USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Glastonbury > Glastenbury for two hundred years: a centennial discourse, May 18th 1853 > Part 8
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Daniel Ward, 3
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Sam'l Goodrich, 9
6
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Mr. Isaac Treat,
16
6
1 acre, 62 rods,
1758 VI 124
Wm. Tryon,
10
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Richard Risley,
28
4
S
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 107
Thomas Goodrich, Jr.,
9 12
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 111
Benj. Stevens,
13
6
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 112
Charles Eddy,
9
Hez. Bidwell,
10
2
6
sold, W. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Moses Scott,
3 7
6
sold, W. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Joseph Stevens, Jr.,
7
Peter Treat,
3
Joseph Talcott,
16 19
1758 VI 119
Jona. Treat,
3 7
1758 VI 123
Noah Tryon,
15
1758 VI 125
Ens. David Goodrich,
40 12
Samuel Stratton,
1
1 acre,
1758 VI 128
6
sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 111
1758 VI 111
David Loveland,
5
sold, I. Mosely, 2 acres, 24 rods, 4 acres, 90 rods, 1758 VI 171
1758 VI 174
Jona. Hubbard,
10 13
2 10
1758 VI 112
Hosea Fox,
6 sold, I. Mosely, 1 acre, 44 rods, sold, I. Mosely, 6 sold, Jona. Welles, sold, Jona. Hollister, 5 acres, 12 rods,
1758 VI 172
1758 VI 111
Elisha Goodrich, 1
sold, J. Benton,
Serj. Hez. Wright, 12 10
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 112
1758 VI 178
NAMES.
85
NAMES.
£. s. d.
REMARKS. Y. B. P.
Job Risley,
19 18 6 sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 112
Steph. Goodrich, 9 12
sold, I. Mosely, 175S VI 111
Heirs Mrs. A. Taylor, d., 16 5
5 acres, 120 rods, 1758 VI 176
Capt. Elisha Hollister, 13 12
5 acres, 130 rods,
1758 VI 118
Elijah Hollister,
11 15
1 acre, 75 rods,
1758 VI 127
Benjamin Hill,
2
1 acre, 110 rods,
1758 VI 174
John Miller, 15 9
7 acres, 90 rods, see E. Kilborn,
1758 VI 130 VI 169
Thankful Brewer, 1
6
Amos Hollister,
11 12
21 acres, 140 rods,
1758 VI 128
Abraham Hollister,
17 15
1758 VI 173
Jeremiah Hollister, 13 15
1758 VI 130
Jona. House, 1 10
1758 VI 110
Serg. David Hale,
12 17
1758 VI 121
Jonathan Hollister,
22 5
1758 VI 123
John House,
13 16
1758 VI 109
David Wickham, 3 7
1758 VI 126
Serg. Wm. Goodrich,
17
5
175S VI 108
Thomas Matson, 8
1758 VI 124
· Ebenezer Fox,
7 10
1758 VI 109
Heirs Derotheus Treat, 20 14
1758 VI 122
Benj. Tryon, 1
Josiah Brooks,
2 15
Wid. Loveland,
6 15
Eleaz. Hollister,
4 8
Benoni Smith,
8 13
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 108
John Curtice, 10
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 112
Benj. Keeney,
1
4
sold, Wm. Welles, 1758 VI 107
Ens. John Hill,
17
4
sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 111
Isaac Hale,
13 12
Lot Loveland, Jr.,
2
Elisha Loveland,
10 18
1 acre, 26 rods,
1758 VI 173
Thomas Morley,
11
2
sold, I. Mosely,
175S VI 112
Timothy Morley,
1
10
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 114
Robert Loveland. .
6 18
sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 111
Benjamin Loomis,
15 10
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Daniel Wright, Jr.,
23 11
1758 VI 110
Thomas Risley,
9 14
1758 VI 177
Thomas Sparks,
6
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 112
Benj. Strickland,
25
8
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 112
Joseph Goodale,
6
6
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Simeon Strickland, 1
Ebenezer Scott,
9
2
2 acres, 9 rods,
1758 VI 175
Abraham Skinner,
11 14
sold, John Welles,
1759 VI 136
Rich. Chamberlin,
2 10
sold, Job Risly,
175S VI 177
Zebulon Scott,
9 16
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Deac. Eph. Hubbard,
7 19
3 acres, 31,
1758 VI 178
Charles Andrews,
13 8
2 acres, 130 rods,
1758 VI 171
2 acres, 60 rods. sold, John Miller, sold, J. Benton,
6 5 acres, 75 rods, 6 acres, 54 rods, sold, John Welles,
6 11 acres, 80 rods, sold, Wm. Welles, 28 acres, 203 rods, sold, J. Benton, 2 acres, 136 rods,
sold, J. Benton, sold, Job Risley,
86
NAMES. £. s.
