USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Southington > Ecclesiastical and other sketches of Southington, Conn > Part 8
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To have and to hold the above granted and bargained premises, with the appurtenances thereof, unto them the said Inhabitants for an addi- tion to the highway or Meeting house yard & never to be appropriated
9
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
to any other use whatever nor to be enclosed forever. And also I the said Lydia Lewis do for myself my heirs executors and administrators covenant with the said inhabitants that at and until the ensealing of these presents I am well seized of the premises, as a good indefeasible estate in fee simple and have good right to bargain and sell the same in manner and form as is above written, and that the same is free of all incumbrances whatsoever.
And furthermore I the said Lydia Lewis do by these presents bind myself and my heirs forever to warrant and defend the above granted and bargained premises to them the said Inhabitants against all claims and demands whatsoever.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the 25th day of March Anno Domini 1811. LYDIA LEWIS
Signed Sealed & Delivered in presence
of ROSWELL MOORE
MOORE
CHAPTER IV.
THE THIRD MEETING-HOUSE.
Discussions as to a New Building; Mr. Ogden Desires it; Question of Repairs ; Anecdote; Opposition ; Mr. Ogden Blamed; Influence of Dana J. Upson ; New Parish Committee ; Society Meeting; Committee to Consider the Matter; The Project Gains in Favor ; Votes to Build ; Unlooked for Success; Disagreement as to Site; Appeal to County Court ; Land Bought ; Plans Adopted ; Corner Stone Laid by Mr. Ogden ; Contractors ; Progress of Work ; Its Completion ; The Dedi- cation ; Sermon and Music ; Later Repairs and Improvements; Change in Lecture Room ; Condition of Society's Ground.
As early as 1825 there had been some talk of a new house of wor- ship. It was desired by the pastor, Mr. Ogden, and a number of the leading men of the society. The old house began to show evidences of decay, and its internal arrangements were not satisfactory. The question of thoroughly repairing it had been raised, but it was thought that the expense of repair would be but little less than that of re- building. A Mr. Clark, whose ancestor had been engaged in the building of the house, remarked with a good deal of feeling-"A Clark built this house, and whatever work the Clarks did was never known to turn out badly-I know this frame is as good as when put up." Afterward when the frame was taken apart it was found that a number of the timbers, &c., were much decayed. To this Clark's at- tention was called, when he playfully remarked, " Well, it's the only job of the Clarks that ever turned out so, and that is more than any of you can say about your names."
In this, as in other movements for the good of the society, there was found a number to oppose it. Some thought the building good enough ; it had been good enough for their fathers, and was good enough for them. Others thought they could never raise money enough to pay for it. A few blamed Mr. Ogden for even proposing the matter. One good man, but not overstocked with large views, pronounced it a "stuck-up notion of the minister." A number were indifferent to the project. It is doubtful whether the purpose could have been carried out for some years but for the energy and generous subscription of Mr. Dana J. Upson, who had returned here to live after an absence of several years in Philadelphia. He liad inherited and
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accumulated what in those days was regarded a large fortune, and had come back to Southington to spend his remaining days. As a business man, and one deeply interested in the society with which his ancestors had been connected, he entered at once and heartily into the plans of Mr. Ogden. He gave personal attention to the matter, and by his persuasion several influential opponents of the measure were led to favor it. At a meeting of the society, Nov. 12, 1827, it was voted, "that a committee be appointed to examine into the expediency of either erecting a new meeting house or repairing the present house, and to make all necessary estimation of the expense." At this meet- ing a victory for the party favorable to building had been achieved by appointing Root Gridley, Chester Grannis, and Charles Robinson as the prudential committee for the year. These three men were anxious for the new building, and gave liberally of their time to accomplishi the purpose. The committee appointed by the vote of Nov. 12th was composed of Eli Pratt, Roger Whittlesey, Charles Robinson, Julius S. Barnes, and Selah Barnes, and were to report at an adjourned meeting Jan. 7, 1828.
