A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 21

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 930

USA > Connecticut > Windham County > A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I > Part 21

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In 1784 a new church was built near the academy, as population was spread- ing in the direction of the academy and the turnpike. Doctor Perkins invented "Metallic Tractors," and this invention was of great service to the medical world, and for some years came to be of general use abroad. A Baptist Church

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was built in 1800. Bridges and roads were repaired, and bridges were built over the Moosup River. A new poorhouse was built in 1801. Manufacturing plants had sprung up owing to the fine water power afforded by the town, and during the War of 1812 had been kept running; but owing to the business depression at the close of the war many companies were obliged to suspend operations. A postoffice was opened in Plainfield in 1797, and was the third one opened in Windham County. The "September Gale" attained great violence in Plainfield and Canterbury, and in Plainfield at least three old churches were demolished. A stone meeting-house was built by the Congregational Church in 1818, and a simple meeting-house was erected by the Friends. A Friends' boarding school was established, accommodating forty or fifty pupils from Rhode Island alone. Another Friends' or Baptist meeting-house was built. In 1825 Plainfield's old academy building was replaced by a new stone struc- ture. After several changes and failures the mills were again put in opera- tion, one of the woolen mills of Moosup later ranking as one of the largest in Connecticut. The Moosup Company factory was destroyed by fire. Four small manufacturing villages sprang up,-Almyville, Unionville, Centerville and Packerville. Packerville was the first to have a fire company,-in 1830. This town later became a part of Canterbury. Central Village owes its growth to manufacturing. A Congregational Church was organized there in 1846, and an Episcopal, Baptist and Methodist Church were built. For a time a high school was maintained. The building of a railroad brought greater pros- perity to Moosup than before, and the town later absorbed Almyville and Unionville. The burning of the large woolen mill in 1875 retarded the further growth of the town for a time. Wauregan became a model village, due to the efforts of the superintendent of the manufacturing company there. A Con- gregational Church was built, and a library established. No liquor was sold in the village. Plainfield Junction, from a mere railroad crossing, became a flourishing village, having a foundry and steam saw mills. Old Plainfield Vil- lage has declined, but still retains its Probate Court. Plainfield Academy has lost its former prestige.

CHURCH AND COMMUNITY LIFE IN OLD PLAINFIELD

By Sarah Francis Dorrance

The third church in Windham County was the "Mother Church" of Plain- field which for more than a century has worshipped in the old "stone meeting- house" on Plainfield Street. The first town meeting in 1699 called a pastor who with ten members organized the "First Church of Christ in Plainfield." After the years of settlement came years of exodus during which successive migrations bore her members to distant, ever-receding frontiers; York State, Vermont, Wyoming gave place to the Western Reserve, until at last the Pacific Ocean set a bound to the promised land. Thus in an ever changing community this church has grown from 10 to 160 members, has founded a daughter church at Central Village and has strengthened pioneer churches throughout the land.

The first meeting-house on Black Hill was after twelve years moved to the hill-top north of Plainfield Street where it stood until the close of the Revolu- tion, when a new church was built upon the present site. This meeting-house was of wood and was blown down by the "September Gale" of 1815. Never was the energy and determination of the men of old better shown than in

THE SQUARE, CENTRAL VILLAGE

RESIDENTIAL SECTION, MAIN STREET, MOOSUP

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facing this disaster. Eleven days after the tragedy preparations for a new building were being made, "to be built of stone" from plans drawn by Ithiel Towne-a native of Windham County. Col. Abel Andrus, Dr. Josiah Fuller, Capt. Elias Woodward, Walter Palmer, Joseph Eaton, Esq., and Capt. Aaron Crary were the committee appointed to carry on the building. Stories of those days recall the building of Solomon's "house unto the Lord"; how double ox-teams drew the native stone, how blacksmiths gave their work in sharpen- ing the stone cutter's tools, how there grew from the trees and rocks of our own hillsides this house of enduring beauty and dignity which "even unto this day" bears witness to the steadfast devotion of the men of Plainfield.

From generation to generation through these doors have ebbed and flowed the tides of joy and sorrow, of life and death, of success and failure that are the common lot. From this belfry has sounded the death knell of those who within its walls received the waters of baptism, fought the battles of the spirit, and gained strength and comfort from the God of their fathers.

