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 9
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CHAPTER VIII.
EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH RECORDS WITH SOME NOTES.
T HE earliest record which we have in point of date is an entry on page eight of our oldest record book as follows :-
"Mr. Joseph Bronson's record, transcribed for the year 1758. July ye 17, 1758, at a vestry held in the church, it was voted that we would give Mr. Scovil twenty pound sterling a year and the yues (use) of the Gleeb, provided he get nothing at hum, and it was agreed that we should have half the (amount) got at hum.
At the same meeting it was voted that we would give him twenty-two pound, ten shillings, sterling, to carry him hum.
At the same meeting it was voted that John Brown and John Welton should make the rate and collect the money for Mr. Scovil.
March the 31, 176(0) ? a vestry holden in the church it was voted that we would finish the upper part of the church. At the same vestry it was voted that Capt. Geo. Nichols, Ins. (ensign) Warner and Abraham Hickox should be trustees to provide and carry on the work and to make a rate, and Elezar Prindle appointed to collect the rate and collect it on December next."
Our first record book begins, " At a vestre holden in St. Jamses Church at Waterbury, on the 6th day of April, 176(1) [this last figure is worn off, but the next meeting is March, 1762]. At said vestry Mr. Thomas Osborn was chosen clerk by the vestry. Mr. James Scovil [the rector] at said vestry; Timothy Porter and John Welton was chosen Church Wardens.
Voted in said vestry to give the Widow Harrison £1. 8. 0. that was due her on account of some work that her husband was to due to the church; voted in said vestry that Ebenezer Warner should assist in tuning the psalm; voted in said vestry that Samuel Brown should assist in tuning the psalm; voted in said vestry that Heze- kiah Brown should assist in tuning the psalm.
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Voted in said vestry that we will meet in the church on Sun- days and read prayers when Mr. Scovil is absent. Voted in the vestry that Mr. Scovil shall have what is due for the rent of the Glebe.
March 17, 1762-Voted, David Warner, Abraham Hickox, Elezar Prindel, should be a societies committee. [Whether this congregationalist nomenclature was with reference to some legal question as to parish organization or whether it was a recur- rence from habit to the congregational form, they having all been brought up Congregationalists, I do not know, but this phrase, "Societies Committee" is frequently used in the records for many years, and seems to have been considered an equivalent for vestrymen in its present acceptance. I think the word "vestry," as used in the early records, signified a meeting of the parish or of the Church authorities.]
At this same meeting a vote was passed appointing John Wel- ton, Ebenezer Warner, Capt. Geo. Nichols, to examine into the circumstances of the lands belonging to this town, that is given for public use. [Doubtless the question in mind was whether some of it could not be made available for the Episcopal Church.]
Voted that Mr. Scovil shall have the foremost pew next the alley, in the east end of the church. [Mr. Scovil married Amy, daughter of Capt. Geo. Nichols, November 17, 1762.]
2d day of March, 1763. Voted that the vestry will be at the cost of a vestry book. [This is doubtless the book from which these records are taken. It is a well made book about twelve and one-half by nine and one-quarter inches, bound in parchment or vellum, and having approximately 400 pages.]
Voted to raise Mr. Scovil's rate for the present year.
Voted to give Mr. Scovil one penny and a half penny on the pound this present year.
Voted in said vestry that the over plush money of Mr. Scovil's rate in the year 1762 shall be put into the hands of the committee.
Voted in said vestry that the money that is in hands of the Church Wardens that belongs to the Church, shall be laid out to furnish the communion table and to get a choshion for the pulpit, and other things necessary for the pulpit and the reading desk.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
At a meeting of the vestry holden in St. Jameses Church, at Waterbury, on the 6th day of March, 1764.
Voted-That the committee shall have full power to act with respect to the ministerial money as they shall think best. [The clerks do not sign the records, but Thomas Osborn appears to have remained clerk until the 6th of March, 1765, when Abraham Hickox was elected. A vote was also passed directing parents to hand in the children's names for baptism, in writing, which writ- ing the rector was to deliver to the parish clerk for record, and immediately following this is a list of the names of children christ- ened. These names Miss Katharine A. Prichard has recorded in the genealogical record of the History of Waterbury.]
At a meeting of the vestry held April 1, 1766. Voted-That Mr. Scovil and the Church Wardens should get, with part of the Church Stock, conveniences for communion and Chrisning children for the church at Wes'tr'y. [This was the year following the erec- tion of the church at Westbury (Watertown).]
