USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Sharon > A history of the town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn., from its first settlement. > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9
* Town meeting, Sept. 2, 1751. Voted that we do desire a new county in this part of the government.
Voted that we will apply to the honorable assembly in May next for that end.
Voted that we do desire, with submission to the pleasure of the assembly, that the limits or bounds may be, on the south, the south bound of the government's land on the west side of Ousatonic river, the north bounds of New Milford and the south bounds of Litchfield. The east line, the east bounds of Litchfield and of Torrington, and from thence northward to the Massachusetts line ; the north line the line between us and the Massachusetts ; the west line, the line between this government and the govern- ment of New York, and that Cornwall may be the county town.
Voted that John Williams, Esq. be our agent to go to the Hon- orable General Assembly upon said business in October next.
Town meeting, Dec. 17, 1751. Put to vote whether we will send an agent or agents to Kent, to meet some gentlemen from Woodbury, to consult upon the affairs of the county. Voted in the negative.
3*
30
HISTORY OF TIIE
the town with a view to the establishment of a distinct religious society. The town voted, as early as 1753, to set off a new society, with nearly the same limits as the present society of Ellsworth occupies .*
The reason why the division of the esclesiastical corporation was so long postponed was, that the par- ties could never agree as to the limits of the new soci- ety. Those who petitioned that a new society should be formed, required that the dividing line should run north and south, through the whole length of the township. The majority of the town, on the other hand, would never consent to this arrangement, and thus the controversy was continued for near half a century. In 1767, a committee of the General Assem-
* Town meeting, April 8, 1753. Upon the motion made by the people in the easterly part of the town for a new society, voted that we are willing a society should be set off by a line agreed upon by a committee that shall be chosen to make such a line. Messrs. Samuel Hutchinson, David Hamilton and John Marvine, chosen to be a committee for the purpose aforesaid. voted that this meeting be adjourned for the space of one hour, and then the meeting opened again according to adjournment, and the aforesaid committee made report to the meeting of a line, by them agreed upon, for anew society, and it is as follows, viz. beginning at the south-east corner of the lot on which Woolstone Brockway lives, being in the south line of the township, from thence the line runs northerly straight to the north-east corner of Deacon Ebene- zer Frisbie's land, where he now lives, thence running according as the highway runs that comes out easterly of and near to Jehiel Pardee's house, where he now dwells, and then a straight line northerly to the middle of the north line of Caleb Strong's lot on which he now dwells, and then easterly, as the highway runs to Deacon Ebenezer Jackson's, then northerly and then turning east- erly as the highway runs by John Gray's till it comes to where the road crosses the Great Hollow Brook, and from thence a due east line till it comes to Ousatonic river.
Voted that the above said report of the committee is accepted.
May 3, 1753. It was put to vote whether we will grant the request of those who move for a new line, for a new society differ- ent from what was before granted, and it was universally nega- tived.
31
TOWN OF SHARON.
bly* was sent out to examine the situation of the town with reference to a new society, and John Williams, Simeon Smith, John Canfield, Ebenezer Gay and Sam- uel Elmer, were appointed a committee to wait upon them, but nothing was done. The people on the mountain were allowed some privileges from time to time, to enable them to hire preaching in the winter season. A part of their ministerial taxes were aba- ted, and for a number of years an annual vote of the town was passed, authorizing the minister to preach one Sabbath in each of the three winter months, in that part of the town. By this assistance from the town, and by individual subscription they were gen- erally supplied with preaching four months in the year. The meetings in early times were holden at the house now occupied by Daniel Parsons, Esq.
Another religious society was formed at an early day at the south part of the town, embracing inhabit- ants of both colonies. The meeting house stood on the colony line, and was known for many years by the name of the round top meeting house. The Rev- erend Ebenezer Knibloe was its minister for more than twenty-five years. This gentleman was from Scot- land. During the rebellion in that country, in the year 1745, he favored the interests of the Pretender, and upon the defeat of the forces of that unfortunate prince, Mr. Knibloe removed to this country. He first settled on the west part of Phillip's Patent, in Putnam county, New York, but after a stay there of about two years he removed to this town and gathered the church and society at the Corner. He lived at the place now occupied by his grandson, Philo Knibloe. He was a sound, sensible man, a good preacher, and apparently a sincere Christian. At the
* This committee consisted of William Pitkin, Shubael Conant, and Erastus Wolcott.
