USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Sharon > General history of the town of Sharon, Litchfield County, Conn. from its first settlement, 3rd ed. > Part 8
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The society erected, in 1808, a meeting house, in Caulkinstown, so called. It stood facing the termination of the highway leading from Mr. Jewett's north to that locality, and it was their place of worship for nearly thirty years. And when in subsequent years, the progress of the society and the wants of the church demanded more enlarged accommodations, it was interesting to observe the lingering fondness with which the older members of the society cherished the memory of the scenes of spiritual joy and growth in grace, which religious exercises in that old tabernacle of the Lord had promoted and cherished. It had become amiable in their cherished recollections.
When, in 1835, it was deemed advisable to erect a new house of worship, it was found necessary to organize the society accord- ing to the existing statute of the state. The law in that respect has since been altered, so that the ecclesiastical organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church becomes a legal organization under
RESIDENCE OF GEORGE H. BROWN.
89
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
the laws of the state. An enrollment of members was had, which was afterwards organized into a legal Ecclesiastical Society, in due form of law.
The following is a copy of the Article of enrollment and the appended names of the members, which must be deemed well worthy of preservation by their successors in all time to come.
We, the subscribers, for the purpose of availing ourselves of the, rights, powers and privileges of a certain statute law of the state of Connecticut, entitled " An act relating to religious soci eties and congregations," and for the maintenance of public religious worship in the town of Sharon, in the county of Litch- field. and State aforesaid, according to the forms and usages of the Methodist Episcopal Church, do, by voluntary Association of ourselves, for the purposes aforesaid, hereby institute and estab- lish a religious society or congregation to be known and called by the name of the Methodist Episcopal Society in Sharon, and do hereby enroll ourselves as members of said Society, to be governed by all the laws regulating said societies except that of taxation .- Witness our hands-
Zaccheus W. Bissell.
James Calkin, Horace Reed,
Ira Williams,
Elijah H. Williams,
Merrills MeLean,
John Williams,
James R. Jenkins,
Daniel G. Miller,
Ezra H. Bartram,
Samuel Roberts, Jr.,
Hector W. Roberts,
Samuel Fenn,
Edgar J. Reed. Jr.,
John Senigo,
Miles B. Lewis,
Ely Rowley,
Alden Bryan,
Frederick A. Hotchkiss,
Dennis Brusie,
Henry Williams, David H. Cole,
Gilbert Bryan, D. Gibson.
The following is a record of the proceedings of the first meet ing of the Society :
"At a meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Society of Sharon, holden on the 13th day of January, A. D., 1835, in pursuance of a warrant under the hand of Charles F. Sedgwick, Justice of the Peace for the County of Litchfield-
" Rev. Julius Field was chosen moderator.
"Zaccheus W. Bissell chosen clerk pro tem. and duly sworn.
"Horace Reed was chosen clerk for the year ensuing of the Society.
"Elijah H. Williams was chosen treasurer for the year ensuing.
* 12
90
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
" Zaccheus W. Bissell, Ira Williams, Richard Clark were appointed a Society committee for the year ensuing.
"Richard Clark, Ira Williams, Zaccheus W. Bissell were ap- pointed trustees of the Society.
" Virgil B. Roberts, Horace Reed, Zaccheus W. Bissell, Ira Williams and Elijah H. Williams were appointed a building com- mittee.
"Voted, that the church about to be erected by this Society shall be located in Sharon Village, on such piece of land as may be purchased by this Society for the erection of said church, and of which a deed shall be executed by the owner of said land to the Society, for the purpose aforesaid."
The new church building was erected and finished in 1836. In the subsequent Spring it was dedicated to religious use and worship, with appropriate ceremonies, by the Rev. Nathan Bangs, D. D., an eminent clergyman of the denomination, whose family in the early years of his ministry had lived in the town while he was fulfilling his appointment as preacher on this circuit. The house has been altered and improved in many respects since its first erection, and is now, probably, the most costly and tasteful church of that denomination in the county of Litchfield.
