USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > A narrative and documentary history of St. John's Protestant Episcopal Church (formerly St. James) of Waterbury, Connecticut > Part 13
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CERTAIN TAX RATES.
Ford, Ebenezer 39-116
Mary
74- 74
Gunn, Enos
60-187
Hill, Jonathan
32- 32
Nathaniel, Jr
48- 77
*Hand, Aaron.
18- 27
Hickox, Abraham.
36-157
*John, Jr 58- 58
William
67- 99
*Judd, Asa.
21- 48
*Brewster 20- 26
*Enoch
18- 20
*Noah 40
[and John, 199]
*Mattoon, David 139-139
Munson, Harmon. 39- 81
Nichols, Lemuel. 42-180
Page, Joseph. 45- 45
Painter, John. 62- 73
Porter, John 18- 54
Timothy, Jr
27- 87
*Prichard, Joseph 26- 30
Prindle, John. 20- 20
Scott, Barnabas
36- 37
Gideon 68- 68
*Obadiah, Jr.
23- 83
*Scovill, Darius.
20- 64
Edward . 179-179
Timothy
36- 36
Selkrig, Nathaniel
18- 27
*Shelton, Daniel 4- 10
*Smith, Wait. 27-135
*Stillwell, Benjamin 31- 43
*Stow, Josiah . 40- 40
*Thomas, Samuel 24- 24
Tuttle, Ezekiel. 5- 6
Jabez (one horse). . 3- 39
Twitchell, Isaac 28- 79
27- 27 Tyler, Abraham 57- 91
Samuel 46- 46 Warner, Abijah 30- 48
Timothy 37- 40
Ard 25- 61
Ephraim, Jr 28- 84
William 21- 32
Jonathan 21- 83
Webb, Samuel. 27- 32 *Titus 46- 48
Welton, widow Deborah ... 69- 69
Eliakim, Jr.
31- 78
Grilley, Henry 33- 33
18- 26
*Samuel
57- 99
Camp, Abel
21- 65
Candee, Noah. 67-224
Chambers, Thomas 48- 48
Clifford, Daniel 32- 33
84- 95
*Doolittle, James *Samuel. 33- 52
Douglass, Alexander F 21- 74
*Frost, Moses.
Fulford, Gershom 17- 94
John 21- 23
How, John. 70- 89
Jacobs, Bartholomew 57- 78
Luddington, Moses 67- 73
Sutliff, Abel 49- 96
John. 32-169
Weed, Jonas. 25-82]
The sum total of the list for 1758 is £7,407, divided among 89 persons. The entire grand list of the town for that year is £23,204.
ADDITIONS, 1759-1768.
Anderson, Johnson. £ 18- 36
Arnold, David. 22~ 35
Austin, Edmund.
...
36- 53
Barrett, James 35- 25
*Beach, Asael.
32- 55
Benham, Benjamin 23- 84
James 21- 29
Reuben 13- 18
Shadrach 29- 51
Bolt, Bartholomew
30- 30
Bronson, Ebenezer, Jr 36- 53
Seba 43-136
*Brown, Daniel, Jr
Guernsey, Jonathan, Jr. .. 70-211
135
HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
Welton, Nathaniel 39- 39
Stephen, Jr 38-150
Wooster, Miles 46- 48
Wait.
32- 46
Painter, John
25- 73
Phillips, Thomas 21- 21
Porter, Francis 18- 36 John 37- 54
Mark. 18- 45
Prichard, widow Rebecca .. 13- 13
Prindle, Jotham 18- 18
Richards, Elijah 48- 73
Obadiah.
75-109
Daniel, 3d. 21- 26
widow Sarah. 21- 24
Bunnell, Benjamin. 50- 50
Roberts, Joel.
18- 29
Candee, Timothy 27- 39
Scott, Noah.
38- 38
Culver, Stephen. 61- 71
Simeon 29- 47
Dowd, Jacob.
29- 57
Selkrig, John. 25- 29
Fenn, Samuel Grilley, Cyrus.
