USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > East Haven > Historical discourse delivered at the centennial celebration of the dedication of the Stone meeting house, 1774-1874 > Part 2
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After a few years this meeting-house was found wholly inadequate for the accommodation of the steadily increas- ing number of worshipers. The subject of a new, or enlarging of the old one, began to be discussed. It was not, however, till 1714 that any serious movement was made in this direction .* But, in consequence of differences of opinion concerning the location of the new meeting-house, and the style in which it should be built, the project failed at that time. It was revived in 1717, when the same dis- cordance of views that rendered abortive the effort made three years before arose, and threatened the same result. The question being finally brought to a direct vote, by a decided majority the new meeting-house was "ordered to be set up upon the NOLE, at that corner of the Green next to Deacon Austin's, on the NOLE, in the entrance of the lane that leads from said Green to said Austin's."
* The first definite action taken was October 11, 1714, and was as follows : Ys meeting adjourned till this day fortnite, at eight of ye clock in ye morning, to consider about building a meeting-hous.
Then follows :
At a meeting held in East Haven, on ye 25 day of October, 1714, which meeting was warned to be on this day, and ye warning were given in a meet- ing held ye 11 day of October, 1714, and for ye end of considering about ye building of a meeting-hous in this place.
Voted, to build a meeting-hous.
Voted, to build said meeting-hous with a straight roof, and forty foot long, and thirty foot wide and twenty foot between joints, and jetted at each end about a foot.
Voted, that ye said meeting-hous shall be set upon ye high ground at ye head of ye lane that leads to Joshua Austin's, at or near ye oak tree at ye head of said lane. Capt. John Russell, Ensign Alling Ball, Sergeant John Hemin- way, Sergeant Thomas Smith, Samuel Hotchkiss, were chosen, by vote, to agree with some man or men to give said meeting-hous-(this is incomprehen- sible, unless it means the timber for the frame)-and get shingles and clap- boards and cover said hous.
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The question of location settled, another difficulty arose concerning the style and form in which the meeting-house should be built. By a vote of the society, taken in 1714, it was directed to "be built with a straight roof, BARN FASHION, and JETTED, sides and ends, about a foot." By this is meant that the upper half should project that dis- tance beyond the lower or basement half. This was the usual style of building at that time, a few examples of which still remain in the town. This vote was subse- quently rescinded, in regard to the sides, leaving the ends alone to be "jetted." Probably another style of building had been introduced, in which the JUT did not appear, and two parties had arisen-a conservative and a progressive party-one preferring the old style of architecture, the other in favor of the new. It would seem from the last mentioned vote that a compromise was effected, and Jacob Robinson alone was unyielding. He entered a formal pro- test against the change, in which he says that he "stands to the former vote about the meeting-house."
In order to carry the foregoing resolution into effect, a tax of sixpence on the pound was laid, one-third of which was to be paid in cash, and the remaining two-thirds in materials for, or work upon, the building, at the option of the tax payer. It was furthermore required, that two-thirds of the tax should be paid in on or before November 1, 1718 ; and if not paid by that date, then the whole tax was to be paid in cash, on or before May 31, 1719. Lieutenant Thomas Smith and Thomas Alcock were chosen collectors of the tax, with strict orders "to pay it over," as rapidly as it was collected, to the building committee-Capt. Alling Ball, Sergeant John Thompson, Samuel Russell, Sergeant Joseph Granniss, Ensign Samuel Hotchkiss, Nathaniel Hitchcock, and Samuel Goodsell. This committee was enjoined "to contrive and set forward the aforesaid meet- ing-house, in the best ways they can, and to demand the aforesaid tax from said collectors, and receive said rate and improve it, to the best of their skill, for the promoting of the building of said meeting-house ; also, to set the price of broadax men that work at said house."