The following is a list of the preachers who have supplied the pulpit in Sharon since 1828 :
David Miller,
Wm. S. Stillwell,
Phinehas Cook,
Lucius H. King,
Billy Hibbard,
M. R. Lent,
Aaron Pearce,
D. B. Turner,
Theodore Clark,
Benj. M. Adams,
T. Sparks,
Elbert Osborne,
Julius Fields,
Joel Croft,
J. B. Wakely,
Jason Wells,
Richard Wymond,
Clark Fuller,
Sanford Washburn,
D. Gibson,
George D. Sutton,
Win. S. Stillwell,
Fitch Reed,
G. Daniels,
D. Holmes,
H. B. Mead,
Wm. K. Stopford,
Ira Ferris,
Wm. Stevens,
Hart F. Pease, Fitch Reed,
Clark Eggleston,
S. N. Vail,
S. J. Mccutcheon.
-
91
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
[The following have served the church as pastors since Mr. Mccutcheon. - PUBLISHER. ]
H. C. Humphrey,
Chester J. Hoyt,
Charles B. Landon,
James H. Michell,
Benjamin N. Lewis, Frederick T. Angevine,
Robert Hunt, Simon Stephens.
CHAPTER XI.
HISTORY OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL SOCIETY CONTINUED.
IT will have been observed that during the early years of the history of the town, ecclesiastical affairs were the subject of business in the town meetings. Churches were built, pastors settled, and taxes laid for their support in the same manner that all other public expenses were provided for. This method of the support of religious institutions was continued long after the dissenters had become numerous, and after they had been re- lieved from taxes levied for the support of the Standing Order. Before the close of the last century, the inconvenience of con- ducting ecclesiastical and civil business by one organization had become so great, that a law was passed, authorizing the for- mation of ecclesiastical societies in the different towns, from which all secular business was to be excluded, and turned over to the towns in their corporate capacity. The law required, that on the application of a certain number of the principal inhabi- tants of a society thus proposed to be organized, a warrant might be issued by a Justice of the Peace, summoning the members to meet at the place of holding town meetings, to organize the society, and assume the charge of ecclesiastical affairs in the town. The warrant in this case was issued by David Downs, Esq., a Justice of the Peace on the application of-
Pelatiah Pierce,
Silas St. John,
Paul Smith, Jr.
Thomas St. John,
Eliphalet Martin,
Nathaniel Lowrey, David Gay,
Edmund Bennett.
93
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
At this first meeting of the society, Deacon Isaac Cham berlain, Mr. Pelatiah Pierce and David Downs. Esq., were chosen Society's Committee, to act in society matters in the same capacity as selectmen aet in the town affairs. Colonel Samuel C'anfield was chosen society's elerk, which office he held till 1805, when Dr. Samuel Rockwell was chosen clerk, which office he held till 1836. Richard Smith, Esq., was then chosen clerk and has held the office till the present time. Parson Smith, when in the maturity of his powers, was deemed one of the best preach ers of his time, in the ministerial circle with which he was connected. Other elements of character combined to make him very strong in the affection and respect of his people, and when old age with its attendant infirmities came upon him, it does not appear that the parish entertained any desire for a change of its clerical relations. The first movement in that direction was from Parson Smith himself. At a meeting of the society, holden on the 1st Monday of March. 1802, the following communication, from the minister, was laid before the meeting :
To the Church and first Society in Sharon-Beloved brethren and friends :-
The fifth of October last completed a period of seven and forty years since I first came into this town to labor with you in the work of the gospel ministry ; however I was not ordained to that saered work until the 28th of August following. During this length of time, I have labored with you by night and by day, in season and out of season. I could have wished that my labors might have proved more successful, but this was not in my power to command, however sincerely desired and ardently prayed for :
and now, at length, worn down with age and bodily infirmities, I find myself unable to discharge the duties of that sacred office in such a manner as would be most useful and beneficial to you. The support of the gospel ministry will richly compensate for the good derived to Society, as it respects the life that now is, but if we take eternity into view, it becomes an object of infinite mag- nitude and importance.
It is therefore, Brethren, my sincere desire, that you would invite and call in some suitable person to take part with me in the evangelical ministry, as a colleague, and fellow laborer in this vineyard of our common Lord ; and I shall always be ready to afford you my assistance, so far as my strength and abilities will permit. And that the burden of support might not be too great, I offer to resign my salary except the parsonage money, which is abont twenty pounds ten shillings, and nine pounds ten shillings in addition, which will amount to one hundred dollars, whenever another minister shall be settled in this place.
94
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
This small compensation you will not think unreasonable to grant towards my support and comfort during the remainder of my days, which in all probability will be but of short continuance. And if any other method can be devised which will be more agreeable to the church and society, it shall meet with my hearty concurrence.