21- 24
Smith, Lue. 18- 28
Daniel.
26- 29
Terrill, Matthew 18- 27
Griswold, Jonathan
42- 42
Tuttle, Jesse 16- 27
Gunn, Abel
107-119
Tyler, Jacob.
Jobamah
61-198
Hickox, Jesse 24- 41
Warner, Ebenezer, Jr .
.
18- 60
Hungerford, Jonas. 18- 67
widow Eleanor ...
53- 53
Hurd, Andrew (Strat.). .
6- 7
Obadiah 24- 70
Seth 40- 54
Way, Ebenezer 21- 21
Merchant, John 47- 53
Moss, Joseph.
41- 47
Munson, Isaac.
18- 18
Ezekiel
56- 56
William 24- 43
Thomas, 3d 40- 55
Nichols, Elijah
18- 18
Winters, Obadiah.
32- 38
I am also indebted to Miss Prichard for the following list of children "Baptised at Waterbury" by Dr. Mansfield which seems worth preserving.
BAPTISMS FROM "THE CHURCH BOOK OF THE PARISH OF DERBY," BY THE REV. MR. MANSFIELD.
1748-9, Feb. 11,
Elihu to Lent Lewis.
1749-50, Feb. 11,
Joseph to Richard Nichols.
1748, Nov 20,
Jobamah to Nathaniel Gunn.
Nichols, Joseph, Jr. [3d]. .. 21- 33
Osborn, Ebenezer 25- 25
Thomas, Jr
35- 62
ADDITIONS, 1769-1776.
Adams, Abraham 53- 76
Beach Joel, 10- 19
Beebe, Ephraim. 27- 28
Benham, Isaac. 35- 61
Bronson, widow Mary 64- 93
Brown Asa 20- 27
23- 41
Seymour, Gideon 34- 48
34- 34 Wakelee, Ebenezer 26- 99
Lewis, Benjamin (Cheshire) 2- 2 Caleb. 37- 37
Welton, Ard. 44- 50 Eli 33- 39
136
0
.
CERTAIN TAX RATES.
1748, Nov. 20,
Tamer to Richard Nichols.
1748, Dec. 11,
Prue to George Nichols.
1748-9, Jan. 29,
Thomas to Stephen Welton.
1748-9, Feb. 26,
Asaph to James Brown.
1749, April 16,
Matthew to Joshua Tyrrell.
1749, May 28,
Marlin Molotts, servant to Captain Heacocks
1749,
Sept. 17,
Moses to Eliakim Welton.
1749, Sept. 17,
Sarab to Ebenezer Judd.
1749,
Sept. 17,
Rhena to Obadiah Warner.
1749,
Oct. 8,
Ozias to Josiah Warner.
1749,
Nov. 5,
Jemima to Ebenezer Warner.
1749,
Nov. 6,
Keziah to Moses Blakeslee, Northbury.
1749,
Nov. 6,
Ephraim to John How
1749,
June 25,
Reumah to Caleb Thompson.
1749,
June 25,
Gideon to Ebenezer Alling.
1749,
June 25,
John to Ebenezer Alling.
1749,
June 25,
David to Ebenezer Alling.
1749,
June 25,
Rachel to Ebenezer Alling.
1749,
June 15,
John to Daniel Russell.
1749,
Feb. 11,
Susanna to John Whalen.
1750,
May 1,
Richard to Isaac Castle, Northbury.
1750,
May 1,
Freelove to Abel Curtiss, Northbury.
1750,
May 20,
Allen to Thomas Welton.
1749,
June 25,
Isaac to Jonas Weed, Northbury.
1749,
June 25,
John to Caleb Matthews, Northbury.
1749,
June 25,
Daniel to Daniel Rowe, Northbury.
1749,
June 25,
Daniel to Mr. Long, Northbury.
1749,
June 25,
Abigail to Mr. Warner, Northbury ..
1749,
June 25,
Phebe to Edward Neal, Northbury.
1750,
July 8,
Ruth to Timothy Porter.
1750,
July 29,
Benjamin to Mr. Salters.