At this meeting it was also voted "to give the Reverent Mr. Scovil thirty pounds lawful money for the year 1767, as a sallery for his service in preaching this year."
At a vestry held March 18, 1767, was chosen Capt. Edward Scovil, Joh Welton, Abraham Hickox to go to Northbury and New Cambridge to confer with them about a division of the Mishon. Voted that we will exert ourselves for a division of the mishon.
March 29, 1769, it was voted that said vestry are willing that Northbury and Westbury should have the liberty to get them a minister when they should think proper.
At the same meeting voted that Abraham Hickox, Capt. John Welton, Capt. Edward Scovil be a committee with discretion- ary .power to sue or otherwise recover the money belonging to said church, by vote of the town of Waterbury in the year 1770.
Voted that Westbury shall have their part of Mr. Scovil's ser- vices of preaching according as their list draws til there shall come a minister to Northbury and New Cambrige.
Voted that we will give Northbury and New Cambrige towards a man going to take holy orders, £30. lawful money.
Voted, that we will pay £45. sterling a year salary, to be
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EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH RECORDS.
paid to the minister of the Church of England, in case Northbury and New Cambrige provide for themselves, which vote is to con- tinue in force until the said Northbury and Cambrige obtain benefaction from the Society, or so long as Mr. Scovil shall serve in this mission.
At a vestry held April 15th, 1772, voted to chuse a Comity to try by confering with other comitties from other parts of the mishon to get another minister to the mishon or to get the mishon divided: David Warner, Capt. John Welton, Doc. Timothy Porter, Abra- ham Hickox, Enos Gunn and Benjamin Benham were appointed the committee.
[During the Revolution meetings were regularly held and the ordinary appointments made and the christenings recorded.]
Nov. 8, 1783, voted that Mr. Scovill should have liberty to pull down the Glebe house, leaving the chimney and reserving the glass for the church.
Nov. 8, 1784-Voted to give Rev. Mr. Scovil £55 salary for the ensuing year, including Westbury, for a portion according to the original agreement, the above said salary to be paid by the first of March ensuing. [This record is of a meeting of the Episcopal Society or Congregation, all previous records have been of a meeting of vestry.]
Sept. 1, 1785-A committee appointed to confer with com- mittee of the Episcopalian Society in Westbury and the Rev. Mr. Scovil, and know of him upon what terms he will preach with us and make report to some future meeting. At the same meeting was voted to have the Rev. Mr. Scovil's service in preaching half the time and to pay him for the same.
At a meeting Dec. 7, 1785-Voted to give Rev. Mr. Scovil forty-five pounds lawful money for a salary for the current year for his service in preaching one-half the time.
[Mr. Scovil finally left in 1786.]
May 1, 1786-A committee was appointed to confer with the Committee at Watertown about getting a minister into the mis- sion.
Aug. 28, 1786-At a meeting of the Society, Mr. Caleb Merril for Moderator, voted that we will settle a minister and have
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HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
his service one half the time, or as shall best suit the Society at some future meeting.
Sept. 25-Voted that the committee formerly appointed to cover the church, be desired to appropriate such monies as remain in their hands unapplied, to the glazing and repairing the church.
Voted that the committee be directed to write to Mr. Philo Perry for a Sunday in St. James Church as soon as convenient.
Dec. 4, 1786-Voted to make a rate two pence on a pound on the list of 1786, and lay out the money for preaching according to their discretion, the above said rate to be paid by the first day of March next.
Dec. 3, 1787-Voted to settle a minister and have his service in preaching half the time.
Voted that the committee apply to Mr. Prindle, also to Mr. Blakeslee and Mr. Ives, and know their terms of settlement, and make report to this meeting at some future day.
Dec. 27-Voted to reconsider the above and directed the Com- mittee to apply to Mr. Prindle and make report.
Feb. 4, 1788-Voted that Mr. Herman Munson, together with the Committe be directed to procure the schoolhouse for the Con- vention to meet in and provide wood sufficient for them at the Society's cost. [A schoolhouse had been built about three years before this on the green in front of where the City Hall now stands, in which Rev. Joseph Badger and Mr. John Kingsbury were con- ducting a successful school. This is doubtless the building re- ferred to.]
March 24, 1788-Voted that the committee be directed to apply to Mr. Reuben Ives for further service in preaching among us.
June 12, 1788-Voted to adopt the doings of the Convention held at Wallingford on the 7th day of May last, respecting the. bishop's salary.
