USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > Christ church, Hartford, Volume I > Part 10
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In September of the same year, another loan was author- ized from the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, " for an amount not exceeding two thousand dollars, for the debts that are due, or may become due from time to time, with the interest thereon." And another mortgage was placed upon the Church.
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CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
Truly, the Parish, so large and wealthy, was floundering in unnecessary complications.
If there was any "annual account " made by the Trustees of the Sinking Fund, to the Parish meeting held April, 1852, it does not appear upon the record, and probably nothing had been effected concerning it. The subject, however, had not been forgotten, for the Wardens and Vestry a few days afterwards directed the treasurer "to pay to the Trustees of the Sinking Fund the sum of two hundred dollars, on the first of July next." There was also an attempt to raise three hundred dollars, by subscription, for this Fund; but this also came to naught; the evil was not to be cured in this petty way. Men in like instances often fritter away their energies in expedients which are puerile and useless, fearing to attack the prime difficulty itself, and it was so here; the parish had not come to a full consciousness of the burdensome debt, or to a clear method of removing it. An irritated feeling had been created by a divided opinion concerning the music, and by protracted and tireless debates in the Vestry about en- closing the church with a fence. The increasing amount of interest upon loans, and upon notes negotiated at bank, with expenditures greater than receipts, were causes of vexation, when they should have been causes of harmony and united action. The necessity of a change was great, and it was about to come.
The Rev. Thomas M. Clark had been chosen as Rector in 1851, with great unanimity. He was a man of so much ability and dignity of character, that he gained the entire affection and confidence of the parishioners. He was in the position to act as the wise and just coun- sellor and mediator, and succeeded in quieting differences thought to have been important, and in turning attention to a serious consideration of the financial state of the Parish. He was the leader who was needed at just this time. And so it came to pass, that at a meeting of the War- dens and Vestry, Sept. 27, 1852, it was
"Voted, That the Rector be requested to notify a meeting of the gentlemen of the Parish on some Tuesday evening during the month
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REPORT ON FUNDS.
of October ensuing, to consider the indebtedness of the Parish, and to take such measures as they may think advisable, for the partial or entire liquidation of the Parish debt."
The chairman of this committee, then a member of the Vestry, well remembers the pleasure with which this suggestion was received, and the feeling that it was a movement in the right direction.
The matter received the consideration of the Wardens and Vestry at different times, and at a Parish meeting held on the 5th of April, 1853, it was
"Voted, That H. Huntington, D. Morgan, G. W. Russell, James Bolter, Thomas J. Fales, and Thomas T. Fisher, be and they are hereby appointed a Committee to raise by subscription the sum of eighteen thousand dollars, payable in one, two, three, and four years, in equal annual instalments, the same to be appropriated as recommended by the Wardens and Vestry. No subscription to be binding unless the full amount of eighteen thousand dollars be subscribed."
The recommendation of the Wardens and Vestry was that the above specified sum should be used "for the purposes of paying the Parish debt, building a fence around the Church, and for making such other improvements and repairs as may be deemed necessary."
The committee were so much in earnest, that in Septem- ber, Mr. Huntington reported to the Vestry that they had obtained subscriptions to the amount desired. The Parish on the 29th of the same month, thanked the committee for their successful efforts, approved of the appointment of Mr. Daniel Goodwin as collector, and authorized him to take notes in payment of subscriptions, "not to exceed four months, with interest added, from the 20th day of September, 1853, payable at one of the banks in this city."
The subscriptions were made by ninety-nine different individuals, in sums varying from one thousand to twelve dollars. It was unfortunate that the time of payments was extended over the term of four years, for before this period had expired, there had occurred from deaths, removals, and failures in business, such an amount that
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CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
the full indebtedness of the Parish was not then paid. It was reserved to a later day, when an indebtedness of nearly the same sum had been incurred, and when the Parish was much reduced in numbers, to pay off all the obligations resting upon it, and to make it what it had never, or certainly for many years, had been, entirely free from debt.
PETER S. CHAUNCEY FUND.