1750,
July 29,
Lydia to Nathan Hubbard.
1750,
July 29, Esther to Daniel Scott.
1750,
Nov. 4,
Seth to Ephraim Warner.
1750,
Dec. 16,
Ebenezer to James Brown, Jr.
1750-1, .Feb. 3,
A son to Ebenezer Judd.
1750-1, Mch. 24,
A daughter to William Silkrig.
1751, April 14,
Hannah to Caleb Thompson.
1751,
April 16,
Lemuel to Jonathan Hill.
1751, April 16,
Ephraim to Samuel How.
1751, April 16,
Submit to Reuben Blakeslee.
1751, May 1, Lydia to Mr. Scott.
1751, June 2,
John to George Nichols.
1751, June 2,
A daughter to Caleb Thompson.
137
HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
1751,
June 23,
Anna to Joseph Bronson.
1751, June 23,
A daughter to Oliver Welton.
1751, June 25,
Abigail to Ebenezer Allen, Northbury.
1751,
Aug. 11,
A son to Nathaniel Gunn.
1751, Oct. 21,
Abel to Abel Sutley [Sutliff].
1751, Oct. 20,
Nathaniel to Joseph Brown.
1751, Nov. 10,
Phebe to Mr. Gordon.
1751,
Dec. 25,
Abel to John Whalen.
1752,
Feb. 16,
Thomas to S. Welton.
1752,
April 5,
Aaron to Eliakim Welton.
1752,
April 5,
Annes to Ebenezer Welton.
1752,
April 26,
Lydia to Richard Welton.
1752,
June 14,
Titus to Edward Neal.
1752,
June 14,
Pomp, servant to Jonathan Prindle.
1752,
June 15,
Deliverence to Isaac Curtiss.
1752,
Sept. 24,
"Mary, daughter to Joseph Smith, and three more at Northbury."
1752,
Sept. 24,
Ben, an adult servant to Capt. Hickock.
1752,
Sept. 24,
David to Ebenezer Welton.
1752,
Sept. 24,
Hannah to James Brown,
1752,
Oct. 18,
A son to Oliver Welton.
1753, at Waterbury and Northbury:
1753,
March 4,
Benajah to Ebenezer Judd.
1753,
March 4,
Sarah to Daniel Brown.
1753,
March 26,
Thankful to Simon Tuttle.
1753,
March 27,
Sebe to Caleb Thompson.
1753,
March 26,
Silas to Reuben Blakeslee.
1753,
March 27,
Eli to David Blakeslee.
1753,
March 27,
Abigail to Samuel How.
1753,
March 27,
Mary to Cephas Ford.
1753,
March 27,
Lucy to Moses Luddington.
1753,
May 13,
William to William Silkrig.
1753,
July 2,
Barnabas to Ebenezer Ford.
1753,
July 2,
Simeon to Abel Castle.
1753,
July 3,
Timothy to Timothy Porter.
1753,
July 3,
Sally to Timothy Porter.
138
CHAPTER XII.
ST. PETER'S PARISH, NORTHBURY (PLYMOUTH).
I N Northbury, at "the Hollow," now Thomastown, a building was erected about 1738 (on land given by the Rev. John Southmayd, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Waterbury), which was used as a place of public meetings, for religious purposes, and as a school-house. After a few years a portion of the society wished to build a church and preferred to have it on the hill. This led to a division. Part of the society built a new house and went to the hill, while the others remained at the old place. It was not long before this remnant left in the "Hollow" became an Episcopal parish, or at any rate a band of people worshipping according to the liturgy of the Church of England and receiving the occasional ministrations of the mission- aries of the Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Messrs. Morris, Arnold, Lyon and Mansfield.