Voted to direct the Committee to apply to Mr. Ives to engage him to preach for us what time he can until his year is out with Cheshire and Bethany.
Sept. 25, 1788-Voted to hire Mr. Ambrose Hull to read pray- ers and preach two-thirds of the time.
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EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH RECORDS.
April 27, 1789; Upon a report of the Societies of Salem and Bristol that they wish to join us and support a clergyman for one- half the time, viz., one-fourth each. Voted, that we desire and wish to settle and pay a clergyman for one-half the time.
Voted that the Committee be directed to apply to Mr. Solomon Blakeslee as a candidate.
May 25, 1789-Voted to give Mr. Blakeslee a call for one-half the time.
Voted to give him £40 a year and his fire wood for one-half his service as a parish minister and his residence in this place, and to increase his salary to £45 as the list of the church increases.
June 16, 1790-Rev. Chauncey Prindle present. (The usual formal business done.)
Sept. 13 .- Voted that the committee be requested to apply to Rev. David Foot to know whether he is willing to settle as a parish minister among us.
Voted to have the services of a clergyman two-thirds of the time and to give Mr. Foot two-thirds of £85 and his fire wood, provided he reside in this Society.
Voted that the Committee be requested to address the Reverend Episcopal Convention and request their advice and influence in uniting to this parish the Episcopal parishes of Woodbury and Salem, or either of them and to inform them that we are willing to dispense with having but one-half the services of a clergyman and to pay in the same proportion as shall be thought best.
Oct. 18-Voted that the Committee be requested and directed to apply to the Episcopal parishes of Woodbury and Salem and confer with their Committee in order to form a Mission with us and know what proportion of time each parish would wish to have the service of a clergyman and make report to a future meeting.
Nov. 1, 1790-Voted that the Committee be requested to apply firstly to the Rev. Solomon Blakeslee and invite him to preach in the several Episcopal churches of Waterbury, Woodbury and Salem as a candidate, in order for a settlement as a parish minister for said churches, or secondly, to Mr. Marsh, or thirdly, to Mr. Bronson for the aforesaid purposes.
April 11, 1791-Voted that the Committee be directed and
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HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
requested to apply to Mr. Ammi Rogers and request and engage him to hold himself as a candidate for this Society and be with us as soon as he can with convenience.
April 25-Voted that the Committee be requested to apply to Mr. Hart and invite and engage him to officiate as a candidate for this Society and be with us as soon as may be with convenience.
Voted, to reconsider the vote respecting an application to Mr. Ammi Rogers. [This looks as if they had learned something of Mr. Rogers.]
August 27-Voted that Committee be instructed to inform our bretheren at Salem that whenever we have treated them with any kind of neglect, we are willing to rescind it and give them a fresh assurance that we will treat them with respect in the future.
Voted to give Mr. Hart a call for a settlement for one-half the time.
Sept. 27, 1971-Voted that this Society are willing and desirous to receive Mr. Seth Hart as our minister as soon as he shall be put into Holy Orders.
Voted that we will give Mr. Seth Hart, after he shall be ad- mitted to and receive holy orders, provided he shall make his resi- dence among us and perform parochial service in the Episcopal Society at Waterbury, for one-half the time, the sum of £40 law- ful money for the first year, and the use of the glebe, annually-to increase twenty shillings annually for five years next ensuing, and £45 thereafter.
Dec. 5-Voted that whenever Mr. Hart's salary is 3 months in arrears the Committee shall give a note on interest and the Society shall indemnify the Committee.
Dec. 3, 1792-Committee appointed to treat with Committee of the several Presbyterian Societies in Waterbury to agree upon a division of the public or ministerial money belonging to this town.
April 1, 1793-The question being put whether this Society do approve and adopt the proposed constitution of the Episcopal Church. Voted in the affirmative.
April 1, 1793-Voted that Rev. Mr. Hart officiate one Sunday at Southington on the cost of this Society.
Committee appointed to agree upon a place to set a church
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EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH RECORDS.
and the bigness of the same and make report to the next meeting.
Voted that the surplusage of money given at the Communion be laid out for Bishop Seabury's sermons.
Sept. 30-Voted, by a majority of more than two-thirds that we are willing and think it necessary to build a church, or house for public worship. Eli Curtis, Esq., Mr. Jude Blakesley and Captain Amos Bryan were appointed a Committee to set a stake for the place where to build a church.