After the election of Rev. Dr. Burgess as Bishop of the Diocese of Maine, and his resignation as Rector of the Parish, the Rev. P. S. Chauncey was chosen as his successor. He was at this time Rector of Christ Church, at Rye, in the Diocese of New York. He had been strongly recommended by several of the clergy, and was favorably reported on by two different committees ; as far as testimony could go, and from such knowledge as men can acquire from special visits, it seemed as if he would be an acceptable successor. It was unfortunate for him that he came after a very able man, who, through all of his connection with the Parish, had been held in the highest esteem. Mr. Chauncey was not the only clergyman who has suffered from the contrasts which unwise people are apt to draw, as often without reason as with it. He was a gentleman polished in man- ners, pleasant with his people, kind to all, and attentive to his duties. He had those qualities of heart and head which ought to have made him acceptable. He was of a sensitive nature, and could not well bear the reports which occasionally came to his ears, which produced such unpleasant feelings, that on Nov. 17, 1849, he sent his resignation as Rector of the Parish to take effect on the succeeding Easter. By a large majority, he was requested to withdraw it, but respectfully declined. The spirit of Com- modore Chauncey, the father, had an abiding place in the breast of the clergyman, his son.
At a Parish Meeting held February 5, 1850, his resig- nation was further considered, and accepted, with ex- pressions of regret and affection for him, and a resolution was passed, "That the Treasurer be authorized and
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REPORT ON FUNDS.
directed, to pay to Mr. Chauncey, his accustomed salary (being $500), up to the first of August next." And further, " That the Treasurer be and he is hereby authorized to pay the Rev. P. S. Chauncey the sum of fifty dollars, being the amount paid by him, for an assessment against Christ Church Parish, for the erection of a monument to the memory of the late Rt. Rev. Bishop Seabury at St. James Church, New London."
This preliminary history seems to be necessary to un- derstand fully the action of the Parish, and the Rector, who sent the following communication, April 1, 1850.
" To the Parish of Christ Church, Hartford :
GENTLEMEN : - I beg most respectfully to give you notice of my desire to present to the Parish the sum of five hundred and fifty dollars, voted to me on the 5th of February last, over and above the amount of the salary due me this day. The only conditions I wish to impose are expressed in the request that this sum may be invested to the best advan- tage, and the interest thereon be annually paid on Easter Monday, to the Rector of Christ Church, to be expended under his direction, for the ben- efit of poor communicants of said Church. I have requested a legal gen- tleman of your Parish to prepare such papers as may be necessary, to give this transaction (if you shall be pleased to accept my humble gift) a sufficiently binding character.
" With my best wishes for your prosperity as a Parish, and as individuals, I am,
Gentlemen, with great respect,
Your friend and servant,
P. S. CHAUNCEY." It was then -
"Voted, That the Parish do hereby accept the sum of Five Hundred and Fifty dollars on the terms proposed in the foregoing com- munication, and that the thanks of the Parish be presented to Mr. Chauncey for the same."
There is no record on the Treasurer's book that this sum of Five Hundred and Fifty dollars was ever paid to Mr. Chauncey, the last entry concerning him being on April 4, 1850, for the amount due him for his salary on the ist instant. It probably never was actually paid, nor is it now known whether any papers were ever drawn by the "legal gentle-
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man," or were ever signed. We cannot find from the Treas- urer's account, that Five Hundred and Fifty dollars was sent to Mr. Chauncey ; Mr. Nichols was so careful and accurate in his accounts, that any such sum would appear if it had been paid.
But it was fully recognized as an obligation resting upon the Parish, and the Treasurer, in presenting his estimates of receipts and expenses for the year 1852, mentions the "inter- est due on the donation of Rev. Mr. Chauncey, on five hun- dred dollars for one year." Further, the interest, thirty dollars, was paid for ten years, that is to 1861 inclusive, to the Rev. Thos. M. Clark and Rev. R. M. Abercrombie, rectors of the Parish, during that time. Why the payments were discontinued is not known, but up to the present none have been made to the succeeding rectors. Nor is it known why the sum of Fifty dollars which was voted to Mr. Chauncey, and was included in his gift, was not also put upon interest.
There has happened to this Fund the same that hap- pened to the Episcopal Church Fund, as has been re- lated. By being absorbed or neglected it has been lost to sight, and almost to remembrance. Its life as a distinct Fund has gone, and even the promised interest upon it is forgotten. This is likely to be the case with all Funds so treated, which the Parish borrows and uses for its temporary purposes, even if they are not diverted from their original design.