Dr. Bronson's History (page 310) represents the majority of the congregation as having become Episcopalians and having voted out the minority with the Rev. Samuel Todd, the Congre- gational clergyman, and Dr. Beardsley has followed this in his History of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. But the Rev. E. B. Hillard, in some researches made in 1888, while he was pas- tor of the Congregational Church at Plymouth, found a document which puts a somewhat different face on the matter. As this document does not appear in the Colonial Records, and is valuable evidence on a controverted, or at least misunderstood, matter, it is reproduced here, pour servir. It is dated at Northbury, October 8, 1740:
To the Honorable and General Assembly, convened at New Haven:
We, the subscribers, having in time past applied ourselves to this Assembly for, and they being so complaisant towards us as to grant us, the liberty in the first place to hire the gospel preached with us in the winter season which privilege we thankfully improved, and after that through their benignity toward us we obtained the privilege of hiring the gospel preached with us for
139
HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
the space of two years, and having no house in the centre of us convenient to attend the public worship in, the Rev. Mr. Southmayd encouraged us to erect a small house for that use, by giving us a parcel of land in the centre of us for that end, upon which we built a small house and in a short time carried on the public worship peaceably in it. And after we had met in the house about a year our necessity was so great of enjoying the gospel ordinances, upon our request (though we were very small) the Assembly was pleased to favor us with society privileges, upon which in a little time we gave Mr. Samuel Todd a call to settle in the work of the ministry with us, of which he accepted, and, being settled with us, we find our obligations to him full as much, if not more than we can answer; and it being evident at this day to the Assembly that a certain number among us are striving to involve us in much greater charges still, which, if obtained, we despair of answering our obligation to Mr. Todd, and we humbly conceive that the forementioned house of which we are the proprietors will answer the present necessity of the society to attend public worship and which we frecly dedicate to that use, and request, if the Assembly see fit, that the said house may be established the place of public worship so long as they see fit. That so the charge of building a meeting- house or any charge for that end may be prevented at present .*
At the October session the Assembly apparently took no action, but the following May, "being informed of the broken and con- fused circumstances of the parish at Northbury, etc., they ap- pointed a committee to conduct said society in the choice of proper officers and advise and direct where they shall meet on the Sabbath for public worship." In October following they appointed an- other committee, in part the same persons, to "fix a site," etc. The end of it all was that the party favoring a new church and a new site carried the day, but the disaffected portion declined to be taxed and stuck to their school-house, and soon after most of them declared themselves members of the Church of England.
(The first paragraph of the Northbury Congregational Church record now extant has this entry: "Any member of Regular standing in the Church of England shall be admitted to Occasional Communion with us in this church for the time to come.)
In 1759, when the Rev. James Scovill became the rector in Waterbury, he gave one-half his services to Northbury and New
*The signers of this document are: William Ludenton, Jonathan Cook, John Sutlef, Jr., Barnabas Ford, John How, Isaac Cassel, Thomas Blasle (Blakeslee), Jacob Blasle, Ebenezer Richardson, Caleb Humiston, Phinehas Rice, Daniel Curtis, Gedian Allen, Jeremiah l'eck, Jeremiah Peck, Jr., Ebenezer Elwell, Samuel Frost, John Sutlef, Samuel Jacobs.
140
4
P
ST. PETER'S PARISH, NORTHBURY (PLYMOUTH).
Cambridge. In 1771, Northbury and New Cambridge seem to have set up for themselves. Dr. Bronson says they obtained the services of a minister. In 1773 the Rev. James Nichols, a native' of Waterbury, became the rector, supplying the two places; but in 1775 he went to Litchfield. During the Revolution few ser- vices appear to have been held, although there were many ardent churchmen in that section of the town, the feeling being so strong that there was a great number of disaffected persons, some of whom suffered seriously for their opinions. Among them was Moses Dunbar, who was hanged for treason at Hartford.
