USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > New Canaan > Historical address, delivered in the Congregational church, of New Canaan, Conn., July 4th, 1876 > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
eleven feet on each end and twelve feet on the south side. They also built a Society house north of the meeting-house twenty-one by sixteen feet, with seven foot posts. This was probably to accommodate those who came to meeting from a distance, and was furnish- ed with a fire-place, where they might spend the time between services, the meeting house being without any device for heating. In 1750, the Society resolves to build a new meeting-house fifty feet by forty, with one tier of galleries and turret (belfry.) This structure was so far advanced as to be deemed fit for use in 1752. though the galleries were not made until 1787. In '97, the turret was completed and the first bell obtained. which was to be rung, not only on the Sabbath, but also at nine o'clock every evening except Saturday. The new house was built a short distance north of the old one and about 150 feet south east of the present building. For ninety years it was in constant use as a place of worship. Every Sabbath, Thanksgiving and Fast day its courts were well filled with devont worshippers. and by many of us now assembled in this, its comely successor, the memory of the old meeting-house will ever be hallowed. It was built in the style quite com- mon in that day, precisely like the one they in Stam- ford, except that the latter had a spire that rose from the ground. Opening the double doors, on the south side, we entered an area of small square pews, whose
ـه
THE OLD CONGREGATIONAL MEETING HOUSE, ERECTED 1752
23
floors were elevated about eight inches above the floor of the central portion of the room. This latter was at first filled with slips on each side of the center or broad aisle, leading up to the pulpit. A narrow aisle passed quite around these slips furnishing access to the pews which occupied the entire walls except where the doors, on the east, the south and the west sides ; the stairs leading to the galleries at the corners, and the pulpit at the center of the north side occupied the space. The slips in the center were afterwards, (in 1808) converted into square pews. The galleries were deep, filled with square pews along the south wall, and elsewhere with the long slips. The choir was ranged along the front and sometimes extended nearly the entire length of the galleries, the base on the west, the treble on the east and the tenor or "counter." with the leader on the south. The pulpit was an hexagonal structure, placed upon a pillar, about eight feet above the floor. and reached by a flight of stairs, was neatly finished and painted white ; above it was suspended a canopy or sounding-board, hexagonal in shape, about seven feet above the floor of the pulpit, with a screw at the top of the iron rod supporting it, so that its height might be adjusted to the proper distance for reflection of the sound. The arrangement was indeed stiff and awk- ward, and was often severely criticized. I remember hearing one clergyman-a man of large size-remark.
.
DOP
24
that he would as soon get into a hogshead and preach from the bung. The deacon's seat was directly beneath the pulpit, access to it being had through the minis- ter's pew. To resume the history of the parish : when their minister, Mr. Silliman, had served them a quarter of a century, some uneasiness began to manifest itself. A vote in April 1768, showed 46 " easy " and 37 " un- easy " with him-but not long after they voted 24 to 15 that they would employ Mr. Silliman no longer. Mr. Silliman appealed to the General Assembly at Hart- ford, and the Society appeared there by their represen- tative. The Legislature sent a committee to see how peace could be restored, who advised Mr. Silliman to ask for a dimissal, and in June 1772, he was dismissed. In the succeeding winter, Mr. William Drummond, born and educated in Scotland, was settled as minister. He remained five years, and was succeeded by Rev. Justus Mitchell, who by his scholarship and devotion to his calling and to the cause of education, secured the pros- perity of the entire community, and gave the parish a desirable fame throughout the state. A spirit of toler- ation manifested itself, and the Records show many in- stances of the release of persons, who preferred other modes of worship, from their responsibilities to this Society. The pews were rented to defray expenses and relieve from taxation. Mr. Mitchell died in 1806, and was buried by his sorrowing congregation, on the brow
of the hill in front of us, and many will remember his grave, enclosed with a picket fence and overhung by a weeping willow.
We have now come to the period when a more com- plete separation of civil and ecclesiastical matters was made. The Town of New Canaan was incorporated in 1801, occupying the same territory over which " Canaan parish " had held jurisdiction. The Congregational Society henceforth devoted itself solely to the care of the temporal affairs of the Church with which it was con- nected, while the town managed the schools, the high- ways and similar matters. Briefly to complete the his- tory of this Society. After Mr. Mitchell's death, the Rev. William Bonney was settled here from 1808 to 1831, was succeeded by Rev. Theophilus Smith. Dur- his ministry the present edifice was built, and it was dedicated in 1843. Mr. Smith died in 1853, after a ministry of 22 years. The successive ministers were : Rev. Frederick G. Williams, from 1854 to 1859.