32
HISTORY OF THE
commencement of the revolutionary war, he rather favored the pretensions of the British king, for which reason his congregation became disaffected, and he relinquished ministerial performances. He died of consumption on the 20th day of December, 1785, at the age of fifty-six.
The Rev. Mr. Searl possessed in a good degree, the confidence and affection of his people. He had been settled over them but a short time, however, be- fore his health began to fail, and early in the second year of his ministry he was absent a part of the time on that account. 'The town employed other preach- ers to supply the pulpit during the interruption of his labors, in the hope that his health might be restored and his ministry continued. His health, however, continued to decline to such a degree, that he deemed it his duty to withdraw from pastoral performances, and on the 4th Tuesday of June, 1754, he was dis- missed with the reluctant consent of the town .* Thus
* Town meeting, Sept. 6, 1753. Deacon Ebenezer Jackson and Deacon Ebenezer Frisbie chosen a committee to endeavor to obtain preaching among us for the space of two months from this time. Mr. Searl having agreed to relinquish his salary for that purpose. Voted, that said committee advise with the Rev. Mr. Searl to whom to apply.
Town meeting, April 8, 1754. Put to vote whether, consider- ing Mr. Searl's infirm state of health, we are willing that he should be absent from us for the space of half a year from this time, the whole or such part of the time as he shall think best, in order to use means to recover his health, and to pay him his salary for the same time, upon his endeavoring to procure for us as much assistance from the neighboring ministers as they shall be willing to afford. Passed in the negative.
Voted, that Capt. Matthew St. John, Messrs. Nathaniel Skin- ner, Jonathan Hunter, Thomas Barnes and David Hamilton bea committee to go and discourse with Mr. Searl and see if he will make some abatement of some part of his salary, for that time when he shall be absent, and to make report to this meeting at such time as it may be adjourned to.
Town meeting, April 18, 1751. Upon a motion made by the Rev. Mr. Searl to the town, in town meeting, that, considering
33
TOWN OF SHARON.
in the short space of fifteen years the ministry in the town was twice made vacant. Mr. Searl soon after left the town, believing that his usefulness as a minis- ter of the gospel was at an end, and under the appre- hension that his days on earth would be few. He returned to Simsbury, and contrary to the anticipa- tions which were entertained at the time of his dis- missal from Sharon, he recovered his health, and on the 17th day of January, 1758, he was installed min- ister of Stoneham, Mass. in the vicinity of Boston.
his low and infirm state of health, he has had thoughts of apply- ing to the consociation in May next for advice, whether it be not best for him to be dismissed from his pastoral relation to this church and people, and also to apply to said consociation for a dismission upon condition they judge it best. Voted, that if Mr. Searl does make up his mind as abovesaid, that Lieut. John Pardee, be a committee to accompany him, and to represent and act for this town, at said consociation, and to hear their determin- ation.
Town meeting, June 7, 1754. Whereas, the Reverend Mode- rator of the Consociation of this county has sent us a notification to appear before said consociation at their meeting at our meeting house, on the fourth Tuesday of June instant, to offer reasons, if any we have, why the Rev. Mr. Searl, considering his want of bodily health, &c. should not be dismissed from his pastoral rela- tion to this town, according to his desire.
Voted, that Messrs. John Williams, John Pardce, John Gay, John Marvine, and Jonathan Hunter, be a committee to represent this town before said consociation at their said meeting, and to in- form them that we have a dear regard to the Rev. Mr. Searl, and the thoughts of his being dismissed from us lie with great weight on our minds, yet considering his great weakness and long con- tinued bodily indisposition, we know not what to say otherwise than to entreat the venerable consociation to take the matter under their consideration and to determine what they think is duty in present circumstances, that is, what they judge is like to be most for the glory of God, and the greatest interest both of the Rev. Mr. Searl and of this people.
Town meeting, June 25, 1751. Voted that Messrs. John Wil- liams, Ebenezer Jackson and Ebenezer Frisbie be a committee to apply to the Reverend Elders present, for advice whom to apply to, to preach with us, either for present occasional preaching, or to settle with us, and also to act upon said advice.