In 1784 an Episcopal society was legally formed under the new enabling act with 57 legal voters, as follows:
Solomon Collis,
Abner Blakeslee,
Titus Barnes,
Asher Blakeslee,
Hosea Blim,
Amos Bronson,
Eli Blakeslee,
Philo Bradley,
John Brown,
Moses Blakeslee,
Ebenezer Bradley,
Joab Camp,
Samuel Blakeslee,
Ebenezer Bradley, Jr.,
Abraham Castle,
Thomas Blakeslee,
Zadok Curtis,
Amasa Castle,
Noah Blakeslee
Ezra Dodge,
Samuel Fenn,
Jude Blakeslee,
Cornelius Crane,
Jesse Fenn,
Ebenezer Ford,
Benj. Crane,
Isaac Fenn,
Barnabas Ford,
Simeon Crane,
Zaccheus Howe,
Enos Ford,
Eliphalet Hartshorn,
Zebulon Mosher,
Daniel Ford,
Eliphalet Hartshorn, Jr., Chauncey Moss.
Amos Ford,
Jesse Humaston,
Jacob Potter, Sam'l Potter
David Luddington,
Sam'l Peck, Jr.,
Gideon Seymour,
David Shelton,
Ezekiel Sanford, Jr.,
Abel Sutliff, Jr.,
Sam'l Scovill, Jr., Jesse Turner,
Wm. Tuttle,
Thos. Williams,
Eli Welton,
Thos. Way,
Oggrius Warner,
Thos. Williams, Jr.
Sam'l Way,
and for the next few years the parish had such services as they could secure temporarily. The Rev. Richard Mansfield, the Rev. James Scovil, the Rev. Asahel Baldwin, the Rev. Philo Shelton, the Rev. Tillotson Bronson and the Rev. Edward Blakeslee appear on the record as having officiated. In 1788 the Rev. Chauncey Prindle became rector, serving both Northbury and Westbury, and so remained until 1806. In 1795 Plymouth was incorporated as a separate town.
141
HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
It was during Mr. Prindle's rectorship that after much dis- cussion, the Church followed the footsteps of their predecessors and went, with their organization, onto the Hill. The first ser- vice held here was November 24, 1796, and November 2, 1797, the church was consecrated by Bishop Jarvis, as St. Peter's, it being among the first of his official acts. In 1806 Mr. Prindle resigned the rectorship, the reason given being, "so that Plymouth and East Plymouth might be united under one rectorship." This arrangement appears not to have been carried into effect until 1810, although Rev. N. B. Burgess appears to have been here in 1807 and 1808 with Rev. J. Davis Welton, then acting as lay reader. In 1810 Rev. Roger Searle was instituted rector, and St. Peter's had two-thirds of his services and St. Andrew's, East Plymouth, one third. He remained until 1817 when he removed to Ohio and founded the parish of St. Peter's, Ashtabula. From 1819 to 1829, the Rev. Rodney Rossiter was rector and during this time a rectory was built. The Rev. Daniel Burhans was here from 1831 to 1836, and the Rev. William Watson came in 1837 and remained until 1851. The Rev. S. D. Denison was here from 1851 to 1854, Rev. A. B. Goodrich to 1856, Rev. S. K. Miller 1855 to 1858, Rev. Dr. Berry to 1862, Rev. Mr. Lumsden to 1863, Rev. B. Eastwood to 1869, Rev. Porter Thomas 1869 to 1872, Rev. Emerson Jessup 1872 to 1873, Rev. L. de Dorman to 1874, Rev. S. B. Duffield to 1875, Rev. John M. Bates to 1877, Rev. Henry T. Scudder to 1878, Rev. John D. Gilliland to 1888, Rev. W. E. Hooker to 1892, Rev. Dr. James Gammack to 1895, Rev. Henry G. Smith, January, 1896, to Easter, 1900, Rev. John D. Gilliland, June, 1900. In 1892-3 the church was greatly improved by a new floor and pews and by a new heating apparatus, costing $1000, which last was paid for by Mrs. John M. Toncey of New York, a former member of the parish. In November, 1897, a centennial celebration was held, and an historical sermon preached by Rev. Dr Samuel Hart.
Thomaston, formerly known as Plymouth Hollow, was made a separate town in 1875. This is where the first churches, both Congregational and Episcopal, had their origin and were both
142
.
ST. PETER'S PARISH, NORTHBURY (PLYMOUTH).
subsequently removed to the "Hill." Thomaston now has a flourishing church of its own.