The first pastor, Joseph Coit of Norwich, was a man of liberality and courage; "he set up his own opinion in opposition to the Synod book" at a day when such a stand meant sacrifice. It may be due to the subtle influence of his forty years' pastorate that the discords which have marred the life of this church have arisen from personal rather than doctrinal differences. Even the separate movement, which rent the churches throughout the county, was settled by Plainfield "far in advance of her generation." A few years later the church even voted "to proceed upon principles of Christian liberty with- out being directed by rules of civil law," a vote so "advanced" in its idealism that it was found needful to rescind it straightway!

Two other pastors of note lie in our burial ground, John Fuller, Chaplain in the Continental army,-whose spirit of tact and devotion united the "Sep- arates" with the old church, "who after watching for the souls of his people as one who must give an account fell asleep the 3d October, 1777"; and Joel Benedict, the scholar, honored with doctors' degrees by Dartmouth and Union colleges-who began his long pastorate here just after the Revolution. His house, still standing by the highway north of the church, was for thirty years a veritable "school of the prophets." Among the many students was Eliphalet Nott of Ashford, a lad of phenomenal intellect, who studied theology with Doctor Benedict, taught at the academy and at twenty-one went forth to a career of such brilliancy that at thirty-one he became president of Union Col- lege, a position which he held with distinction for sixty-two years.

Among the books left by Doctor Benedict for the use of succeeding pastors was a deerskin covered Hebrew Bible, a gift of Samson Occum, the Indian preacher. This book, bearing the autograph of Occum on the fly leaf, is now in the Benedict Library.

The colonial house now owned by Edward Pike was built by the first pastor of the "stone meeting-house," Orrin Fowler, a man of ability, later sent to Congress from a Massachusetts pastorate. His missionary zeal is manifest in the fact that his church voted financial aid "to introduce and carry on the ministry of the gospel in the town of Providence."

William Benedict, a distinguished teacher and preacher, was pastor at the outbreak of the Civil war. He left his church to serve in the Army of the Potomac as agent of the American Tract Society, later receiving from Gov- ernor Buckingham a commission with rank of lieutenant-colonel.

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All these were men of whom "our fathers have told us." It is with Mr. Phipps that my earliest memories begin. A child of six I overheard Mrs. Barstow tell my mother that Mr. Phipps was dead and that the family had sung by his bedside one of the hymns he loved. I had seen him in the pulpit, a black-bearded man with spectacles. My whole hearted interest, however, was in his three daughters who sat in the pew behind us. Mary was an artist in Norwich, to be an artist and to look exactly like her was my highest ambi- tion! The family was one of talent throughout. A piano which Mr. Phipps himself made was stored at the parsonage until placed in the rooms of the American Antiquarian Society at Worcester. Mr. Phipps' death was sincerely mourned and heavy black draperies about the pulpit gave unwonted awe to the services of the church.

A few months later Asher H. Wilcox came, a graduate of Andover who had left a large parish on account of ill health. He brought to us our first con- tact with the "Andover Theology" but his tact and appreciation of the view- points of others prevented controversy. So great was the love of the church for Mr. Wilcox that the subdued criticism, which arose when a Unitarian friend preached for him, resulted in no discord. Mr. Wilcox's rare spirit found in every man some quality worthy of appreciation and made that quality a basis of true friendship. To him it was the man and his possibilities, not his creed or his circumstances, that mattered. Men of all faiths or none felt him a friend. The series of revival meetings which he conducted-with help from Norwich and New Haven friends-stirred the community with deep, quiet, religious fervor. Meetings were held in remote schoolhouses and in a wagon shop near the station where men of all beliefs came in working clothes and listened with reverence. No one present can forget the long line of believers to whom Mr. Wilcox gave the right hand of fellowship, or the impressiveness of his charge; his quiet, sympathetic voice gave to the text of Scripture a fullness of mean- ing that made it a sermon. In these meetings we used for the first time the Moody and Sankey "Gospel Hymns" under the direction of Lemuel Cleve- land and George I. Favor, nor did we ever tire of "Hold the Fort," "Pull for the Shore," "Sweet Hour of Prayer," or "Safe in the Arms of Jesus."