34
HISTORY OF THE
He remained in the ministry there, until the 24th day of April, 1776, when he was dismissed .* The rea- sons for his second dismissal were assigned in the fol- lowing words : " The difficulty of the times, whereby there was not a probable prospect of support for his family, but more especially on account of his ill health occasioned by easterly winds." He afterwards removed to Stoughton, Mass. where he died in the early part of the present century. He had one son of the name of Samuel, who graduated at Yale College, in 1781, and who was a young man of extraordinary talents and high promise, but who died at an early age. Mr. Searl, himself, was a man of respectable abilities and of an elevated standing in the ministry. He was a member of an important ecclesiastical coun- cil which assembled at New Haven, in October, 1751, to settle some disputes which had arisen in one of the churches in that town, and which consisted of some of the most eminent clergymen in the colony, to wit, John Graham, Jedediah Mills, Philemon Robbins, Daniel Humphreys, Ebenezer White, Eleazer Wheel- ock, Benjamin Pomeroy, Benajah Case, Joseph Bel- lamy, Samuel Hopkins, James Sproat, Jonathan Lee, and John Searl.
* A correspondent near Stoneham writes as follows-" From widow Rebecca Hays, aged 85, a native of Stoughton, and the oldest person in town, I learn that Mr. Searl married Hepsibah Duncan, of Stoughton, Mass ; that he had two sons, Samuel and John, and two daughters, Betsey and Fanny. Mrs. Hays says that he was a learned man, very orthodox, wrote very good ser- mons, and was grand for telling stories. His delivery was very dull. She thinks he was not very active in regard to pastoral labors, and is of opinion that some of his discourses were printed, but is not certain. She says that it was the opinion at the time, that he left Stoneham for fear of the British. He was not settled in Stoughton, but used to go out on preaching and missionary tours for a few weeks or months at a time." It is stated by Dr. Dwight, in his travels, that Mr. Searl and the late Judge Noble of Williamstown, Mass. were the first persons that ever ascended
35
TOWN OF SHARON.
CHAPTER VIII.
Rev. Cotton Mather Smith .- Church of England .- Rev. Thomas Davies .- Erection of a new Meeting House .- Whitfield.
IN the course of the summer of 1754, the Reverend Cotton Mather Smith, of Suffield, was employed by the town to preach as a candidate for settlement .- He came upon the recomendation of Matthew St. John, who had been an inhabitant of Sharon, but who had now removed to Suffield, where he became ac- quainted with Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith was a descend- ant of the Rev. Henry Smith, the first minister of Wethersfield, who came from England in 1638 .*_ The mother of Mr. Smith was a daughter of the cele- brated Cotton Mather, and she died in this town at a very advanced age. Mr. Smith was born at Suffield on the 16th day of October, 1731, and graduated at Yale College in 1751. He spent the year previous to his visiting Sharon, at Stockbridge, Massachusetts, with the very celebrated Jonathan Edwards, engaged in the benevolent duties of instructing the Indians .- Mr. Smith preached as a candidate for more than a year, and in the mean time boarded with John Gray, Esq., at the north part of the town. He was ordained minister of Sharon on the 28th day of August, 1755 .*
Saddle Mountain, the highest mountain in Massachusetts. The late Rev. David L. Perry, informed the author that he saw Mr. Searl at Williamstown when at the age of more than 70 years, he performed this laborious undertaking.
* In a record of Daniel Cushing, the third town clerk of Hing- hum, Massachusetts, is this entry :- " Mr. Henry Smith and his wife and three sons, and two daughters, and three men servants and two maid servants, and Thomas Mayer, came from H ** er Hall, in Norfolk, and settled in New Hingham 1638." Henry Smith had a son, Ichabod, who was the father of Samuel Smith, and this last named gentleman was the father of the Rev. Cotton Mather Smith.
* Town Meeting, Dec. 13, 1754. Voted, That Deacon Ebene-
36
HISTORY OF THE
He purchased the place which was owned by his pre- decessor, Mr. Searl, the same which is now occupied by his great-grand-son, Dr. Robert W. Smith. He was
zer Jackson, Deacon Ebenezer Frisbie, and John Williams, be a committee to see if they can agree with Mr. Smith to preach with us some time longer, and in the mean time to advise with the com- mittee of the Association respecting giving him a call to settle in the ministry with us, and to make report to this meeting at such time to which it may be adjourned.
Town Meeting, January 8, 1755. Voted, That we will give Mr. Cotton Mather Smith, a call to settle in the work of the gos- pel ministry with us.
Voted, That the former committee, viz. the two Deacons and John Williams, Esq., be continued to be our committee, and that they inform Mr. Smith that the town have voted to give him a call.