OFFICERS OF ST. PETER'S PARISH.
Wardens.
WILBERT N. AUSTIN,
HENRY A. SMITH.
EDWARD H. GATES,
Vestry, E. V. LA RUE,
BURDETTE MORSE,
HERBERT W. CLEVELAND,
WILLIAM L. LUMPKIN,
C. HOBART SMITH,
ARD WELTON,
C. ARAD WELTON.
Parish Treasurer. EDWIN M. TALMADGE.
Treasurer of Permanent Fund. HENRY A. SMITH. Clerk. WALLACE E. DAYTON.
143
,
CHAPTER XIII.
CHRIST'S CHURCH, WATERTOWN.
I N 1764 twenty persons entered into an agreement "to hold public worship in Westbury on those Sundays when there was no preaching in Waterbury," and to make arrangements to build an Episcopal Church.
To wit :- Asahel Beach, Seth Blake, Samuel Brown, Joseph Brown, Daniel Brown, Thomas Doolittle, James Doolittle, Jonathan Fulford, Jonathan Garnsey, John Judd, Noah Judd, Asa Judd, John Hickox, Joseph Hickox, Joseph Pritchard, Eleazar Prindle, Gershom Scott, Edward Scovil, Samuel Scovil, William Scovil.
They met at the house of James Doolittle in the winter and at Ensign David Scott's in the summer. The next year (1765) Captain George Nichols of Waterbury gave them a lot, and by October, through the efficient management of Captain Edward Scovil, they had a building fit to occupy, although not completed.
The Rev. Samuel Andrews delivered the dedicatory sermon. An arrangement was made by which Rev. James Scovil of Water- bury was to preach every sixth Sunday. This continued till 1771, when the Society had so much increased that Mr. Scovil agreed to give them one-third of his time. In 1773 they finished the lower part of the house, with pulpit, chancel and canopy, but never entirely completed it. During the Revolution the Society suffered with the others of this denomination.
In 1779 Captain Edward Scovil gave them by will seventeen acres of land near the church. This was afterwards sold and a fund established which still exists.
(The parish also owns three acres of land in the center of the village on which are the present church, rectory and parish house.)
The first church is described as 45 feet by 36 feet with a steeple, the first in the town. It was named Christ Church. It stood, as nearly as can be ascertained, on the east side of the road leading to Waterbury, about a quarter of a mile southward from the green
144
CHRIST'S CHURCH, WATERTOWN.
and a little southwest from the Congregational Church, whic stood within the old cemetery enclosure, or nearly so, at the southwest corner. The Episcopal Church is supposed to have been on the south side of the road leading east.
Mr. Scovil continued as rector until he left Waterbury. This was nominally until 1786, although during the last two years he was absent much of the time in New Brunswick. In 1788 the Rev. Chauncey Prindle, a native of Westbury, a nephew of Mr. Scovil and a Yale graduate of 1776, then in deacon's orders and previously a lay-reader, took charge of the parish, having also the church at Northbury under his care. His stipend was thirty pounds, to be paid in beef, pork, butter, tallow, wool, flax or any sort of grain. In 1793 a new church was built, and consecrated by Bishop Seabury as Christ's Church on November 18, 1794. This church stood on a piece of ground purchased of Samuel Southmayd, at the intersection of the streets a few rods west from the site of the present church .*
Rev. Mr. Prindle remained in charge until 1805 when the Rev Russell Wheeler took the parish, remaining until 1814. He was succeeded by Rev. Frederick Holcomb who spent the remainder of his life in Watertown, dying in 1872, and holding the rectorship till 1850 with the exception of a temporary withdrawal from 1838 to 1845, and thoroughly identifying himself with the town and its people in all their joys and sorrows. A man of great sim- plicity of character and broad sympathies; of sound practical sense and universally beloved and respected.
From 1838 to 1845 the Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Richardson was rector and on his resigning, Dr. Holcomb was prevailed upon to accept the charge for five years more.
This was a period of quiessance for Watertown. Agriculture and stock raising, in both of which Watertown was pre-eminent, began soon after 1830 to decline and it was a number of years before any considerable manufacturing was undertaken in the town.