REMARKS. Y. B. P.
Stephen Andrews, 6 16
1 acre, 118 rods, 1758 VI 171
Eleazer Strong, 19 1
Stephen Webster, 5
sold Wm. Welles, 1758 VI 108 sold, Wm. Welles, 1758 VI 100 sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 111
John Morley, 2
0 acre, 20 rods, 1758 VI 121
John Finley,
1 18
sold, Win. Welles,
1758 VI 107
John Root, 5
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Lt. Daniel Chamberlain, 13 10
Capt. David Diekinson, 20 16
6
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Rob. Loveland, (Hebron,) 6 4
Benj. Skinner, 15
6
Jonathan Webster, 6 16
sold, I. Mosely, 1752 VI 111
sold, Chas. Hollister,
1758 VI 168
John Waddams, 7 16
sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 111
Steplien Perrin,
8
9
sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 111
Goin Finley, 10
2
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Nath. C. Hollister, 6
Daniel Chamberlin, Jr., 5
1
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 107
Thomas Keeney, 10 6
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Jolın Wyard, 8
sold, Wm. Welles, 1758 VI 107
Capt. Tim. Hollister, 21 12
Lt. Gideon Hollister, 21 4
Nehemiah Strickland, 17 2
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Hez. Wickham, 19
5 acres, 96 rods,
1758 VI 122
Isaac Stratton, 8 12
9 acres, 22 rods,
1758 VI 170
John Stratton, 12
S
sold, Wm. Welles, 1758 VI 107
11 acres, 60 rods,
1758 V1 117
Lt. David Hubbard,
13
sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 112
Hez. Hubbard,
10
sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 111
sold, J. Benton,
1758 VI 116
Sam. Loveland,
5
S
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 112
John Hill, Jr., S 14
17 acres, 10 rods,
1758 VI 123
William Fox, 6
3 acres, 150 rods, sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Serg. Abram Fox, 3 10
1 acre, 76 rods,
1758 VI 130
Jonah Fox, 3
See Wm. Fox,
VI 129
Hez. Brewer, 8
sold, J. Benton, 2 acres, 112 rods,
175S VI 129
Caleb Waddams, 10 10
sold, Chas. Hollister, 1758 VI 168
Jesse Welden, 5 18
sold, I. Mosely
1758 VI 111
Serg. Tho. Loveland, 10 2
sold, I. Mosely, sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 111
1758 VI 107
John Nevill, 2
Mrs. J. Lamb, or Judd, 13 10
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Tho. Hollister, 21 16
1758 VI 129
Charles Risley, 4 18
1758 VI 110
Chas. Hollister, 7
sold, J. Benton, 175S VI 110
Thomas Fox, 4
Ens. Steph. Strickland, 15 12
Wm. House,
25
sold, Job Risley, 1758 VI 177
Daniel House, 20 13
sold, Wm. Welles, 1758 VI 108
James Goodrich, 8
Peter Huxford, 14
Ozias Nichols, 6
sold, I. Mosely, 1758 VI 112
John Holden, Jr., 1
87
NAMES. £. s.
REMARKS.
Y. B. P.
Mrs. Rachel Collins,
3
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Mr. John Kimberley, 30 2
7 acres, 152 rods, 1758 VI 121
Samuel Brooks,
1
5
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 V1 107
Simeon Alger, John Holden,
1
8
0 acres, 28 rods, 1758 VI 172
Daniel Pratt, 7
7
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 112
Heirs Manoah Smith,
41
4
8 acres, 85,
1758 VI 165
Eliphalet Fox, 1
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 V1 111
Mr. Josiah Benton,
41 16
51 aeres, 117 rods,
1758 VI 109
Heirs John Loveland,
9 10
1 acre, 80, 1750 VI 175
John Hodge, 1
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Lot Loveland,
7 16
sold, I. Mosely,
1759 VI 111
Jesse Strong,
3
sold, Wm. Welles,
1758 VI 108
Abraham Hill,
16
John Russell, Weth ,
sold, Josiah Benton,
1760 VI 69
Gershom Smith, Weth.,
sold, Josiah Benton,
1760 VI 86
3
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Sarah, wife John Keeny, 3
sold, I. Mosely,
1758 VI 111
Heirs John Smith, 6 2
REV. JOHN EELLS, 1759-1791.