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After this the work proceeded slowly, and the edifice was not ready for occupation till the autumn of 1719. The society directed the committee to "cause a pew to be made in said meeting-house, in some convenient place as they may judge fittest, to be and remain for the use of the minister in this place; and said committee shall not allow any more pews to be made in said meeting- house." The minister's family were accorded the distinc- tion of being fenced off from the rest of the congregation, in a wooden box constructed expressly for them. East Haven was always a very democratic town. At that time there was not one other family of sufficient consequence, or of so much greater importance than others, to ad- vance a claim to a similar privilege. The rest of the congregation occupied rude benches, the only preference shown in seating being based solely on difference of age- the older members being seated nearest the pulpit, and the younger reaching backward by regular gradation, accord- ing to their years. In some places, where the distinctions in society were more marked than in East Haven, the best seats in the meeting-house were assigned to the more aristo- cratie families ; the process was called "dignifying the pews." The expression never occurs in the records of this society.
When the new meeting-house was completed and ready for occupation, all the necessary steps were taken to arrange this matter. In order to prevent ill-feeling, some of the more eligible seats were assigned, by vote of the society, to certain families and individuals. The remainder of the congregation were to be seated on a prescribed plan, and by a committee appointed for the purpose, according to the formal vote of the society, which declared that "the first short seat shall be reckoned equal with the second long seat," that is, the first wall pew, next the pulpit, was "the short seat," and those in the body of the house, fronting the pulpit, were the long seats. " Mr. Shepard, Mr. Will- iam Luddington, shall sit in the short seat ; old Mr. Heminway (the father of the pastor), Mr. Bradley, Isaac the first ; Mr. Denison, James the first; Mr. Smith, the first
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Thomas, shall sit in the first seat of the square body ; Mr. Pardee, George the second ; Mr. Morris, Eleazer the first ; Capt. John Russell ; Sergeant John Thompson, Samuel Russell, Samuel Clark, shall sit in the fore seat of the square body ; and these six men were chosen to seat the rest of the meeting-house, or the major part of them to do it, according to their rates in 1717."
The only additional direction given, in regard to the in- ternal arrangement was, that " the pulpit and seats shall be in the form of Branford meeting-house." The new edifice stood on the northwest corner of the Green, six rods north- east of the old meeting-house, and nearly in front of the residence of Henry Smith, Esq. The locality is still known as "Meeting-house Hill," though all appearance of a hill, hilloek, or knoll, has long since disappeared before the march of improvement.
This house served the purposes of the society for more than half a century, and for nearly twenty years after the settlement of Rev. Nicholas Street, the successor of Mr. Heminway. Though larger and more pretentious than the first meeting-house, it was still a rude affair, without steeple or other appendage, except its greater dimensions, to distinguish it from other buildings in the village. Not only the roof, but the whole structure, was in "BARN FASHION."
Soon after the settlement of Rev. Nicholas Street, in October, 1755, it became necessary either to enlarge and extensively repair the meeting-house, or build a new one. When this was erected, the mechanical arts, as well as architectural taste, were in a very rude state throughout the Colony. The building was unpainted, and, consequent- ly, soon became weather-worn and dilapidated. Several years prior to the death of Mr. Heminway, the proposition was made to build a new one, but as the necessity was not pressing the subject was indefinitely postponed. It was not revived till thirty -five years afterwards. In December, 1769, the society " Voted, we will build a new meeting- house, if we can be suited with the place." This was all that was attempted at the time. Oir the twenty-sixth of
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the same month another meeting was held "to fix upon a place where the new meeting-house is to be set." It was fully attended, every voter being present. The contest was between north and south-those dwelling at Foxon and Dragon forming one party, those at the Cove and South End constituting the other. The residents at Woodward- town and Center were divided, the majority acting with the south party. The point in controversy was : whether the new meeting-house should be built upon or near the site of the old edifice, or at the point of "Mullen Hill," in the fork made by the junction of the Foxon and old North Haven road, where the track of the Shore Line Railway is now laid. The first action of the meeting was to declare, by more than a two-thirds vote, that " we will build a new meeting-house, in this society, for the public worship of God." Also, "It was tryed by vote, where ye people were to have ye meeting-house. There were thirty-seven votes for the Green, and twenty-seven votes for the end of the Hill." The parties were so nearly balanced, and the spirit of both ran so high and bitter, that although a , decided majority was in favor of the Green, the more pri- dent of both parties recommended that nothing should be done, by virtue of this vote, in the way of preparation for building, till further consultation could be had concerning the matter. It was finally coneluded to appoint a mixed committee, composed of members from both parties, "to try to agree about a spot where the meeting-house should stand, and if they agreed the people would agree." This committee, in the political nomenclature of the day, would be called a "compromise committee." It contained one or more representative from each of the separate districts of the society. Capt. Stephen Smith, Samuel Thompson, and Capt. Isaac Chidsey, were from Foxon ; Samuel Hem- inway, from Dragon; Capt. Amos Morris and Stephen Morris, from the Cove ; Benjamin Smith, from South End ; John Woodward, from Woodwardtown ; while Abraham Heminway and Timothy Andrews-one of whom was for the Green, and the other for the Hill site-resided at the Center, in the village, proper.