Rev. Ralph Smith, from 1860 to 1863.
Rev. Benjamin L. Swan, from 1864 to 1866.
The present pastor, Rev. Joseph Greenleaf, was set- tled in March 1871.
The frame of the first Episcopal Church in Canaan, was raised May 13, 1762, on land obtained from Mr. Husted, about three-quarters of a mile northwest from the present Church edifice. There had been a discussion
26
respecting its location on or adjoining the Parade ground. The building was soon rendered fit for use, but was not completed for many years, and for that reason probably was never consecrated. At this time, the Church people here, were accustomed to attend ser- vice at Norwalk and Stamford, and the rates which were collected of Churchmen in this parish, were paid over to the rectors of those churches. In 1791, they organized themselves into a distinct parish. From that time, there have been regular records kept. The first wardens were Stephen Betts and Dunlap Coggshall, and there were thirty-four heads of families who considered themselves as belonging to the Church and contributed to its support. Services were held about one-fifth of the Sabbaths, but the Church languished until the pro- ject was conceived and executed of building a new church edifice nearer the village. The lot whereon the , present building stands was purchased of Mr. Richard Fayerweather. The building committee were Samuel Raymond, Edward Nash, David S. Knight. The building was finished and consecrated, May 6, 1834. The old one had been taken down the year before. At this time the Rev. Charles Todd was rector, dividing his time equally between this Church and the one in Ridgefield. He resigned his charge_in 1835, and was followed by Rev. Jacob L. Clark, who also had the care of both churches. After his resignation in 1837, Rev.
27
David Ogden was called to give his undivided attention to this Church. In 1842 ill-health compelled him to give up his parish, and he died in 1845. The succeed- ing rectors were :
Rev. William Everett, from 1845 to 1846.
Rev. Dr. Short, from 1846 to 1852.
Rev. William Long, from 1852 to 1855.
Rev. William H. Williams, from 1855 to 1858.
Rev. William Cook, from 1858 to 1863.
Rev .- William A. DesBrisay, from 1864 to 1874.
The present rector, Rev. Isaac W. Hallam, began his services at Easter, 1875. The church edifice was re- modeled and the spire erected during the pastorate of Rev. William H. Williams, and re-opened, May, 1858. In the winter of 1873-4, the interior was frescoed and two windows placed in the Chancel. The Sunday School was organized in 1853 under the superinten- . dence of Miss Esther Betts.
The first mention of Methodist preaching in this town is found in a book by Rev. William C. Hoyt, of Stam- ford, wherein is recorded a Methodist sermon preached in the parish of Canaan by Rev. Cornelius Cook, in the year 1787. From 1816 until 1833, New Canaan formed a part of the Stamford circuit (which is the old- est in New England.) Services were held at the house of Holly Seymour, in White Oak Shade District, and frequently at the residence of Capt. Crofut in Silver
-
28
Mine. The first Methodist preaching in the village was in the Town Hall then standing near the Episcopal Church and since converted into the present Congre- gational parsonage. In October 1833, the first Metho- dist house of worship, which is the present Town Hall, was dedicated. From 1833 to 1836, New Canaan was united to Norwalk in a circuit under the pastorate of two ministers. These were :
1833, Rev. Elijah Hibbard, Rev. Abram S. Francis. 1834, Rev. Luther Mead, Rev. Abram S. Francis. 1835, Rev. David Stocking, Rev. John Crawford.
In 1836, New Canaan was set off by itself, as a sta- tion under the pastorate of a single minister. This de- nomination of Christians has made, within the recollec- tion of most of us, rapid progress, endeavoring faith- fully to do the work of a true church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The present house was dedicated in 1854, Dec. 21st. The following are the successive pastors of the Methodist Church and their terms of service :
Revs. J. Crawford, 1836 ; Clark Fuller, 1837 ; S. W. King, 1838-9; J. W. Selleck, 1840-1 ; Chas. F. Pelton, 1842; Jesse Hunt, 1843 ; Jas. H. Romer, 1844-5 ; A. H. Ferguson, 1846-7 ; J. D. Marshall. 1848-9 ; Jacob Shaw, 1850-1 ; L. D. Nickerson. 1852-3 ; Harvey Husted, 1854-5 ; Mark Staple, 1856- 7 ; J. L. Gilder, 1858-9 ; C. B. Ford, 1860-1 ; A. H. Mead, 1862 ; Win. T. Hill, 1863 ; J. M. Carroll. 1864-
5-6; Wm. F. Collins, 1867 : S. M. Hammond, 1868-9- 70 ; B. T. Abbott, 1871-2-3 : I. M. Carroll, 1874-5-6.