At this adjourned meeting the whole question was warmly dis- cussed, and resulted in the following vote by a large majority-"That a committee of nine be appointed to circulate subscription papers with- in this society to raise money to build a meeting house within one hundred and fifty rods of the place where the meeting house is, on such terms as the committee shall judge best." On this committee were Eli Pratt, Oliver Lewis, Dana J. Upson, Selah Barnes, Romeo Lowrey, Perry Langdon, Root Gridley, Chester Grannis, and Francis W. Wilcox.
The meeting adjourned for a month, and in the meanwhile the com- mittee canvassed the parish with an unlooked-for success. It reported this result at an adjourned meeting Feb. 11th, but the measure of suc- cess increased the hostility to the movement in the minds of those who had opposed it from the first. It was an unusually large meeting, and the proceedings full of excitement. The minority had granted thein full liberty to express their opinions and reasons, after which it was voted, "That the Society proceed to build a meeting House under the direction of a special committee appointed hereafter." Seventy-seven voted in the affirmative, and fifteen in the negative. So decided a vote as this led to a change in the manner of raising the necessary money from that of subscription to that of laying a tax. It was then at this meeting voted "to lay a tax of twenty cents on the dollar on list of 1827 payable to the Treasurer of the Society, one half by the first day of December 1828 and the other half by the first day of December 1829 for the purpose of building a meeting house." The committee
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
to lay this tax was Root Gridley, Oliver Lewis, and Stephen Walkley. It was also voted, "that the building committee examine with respect to a place or piece of land for placing a meeting house, with the terms, and report the same to the next adjourned meeting, and that they draw a plan for the house, and make an estimate and report at the same time."
The building committee failed utterly to agree upon a site, and agreement seemed to be impossible. Hence at a meeting held March 17, 1828, it was voted " that the prudential committee be directed to take the proper measures to procure a deputation from the County Court to establish the place on which we shall erect the meeting House we have voted to build." This step resulted in a peaceful settlement of the disturbing question.
April 7, 1828, it was voted, "that the building committee proceed in the business of their appointment concerning the land and meeting House, &c., and report to some future meeting."
April 21st, "it was voted, that the building committee be authorized to purchase a piece of land opposite this house, of Barzillai Lee for the purpose of erecting a meeting house thereon and that as a part of the consideration they be authorized to relinquish the right of erecting other buildings on the east side of the green in front of the lands of Clarissa Hall and Ira Steele." This vote refers to the land that lies north of Mr. Woodruff's provision store, and west of the Bradley House, and bounded by the highway. As this plot of ground belonged to the society Mr. Lee had feared that at some time a building might be put up on it, thus injuring his land immediately in the rear.
It was voted at the same meeting, "That the building committee be authorized to dispose of the meeting house, and appropriate the avails of it towards building a new one."
At a special meeting, June 5, 1828, "The committee appointed to superintend the building of a new meeting house with directions to report a plan of said house respectfully report, that they have attended to the business of their appointment so far as to recommend the con- struction of a house1 of the same size and dimensions and after a plan similar to the new Congregational meeting house lately erected in Cheshire, with such alterations as reflection and experience shall sug- gest as the work progresses." "Voted to accept the report of the building committee."
1 The first plan of the house and grounds was to have the building where it now is, and to place the horse-sheds on the west side of the common. I have the plan of the grounds in my possession as surveyed by Stephen Walkley, Esq., and the sites for horse-sheds marked out thus. Some of the farmers thought it would be so " nice " to have the sheds front to the south and east. But Mr. Ogden and some other vil- lagers protested so stoutly that this public nuisance was not permitted.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
The corner stone of the building was laid by Rev. Mr. Ogden, Dec. 15, 1828, with appropriate services.
While excavating the ground for the foundation of the building it was determined to change the plan somewhat, and have a basement room for lectures and social meetings. And as there was no Town Hall, it was urged that such a room was needful for public meetings. This purpose was carried out in a vote of the society Nov. 10, 1828, as follows, "That the building committee be instructed to contract with the builders of the meeting house to build a basement story under the whole house."
During the following year the contractors, Levi Newell and Selah Lewis, proceeded with the building. At a meeting Nov. 9, 1829, the treasurer of the society reported that he had received on sub- scriptions for the new house $1,568.50, and from taxes laid upon the Society for the same purpose $1,518.84, the amount being $3,087.34. He also had paid to Barzillai Lee for the land bought of him $235.98.1 The whole amount of money expended this year for the land and to the contractors, &c., was $3,224.92. It also appeared that the expense of completing the building would overrun the contract-sum by several hundred dollars.