There were meetings "for prayer and conference" Friday evenings, services "preparatory to the Lord's Supper," Sunday evening "preaching services" in the vestry, all of which were faithfully attended. The choir in those days occupied a bank of seats at the rear while we were expected to face the minister during hymns. What a relief it was when the choir was moved where we could watch them sing without our being whirled about by a mother's hand, and told that well-bred children did not look behind them in church! It was the common custom to raise the minister's salary by the sale of pews-a sub- scription paper made up the deficit. To make the seats free as was done a few years later, replacing pew rents by personal pledges seemed an unwarranted risk. The "Annual Sale of Slips" seemed rather a farce for no one ever changed seats; however, it gave newcomers a chance. At one of these sales my father said that the families of our rival merchants proposed sharing a pew- it had caused among certain brethren such comment as might have arisen had the lion and the lamb lain down together !

On Sunday all possible work was omitted, the more secular magazines, the Century and St. Nicholas, were put aside and we children were dressed for church and seated at the window until the bell should toll. A goodly procession

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it was that passed! Mrs. Crary, Mrs. Robinson, the Eaton and Hutchins "girls" ("girls" still at seventy !) in shining black silks and black lace or Paisley shawls, and little girls in stuff piqué with wide sashes. The Newtons, Ames, and Averills came from the Whitehall District in teams; the Fry family and George and Hannah Gibson came afoot-George was rotund and beaming, he wore gold earrings and a fringe of white bordered his chin and the back of his neck; Hannah, tall and spare, wore a small black bonnet with strings and a long three-cornered shawl which reached the hem of her skirt (still worn over "hoops").

One day Judge Gallup, for whom George was working, told him that he ought to get married. "Who'd I marry ?" asked he. "Marry Hannah," said the judge. "So," as George told the story, "I up and asked her and before I got the words out of my mouth she up and said 'yes.' " All through their old age they walked a mile to church summer and winter, and after George had gone to his reward, Hannah came alone until strength failed. George it was, who returning from a funeral, said to Mr. Wilcox (who felt he had with great diplomacy avoided the pitfalls which a funeral sermon sets before a new minister), "Mr. Wilcox, if you'd a knowed the things I know, you wouldn't'a said the things you said !"

Deacon Fuller, across the street, was sexton. It was time to get my hat when I saw him come down his steps paring an apple. At Mr. Tillinghast's gate he wiped the knife (upon his Sunday trousers), closed it and put it in his pocket, and from the church steps he threw away the core. Few Sundays were there during the year when lack of material made this routine impossible. In earlier days when prayer meetings were held in a "lecture-room" over the brick schoolhouse, the subject one night was "Uzzah." Deacon Fuller, a small, clean shaven, vigorously compact man with bushy white hair and eyes like coals, sat in a dim corner. He listened while the sin, motives and punishment of Uzzah were threshed out with doctrinal zeal. Finally he rose, his eyes blaz- ing, "My brethren, there is something about that story of Uzzah that we don't . understand, and for my part I think the less we say about it the better," which ended the discussion of Uzzah-for the time at least !

Deacon John Palmer of Canterbury, though a friend of Mr. Wilcox, re- garded his theology with violent disapproval. Mr. Wilcox trembled lest he say something in prayer meeting which Deacon Palmer would feel it a duty openly to contradict. One night the deacon went to the platform, paced to and fro saying as a preface, "Walk, walk, walk, before the Lord," he then went on "I have sat here listening to these words of your pastor and I've been think- ing (Mr. Wilcox felt the crisis approaching) what a blessed thing it would be if this great and glorious gospel which we have heard so ably dispensed with here tonight could be dispensed with everywhere." (A sentiment which gave Mr. Wilcox a "profound sense of relief." So scrupulous was Deacon Palmer that he refused to take money in payment for the grist ground at his mill; he insisted on taking toll of the meal, according to his own interpretation of some ancient law. How many nights have I been kept awake by his argu- ments with my father upon some point of orthodoxy. My father came also from Canterbury. I think Deacon Palmer felt a responsibility to save him from the Andover theology as a brand from the burning.

When Mr. Wilcox was ill, he would ask Lucian Burleigh or my father to preach; I always felt embarrassed when it was my father, it seemed too public

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an undertaking for one of our family. Mr. Burleigh looked like the pictures of Jupiter Olympus; he more than filled, he towered above the beautiful ma- hogany pulpit. He preached with vehemence and he always made us cry. In every day life he was the friend who gave me the foundation of a collection of minerals that was the joy of my childhood; but in the pulpit he was aloof -an orator playing upon the emotions of his hearers.