Oct. 21, 1793-Voted to build a church edifice on the East side of the road that leads round the South side of the green. [Church Street was not then open.]
Dec. 2, 1793-Voted to petition the Hon. County Court now sitting in New Haven to grant a Committee to come and fix or set a stake for a place where to erect a church, also by vote nominated John Wooster, Esq., of Derby, Thomas Atwater of Cheshire and Abram Bradley of Woodbridge for aforesaid Com- mittee if said Hon. Court in their wisdom should think fit to appoint them.
Dec. 17, 1793-Isaac Benham, Levi Bronson, Richard F. Welton, John Hickox and Ezra Pierpont were chosen a Committee to get the minds of this Society where to erect a church and make a report to this meeting.
Dec. 26, 1793-Voted to erect a fence around the church. Same meeting, Benjamin Welton, Eleazer Tompkins, Jesse Hicox, Mark Warner, Cornelius Johnson, Jr., Titus Welton, Elijah Prich- ard, James Scovil and Joseph Bronson chosen Committee to warn the inhabitants of the Episcopal Society in Waterbury to attend the Committee appointed by the County Court for the pur- pose of setting a stake where to build the church edifice, on the 1st day of January next.
Same meeting, Captain Harman Munson, Messrs. Richard Welton, John Cossett and John Nichols was chosen for Committee to view several places where they shall think best to build a church and report to this meeting.
At the same meeting Isaac Benham, Seba Bronson and Eph- raim Warner were chosen for a Committee to wait on the Committee
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HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
appointed by the County Court when they shall come to set the stake where to build a church.
Feb. 3, 1794-Voted to call the Committee appointed by the Hon. County Court to come and take a review of the place where to set the stake for the place to build a church edifice.
March 17, 1794-Voted that Seba Bronson be appointed an agent to apply to the County Court and the late Committee ap- pointed by the same for setting a stake for the church in Waterbury to take the necessary measures for placing the stake 5 rods south of the place where the stake now stands.
Sept. 12, 1794-Voted that the Committee be directed to reckon with Rev. Mr. Hart and give their Note payable the 1st day of March next "without interest" for what may be due him now.
Nov. 3, 1794-Isaac Bronson chosen agent instead of Seba Bronson to get the stake moved 5 rods South.
Dec. 1, 1794-Voted that the Society's Committee be directed to apply to Rev. Mr. Griswold to perform divine service during part of the ensuing winter.
Dec. 16, 1794-Voted that the edifice to be erected for a church for this Society be thirty-eight feet wide and fifty-two feet long.
Voted-Ephraim Warner, Justus Warner, Herman Munson, Titus Welton, and John Cossitt be appointed a Committee to oversee and inspect the building of the church.
Jan. 12, 1795-Voted to build a cupola with the house which has been voted to build.
February 9, 1795-Voted that the Societies committee be directed to re-survey the Glebe Swamp and fill it up if they think necessary. {This refers to the ground where the present Church stands.]
Voted to build the Church 54x38 with a steeple at the East end.
March 16, 1795-Voted to apply to Mr. Griswold to settle with us as a clergyman and to pay him £75 for his services three- fourths of the time. [Mr. Griswold did not accept.]
March 28, 1796-Voted that the Committee apply to Rev. Mr. Bronson to preach with us one-half the time until the 1st day of December next unless we are supplied otherwise.
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EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCH RECORDS.
June 6, 1796-Voted to grant the Rev. Wm. Green for his annual service three-fourths of the time in this Society three- fouths of one hundred pounds to be paid in money calculating on the price of provisions at the following rates viz., pork 30s. pr C. Beef 20s. Wheat 6s. 6d. pr bus. Rye 4s. Indian Corn 3s. 4d. And if in the month of January annually said articles shall exceed the foregoing prices then said salary is to increase to three-fourths of one hundred and ten pounds and no more.
June 20, 1796-Voted that the Presbyterian Society may meet in the church if they please except when said church have a clergyman. [The Congregational Society which is here called Presbyterian had torn down their old church to make room for a new one in the same place.]
First Monday in December, 1796-Voted that the Committee be directed to have Rev. Tillotson Bronson preach with us half the time or more for the year ensuing.
March 6, 1797-Voted that the Committee sell the old church and ground on which it stands in such a way and on such terms as they think most beneficial for the Society.
June 11, 1797-Voted to seat the new church, the Committee to use their discretion, having some regard to age and the lists that money has been raised upon to build said church, with the addition of those persons that have come into the Society since the house was built, and make a report to some future meeting.