May the great Head of the Church guide and direct you in this important affair, and that the result may be for the honor of God, the interest of the Redeemer's kingdom, your present peace and future tranquility and happiness, is the most devout wish and fervent prayer of your sincere friend and aged pastor and teacher. COTTON M. SMITH,
Sharon, Feb. 9, 1802.
The only action taken by the society at its first meeting called to consider the application of Parson Smith, was a vote directing the committee to hire some person to assist him in preaching, but at a subsequent meeting held April 12, 1802, the society voted to comply with his request. During the two years which elapsed before the settlement of a colleague, Mr. Smith must have preached for a considerable portion of the time, as the society paid him two hundred and twenty dollars for his services for the first year, and two hundred and eighty seven dollars for the second.
At a meeting of the society, holden on the 3d day of October, 1803, it was voted that a committee be directed to hire the Rev. David L. Perry, or some other person, if he is not to be obtained, till further orders from the society, and to give more importance to the measure, it was voted that Deacon Paul Smith, Captain Samuel Pardee and Deacon Benjamin Hamlin be appointed a committee to assist the present committee to hire some person to assist in preaching.
At a meeting holden on the 3d day of January, 1804, Mr. Abraham Beecher moved, that the society wish Mr. David L. Perry to settle as colleague with the Rev. Cotton Mather Smith in the work of the ministry. This motion was postponed to a future meeting, and the committee were directed to hire Mr. Perry for six Sabbaths. At an adjourned meeting holden on the 16th day of January, A. D. 1804, the motion was unanimously passed, with an offer of a yearly salary of five hundred dollars. This was then as large a salary as was paid to any minister in the consociation. Mr. Perry signified his acceptance of the call, and the first Wed- nesday in June, 1804, being the 6th day of the month, was appointed for the ordination. It took place according to the appointment, and the following is the order of exercises :
95
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
Moderator of the Consociation-Rev. Amaria R. Robbins, of Norfolk.
Introductory prayer-By the Rev. Samuel J. Mills, of Torringford.
Sermon-Rev. David Perry, of Richmond, Mass., father of the candidate.
Consecrating prayer-Rev. Joel Bordwell, of Kent ; Revs. Smith, Perry, Robbins and Mills, imposing hands.
Charge to the Pastor-By Rev. Cotton Mather Smith, his colleague.
Right hand of fellowship-Rev. Joseph W. Crossman, of Salisbury.
Concluding prayer-Rev. Jeremiah Hallock, of Canton.
The Rev. Mr. Smith continued in the ministry in Sharon until the 27th day of November, 1806, when the venerable and beloved pastor went down to the grave. After the settlement of Mr. Perry he preached but seldom. He however delivered a sermon on the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination, which made the occasion one of the most tender and affecting interest. The character of this excellent man is well and very truly summed up in the epitaph inscribed upon his monument, which is as follows :-
The REV. COTTON MATHER SMITH, Born in Suffield, Oct. 16, 1731, ordained in Sharon, August 28, 1755, died Nov. 27, 1806, in the 76th year of his age and 52d of his ministry.
Sound in the faith, in life and conversation as becometh the Gospel, in doctrine incorrupt ; in manner forcible and persuasive ;
A fond husband ; a tender father ; an unvarying friend ; Having for more than fifty years, earnestly contended for the faith once delivered to the saints, he is gone to render his final account to the great captain of his salvation.
People of his charge, he still speaks to you in a voice awful as death, solemn as the grave, Prepare to meet your God.
The Rev. David L. Perry was born at Harwinton, Conn., on the 21st of June, 1777. He was the son of the Rev. David Perry, who was then the minister of Harwinton, but who was afterwards and for many years settled at Richmond, Mass. He was a grad- uate of Williams College of the class of 1798, and for three years, commencing in October, 1800, was a tutor in that institution. He studied divinity with the Rev. Dr. Backus, of Somers, Conn., and upon the unanimous invitation of the church and society in this town, he settled here in the ministry as before stated. Soon after his settlement, he married the only daughter of the Rev. Dr. Strong, minister of the first church in Hartford, by whom he had ten children.