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The following year, 1770, this committee reported to the society, that they were unable to come to any agreement. Hopeless of determining the question among themselves, it was decided to refer it to persons non-resident in the society, who could have no personal interest or bias in the matter. The persons selected were, Capt. Eliakim Hull, of Wallingford, and Col. Nathaniel Chauncy and James Wadsworth, Esq., both of Durham ; Capt. Guernsey, of New Haven, was chosen to act in case one of the three principals failed to do so. There is nothing in the records to inform us of the action of this committee. The only reference to it is found under date of April 3, 1770, when Stephen Morris, Esq., was appointed to notify the County Court of "the committee's doings." What is meant by their "doings" is not stated; but certainly the people were no more satisfied with them than they were with the action of their own committee. The committee from abroad was manifestly a failure. The project of building a new meeting-house was abandoned, and the whole subject re- mained in statu quo. But the increasing necessity for larger and better accommodations would not allow the subject to rest for any long period. In the following De- cember the society, by a two-thirds vote, again declared, "We will build a meeting-house for the public worship of God." The next week the grand question of location was tried, when twenty-seven votes were for the Hill, two votes for the Corner, and twenty votes for the Green." It will be seen, by comparing this result with the vote of the pre- vious year, that while the ranks of the Hill party remained unbroken, the number that voted for the Green was much diminished. Then the vote stood thirty-seven for the Green, and twenty-seven for the Hill. In the meantime a new site had been proposed, known as "Thompson's Corner," situated about midway between the other two, the selection of which would require an equal concession from both parties. The aggregate vote was fifteen less than that of the previous year, and the presumption is, that in that number were included those who were indifferent as to which site was selected.
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The majority of the two principal parties remained unyielding. Despairing of arriving at a decision among themselves, in January, 1772, the society, by formal vote, referred the matter of locating the new meeting-house to the Judges of the County Court. A committee was ap- pointed to notify them of their appointment, and "desire their Honors should come as soon as it was convenient." At a subsequent meeting, it was "Voted, that two of the Judges of the County Court, with another judicious man, should be a committee to state the place of the meeting- house." Col. Chauney, of Durham, Esquire Darling, and Col. Allen, or Alling, of New Haven, were afterwards added. Col. Allen having declined to act, Caleb Beecher, Esq., of Amity, now Woodbridge, was chosen in his place. The society also requested the committee "to come and take a view of the society before the court sits," and to "keep their decision seeret till the court hath empowered them " to disclose it. The important question was decided before the 10th of April ensuing. The committee came to East Haven, and, after a thorough examination of the dif- ferent sites, drove a stake on "Thompson's Corner," for the site of the new meeting-house. This was the only de- cision they could reasonably have rendered. It did not meet the views of either of the principal parties, and required an equal concession from both. That decision was most fortunate. Had the committee fixed the site upon the Green, the effect in the future might not have been so unhappy, though the society would have lost several fami- lies that resided in the north part of the town, which, for more than half a century afterwards, formed no inconsider- able part of its strength. When marking the changes that have taken place in the centers of population, since the commencement of the present century, we readily perceive how disastrous would have been the consequences had that massive edifice, which was destined to last for centuries, been located at the point of "Mullen Hill," instead of in the central and commanding position it now occupies. Nothing appears in the society records to indicate that the decision did not meet with general acquiescence. The
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people were probably rejoiced that the long and acrimo- nious controversy was ended.