Voted, That said committee confer with Mr. Smith, and know which will be most acceptable to him, to have a larger settlement and a smaller salary, or a larger salary and smaller settlement, and make report to this meeting.
Voted, That we desire, and will make application to the Gen- eral Assembly in May next, for a Probate District in this north- west part of this county.
Town Meeting, January 15, 1755. Voted, That we will make such proposals to Mr. Cotton Mother Smith, to encourage him to settle with us in the work of the gospel ministry, as shall be equiv- alent to the terms on which Mr. Searl settled with us, in such form as we shall afterwards conclude upon.
Voted, That we will give to said Mr. Smith 420 ounces of sil- ver, or equivalent in old tenor Bills, for a settlement, to be paid in three years after settlement; viz. 140 ounces, or an equivalent in old tenor bills, annually, for said three years.
Voted, That we will give to said Mr. Smith 220 Spanish dol- lars, or an equivalent in old tenor bills, for his yearly salary.
Voted, That the committee last chose to treat with Mr. Smith, be continued to be a committee to make the aforesaid proposals to him in the name of the town, and to desire his answer.
Town Meeting, May 23, 1755. Voted, That we persevere in our desire to have Mr. Cotton Mather Smith settle with us in the work of the gospel ministry, and would have this our desire man- ifested again to him, and also that he be informed that we take a. grateful notice of what he has now offered to this meeting, and also that the Reverend Association of this county be informed of this our desire, and therefore chose John Williams, Esq., as our agent or representative to go to said Reverend Association, at
TOWN OF SHARON.
married, soon after his settlement, to Mrs. Temperance Gale, widow of Dr. Moses Gale, of Goshen, N. York, and daughter of Rev. William Worthington, of the parish of Westbrook, in Saybrook. Mr. Smith was the minister of Sharon for more than fifty years, and during the whole of that period occupied a large space in public affairs. Probably no minister ever had, in a greater degree, the confidence and affection of his people. He is never spoken of at this day, by
their meeting in New Milford, on Tuesday next, to inform them of it, and to ask their farther advice in this matter.
That part of Mr. Cotton Mather Smith's answer to the town's call given in town meeting, and signed with his hand, May 23d, 1755, respecting our proposals for his settlement and salary, was in the words following : viz. " As to the settlement and salary you have voted me, I have nothing to object against 'em but es- teem the offer generous and honorable, and as it will come heavy upon some, perhaps, to pay salary and settlement together, so I have thought of releasing part of the payment of the salary for a time, to be paid to me again when you have finished the payment of the settlement, and this I propose to have done in the following manner : the first year I shall allow you out of the salary you have voted me, 40 dollars, the 2d, 30 dollars, the 3d year 15, the 4th year 20, to be repaid to me again, the 5th year 20 more, the 6th year 20 more, and the 25 dollars that remain, I am willing that the town should keep 'em for their own use. - From the origi- nal. Entered per John Williams, Register.
Town Meeting, June 12, 1755. Voted, That we comply with the advice of the Reverend Association, respecting the day of the ordination of Mr. Cotton Mather Smith to be the Pastor of this church and people, and accordingly appoint the 28th day of Au- gust next for that purpose.
Voted, That Messrs. John Gay, John Pardee, and John Mar- vin, be a committee to make needful provision for the ordaining council, and such other gentlemen as it shall be thought best to have entertained at the cost of the town.
Voted, That the same committee take care to prop and well brace up the galleries before said day of ordination.
Town Meeting, August 20, 1755. Voted, That Lient. Caleb Jewitt, Lieut. Stephen Calkin, and Jonathan Gillett be a commit- tee to procure materials for, and to erect a scaffold at the north end of the meeting house, for the ordaining council to ordain Mr. Smith upon, or, if it should be wet weather, to prop and well se- cure the galleries.
4
38
HISTORY OF THE
those who knew him, but with the most unqualified respect and veneration.
A census of the colony was taken in 1756, and the population of Sharon was found to be 1196, about one half of the present number of inhabitants.