96
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
Soon after his settlement in Sharon, he purchased of Deacon Paul Smith forty acres of land lying on the east side of the town street, including that now owned by Mr. Henry J. Taylor. On this he erected a very neat and commodious brick dwelling house, which has been very much enlarged by subsequent owners, and which was his home during his life. The good taste of Mr. Perry in improving the grounds and beautifying the adjoining appur- tenances have made it one of the most admired and desirable family residences in Sharon. He continued in the ministry here until his death on the 25th day of October, 1835, having been sud- denly cut off by a stroke of apoplexy. He was a man of very pure character and of respectable talents, and he died much lamented by the people of his charge and his brethren in the ministry.
Up to the year 1807 all the expenses of the Society had been provided for by the levy of a tax on the polls and property real and personal of the members, except the income of the small fund arising from the sale of the original parsonage right. At the annual meeting of the Society in 1807, an important change in the method of providing funds was adopted. It was voted to rent the pews for one year to the highest bidder. This was so great an innovation that there were serious fears of its failure. The first committee appointed to sell the pews were Isaac Hunt, George King, Isaac Chamberlain, Samuel Rockwell and Paul Smith, Jun. The proceedings were a success, and that method of raising money for the expenses of the Society has been contin- ued, with a few temporary exceptions, to the present time.
In the year 1813, it had become apparent that the society was growing weaker in its means of supporting the necessary expenses of its institutions, and that the congregation was growing less in numbers. The emigration of its members and the increase of dissenters contributed largely to that result. Anxious for the maintenance of the Puritan system and for the continuance of the administration of gospel ordinances in their time-honored method in Sharon, the men of property in the parish undertook to raise, by subscription, a permanent fund, to be safely invested in securities by real estate, the income of which was to be applied to the payment of the expenses of the society. The whole sum was subscribed before the matter was brought before the society for its acceptance. The articles of subscription were drawn up in the most careful manner, to insure the safety of the investments, and to direct the use of the fund to the
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
purposes intended by the donors. The church is allowed to change its form of administration from Congregational to Pres- byterian, but in other respects all deviations from the strictest rules of old New England Puritanism are forbidden. At a society's meeting holden on the first day of November, 1813, the fund was transferred to the society and accepted by it upon the terms and conditions specified in the article of subscription. It was placed in the care of the committee of the society. The amount subscribed in the first instance was over four thousand dollars. The old parsonage fund amounted to a little more than one thousand dollars, and several subscriptions, legacies and donations have been added since, so that the present amount of the fund is about seven thousand dollars. Of this sum, two thousand dollars have been invested in the parsonage. There were forty subscribers to the fund article, and the following is a list of the names of those who subscribed fifty dollars and over :
John Cotton Smith and son. $700.00
Paul Smith, Jr. and sons. 300.00
Calvin Noyes, 300.00
Cyrus Swan, 200.00
Benj. Hamlin and sons,
200.00
Isaac Chamberlain,
150.00
Edmund Bennett, .
150.00
Samuel Rockwell and sons
150.00
Samuel Pardee and son,
160.00
George King, 150 00
Joseph Orton, 100.00
David Gould, 100.00
Hezekiah Goodwin, 100.00
Nathaniel Hamlin, 140.00
Aunt Sterling. 100.00
Abraham Beecher, for son Amos, 100.00
David Gould, Jr.
200.00
Abraham Pratt,
100.00
John W. Smith, 80.00
Abner Burnham,
70.00
Samuel Beecher and sons, 60.00
Simeon Lyman,
80.00
Benj. Reid,
60.00
Mary Noyes,
50.00
Chas. Elliot,
50.00
13
98
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
Rebecca Patchin, 50.00
Israel White, 50.00
Silas A. Gray, 50.00
Chas. F. Sedgwick,
50.00
Prudence Reid,
50.00
Jacob Chamberlain,
50.00
This fund has been of very great utility to the society, giving stability to its proceedings and encouraging accession to its membership.
A stove was first set up in the meeting house in 1818, against a strong opposition from some of the older members of the congregation.
The first twenty years of Mr. Perry's ministry passed with- out anything to mark it with any peculiarities. Several reviv- als of religion attended the faithfulness of his ministry, and added to the membership of the church. Times had so changed that those who disliked the ministry, instead of making their dislike known through their votes in the meetings of the society, would leave it without reproach, and unite with some other denomina- tion of Christians, and the society thus left, though weakened in numbers by their secession, was strengthened by the unity which it occasioned. Emigration, too, had caused the withdrawal of much strength from the parish. A revival of religion in 1823 added some one hundred members to the church, which gave it unwonted stability, and encouraged efforts to build up the society.