The first person in New Canaan professing faith in Christ, through baptism by immersion, was baptized by Rev. John Gano of New York City, in the year 1772. Soon after as Elder Gano was baptizing in Stamford. where a Baptist Church was organized in 1773. Baptist meetings were held in New Canaan, and have been held at varying intervals to the present time. The re- cords of the Canaan parish have several votes exempt- ing Baptists .from paying society rates so long as they remain of the persuasion. Nov. 4, 1871, the First Bap- tist Society of New Canaan was incorporated. Their house of worship was opened February 6th, 1773 ; the service of recognition being held in that house the 13th day of March following. Their pastor is the Rev. Eben S. Raymond.
Universalist preaching began in the town in 1832. Mr. Hillyer, and afterwards Mr. Hitchcock officiating. During the last five years Rev. J. H. Shepard has preached here semi-monthly. They have no separate organization.
Services according to the Roman Catholic forms of worship were first held here in a hall in the village, subsequently in the Town Hall. Their church was built in 1863. Clergymen from Norwalk. . principally
, 30
Fathers Mulligan and Smith, have ministered to those of this faith.
The patriotism of New Canaan citizens has been well attested in the three wars in which our country has been engaged. In the war of the Revolution, however, 'they appear as citizens of Norwalk and Stamford and share their glorious record. Our soil has never been invaded by a foreign foe. Norwalk was twice burned, and some of our friends shared the catastrophe, but the British troops when on their expedition to destroy the military stores at Danbury, passed eastward of us, both on their approach, and return to their boats at Compo Bay, east of Norwalk, and thence to their head-quarters on Long Island. Some of our immediate ancestors were at Middlesex (now Darien, ) on Sunday, July 22d. . 1781. when an unarmed worshipping congregation, were in the most dastardly way seized and subjected to in- dignity. The leaders in that sacreligious foray were from among the tories of the town, and their depreda- tions and captures were practiced upon their former neighbors and friends. During the night preceding they had crossed the Sound from Lloyd's Neck, and se- creted themselves in a swamp a few rods south of the meeting house, awaiting the gathering of the congrega- tion for their usual worship. The service had begun. Dr. Mather was in the pulpit which he had occupied for forty years, and it was undoubtedly his earnest pat-
31
riotism, and that of some members of his church, which had led to this attack. Its object was to capture that fearless preacher and the leaders of his people. Sud- denly the house was surrounded and the summons to surrender was issued in the well-known voice of their neighbor, Capt Frost. Now commenced in earnest the work of tory revenge. With derisive jeers, the vener- able pastor was called down from the pulpit to lead his congregation in a very different service.
The men of the congregation were drawn up two and two in marching order and tied arm to arm. The pastor was ordered to the front to lead the march. The val- uable articles found on both men and women were stripped from them. Every horse needed for the inva- ding band was taken, and the women and children con- signed to the care of the rear-guard, until the captors with their prisoners and spoil should be well under way. Forty-eight men were thus hurried away to the boats, and thence taken over to Long Island. Twenty- four were released to return home on parole. The re- mainder were taken on board of a brig and confined below decks. They were thus conveyed to the Provost Prison, N. Y. City, where they suffered every possible indignity. Here they were kept until the following December, when those who survived were exchanged.
In the war with Great Britain in 1812-15, a few of our citizens were in the service, but engaged in no battle.
.
32
But in the last war-the war to maintain the Union and preserve the country, whose Centenary we this day celebrate, New Canaan citizens cheerfully entered the Union armies, leaving the pursuits of peaceful life to engage in the multitudinous battles of the greatest civil war in history. Some of these fell on distant fields. With others, life languished away in hospital or prison. The remains of some rest in our own comete- ries-while the happy survivors witness this day the glory of the nation they aided in the time of its dire necessity -- the Goverment, whose stability and per- petuity they have helped to secure.