It is certainly proper that the Parish should, as soon as possible, pay to this Chauncey Fund the sum of five hundred and fifty dollars, and then comply with the conditions men- tioned by the donor. It is not less due to his memory than it is to the honor of the Parish. He died December 14, 1866, and was at that time Rector of St. James Church, New York city.
Since the above was written, a member of the Parish and a friend of Mr. Chauncey has given to the Parish the sum of five hundred and fifty dollars for the purpose of reviving the Fund, and giving it life again.
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REPORT ON FUNDS.
FLOWER FUND.
At a Vestry meeting December 5, 1866, the donation of Mrs. Ann Flower, widow of Ebenezer Flower, was accepted upon the terms and conditions contained in the following document, viz .:
" This Agreement made this 5th day of December, A.D. 1866, by and between Nancy Flower, of the City, Town, and County of Hartford, Conn., of the one part, and the Rector and Wardens of Christ Church of said Hartford of the other part, witnesses that,
"Whereas, the Hon. Ebenezer Flower, late of Hartford, decd, in his life time expressed a desire that the said Nancy, his wife, should give to the Rector and Wardens of Christ Church Parish, their successors and assigns, the sum of fifteen hundred dollars upon the trusts herein after set forth, and that the said Nancy is desirous of carrying out the wishes of her late husband.
"Now, therefore, the said Nancy Flower does hereby pay over to the Rector and Wardens of Christ Church Parish the sum of fifteen hundred dollars, to be held and used by them, their successors and assigns, as a perpetual Fund, upon the trusts following, viz .: They shall invest the same in good interest or dividend paying securities or property, and shall annually appropriate the income, interest, or dividends of five hundred dollars to keep in good repair and condition the cemetery lot in Spring Grove Cemetery, belonging to said Ebenezer Flower, and the mont- ments thereon, and preserving the same from waste and deterioration, and the income of the remaining ten hundred dollars they shall distribute from time to time to and among the poor widows and orphans of the Parish of said Christ Church as their wants and necessities may require, trusting to their discretion and good judgment to relieve only such as are worthy as well as needy. And if the entire income of the five hundred dollars shall not be needed for the purposes herein specified, the balance may be appropriated for the use of the widows and orphans as aforesaid.
" And the said Rector and Wardens do hereby accept said gift of fifteen hundred dollars for the purposes aforesaid, and in consideration thereof do covenant and agree, with said Nancy Flower, that they and their successors forever will keep said sum of fifteen hundred dollars as a perpetual fund, and will invest the same, and use and appropriate the income of said sums in the manner above set forth, viz .: the in- come and dividends of five hundred dollars to the repair and preserv- ing of the burial lot, and the income of the remainder, and unexpended income of the ten hundred dollars if any, to the poor widows and orphans of the Parish of Christ Church, and will faithfully carry out the provisions of said trusts according to its terms and conditions.
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CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
" In witness whereof we have hereto set our hands and seals this 5th day of December, A. D. 1866.
"ANN FLOWER. L. S.
"GEORGE H. CLARK. L. S. ) Rector and
"C. H. NORTHAM, L. S. Wardens of
" CHESTER ADAMS, L. S. Christ Church Parish."
The following is taken from the Records of the Parish, as explaining the investments of the Fund:
" At a Vestry meeting, March 11, 1867,
" Mr. Northam informed the Vestry that the Flower Fund was in- vested as follows: one thousand dollars in a bond of the City of Hartford, and five hundred dollars in a bond of the State of Connecticut."
"At a Vestry meeting, February 10, 1872,
" The opinion of the Vestry having been asked by the Wardens, it was voted that they be advised to invest the Flower Fund so called, in the purchase of the fee or reversion of the Ellsworth lot so called, upon which the chapel and other buildings stand, and of which the Parish holds a lease for the term of nine hundred and ninety-nine years from the first day of April, 1798, at an annual rent of ninety-three dollars. [Mem. The fee, as above, was purchased. Deed on file.]"
" The parish having used five hundred dollars belonging to this Fund in payment of its current expenses, it was, April 10, 1882,
" Voted, That five hundred dollars be appropriated to the Flower Fund, to make good a like sumi borrowed from the Fund."