Rev. Mr. Woodbridge dying in September, 1758, the par- ish applied "to the Rev. Elders of the Association for advice and direction," who recommended Mr. John Eells as such a person as they desired. He was accordingly called, on a sal- ary of " £80 lawful money," and " £200 settlement." He was also to have thirty-five cords of wood annually, deliver- ed at his door, with permission to cut timber and fencing on the parsonage land near Nipsic. This call being accepted, Mr. Eells was ordained, June 27th, 1759, being then twen- ty-three years of age. The period of Mr. Eells' ministry, ex- tending from 1759 to 1791, including the Revolution and its procuring causes, is a period of deep and thrilling interest, in which the Civil is made to predominate over the Ecclesiasti- cal, so separating the two, that they never became as thor- oughly united as before. It is from that event, indeed, that we are to date the beginning of that divorce between Church and State, in this country, which has since become so complete.
The ministry of Mr. John Eells also includes the period of the French and Spanish war, which witnessed the taking of Havanna. This war is of immediate interest to this place,
88
only on account of the part taken by our citizens in that event. How many men went from Glastenbury to Havana, we have been unable to ascertain; but the church records of the first society contain the following entry under date of November, 1.762 :
Died " William Hollister, in the army at the Havannah.
66 Timothy Brooks, in the army at the Havannah.
John Morley, in the army at the Havannah
66 Moses Scot, in the army at the Havannah.
66 Benjamin Loveland, in the army at the Havannah.
Robert Hollister, on his passage from the Havanah.
66 Jonathan Price, returning from the Havannah."
Rev. JOHN EELLS of Glastenbury, the son of Rev. Nathan- iel Eells of Stonington, was graduated at Yale, 1755, ordain- ed in Glastenbury June 27th, 1759; died May 17th, 1791, in the fifty-fifth year of his age, and the thirty-second of his ministry. He married, first, Sibil, daughter of Nathaniel Huntington of Windham, September 22d, 1764. She died November 20th, 1773. Her children were,-
Roger b. Grad. Yale, 1785, studied law ; d. Sept. 1790.
Mary, b. April 10, 1767, m. Daniel Wadsworth.
Sibil, b. Jan. 27,1769, m. Miles Law.
Jolın, b. Nov. 20, 1773, m. Mirriam Robbins.
Mr. Eells married for his second wife, Sarah, daughter of Solomon Welles of Wethersfield, December 24th, 1776, and had,-
Sarah, b. Oct. 18, 1777, d. Feb. 1826.
Nathaniel, b. Oct. 20, 1778, d. at sea.
Naney, b. Oct. 23, 1779.
Eunice, b. June 23, 1782, m. Oliver Hale.
Mr. Eells was a descendant of Mr. Samuel Eells, one of the first settlers of Milford, who moved from thence to Hingham, Mass. His son, or more probably, grandson, Nathaniel, born, 1678, graduated at Harvard, 1699, died April 25th, 1750, was minister of Scituate from 1704 to his death. His son, Nathaniel, graduated at Harvard, 1728, settled at Stoning- ton, July 14th,:1733 ; died 1786. Another son, Edward, grad-
89
uated at Harvard, 1733, settled at Upper Middletown, Sep- tember 6th, 1738; died 1776. Rev. John Eells of Glasten- bury, was son of Nathaniel Eells, and Rev. James Eells, whom we shall have occasion to speak of as the minister of East- bury, was the son of Rev. Edwards Eells. The Rev. Sam- uel Eells of North Branford, who, having raised a volunteer company in his own congregation, was chosen captain, and entered the Revolution in that capacity, was also son of Rev. Edward Eells .*
We cannot forbear remarking, in this place, that the very peaceful and happy state of things which reigned in the first Ecclesiastical Society, and in the second also, so far as the people could control this matter, during all the preced- ing period, seems to have realized something of the wish of the founders of the town. From the passing of the act of incorporation of the town in 1690, to the death of Mr. Eells in 1791, there had been but three ministers in the first socie- ty, and but five in the second. And it should be further add- ed, that so far as we can judge from the records, or have learned from tradition, there never had been the slightest in- terruption of harmony in the pastoral relation, during all that time; no hint of the slightest difficulty between pastor or people being met with. A century of perfect unity in a parish, is a thing almost without a parallel, and in this res- pect, certainly entitles Glastenbury to her name.