As soon as the question of location was set at rest, steps were at once taken to commence building. A sixpenny tax was laid upon a total valuation not exceeding £5,000. This would yield about £300, or $1.000 in Federal currency. Upon this small amount, to be collected, the society de- cided to commence the work. After much debate, it was decided to "build a stone meeting-house, sixty-five feet long and fifty feet wide." The tower did not enter into the original plan, without which the new, like the old, meeting-house, would have been in "barn fashion," differ- ing from it only in being of larger dimensions and con- structed of more enduring materials. The building com- mittee were Capt. Amos Morris, John Woodward, Joel Tuttle, Stephen Morris, Isaac Cdidsey, Stephen Thomp- son , Dan Bradley, and Stephen Smith. After the main building was commenced, a few public-spirited men, who had somewhere seen specimens of a more advanced style of architecture than was found in the Colony, were deter- mined that the new edifice should be brought into conform- ity with it. They had sufficient influence to procure a vote of the society to "build a steeple to be carried up with stone." It was, at the same time, decided to add eight feet to the length of the building, making it seventy-three feet.
The work, when commenced, was pushed forward with resolution and dispatch, for the same reason that the Jewish temple was so speedily rebuilt, because "the people had a. mind to work." In contemplating the magnitude of the work, and the difficulties in the way of its prosecution, it must be remembered that few workers in stone were found in the Colony. It is true the material required lay close at hand, and was easy of access and transportation ; but the quarrying, dressing, and laying the stone was done almost entirely by the people themselves. It is less surprising that they should have undertaken to build a stone meeting- house than that they should have wrought it in the manner and form they did. There was not another in all the Eng- lish Colonies in America, that furnished them with a pat-
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tern. The stone dwelling-house that stands near Tomlin- son's Bridge, built by Capt. Jehiel Forbes in 1767, was evidently the model after which the stone for the meeting- house was wrought and laid. The "Old South Church," in Boston, which had been lately finished in the latest style of architecture, furnished the model for the general style of the house. The circumstance is not mentioned in the records, but there is a local tradition that some members of the society went to Boston to examine that wonderful edifice. Be that as it may, so faithfully and effectively was the work done, that now, after the lapse of a hundred years since its completion, scarcely a stone has started from its original position, and the water-line is as level and even as when it was first laid. The dimensions of the building, as it now stands in its solid and massive proportions, mea- sures, from outside to outside, seventy feet in length and fifty feet in width. The work occupied a little more than two years, and during its progress nothing occurred to disturb the harmony of sentiment among the people, or to interrupt for a moment its steady advance toward comple- tion. But a single accident occurred, and this did not take place till the walls were nearly finished, and was not as serious as in the circumstances might have been expected. The account of it is given in "Mr. Dodd's Register," and is as follows :
"The workmen were raising the last window-cap to its place, over the east upper window, on the north side, when the scaffolding gave way, and three men, with a ponderous stone in their arms, fell to the ground. Tony, a negro servant of Capt. Amos Morris', was considerably injured, but not so seriously as to prevent his running away two weeks afterwards. Mr. Stephen Thomp- son had his skull fractured, was oblidged to be trepanned, and, after long suffer- ing and confinement, ultimately recovered. Mr. Joseph Hotchkiss had one leg crushed by the stone falling upon it, was confined for ten months, and never wholly recovered from the effects of the injury."
The walls were completed and the roof put on, in Au- gust, 1774. When the work had advanced thus far, the society found it had undertaken an enterprise it was unable to finish. It had reached the limit of its ability, even gone beyond it, and must leave the work for another generation to complete. It is estimated that the mere shell of the
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building, without a steeple, had cost the society $12,000, or three-fifths of the whole amount of its grand list. It is doubtful if such an instance of liberality and self-sacrifice can be produced in the history of New England Congrega- tionalism.