The above five hundred dollars has not, since the above date, viz .: April 10, 1882, been invested otherwise than as a special deposit fund in the Security Company, where it now is, and draws interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum. Your committee respectfully suggest that a deposit like this is hardly the "perpetual fund " which the donor probably intended. Though the special deposit in the Security Com- pany is legalized by the 3d section of its charter, yet it is doubtful if it meets the common idea of the permanent in- vestment of a Trust Fund. The agreement between the parties for the safe keeping of the principal, for its repay- ment, and for a moderate income from the same, is perfectly fair and proper, for a comparatively moderate length of time, until the trustee can obtain something more of benefit to the Trust.
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REPORT ON FUNDS.
It will be noticed that the agreement was made between Anne Flower and the Rector and Wardens of Christ Church; they are to receive the sum of fifteen hundred dollars, to invest it, to receive the income, and to pay it out for specific purposes. This was done in the early history of the Fund, as will be seen from the statement of Mr. Northam, Senior Warden, in 1867; and further again in 1872, when a change of the investments was made. Why it passed out of the hands of the Rector and Wardens, the legal guardians, into the hands of the Treasurer of the Parish, is not known. The Treasurer is nowhere mentioned in the agreement as a person having any thing to do with this Fund; he is not mentioned at all. It is not a question whether it would be better managed by him, the natural manager and custodian of its finances, but whether some other persons, here men- tioned as the "Rector and Wardens," are not specifically ap- pointed to receive, to invest, and to pay over the income. Here is where the authority of the Fund lies, and to the Rector and Wardens we must look for its proper control and management.
It has been the intention of your committee in this inves- tigation concerning the funds of the parish to present their history exactly as we found it. It is not for the purpose of finding fault, or of blaming any one, that we have been crit- ical, but only that we might bring together the different funds, explain their origin and administration, and endeavor to correct errors if errors there had been. To many in the parish the very existence of some of these funds was un- known; some of them had, perhaps, passed out of legal existence, certainly of common remembrance. This ought not to be, if everything concerning its finances was made known at the annual parish meeting. Then we should receive, not the report of the Treasurer of the parish alone, but of the Rector and Wardens, and of all who have been engaged in receiving and paying out the money of the cor- poration.
We recommend that the assets of the Flower Fund be paid over to the appointed custodians, viz .: the Rector and
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Wardens, and that they assume the management of the same, and that $500, now on deposit in the Security Com- pany, be invested in the name of the "Flower Fund of Christ Church," by the above Trustees, in a mortgage upon im- proved real estate of at least double the amount loaned.
THE ADAMS FUND.
Chester Adams was born February 23, 1805, and was the son of William Adams and Electa (Roberts) Adams, who resided on the eastern slope of Talcott Mountain, in the town of Bloomfield. His parents were Episcopalians, and at- tended at St. Andrew's Church. He came to Hartford in 1827, and was keeper of the county jail for ten years. He successively filled the office of constable and deputy sheriff, for nine years, and deputy marshal for the district of Con- necticut. In his autobiography he says, " My life to 185 1 was mostly official," and that he at this time estimated himself to be worth about seventy-five thousand dollars, and that he thought there was due to him a time for rest from active business.
But he was not long to be disengaged, for by his prudence and energy he had attracted the attention of business men, and was sought out by Mr. William H. Imlay, who desired his assistance in his complicated affairs. In this position he was engaged for many years, and by his knowledge of business and sound common sense, succeeded in making much more valuable the large investment of Mr. Imlay in the pine lands of Michigan. A portion of these subse- quently came into his possession, but it was through such trials and difficulties as would have broken down an ordinary man. He was long a member of Christ Church, and was vestryman and warden for a number of years; was of decided religious feelings, and a punctual attendant upon public worship. He was so much of a Churchman that he was "content to do his duty in that state of life in which God had called him."
By his will, dated March 28, 1868, he gave to the Parish of Christ Church the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars, the income of the same to be used for the poor of the parish.
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REPORT ON FUNDS.