From the first settlement of the town, there had been several families of the Communion of the Church of England, as it was called, before the Revolution- ary war, but they were never sufficiently numerous to form a separate congregation, or to maintain public worship, until about the year 1755. On the 14th day of April, of that year, leave was given, by the town, to those of that communion, "to erect a church at the corner of the highways that come from the upper end of the town and the Iron Works Hollow." This was at the head of the street, near Capt. King's .- This building was erected, and stood for nearly forty years. It is mentioned as a singular circumstance in regard to its construction, that its external covering was a coat of mortar. Public worship was maintained in it for a number of years; the desk being supplied by missionaries sent out by the " Honorable Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts." The first of these missionaries who labored here, was the Rev. Ebenezer Dibble, whose permanent residence was at Stamford, but who had the care of many of the churches in the western part of the colony. After Mr. Dibble, the Rev. Thomas Davies had the charge of the church, in connexion with those at New Mil- ford, Roxbury, New Preston, and New Fairfield .*__
* Mr. Davies was born in Herefordshire, England, on the 21st of Dec. 1736. His father removed to this country in 1745, and set- tled in what is now called Daries' Hollow, in the town of Wash- ington, then a part of Litchfield. He graduated at Yale College in September, 1758, and in 1761 sailed for England for holy or- ders. He was ordained Deacon by the Archbishop of Canterbu- ry on the 23d of August, and on the following day was ordained Priest, by the same Prelate. The following is a copy of the re-
39
TOWN OF SHARON.
The leading churchmen in the town were Messrs. Joel Harvey, Job Gould, Elnathan Goodrich, John Pen- noyer, Simeon Rowley, Samuel Hitchcock, Solomon Goodrich, and perhaps some others. At one time during his ministry, Mr. Davies reported the number of families belonging to the parish to be twenty-two, and the number of communicants to be nineteen .- During the Revolutionary war, the church building was deserted, turned into a barrack, and never after- wards occupied as a place of worship. Mr. Richard Clark succeeded Mr. Davies in the mission, and resi- ded in New Milford until the close of the war. It would seem that there was perfect harmony and good feeling between the two denominations. At the an- nual town meetings, for a great number of years, Charles Gillet was appointed key keeper to the meet-
cord of his appointment as a missionary, as taken from the Re- cords of the Society .- " Agreed, the 18th of Sept., 1761, that Mr. Davies be appointed missionary to the churches of New Milford, Roxbury, Sharon, New Preston, and New Fairfield, in Litchfield Co., Conn." Mr. Davies embarked immediately after this, for this country, and entered on his ministry to the above named churches. On the first day of April, 1762, he was married to Miss Mary Harvey, daughter of Mr. Joel Harrey, of Sharon, by whom he had two children, one of whom, William Daries Esq., is still living, at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. The other, was the wife of Jon- athan Burrall, Esq., late of Canaan, Conn. Mr. Davies died sud- denly at New Milford, on the 12th day of May, 1766, in the 30th year of his age. The following is a copy of his epitaph :-
In memory of the Rev. Thomas Davies, A faithful servant of Jesus Christ, An active, worthy Missionary, From the venerable society in England. who departed this life, May 12, 1766, in the 30th year of his age. He met death with the greatest Christian fortitude, being supported by the racional hope of a blessed immortality. The sweet remembrance of the just
Does flourish, now he sleeps in dust. Vita bene actu, jucundissima est recordatio.
40
HISTORY OF TIIE
ing house, and John Pennoyer key keeper to the church, and this practice was continued as long as the church was used for public worship.
After the town had been settled between twenty and thirty years, the population had increased to such an extent, that it became necessary to provide a more commodious place of public worship than the meet- ing house then in use afforded. As early as the year 1763, the subject was agitated in the town. It was the practice through the colony, at that time, to raise money for all public purposes, and especially for build- ing meeting houses, by taxation. But it was found to be impossible to procure a vote of the town to lay such a tax in this instance, on account of the difficulty with the people in the east part of the town, touching the establishment of a new society. After several efforts to lay a tax had failed, it was determined to make the attempt to raise the money by subscription, and such was the success of the undertaking, that it was thought advisable to proceed with the building in the spring of 1767. It was framed, raised and cov- ered, during that season, but it was not finished and fitted for public use until the next year. The master workman of the building was Capt. Stephen Sears, a builder of some celebrity, and who was active in bring- ing forward the project of building a new house of worship. It was a number of years before all the ex- penses of the building were paid. When it was com- pleted, it was one of the largest and most commodi- ous churches in the county, and for a great many years the congregation which worshipped in it filled it to overflowing. It stood on the ledge of rocks which is now so conspicuous nearly in front of the present Congregational church, and was used for a house of worship for nearly sixty years .* In the year
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.