A great want of the society had been for many years a new place of worship. The old church, standing in the main street, was out of repair, and in no way conformed with the require- ments of modern taste or convenience.
Encouraged by the smiles of the Divine favor, and by the unity of sentiment in favor of the measure, the society under- took, in 1823, to erect a substantial and costly edifice for the worship of God. At a society's meeting, holden on the 20th day of October of that year, it was voted that John Cotton Smith, Ed- mund Bennett, Samuel Rockwell, Isaac Chamberlain and Charles F. Sedgwick be a committee to enquire into the expediency to prepare a plan and furnish an estimate of the probable expense of building a new house of worship, and report to the next adjourn- ed meeting. On the 18th of November following, the committee
99
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
reported to an adjourned meeting of the society that it was inex- pedient to repair the old church. They also recommended to the society to instruet the society's committee to collect such inform ation and make such estimates of the expense necessary to build a new church, as shall be necessary, and to report to a future meeting of the society.
At the annual meeting of the society, in October 13, 1823, the following resolution was adopted, two thirds of the voters being in the vote :
Resolved. That whereas the present House of Worship in this Society is so far decayed as to be unfit for use or repair, it is expedient to erect by subscription, a new edifice for the worship of God.
Resolved, That Samuel Rockwell, Henry Reed, William M. Smith and Charles F. Sedgwick be a committee to solicit sub- scriptions for a sum not less than four thousand dollars for the foregoing object.
This meeting was adjourned for two weeks, and at the adjourned meeting. the committee for obtaining subscriptions reported such success that a very strong vote was passed to pro- ceed in the erection of a new house of worship without further delay. It was further voted that a committee be appointed to adopt a place for this proposed building, to determine whether it should be constructed of brick or stone ; to make the necessary contracts for the erection and completion thereof, and to dispose of the old meeting house so as best to subserve the interests of the society in building another ; the committee to consist of nine members, to be chosen by ballot, a majority of whom were to be competent for the transaction of business. The following named persons were appointed upon this committee :
John Cotton Smith, Samuel Rockwell,
Isaac Chamberlain, Edmund Bennett,
Hezekiah Goodwin,
Charles F. Sedgwick,
Cyrus Swan, Aaron Read.
William M. Smith,
It was further provided that the committee should select three of their number, to superintend the building of the house, and to collect and pay over to the treasurer of the society the monies subscribed for that purpose. The persons selected as this sub-committee were Hezekiah Goodwin, William M. Smith and Charles F. Sedgwick. It was determined to build the walls of the house of brick, on a stone underpinning, and a contract
100
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHARON.
was made with William Watson, of New Milford, a builder of high repute and long experience, to do the mason work of the house. The woodwork was contracted to be done by James Jennings, of Weston, in New Fairfield county, who had been known here as a builder of churches by his having been em- ployed in such service in North Canaan and Warren a short time before. Both these gentlemen fulfilled their contracts to the entire satisfaction of the committee and of the society, and all the expenses of the building were promptly met by the parish.
The following is a copy of the subscription paper to raise the money to build the meeting house, with the names of those who subscribed to the amount of fifty dollars or over :
SHARON, October 13th, 1822.
Whereas, the house dedicated to divine worship in the first Ecclesiastical Society in Sharon is so far destroyed as to be unfit for use or repair.
Therefore, to erect a suitable edifice for the service of Al- mighty God, according to the Congregational or Presbyterian system of faith and worship, the walls to be constructed of brick or stone, under the direction of the committee of said society, and to be located on land now owned by Samuel Rockwell, Esq., near the site of the present house ; we, the subscribers, do severally engage to pay to such committee the sums annexed to our respective names ; one- half part thereof on the first of May next, and the remainder on the first day of November then following. Provided nevertheless that unless the amount of four thousand dollars shall be subscribed for the foregoing object, the present article shall not be obligatory on the subscribers, but shall be deemed of no effect.
John Cotton Smith and son,. $1100.00
Calvin Noyes, 300.00
Paul Smith and son, .. 210.00
Samuel Rockwell, for site and expenses, 262.00
David Gould, Jr. 125.00
Aaron Reed, 125.00
Alanson Wheeler,
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