The "great days of the feast" were Thanksgiving and the "Conference of Six Churches." On Thanksgiving morning the rush of preparation ceased and we went to church at half past 10, an half hour earlier than on Sundays. The Burleigh and Fry families filled pews to overflowing with friends from Providence and New York; Norwich and Hanover filled the Crary seat. Every- one seemed to be there and no word of those services remains, but the many friendly faces and the importance of the day can never be forgotten.

"Conference" was the first Wednesday in November. The preparation for the conference dinner was an inflexible habit with the church families. Our quota was three hens "of a certain age," cooked and sliced by my mother who reserved the bones. The one day of the year when our menu was fore- ordained was the first Thursday of November-it was chicken soup! The hour before service was spent watching the teams as they drove in from Hanover, Newent, Pachaug, Jewett City, and Preston. Then, as the bell tolled, I seur- ried over in time for the opening devotional service. The afternoon discussion I liked best-there was no stagnation, even to a child, when Father Shipman might speak at any moment. I understood little of the discussion, but when he told of the woman who found her long lost spectacles in her Bible, it seemed intensely funny. He used to sit with one hand on the back of either pew so as to be able to rise before anyone else in case sound doctrine or sound sense should be assailed ;- like the war horse that "scenteth the battle afar off."

"Truth" was once the topic of discussion; a case was cited of a saintly old negro who simply could not tell the truth. One after another gave his opinion until some one said, "We have the word of Scripture that no liar shall inherit the kingdom of God." Choking with suppressed excitement Father Shipman exploded, "Get to heaven just as quick as you will !" Little else seemed left to be said!

Those were the first days of the Ladies' Aid Society. What a service record it has had then all these years, of repairs undertaken, of endless bills paid ! It was of great social importance then. Its meetings were afternoon tea-parties followed by evening entertainments. There was, to be sure, a collection saucer (passed by some self-conscious, blushing little girl). But it was the affair of a moment, unanticipated, soon forgotton. Mrs. Barstow, of blessed memory. Mrs. Dwight Avery and my mother were the triumvirate in my early days. Twice I was allowed to attend when Mrs. Avery and Mrs. Barstow turned the slats of their parlor blinds upon Brussels carpets whose pristine freshness had never been mellowed by daylight. One good friend covered the spots of sun- light on her sitting room carpet with newspapers which she shifted as the sun moved ! Those carpets were certainly cherished. Mrs. Barstow's was a rather attractive scroll of brown, green and white; ours was "gleaming in purple and gold," enlivened by cecasional crimson and white dahlias as large as tea plates. The home missionary who received that carpet marvelled at our gen- erosity ;- a sentiment which I trust neither time nor greater intimacy caused to "wither." Mrs. Avery's carpet was a huge set pattern. Many an hour

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have I spent during mission circles-(to which she gave herself unsparingly)- searching the seams to see if the figures matched. She showed us stereopticon slides of the Commandments and the entire Ninety-first Psalm printed in a two-inch space; in her lovely garden grew balloon vines and canary flowers.

What treasure houses these parlors were to a child! There were rare shells, lacquers, and carved ivories brought home by New England whalers; "flower pieces" made of shells, hair or wax; mottoes of embroidery and spatter work, statuettes, family Bibles and the still precious steel engravings of Washington, Lincoln or Bonaparte. A few families had impressive oil portraits and lamps fringed with tinkling glass prisms which gave us great delight. Women and children went in the afternoon; a substantial tea was served and as old age and childhood were going home, they met the men and young people on their way to the evening "social."

Twice a year entertainments of a grander sort were staged in the vestry ; an "oyster supper" in winter, a "strawberry festival" in summer; accom- panied by old folks concerts or musical and literary programs. Mr. Cleveland and Mr. Favor, who led the choir, had charge of all musical affairs. The most pretentious of their undertakings was the cantata of Samuel. Singers from all parts of the town assisted, and for the first time a stage replaced the pulpit. Mr. Cleveland sang the part of Samuel; Mr. Favor of Saul, C. B. Montgomery of David; Goliath was sung by someone out of town. Other parts were sung by Mary and Nettie Gallup of Ekonk, Fannie Dennison, Julia Fry and Mrs. Nellie Robinson. Mary Gallup was also the witch of Endor at whose call there rose from some abyss beneath the pulpit the spirit of Samuel-(Mr. Cleveland in ghostly white taletan). The village was alive with preparation-each family aspired to provide, or at least to dress a Jewish maiden for the chorus (we draped Effie Tarbox in my grandmother's long shawl as our "bit"). Mr. Favor's sister, a singer in Boston, came on to assist. The crowd that evening filled even the aisles and was enthusiastic over the performance, which was an unusual success.