Oct. 12, 1797-Voted that Isaac Benham, Sebe Bronson and John Cossett be a committee to prepare and give the consecration deed.
Oct. 24, 1797-Voted to seat the new church in the following manner. viz., taking the two lists of '94 and '5 and add them together then add £15 a year for every year beginning at the age of 21: and all those that had no list of '94 and '5 shall take the list of '97 and double it to make one list with the addition of £15 as aforesaid.
First Monday of December, 1797-Voted that the money that the old church was sold for, shall be applied to the building of the new church. Voted that the Society are willing to settle the
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HISTORY OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
Rev. Tillotson Bronson as their clergyman if his terms are such as shall meet the minds of the Society.
Dec. 27, 1797-Voted to pay what is wanting with Mr. Ben- ham for singing at Dedication.
First Monday of Dec. 1798-Voted a Committee to confer with the selectmen relative to laying out a highway between Israel Holmes' land and land belonging to this Society from the new church to the burying yard lane, so called. [This is now Church Street, but it was not laid out until several years later.]
April 15, 1799-Voted to lay a tax of four cents on the dollar. [This is the first mention of a dollar on these records.]
Aug. 19, 1799-Voted to take counsel as to the legality of selling the Glebe. [No report appears but they must have got some advice which was favorable to the sale,-see Real Estate.] Dec. 1, Monday, 1799-Voted a salary to Rev. Tillotson Bronson of $250. for three-fourths of the time for the year ensuing.
[June 4, 1800, the Diocesan Convention met here, but no allusion to it appears on the record.]
Dec. 13, 1803-Voted to "dignify" the seats and pews of the church in the following manner, viz: the two first seats in the church are considered of the first dignity, the two second seats and the two pews No. 3, are of the second dignity ; the two third seats and the two pews No. 4, are of the third dignity; the two fourth seats and the two Nos. 5, and the two of No. 1, are the fourth dignity, also the remaining parts of the seats and pews in said church (ex- cept the pews at the southeast corner of said church, Nos. 9 and 10) are dignified according to the numbers of said seats and pews. At the same meeting voted to seat the church by age only.
April 2, 1804-John Clark, Richard Welton and Obadiah War- ner were appointed a Committee with full power to lease for the term of nine hundred years, provided they shall judge best, the following pieces of land belonging to this Society, viz: About ten acres lying near the church, with buildings standing on the same, also about nine acres near George Prichard's dwelling house, it being all the land belonging to the Society at each of these places, also all the land belonging to this Society lying a little northward of the house of Abner Johnson. [So far as appears, no action was
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taken under this vote. This last piece is the Willow Street piece.]
Dec. 10, 1805-Voted the Rev. Tillotson Bronson a salary of three hundred dollars for three-fourths of the time the first year.
Sept. 2, 1806-Voted that this Society do approve of Mr. Hor- ace V. Barber as a preacher of the Gospel and have been well pleased with his performance, and it is their desire to settle him in this Society as their Clergyman, and that Messrs. Richard Wel- ton and Herman Munson be a Committee appointed to present this vote to him and request his answer.
Oct. 13, 1806-Voted to give Mr. Virgil H. Barber a salary of 410 dollars for his service one year, to be paid quarterly.
March 30, 1807-Voted that Mr. Barber may, if he shall see cause, preach such a proportion of the time in the town of Wol- cott, as the list of the members of this Society living in said town shall bear to the whole list.
June 16, 1807-Voted to request the Rev. Bishop Jarvis to dismiss the Rev. Tillotson Bronson from being the clergyman of this Society. [This appears to have been adopted as a matter of form.]
At the same meeting voted that the Standing Committee for this year be requested to call on Mr. Virgil H. Barber to get his terms of settling as clergyman of this Society in future and to report to this meeting as soon as convenient. The Committee returned in a short time with Mr. Barber's answer, of which the following is a copy.
"In compliance with the request of the Committee in behalf of the parish of St. John's Church, I respectfully offer the following terms of agreement (viz): The sum that I conscientiously think necessary to a competent support in the character and capacity of a clergyman, is five hundred dollars, the time of payment to be half yearly. Now provided the parish feel willing and ready to accede to the above terms without its endangering the peace of the church, it would be very cheerfully received by, gentlemen, your very humble servant, Virgil H. Barber.".
At the same meeting, voted to comply with above said terms of Mr. Barber.
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