EASTBURY.
REV. SAMUEL WOODBRIDGE. After the death of Mr. Chalker in May, 1765, the ministers in the vicinity supplied the pulpit some time for the benefit of the family. On the 24th of May, 1766, the society gave Mr. Woodbridge a call, with a salary of £60 a year and a settlement of £150, which. was subsequently increased to £70 for salary and £200 set- tlement. He was ordained on the last Wednesday of June, 1766. Mr. W. was the son of Rev. Ashbel Woodbridge of
* Am. Q. R. IV. 208. VIII. 148, 158. Eells' MSS. Mon. Glas. and East. B. G.
90
Glastenbury, born January 22d, 1740, graduated at Yale, 1763. Mr. Woodbridge had been settled at Eastbury but a little more than a year, when he lost his reason, brought on, as was supposed, by his unremitting study, allowing himself only four hours, from twelve to four, for sleep. After his de- rangement had continued some months, his connection with the parish was dissolved by mutual consent of his friends, the Association and the parish. For nine months he was obliged to be confined with chains, yet he recovered his reas- on and health, and lived until July 23d, 1797. After recov- ering his reason, he was greatly grieved at finding himself dismissed, and declined taking another parish. He preach- ed, however, fifteen 'months in Virginia and eight in Geor- gia, and was a chaplain during a part of the Revolution. He subsequently settled in West Hartland, and became an ag- riculturalist, preaching, however, as occasion called in the neighboring towns. In 1779, he married Elizabeth Good- man of West Hartford, a descendant of one of the early settlers of Hartford, by whom he had two children, one daugh- ter and one son, Samuel E. Woodbridge, of Hartland until 1834, now of Perth Amboy, N. J., a worthy man and a suc- cessful teacher .*
REV. JAMES EELLS. In December, 1768, the society of Eastbury voted to hire some one to preach on probation, under which vote the Rev. James Eells, son of Rev. Edward Eells of Upper Middletown, cousin of Rev. John Eells of Glastenbury, was procured. On the 20th of the April fol- lowing, (1769,) he was unanimously called to the work of the ministry in that society, with a salary of £70 and a set- tlement of £100, the use of forty aeres of parsonage land and twenty-five cords of wood annually. Mr. Eells graduated at Yale, 1765, studied divinity with Rev. Dr. Backus of Somers, was ordained August 23d, 1769, the service being held on a large flat rock in the vicinity of the meeting house, the ordi- nation sermon being preached by the father, Rev. Edward Eells.
* Am. Q. R. IV. 308. MSS. S. G. W.
91
Mr. Eells married Mary Johnson of Upper Middletown, in 1770, and left a son, James Eells ; graduated at Yale, 1799, settled at dismissed in -, and subsequent- ly devoted himself to teaching. He has a son, Rev. James Eells, Jr., graduated at Hamilton College, 1845, now settled at Penn Yan.
During the ministry of Mr. Eells, the society began to feel the inconvenience of having its Meeting House so far from the center of the society, and as early as 1800, measures were taken to build a new one in a more central place. The efforts made to obtain means for this purpose not being suc- cessful, the society voted in 1806, to petition the General Assembly for a lottery to raise funds for that purpose. The petition was granted, and permission given to raise $2,000. The lottery seems to have gone into operation the same year, as the society's committee were authorized to purchase $50 worth of tickets. It does not appear from the records of the society, however, that the parish ever received any benefit or funds from the lottery, and we learn from other sources that large losses incurred by the managers, swallowed up a large amount of profits. The trustees, however, seem to have procured funds from other sources, for in 1819, the society voted "to sell the old Meeting House and the land on which it stands ;" and in March, 1821, further " voted to ac- cept this Meeting House from the proprietors."
Rev. Mr. Eells died January 20th, 1805, in the sixty-second year of his age, and the thirty-fifth of his ministry. He, like Mr. Chalker, seems to have found his salary too small to live upon, as his property passed into the hands of trustees, of whom it was purchased by the society and rented to him at the nominal sum of £5 a year. During the last two or three years of his life, the society provided him with a home, with the requisite board and clothing, paying him £50 a year salary. The singular manner in which some of these votes are worded, is calculated to raise a smile as we read them :
" Oct. 11th, 1803. Voted, that Capt. - take care of Mr. Eells the year ensuing.
92
" Voted, that Capt. - shall procure cloathing for Mr. Eells, as shall be necessary, the year ensuing.