The specific bequest is a part of the eighth section, and is as follows: -
"I give and bequeath to the Parish of Christ Church, in Hartford, the sum of ten thousand dollars; I give and bequeath to the Parish of St. Andrew's Church, in Bloomfield, the sum of five thousand dollars. The said last two legacies are given to said respective parishes upon the fol- lowing trusts, and for the following uses and purposes: the income only of said last two mentioned respective legacies is to be annually paid and distributed, by said respective Parishes, to and among the worthy and deserving poor people of each respective Parish, under the direction, control, and supervision of the Wardens and Rector of the respective Parishes. In case there shall be no Rector in said respective Parishes, then to be distributed under the direction of the Wardens in said Parish. I direct that the principal of said last two mentioned respective legacies shall be preserved undiminished, and desire that the fund shall be in- vested, if necessary sold and reinvested, managed, and controlled, by the Wardens of the respective Parishes."
The legacies were directed to be paid in full, free from legacy tax.
Mr. Adams died suddenly of apoplexy, July 6, 1870, and his will was admitted to probate on the thirteenth of the same month. "The inventory of the estate was filed Sept. 29, 1870. The executors of the estate, in their account filed January, 1872, charge on July 24, 1871, $10,000 paid Christ Church Parish. This was presumably in cash, as it is entered in their account as such." At a Vestry meeting held Feb. 10, 1872, a notice of the legacy was read and entered on the records, and "the Wardens were advised to invest the Adams Fund in a good note or bond, secured by mortgage on real estate."
March 13, 1872, it was loaned to Newton Carter, a vestry- man, and was secured by a mortgage upon ten acres of land, more or less, together with the buildings thereon, situated on Vine Street, on its east side, about one mile and a half from the present City Hall. The valuation placed upon it by Mr. Carter was seventeen thousand dollars. The land was irreg- ular in surface and under poor cultivation. Gully brook ran through the lower part of it. The buildings consisted of a dwelling house, needing repairs; an old barn, with old sheds;
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CHRIST CHURCH, HARTFORD.
a large barn in good condition excepting the cellar walls, and two tobacco sheds.
Mr. Carter resided near this property, and was the owner of much land in this part of the town. A speculative move- ment in new streets and building lots had directed public attention somewhat this way, and undoubtedly magnified the importance of this security in the eyes of both borrower and lender.
Mr. Carter was a man of pleasant disposition and engaging manners, quiet in his intercourse with people, seeking no public office or notoriety, but finding plenty of work in attending to his own affairs. He was a mem- ber of the Parish and also of the Vestry, and was liberal in his contributions for church purposes. It is to his credit that he contributed liberally towards the payment of the debt in 1876, the last debt, it is hoped, which will ever exist against this Parish. The interest on the loan, $600 per annum, was paid by him and was distributed in accordance with the directions of the will. After his death it was continued by his executors for a short time, but further payments were soon refused, and the Parish was obliged to take possession of the property. It was offered for sale at auction, and was purchased by Mr. F. A. Lane. It was afterwards quitclaimed by him to the Parish : this course was taken by legal advice.
A tobacco shed was burned in 1881, on which an in- surance of eight hundred dollars was received. Another shed was blown down in a gale in 1882 and was of no great value, the old lumber and stones being sold for about fifty dollars.
The place was rented by Mr. Lane for one year from April 1, 1880. It has been leased and occupied by Mr. J. S. Birden ever since. To show that it has not been a profitable investment for the Parish, it may be noted that while in April, 1888, there was in the Savings Society to its credit a little over twenty-five hundred dollars, that there is now in the same institution $3,441.90. The rent of two hundred and fifty dollars per year has been
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REPORT ON FUNDS.
promptly paid, but the expenses have been so great for repairs, insurance, etc., that but a small part of the income could be added to the principal. It has been through no fault of the trustees that more has not been realized, but the dilapidated condition of the buildings rendered the expenditures necessary.
Our title to the property is clear and good, and it can be sold at any time after the expiration of the annual lease, which expires on the 31st of March next, if it was so desired and a purchaser could be found. An offer, and the only one which has ever been presented, was made of five thousand dollars, some years since, soon after a lease of six years had been given. The buildings being in better condition than formerly, the property should bring something more now, and with the cash in bank the fund would soon be made up to the original amount, and the income would be available for the intent of the testator. This is due to him as a recognition of his good will, and is due to ourselves as showing that we have endeavored to keep our faith in the trust committed to us.
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