Among the early settlers of New Canaan were very few men of literary culture. Neither the tempestuous times which had engrossed their earliest attention, nor their slender pecuniary resources had allowed them the advantages of any scholastic training. But the New England Fathers, (and our pioneers were among them, ) saw that the only way to establish here, and perpetuate a Society which could satisfy their hopes, would be by means of a careful, thorough and general education of their children. The fundamental laws of the Colony required, under severe penalties, every town to provide means for the early instruction of their children. The statute reads : " The Selectmen of every town shall have a vigilant eye over their brethren and neighbors, to see, first, that none of them shall suffer so much bar-
33
barism in any of their families, as not to endeavor to teach, by themselves or others, their children and ap- prentices, so much learning as may enable them per- fectly to read the English tongue and knowledge of the capital laws, upon penalty of twenty shillings for each negleet therein." It was still further provided, that "every town having fifty householders in it should, forthwith, appoint one within the town to teach all such children as shall resort to him, to write and road, whose wages shall be paid either by the parents or mas- ters of such children, or by the inhabitants in general." Among the earliest functions discharged by Canaan parish, is the appointment of school committees. Where the first school-house was built and when, cannot. now be ascertained. It was doubtless like their first meeting-house, exceedingly plain with no needless room in it, and no useless expensive adorning. At this day we can have no adequate conception of the extreme difficulty attending those early educational measures, but their influence on succeeding generations has been incalenlable. For a more extended education. than that furnished by the common, or, as it is now termed. district school, no provision was made for many years. Rev. Justus Mitchell, who was settled in the ministry here in 1783, kept a select school during a considerable time. Eight young men from New Canaan, and a large number from other places were fitted for col-
.
1
34
lege with him. Eliphalet St. John, Esq., who graduated at Yale College in 1791, devoted himself to teaching at his residence on Brushy Ridge, and though the school consisted mainly of young men from New York fitting themselves for business, still some citizens of New Ca- 'naan and adjoining towns, availed themselves of the advantages of this school. The New Canaan Academy was established in 1815, and the building erected in 1816. The teachers were, successively :
Rev. Herman Daggett ; Rev. James H. Linsley ; Rev. John Smith ; Dr. Samuel W. Belden ; Rev. Dr. Milton Badger ; Rev. Theophilus Smith ; Hon. David L. Seymour ; Pres. Julian M. Sturtevant ; Rev. Dr. Flavel Bascom : Rev. Dr. Alfred Newton ; Rev. John C. Hart : Rev. Wm. B. Lewis : Prof. Ebenezer A. Johnson.
This Academy, about 1834, was converted into a pri- vate boarding school, and was owned and taught sue- cessively by Messrs. Silas Davenport, David S. Rock- well and Rev. J. L. Gilder. The Academy was revived in 1859, taught by Rev. J. C. Wyckoff, for several years, afterwards by Mr. Thomas Pease, and was bro- ken up during the last year of the civil war. Twenty- five persons have graduated at Yale College from this town, a majority of whom, would have not enjoyed the privilege of a collegiate education had not the Academy enabled them to fit themselves here. Besides
1770105
35
these graduates a much larger number of young men were fitted for business. Young ladies also enjoyed in the Academy the advantages of a thorough course of study. It ranked second only to the churches in el- evating the standard of moral and intellectual cul- 'ture in the town.
The occupations of the early inhabitants of New Ca- naan were purely agricultural, with artizans enough barely to supply their own wants. The tailors and mantna-makers and even shoe-makers were accustomed to circulate through the town semi-annually making up the requisite wardrobes of the families. The farmers were exceedingly patient, hard working men; their farms required clearing not only of trees and bushes, but of the numerous stones, which in this dihvial soil, almost covered the face of the earth. To dispose of these stones, they built walls enclosing small fields. They raised wheat, (until the Hessian fly destroyed that erop) rye, corn, oats and potatoes. Timothy or herds-grass was introduced at a comparatively late period. Their hay consisted of the harsh low meadow- grass, and the natural grasses of the uplands near their barns. The great problem with them was, how to win- ter their stock. They supplemented their slender sup- ply of hay with cornstalks and husks and oat-straw. Their cattle in the spring were emaciated and many of them died of "horn distemper." which generally meant
36
"starvation." The old wooden plough was a rough, heavy, clumsy instrument and I remember hearing dis- cussions among the workmen on the probability of the introduction of an iron plough which was then in use, in the west of that day, (that is Central and Western New York.) I rejoice in having lived to see the toils of the husbandman relieved by the steel plongh, the tooth harrow, the horse rake, the mower and reaper and other machines, which not only lighten labor, but make it more efficient. Nor will we forget the spin- ning jennies, power-looms and sewing machines which relieve the women of the present day from that inces- sant hard labor, which in the case of their grandmothers together with the inevitable care of the household. crushed their physical energies, and suppressed every rising aspiration for intellectual and asthetie culture. Let the spinning-wheels large and small go to grace the elegant parlors of New York, and I would that they were gifted with speech, to portray the scenes of unre- pining toil enacted at their sides in days gone by -- and perhaps gentlemen might profit by a plough or flail of the olden time in their offices.