" Nov. 1804. Voted, that the Committee dispose of Rev. James Eells, as they shall think best."
After the death of Mr. Eells, the following votes, indicat- ing a peculiar use of ecclesiastical language, were passed :
" March 4th, 1805. Voted, that Deacon Gibson go among the neighboring Priests, to see if they will give us any assistance.
" Voted, Samuel Covel take care of the Priests Sundays."
GENERAL HISTORY-REVOLUTIONARY OMENS.
The ministry of the two cousins, the Rev. John Eells of Glastenbury, and Rev. James Eells of Eastbury, spans the entire period of the Revolution, in which the people of Glas- tenbury deeply sympathized from the outset. The first pub- lic record in reference to this subject, bears date August 27th, 1770, when the following spirited resolutions were adopted by vote of the town :
" Agreeable to the desire of the Committee of Correspondence, requesting a meeting of the inhabitants of the several towns in this Colony, to make choice of suitable person or persons to attend a meeting of the Mercantile and Landholding interests in this Colony, to be holden at New Haven on the 13th of September next,-Then and there to consider of, and resolve upon such measures as are proper to be taken for the support of the non-importation agreement, so important, (at this critical conjuncture,) to the Plantations in America, belonging to the British crown ; also, to consider the alarming con- duet of a neighboring colony, (viz.) New York, shamefully violating said agreement :-
" Voted and Resolved, that we do highly approve of the aforesaid propos- al and request, and accordingly do appoint Messrs. Jonathan Welles and Eb- enezer Plummer, to represent us at said meeting for the purpose aforesaid, and as we judge the affairs there to be transacted, to be of the most interest- ing importance to us in this Colony, and to all America, it is further-
" Resolved, that the following advice and instructions be given to [our Representatives] Messrs. Jonathan Welles and Ebenezer Plummer."
[Instructions.]
" Since we have put so much confidence in your wisdom, fidelity and in- tegrity, as to appoint you our Representatives, to attend the proposed meet- ing of Merchants and Landholders at the abovesaid time and place, we trust you will exert yourselves with a laudable zeal, that is becoming every true
93
lover of his country, in concerting and prosecuting such plans and measures, as are necessary for the defending of our just rights, our common liberties and peculiar privileges, which we, and the other inhabitants of this Colony (under GOD) have heretofore long enjoyed ; especially since the present sea- son is so alarming, not only on account of the spirited attempts of our potent enemies abroad, but by the treachery of some of our brethren, who, to ad- vance their own sordid, private interests, have violated the most salutary agreement, viz., that of non importation, and by this means, have given a fatal blow to the cause of Liberty. You will permit us, therefore, to advise, that you will endeavor without relaxation, to support inviolate the said agree- ment of non-importation, come into and agreed upon by the greatest part of the Americans, which we esteem the most effectual expedient to procure a redress of our grievance, and a removal of all unconstitutional courts and duties ; for you cannot but be sensible that the reasons for coming into said agreement, at first, will continue to operate in their full force, so long as the duty on one single article remains as a test of Parliamentary power to tax America, without her consent or representation, and as a large number of merchants and traders in the Colony of New York have of late, in direct op- position to the general sense of the Americans, been guilty of a very criminal and perfidious breach of said agreement, and hereby have shamefully betray- ed their country's cause. We further offer it as our opinion that, for the future, no commercial intercourse, by any in this Colony be held with the inhabitants of that government either directly or indirectly, until the Revenue acts are repealed, our grievances redressed, or until they make public satis- faction for their imprudent, unadvised, and impudent conduct ;- and this de- termination to have [no] dealings with them, we judge ought to extend to an absolute refusal of transacting any business in favor of said importers ; and likewise that all connections be withdrawn from those in this Colony, who shall presume hereafter to carry on any traffic or trade, with those betrayers of their country, until they shall give proper satisfaction for their offensive conduct. You will not fail, gentlemen, to exert yourselves, that resolutions of this kind be come into, and whatever else the friends of the liberties of this Colony with whom you may have the honor to consult, shall judge expedient at this important crisis, for the security of all our invaluable rights and priv- ileges to us, and transmitting down the same to our unborn posterity.
" In order to carry into effect the measures proposed, a committee of three were appointed, to see that no goods were imported into this town from New York until the Revenue acts were repealed."