At the next annual meeting Nov. 8, 1830, the treasurer reported that additional subscriptions had been paid to the amount of $1,727, and collected for taxes $1,487.70, both amounting to $3,214.70.
Also at this meeting the building committee made their final report of the work that had been assigned them. The original plans had been so modified as to occasion an increase of expense and labor to the contractors, and there had been no little difficulty in agreeing upon the amount due the contractors for this extra work. It is but just to all the parties concerned to say, that no satisfactory result was ever reached. A settlement was effected, but the contractors were never satisfied. That there was a "loose way " of doing business on both sides, is very clear. A definite understanding before the changes were made would have saved the society a bone of contention and a great deal of personal ill feeling.
The house was completed June 8, 1830, and dedicated June 16th. The sermon was preached by Mr. Ogden from the text, Isaiah, 60th chapter and 15th verse (last clause). It is remembered as an interest- ing and exciting occasion. It was particularly so to the "singers." They had made long and diligent preparation for the event. Mr. Lewis Chapman (a grandson of the second pastor) had been engaged the winter before to instruct them in music "at an expense of $90."
1 This includes interest on the principal. The price paid for the land was $210.
.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
And for two weeks before the dedication he had been drilling his pupils every evening. And, it is said, they acquitted themselves well.1 The present building has been several times repaired and improved. Originally the pulpit was at the west end, and there were galleries on the four sides of the house. In 1849 the pulpit was placed in the east end. Still further improvements were made in 1866. The base- ment room has been remodeled three times with no better result each time than incurring a debt for the society, and offering only inferior advantages. It was never a pleasant room, and in 1852 weekly reli- gious meetings were held in the old Academy building; and since then these meetings have been generally held there. This building was on the site of the present Town Hall. In 1873 it was removed to the southeast corner of the church, and thoroughly remodeled. It con- tains not only the Lecture Room but church parlors, and other con- veniences for religious and social work.
The grounds about the church have always been neglected. For a hundred years they were the receptacle of the refuse of adjacent stores and shops. No attempt was made to grade, set out trees, and other- wise beautify them, except some spasmodic efforts attended with con- ditions sure to kill the enterprise. Since 1830, what is now the com- mon, has remained utterly uncared for. The society, intelligent per- sons living close by, and the people of the town, have allowed the center to be a public disgrace. It is only within a year that grading has been attempted, or a tree planted. Had the people living in the village even a moderate amount of enterprise and taste, the place would have been one of the most beautiful in the State. It reflects no credit upon the church and society, and does no honor to the neigh- boring residents, that these grounds have been so long neglected. It is pleasant, however, to make record of the promise of a speedy and substantial improvement.
1 A bill presented to the Society by Mrs. Harriet Benjamin contained this item, "Dinner, crackers, and wine for 66 singers-$19.63."
CHAPTER V.
SABBA'-DAY HOUSES.
The Discomforts of Old Meeting-Houses ; No Fire; Sufferings of the People; Im- portance of Sabbath-Day Houses; Arrangements; How Used; Appearance; Disuse ; Anecdote.
AMONG the indispensable adjuncts to a meeting house in the olden time, were these little buildings that clustered near by. The present generation can hardly realize their importance as auxiliary to the com- fort of Sabbath worshipers. before stoves and furnaces were introduced into churches. If any one in the coldest day of winter will seat him- self in a modern barn for two or three hours, he will experience no more discomfort than did our ancestors an hundred years ago in their plain and fireless temples of worship. From some cause, undiscover- able by us, they deemed it inexpedient if not wrong to have a good warm place for Sabbath services.
Think of a minister on one of the coldest days of winter preaching in such a place, which was often done with the thermometer below zero. It was often done too under a surtout, with a muffler about the neck, and mittens upon the hands.' Why churches were built without a large fire-place has been a wonder. The women carried a foot-stove that was replenished from the Sabba'-day house, and where these were not, the nearest neighbors expected to supply the coals. How the boys and girls suffered, can be better imagined than described. To many of them the winter Sabbath could have been associated only with pain- ful memories. And yet the cold was no obstacle to church attendance. That disease was often contracted, particularly by women, the mortu- ary records only too plainly show.