Many persons, not acquainted with the circumstances of the village of East Haven at the time this house was erected, and with its internal form and arrangements, have expressed surprise that it should have been placed in the position it now occupies. It was directed by the society, that "the stone meeting-house shall front the south, and on the main road." The beautiful avenue that now leads to Morris' Causeway, was not opened till more than twenty years afterwards. Those residing at South End, in order to attend public worship on the Sabbath, were compelled to go around by the Cove, through Bridge Swamp, and thence around by the Green to the meeting-house. This was a long, tedious, and uncomfortable ride, especially in the winter, and it is not strange that those dwelling in the south part of the society so strenuously resisted the trans- fer of the site from the Green to Mullen Hill. By the pres- ent arrangement, the building fronts the west. But it does not now wear the same appearance it did when first com- pleted, and for three-quarters of a century afterwards Until 1850, it presented the same aspect externally, except- ing the spire, as it did when dedicated in 1774. It had three doors for entrance-one on the east end, one in the south side of the tower, on the west end, and one on the south side of the main building. The last mentioned was the principal entrance, leading directly through the broad aisle to the pulpit, which was placed high up against the north wall ; consequently the south side was the front, and the position of the building in accordance with the direc- tion of the society. It is now regretted that it was so placed, as the appearance of it would be finer'and more commanding had the present front, or tower end, been made to face the south, affording a clear view of its noble facade to those approaching it by the fine avenue leading to it from the Causeway. Had those who erected it fore-
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seen, not only the changes in architectural style and taste, but in the surroundings of the stone church, they would have arranged. some things very differently. The present style of church, and domestic architecture, is in striking contrast with that which was in vogue a century ago. Those structures, now considered so grand and noble and tasty, a century hence will be looked upon as out of date, and those then living will wonder at the strangeness of the taste that could produce such architectural monstrosities, as many of them undoubtedly are. But, if the men who reared these walls could not foresee the coming changes in these respects, they had the sagacity to perceive that the building itself would be permanent. Unless destroyed by accident or natural convulsion, it will endure for centuries, and is capable of being repeatedly remodeled and improved, at a comparatively trifling expense, so as to conform to the continually changing demands of taste and fashion, which, in other circumstances, would require the erection of a new building. During the century it has stood, it has saved the outlay of thousands of dollars, and will save thousands more in the centuries to come.
Notwithstanding the unfinished state of the new meet- ing-house, the society decided to occupy it for public worship on the Sabbath. . Dark and threatening clouds were gathering on the political horizon, and armed resist- ance to the tyranny of the mother country became more and more imminent, the consequences and the end whereof could not be forecasted. The means of the society were exhausted. The idea of leaving the new edifice unoccupied, after so great sacrifices and labor had been made for its erection, was repugnant to their feelings. Therefore, the pulpit and pews of the old meeting-house were removed to the new; and although, in consequence of the greater dimensions of the latter, the interior wore the appearance of ill-fitting hose-"a world too wide for the shrunk shanks"-the house was made quite comfortable and ready for dedication in September, 1774. The precise day can not be determined, either from records or tradition.
The occasion was one of great interest and exultation.
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There were no differences of opinion among the people, in regard either to ecclesiastical polity or forms of worship. There were, indeed, discordant sentiments concerning the great political question of the day-the necessity or expe- diency of resistance to the oppressive acts of the British government ; but they had not reached that point of bitter- ness they eventually attained, when they produced religious and social divisions. All were united, harmonious, and happy, in the completion of that meeting-house which had cost them so much ; which was justly regarded with pride, as unequalled by any ecclesiastical structure in the Colony. When, therefore, the auspicious morning arrived, the whole community was astir, and we may be sure that nothing less than a providential reason prevented any resident of East Haven from being present at the dedicatory services. As the hour for their commencement approached, some on foot, and some on horse-back with wives and daughters on pillions behind them, and some in ox-carts-for other con veyance there was none-wended their way from every section of the town, all converging toward the Center, where stood the new meeting-house, the grand object of interest to all. From the north, and along the eastern side of the Mullen Hill range, came the Thompsons and Smiths, the Chidseys and Moulthrops, the Holts and the Granniss', the Luddingtons and Dawsons, the Andrews' and Hotch- kiss' and Shepards. From the same direction, and along the western side of the same hill, came the Bradleys and Hemingways, the Russells and Rowes, and Davenports. From the south came the Morris' and Pardees, the Smiths, and Thompsons, and Bishops. From the west came the Browns and Pardees, the Mallorys and Ihughes', the Forbes' and Woodwards, with many of the same names, together with other ancient families residing at the Center. filling the new meeting-house with probably as large a congregation as has ever gathered within its walls. It has been my fortune to meet but a single person who was present on the occasion-Jehiel Forbes, Esq., who became one of the most successful merchants and eminent citizens of New Haven, and died in 1855, at the advanced age of
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