It was in the church that entertainments were held; Shakesperian readers, lecturers, jubilee singers, Swiss bell-singers came to our vestry. Mr. Favor's singing school met there weekly and he held there his cantata rehearsals. Oc- casional "shows" came to Union Hall ;- sleight-of-hand performances or Uncle Tom's Cabin or a concert arranged by Doctor Davis with talent from neigh- boring cities. The academy parties were held there too, and Gurdon Cady's dancing classes. Captain Hall gave us one winter of excitement by making it a roller skating rink! The social life of the village however had the church as its center ; this center had but one rival,-the grocery store, where six nights of the week, around the big stove in winter, on the piazza in summer, congre- gated men from far and near to discuss affairs of village or nation without let or hindrance. If this vestry was a forecast of the community house, this was the prototype of the men's forum.

To our deep regret Mr. Wilcox left in 1883, to be followed by Abram J. Quick. It was a difficult place to fill and although Mr. Quick was a man of ability and sincerity, a clear, forceful preacher, active in all church work (did he not organize our Christian Endeavor Society), yet the last months of his four years' pastorate were marred by discords.

Henry T. Arnold came to an unsettled parish. By a conciliatory spirit he brought about a degree of harmony. For nearly twenty years he lived in

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friendly relations with his people, never failing them in adversity, while Mrs. Arnold worked untiringly and efficiently in the ever indispensible "Ladies Aid," and all other parish affairs. The way was not always smooth for death and removal decreased the membership of church and society-the "old order" was already "giving place to new"-for the old foundry with its big meadow, where in winter we used to skate, had been sold and the foundations of the great cotton mill were being laid. This brought a new population and many of them found a church home with us.

The bicentennial of the town was elaborately observed in 1900. An all day program with parade and evening concert brought together a great as- semblage. Addresses were made on the lawn at the Eaton Tavern by Gov- ernor Lounsbury, Judge Bond, Miss Larned, Rev. Charles Spaulding and by others associated with the earlier days of Plainfield. Canterbury participated in the historical exhibit which filled the church vestry. Those families, that for generations had occupied the homesteads of their fathers, brought from attics the varied implements and treasures of the early settlers; while in glass cases were arranged documents, miniatures, china and personal trinkets loaned by their descendants.

Four years later the church called home her scattered children to observe her two-hundredth anniversary. Historical sermons of great interest were preached by Mr. Arnold and Mr. Wilcox. At noon the new clock in the belfry for the first time struck the hour. This clock was a gift from the descendants of the building committee of 1815, and was accompanied by a memorial tablet bearing their names. Two of these descendants assisted in the presentation ceremony, Rev. Frank A. Fuller, grandson of Dr. Siah Fuller, and Henry Dorrance, great- grandson of Walter Palmer.

In 1898 Wm. Kinne, a returned son of Plainfield, left to the church a library for the use of its pastors, naming it in honor of Doctor Benedict. This library of nearly two thousand volumes (with certain heirlooms of Mr. Kinne's) is kept in two rooms built for that purpose at the parsonage and is maintained by a fund left by Mr. Kinne.

The ten years following Mr. Arnold's pastorate were spent in long seasons of "candidating" with three short pastorates, those of Frederick Balcom, Fred- erick Bamford, and William H. Lakin. With the new field before her in the two villages built by the mill company this continual change was unfortunate both for church and people.

In 1916 Arthur W. Barwick came to us from Yale. He brought to his task a spirit of youth, enthusiasm and devotion. The scattered young people of the parish were by degrees gathered into organizations. There were Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls and a Young Men's Glee Club which sang at the evening services and was instrumental in accomplishing many things. Steam heat, running water and other improvements were made at the parsonage. The unused barn was made into a club house equipped with piano, billiard table and gymnasium. Singers were trained for the choir and teachers for the Sun- day school, which was graded and in charge of the principal of the grammar school. For two years we were in the shadow of the war, the service flag on the pulpit bore twenty-two stars. Mr. Barwick entered the service as chaplain and every energy was spent in war activities.

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume I, Part 21

Author: Lincoln, Allen B Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co. Number of Pages: 930

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 930