I have been unable to discover the time when Sabba'-day houses were introduced to modify the suffering of those attending church. So far as known now, there could have been but a few on Burying-ground
1 My father, the late Rev. William Timlow of Amity, N. Y., has told me that he had several times preached in "great coat and mittens," in the earlier portion of his ministry. He remarked, that he had seen men and women sit through a long service, patient and attentive, after they had ridden many miles to church and were already suffering from the cold. Their religions zeal could not be chilled by such a " trifle."
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
Hill. But after the church was removed to the center of the town they were at first erected by the wealthier class and after a time a large number were built. Most of them were single apartments, perhaps fif- teen feet square, with a chimney and windows. But some were two stories, having a stable underneath for the horses. Those with a stable were double, having a chimney in the middle. Such a one is men- tioned in the following deed that I have in my possession.
"Know all men by these Presence yt I Ebenezer Fisk of Southington for the consideration of the value of Eight pounds mony to me in Hand from Samel Curtis of sª Southington I do therefore Bargain Sell Quit Claim and make over unto sª Curtis the one half of my Sabbath day House Stands East of ye Meeting House of sª Southington that is to Say to take the North End of sª House to include half ye chimney Stabling & all other Rights and Priviliges belonging thereto or any- ways appertaining as to Land of the Dore yard as well as ye Land the House stands on and every other conveniency &c. To him the sª Sam- uel Curtis and to His Heirs and assigns forever from me or my Heirs So that Neither I nor my Heirs or any other Persons from by or under me or them Shall Have any Right or Chalenge to the above granted and Bargained Premises forever So ye sª Curtis & His Heirs shall Quietly and peaceably Enjoy the Same as witness my Hand & Seal this 27 of August A D 1787
EBENEZER FISK
in presence of RUTH FISK CHRISTOPHER PRATT
Southington in Hartford County August 27 day A D 1787 then personally appeared the Signer and Sealer of the foregoing instrument and ackowledged the same to be his free act and deed before me
JOHN CURTISS Just Peace.
These houses had plain and but little furniture. A few chairs for the older people, and a bench for children, were placed around the hearth. A table of coarse material stood in the centre of the room. Upon this table was a Bible, and perhaps one or more books of devo- tional reading, such as the Saints' Rest. Later, the sermons of Bellamy, or Smalley, or Hopkins, in pamphlet form, were brought here, read, and discussed between services. I have in possession a pamphlet copy of the first edition of Dr. Bellamy's Dialogue on the Half-way cove- nant, that was thus used. It belonged to the Munson family, and the tradition is, that very warm discussions were had over its contents. 10
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
Bellamy and Smalley were names very familiar to all the church here, and everything they published was duly discussed by the members.
On rude shelves at the side of the room, were placed some pewter mugs and dishes and one or two iron utensils for warming food. The rum and cider were brought by each family as required, but the dishes, &c., were left permanently. As there were no locks it would not have been safe to leave any tempting beverage behind.
The custom was, to drive directly to the Sabba'-day House, care for the horses,1 kindle a "rousing fire," take a drink of either cider or rum, and then repair to the church. Such a routine of warming and drink- ing added greatly to the comfort of the worshipers as compared with the condition of things where there were no outbuildings of this kind.
Dr. Edward Robinson, in recording memories of his youth as con- nected with Southington, writes: "So too the long row of Sabba'-day houses on the East side of the square; which you perhaps hardly re- member. They were already mostly in ruins in my early boyhood; yet a few remained in a better state, either with a stable below and a neat room with a fire-place above, or with the room and stable side by side. Here the good people, who came three, four, and five miles to meeting sheltered their horses; and had a comfortable place for them- selves during the brief intermission. Their attendance on the public worship of God was something to occupy the day, a day's work; and not the convenient matter of a few hours. Hence they were ever reg- ular and punctual."