But there came a time when the enterprise of New Canaan was turned in the direction of manufacturing boots and shoes. The town was dotted over with little shops and ranked among the foremost in that manfac- ture. I have not been able to obtain any reliable sta-
37
tisties of this business when it was most extensive. Niles' Register giving an account of the town in 1818, states that 50,000 pairs were annually sent out.
At this day we have no conception of the difficulties connected with travel in the early period of our history. For many years, all travel was on foot or horseback, and the introduction of pleasure carriages dates within the present century. When persons wished to go to New York City they resorted to the sloops from Five Mile River, or Rings' End landings. A daily mail stage route from Boston on the turnpike, passing through Norwalk and Stamford, was established in 1818. In 1825 the steamboat "Oliver Wolcott," began run- ning from Stamford to New York, down on one day and returning the next. During the summer of that year a four-horse stage coach came from Ridgefield to Stamford, through this town-and soon after travel to the city was by steamboat from Norwalk touching at Stamford, Greenwich and New Rochelle. Early in 1849, the New York and New Haven Railroad was completed and the great marvel accomplished of three trains daily, the whole way and back again. When the Danbury Railroad was in contemplation a route was surveyed through New Canaan, but our citizens were either indifferent or distinctly opposed to it. Af- ter a time, however, it was perceived that the only way to save our town from insignificance and business ex-
38
tinetion was to build a Railroad connecting with the New Haven Road and tide water communication for heavy freight. The New Canaan R. R. was opened July 4th, 1868, and if it has not accomplished all that its earnest advocates expected of it, it has had a deter- mining influence in shaping the future of the town. A post-office with a weekly mail was established in 1817, afterwards two mails a week, the mail being carried on horseback to Stamford, which was then a distributing office. During the past 13 years two mails daily have been distributed from the office here. A telegraph line was established in 1860, which is still working.
The New Canaan Savings Bank was organized in 1859. Samuel A. Weed, President, until '63; Watts Comstock, President, from '63 to '72 ; Stephen Hoyt, from '72 to present time.
The First National Bank, of New Canaan, was or- ganized in 1865. Watts Comstock was President from the date of organization until his death, when Stephen Hoyt was elected to fill the vacancy.
Probably few of my auditors have ever reflected up- on the fact, that we have had slaves in New Canaan, until within a few years. Very many families here in the last century, had one or more slaves, and when the State passed its Emancipation Act, it exempted only those born after a certain date, leaving the others still in slavery. So far as I can learn, they were not sub-
39
jected to any harsher usage than if they had been free, still that their bones and sinews were not their own, must have been galling to the slightest spark of sensi- bility. The Whipping-post and Stocks, we are happy to say, have passed away forever. The whipping-post stood at the angle of the road south-east of us, (a few feet north of the present lamp post)-and in my boy- hood I witnessed the whipping of two men for petty thieving. The physical infliction was trifling, but the moral degradation was truly pitiable. The post remain- ed there many years but its name was changed to sign- post. Publie notices were posted upon it.
I must not omit to notice the two great festivals- Training Day and Thanksgiving-the former deriving from the still lingering spirit of the Revolution a de- cidedly martial character. The first Mondays of May and September were by statute training days, and every able-bodied man of a certain age was required to appear for inspection and drill. At 10 o'clock they assembled on the " parade ground" which was an open field given to the town for this purpose. The commanding officer sent his compliments to the minister, with a request that he would favor them with his presence, which he did, and opened the exercises with prayer. Soon after they adjourned for dinner. There were two companies, one uniformed, called the grenadiers, the other the militia. The music was fife and drum, and when after
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.