks said: "O Lord, thou hast cast our lines in pleasant places and given us a goodly heritage. Thou feedest us with the finest of the wheat and givest us the milk of kine. Thou causest us to suck the abundance of the sea and treasures hid in the sand."
The removal of the Congregational place of worship was more difficult than that of the Episcopal. The movement originated in the borough and was wholly voluntary, and therefore the records of the inception do not appear on the books of the society.
The building shown in the accompanying cut as the First Congregational Church was erected and inclosed during the year 1803. On June 11, 1804, the society voted to agree to hold the meetings for public worship half the time in Bridge- port, when a house suitable for that purpose shall, without expense to the society, be so far completed as to accommo- date such meetings. Ayes, 32; nays, 19.
A meeting of the society was warned and held June 20, 1808, in the new meeting house, and it was voted to hold public worship there two-thirds of the time, and during this year the change was made entire.
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History of Stratford.
..
HAZELTON S
METHODIST.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL.
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL.
SECOND CONGREGATIONAL.
A VIEW OF THE CHURCHES OF BRIDGEPORT IN 1835, LOOKING FROM THE SOUTH.
A list of pew holders in the old church at this time, not including pew owners, is recorded, namely : Josiah Lacey, Dea. John P. Austin, William DeForest, Lambert Lockwood, Lewis Sturges, Silas Sherman, Ezra Gregory, Thomas Woodward, Simon Backus, Benjamin Wheeler, Stephen Burroughs, Jr., Wilson Hawley, Samuel Hawley, Jr., Elijah Burr, Stephen Hull, Abijah Morehouse, William Benedict, Wid. Mary Sher- man, Salmon Hubbell, Robert Southward, David Sterling, Thomas Gouge, Jesse Seeley, Henry May, Abijah Sherman, Samuel Wordin, Levi Silliman, Barzillai Benjamin, Anson Beardsley, Samuel Burr.
In 1830 a division occurred in this church and thirty-nine men and seventy-eight women were dismissed at their own request, to form a second Congregational church, the old church giving them one-half of the church property and funds, and also contributing two thousand dollars toward the erection of a church edifice. This new edifice, when built, being so much of an improvement in such structures, seems to have stimulated enterprise, for the Episcopal Church was enlarged and improved, and the First Congregational
Bridgeport. 633
people also rebuilt their steeple in an improved form, and reconstructed the pulpit and galleries.®
This building was occupied until 1850, when it gave place to the present edifice. The former was purchased for the use of Christ Church and removed upon John street, at the site of the present works of Nichols, Peck and Co., where it was accidentally destroyed by fire in 1851.
Rer. Elijah Waterman was the successor of Mr. Blatchford. He was the son of Nehemiah and Susannah (Isham) Waterman, and born in Bozra, Conn., November 28, 1769 ; was graduated at Yale College in 1791, and engaged in teaching, intending to study law, but changed his purpose, and in 1792 became a student under Dr. Dwight at Green-
6 A nearly complete list of pew holders in the First Congregational Church in IS35.
Officers of the Church : Rev. John Blatchford, pastor ; Isaac Sherman, David Sherwood, and Sylvanus Sterling, deacons ; Isaac Sherman, Hanford Lyon, and Joseph Mott, society's committee ; Daniel Sterling, treasurer ; N. S. Wordin, clerk ; Nathaniel Wade, collector ; Sylvanus Sterling, salesman.
Pew holders.
Daniel Thatcher,
Alanson Caswell,
Nichols Beardsley,
Alanson Hamlin.
Coley E. Betts,
Lemuel Coleman,
Alexander Hubbell,
James Betts,
William R. Bunnell,
Daniel Sterling,
Daniel Curtis, Thomas Bartram,
Hanford Lyon, Thomas C. Wordin, Samuel Niles,
Gurdon Hawley, Abijah Beardsley,
David Hubbell, 3d,
Charles B. Hubbell,
Wyllys Stillman,
Anson Hawley,
Doct. James E. Beach,
Alexander Black,
David Sherwood,
Sylvanus Sterling,
Nathaniel Humiston,
Robert Milne,
David Sterling, Joel Thorp, Philo C. Wheeler,
Cyrus Botsford, Titus C. Mather,
Wheeler French, Jr., Judson Bray,
Joseph Mout,
Sturges and Smith,
John M. Thompson,
Isaac M. Conklin,
Isaac E. Beach,
Daniel Fayerweather,
Capt. E. Wicks, David Wheeler,
Stephen Nichols.
Charles Hawley, Gideon Thompson, Benjamin Wheeler, Isaac Sherman,
Joseph Knapp,
Elijah C. Spinning,
George Wade,
Samuel Wordin,
Ezra Gregory,
Louisa Bartlett,
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