*A part of the open ground about the church has since been inclosed in the grounds now occupied by Mrs. J. A. Buckingham. The house itself fronted the east, the west line being nearly in a line with Mrs. Buckingham's east fence. In 1780 Watertown became a separate town.
145
II
HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
In 1850 the Rev. Horace Hall Reid became rector and re- mained until 1857. Manufacturing had now been established and under this influence the town began to grow. It was under Mr. Reid's ministry that the present church was built. Since then the old school house on the church ground has been converted into a parish house and the church, rectory and parish house are all on the same property. A spire, which was at first on the church was blown down a few years after it was built, and was never replaced, but a finial to the tower was substituted. Large interior repairs and decorations, and a new organ have been added within a few years, also some memorials of the families of Scovill, Heminway, Curtis, Buckingham and Warren.
Mr. Reid's successor in the rectorship was Rev. Dr. Benjamin W. Stone from 1857 to 1860. The Rev. Dr. Willaim H. Lewis succeeded Dr. Stone and remained for fourteen years, until his death. Dr. Lewis had been rector of a large church in Brooklyn and looked upon the Watertown rectorate as a retirement from active duty. But he found plenty here to occupy his time in a way which was pleasant to himself and profitable for his people. In 1874 Dr. Lewis was succeeded by Rev. S. D. McConnell, and he in 1876 by Rev. James Stoddard, who was succeeded by Rev. Herbert N. Cunningham, who remained until 1891, when Rev. John F. Nichols became rector and occupied the position until 1894, when Rev. Mr. Cunningham again became rector and still remains.
The mission of All Saints, at Oakville, has been established by the rector of Christ Church and is reckoned as part of that parish. At present it is under the immediate care of Rev. J. A. Stanfield of St. Paul's, Waterville, who acts in this capacity as assistant of the rector of Christ's Church. The two together have a communi- cant roll of about 400; a showing which is probably not surpassed in any village in the United States having a total population of only 3500.
The following sketch is taken from a sermon of the Rev. Wm. H. Lewis, D.D., preached June 2, 1872:
Rev. Frederick Holcomb, D. D., was the third son of Jesse and Louisa Holcomb. He was born in Granby, Conn., Oct. 13, 1786. His parents by
146
CHRIST'S CHURCH, WATERTOWN.
religious profession, belonged to the Episcopal Church, and had their children baptized in infancy. At the early age of thirteen, himself, with two brothers and a sister, received the apostolic rite of confirmation by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Jarvis. At about the age of sixteen his parents, albeit in moderate circum- stances, made him the offer of a collegiate education, though there was no decided inclination on his part at that time of a desire to enter the ministry. He eagerly accepted the offer. His preparatory studies began under the Rev. David Waldo, of West Suffield, and were completed under the Rev. Mr. Clin- ton, of Southwick, Mass. In 1805 he entered Williams College, Massachusetts, graduating in 1809. Soon after that he was led, under the providence of God, to realize the necessity of due preparation for the life to come, and he resolved on a course of theological reading, and entered upon it at once. His first examination was passed under the Rev. Dr. Tillotson Bronson, of Cheshire, and his second under the Rev. Dr. Kewley, of Middletown. He was ordained as deacon, with license to preach and baptize, in Trinity Church, New Haven, June 23, 1811, by the Rt. Rev. Abraham Jarvis, D. D. A call was soon received from St. Mark's Church, Harwinton, and Trinity Church, Northfield society, to take charge of them both, and to divide the time equally between them. He removed to Harwinton, with his wife and one child, on the 17th of December, 1811. At his ordination to the priesthood, it being necessary to have three presbyters to lay on hands, with the bishop, the Venerable Dr. Mansfield, of Derby, then about ninety years of age, was brought to act, with the Rev. Dr. Bronson, and the Rev. Mr. Whitlock, of Trinity Church, New Haven, and the ordination was in that church, by Bishop Jarvis, Sunday, Dec. 20, 1812.
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