This was in 1770, and so far as appears of record, all re- mained quiet in Glastenbury until 1774, when the following address to the people of Boston was adopted and forwarded, immediately after the news of the passage, by parliament, of the " Boston Port Bill:"
94
" At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Glastenbury, on the 23d day of June, A. D. 1774, Col. Elizur Talcott, Chairman :
" Voted, That it is the opinion of this meeting that the act of Parliament im- posing a duty on tea exported to America, for the purpose of raising a reve- nue, is subversive of the rights and liberties of the British Americans, un- constitutional and oppressive. And we consider the late act of Parliament for blocking up the port of Boston, and others that are pending with respect to the province of Massachusetts Bay, designed not only to enslave that prov- ince, but, as we hold our liberties and privileges on the same footing with them, we consider those acts as aimed at the liberties of all the English colo- nies in America.
" We, therefore, are resolved to exert ourselves to the utmost of our pow- er, in every lawful way, to oppose, resist, and if possible, defeat the designs of our enemies to enslave us. And we are of opinion, that the safest and most effectual method to obtain a repeal of those acts, and to restore us to the enjoyment of our rights and privileges, will be an universal agreement of all the colonies, that all commercial connections with Great Britain and the West Indies be withheld. And as we are informed that a General Congress of all the colonies is proposed, we are of opinion that such a Congress would be very expedient, and that [that] is the most probable method to cement the colonies together in a firm union, on which (under God,) our only security depends. And when this Congress shall convene, (which we hope will be as soon as possible,) we shall be ready to adopt any measures which shall be thought by them to be the most effectual to obtain relief from the burdens of which we so justly complain.
" Voted, That Col. Elizur Talcott, William Welles, Capt. Elisha Hollister, Ebenezer Plummer, Isaac Mosely, Thomas Kimberley and Josiah Hale, be a committeee of correspondence, to receive and answer all letters, and to pro- mote and forward such contributions as shall be made in this town, for the relief of our distressed friends in Boston, and that they transmit a copy of the proceedings of this meeting to the committee of correspondence at Bos- ton, as soon as possible."*
These resolutions were enclosed in the following pertinent and appropriate letter, which does honor both to the head and the heart of the writer :
" Glassenbury in Connecticutt, 23d June, 1774.
" Gentlemen-
" We cannot but deeply simpathize with you under the gloomy prospects which at present are before you, on account of those oppressive acts of Par- liament which have lately been passed, respecting Boston in particular, and
* A copy of this paper was forwarded to Boston, and is printed in Hin- man's War of the Revolution, pp. 68, 69.
95
the province of Massachusetts Bay in general. Especially when we consid- er that our liberties and privileges, are so nearly and indissolubly connected with yours, that an encroachment npon one at least, destroys all the security of the other. It seems the Parliament of Great Britain are determined to reduce America to a state of vassalage, and unless we all unite in the com- mon cause, they will undoubtedly accomplish their design. We are sur- prized to find so many of the merchants in Boston courting favour of the tools of the ministry, and heaping encomiums on that Enemy to liberty, that traitor to his country, and abettor, if not author of all these evils to America. However we hope the spirit of liberty is not yet entirely fled from Boston, but that you will yet hold out, and to the last resist and oppose those who are striving to enslave America. You may depend on us, and we believe all Connecticut almost to a man, to stand by you and assist you in the defence of our invaluable rights and privileges, even to the sacrificing of our lives and fortunes, in so good a cause. You will see the determinations and re- solves of this Town, which we have enclosed. A subscription is set on foot for the relief of the poor in Boston, and what money or provisions shall be collected, we shall forward as soon as possible. We are informed that your house of Representatives have appointed a time, for the meeting of the general congress, in which we hope all the colonies will concur, and that a nonimportation and nonexportation agreement, will be immediately come in- to, which we doubt not will procure the desired effect; and notwithstanding the gloomy aspect of things at present, we cannot but look forward, with fond hopes and pleasing expectations, to that glorious era, when America in spite of all the efforts of her enemies to the contrary, shall rise superior to all opposition, overcome oppression, be a refuge for the oppressed, a nurse of liberty, a scourge to Tyranny, and the envy of the world-then (if you stand firm and unshaken amidst the storm of ministerial vengeance) shall it be told to your everlasting honor, that Boston stood foremost in the cause of liberty, when the greatest power on Earth was striving to divest them of it, and by their noble efforts, joined with the united virtue of her sister Colo- nies, they overcame, and thereby transmitted to posterity, those invaluable rights and privileges, which their forefathers purchased with their blood-and now Gentlemen relying on your steadiness and firmness in the common cause, we subscribe yr most obdt Humble Servants.
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