The Rev. Dr. Brace of Newington, writing to Dr. Robinson about his father, says, "There was one thing very special among your father's people, which showed their systematic calculation in attending public worship. I am thinking of those twenty or thirty Sabbath-day houses on the green, built by the remote dwellers for the sole purpose of Sabbath occupancy. Here was a cabin with fire-place and utensils where the whole wagon load could be warmed and fed, and made com- fortable during the day."
These houses, with two or three exceptions, stood on the east side of the present highway, and occupied the ground from about where Mr. Joel Woodruff's store is, down to the Bradley House. They numbered at one time about thirty, but some of these were double. After 1790 they were allowed gradually to fall into disuse, and decay. When Mr. Ogden came in 1821, there were not over a dozen standing. As the laws relaxed in severity, and ecclesiastical divisions arose in the town, such changes occurred as to church attendance as to affect the use for
1 In most cases the wood was taken in the sleigh. The old limbs from orchards and dry sticks from the woods were set apart for this use. Rev. Henry Clark well ro- members the fact of thus gathering the dried wood for this purpose.
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HISTORY OF SOUTHINGTON.
these buildings. Some who withdrew from the Society, and joined the Baptists or Episcopalians, removed their houses to their own farms, and doubtless some of the timbers are to-day doing service in stables and barns in various parts of the town.
At first some, if not all, of these houses were white-washed.' This gave them a neat appearance, and attracted the attention of travelers. When the French Army passed through the town on the way to the Hudson River, the officers and men were much puzzled to understand their use. Some of them thought they were the remains of a military encampment, such as they had seen in other parts of the world. A part of the army had encamped just north of the town, over the Sab- bath. A part of the officers had rooms at a hotel on Queen street, and a part at the hotel that stood near where the North Center School house now is. Some of these officers hung around the church during service, and could not be made to understand what relation such build- ings held to religious worship. As they observed the eating and drinking going on during the intermission at noon, they were still more surprised. It is said they entertained themselves with jokes at the ex- pense of the worshipers.
The more frolicsome and vicious youth of the town would sometimes resort to these houses at night for the sake of feasting, and sometimes for gambling. The father of Mr. Reuben Jones, discovering traces of such a midnight revel in his house, devised a plan to plague the guilty parties if they returned to repeat the offense. From the chicken bones that strewed the floor, and the refuse in the fire-place, he knew that the room had been used for cooking purposes. He procured an auger, and bored a hole in the back-log, and charged it with powder. When he revisited the house some days later, he found evidences of a precipi- tate retreat on the part of the company that had been there in the in- terval. It is needless to say that his house was not afterward molested.
1 Those who went to this expense were looked upon as very aristocratie. It was not done until about the time Mr. Robinson came, and then continued only a few years.
CHAPTER VI.
(REV.) DANIEL BUCK.
Winter Privileges; Scarcity of Ministers; Mr. Buck Secured; His History Obscure; Facts of his Life ; Probable Length of Time he Supplied ; Tradition.
WHEN "winter privileges " were petitioned for by the inhabitants of this part of the town in 1721, it was probably with a knowledge of the source of supply for preaching. It was not in those days as now, when so many ministers are "standing idle in the market places," and can be had at an hour's notice by mail or telegraph. I have been un- able to learn of one unemployed ordained minister in Hartford county in 1721. The churches in the county did not number above fifteen. Whence then could the people here hope for a supply ? If relying upon a contingency to be met, it is probable that their petition would not have been granted. But they came to Farmington with the name of Mr. Buck. Nothing is said of him, no questions asked, no sus- picions appear that the supply they expected to have was not satisfac- tory to the church. But who was he ?
This cannot be certainly answered. His name appears upon no ec- clesiastical records in the State, either as minister or licentiate. He is nowhere else mentioned than in connection with this church, and in the Farmington records. But there is a good degree of probability that we know who he was and whence he came. A careful and dili- gent inquiry indentifies him as Daniel Buck' of Wethersfield, and a graduate of Yale College in 1718. It is probable that he was a theo- logical student, and also that he had taken up his abode, for a time at least, with relatives in this town. There were those of his family name who had come hither from Wethersfield. Possibly he was a licentiate of the Hartford South Association, which was organized in 1709, but whose early records are lost, and within whose bounds Wethersfield was. It was a tradition in the Curtiss family fifty years
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