USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Danbury > History of Danbury, Conn., 1684-1896 > Part 27
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in the year 1728, he mentions " a village northwestward of Fairfield about eighteen miles, containing twenty families, the name of it is Chestnut Ridge [Redding], where I usually preach and lec- ture once in three weeks." He also visited Ridgefield and Dan- bury, and stated that there were in these places ten or fifteen families professing the doctrine of the Church of England.
About 1763 the first Episcopal church was erected in this place, and opened on its partial completion by the Rev. Ebenezer Dibble, a native of Danbury and missionary at Stamford and Greenwich. Occasional ministrations were held here by Rev. Mr. Leaming and Rev. Mr. Beach, of Newtown. In 1769 the missionary at Newtown speaks of the new church building at Danbury as " with a decent steeple and large enough to accom- modate from four hundred to five hundred people." This " de- cent steeple" was given to the church by John McLean, a nota- ble citizen of old Danbury.
In 1777, at the burning of Danbury, General Tryon and his troops took the military stores from the church and burned them, but saved the sacred edifice. The "meeting-house" of the New Danbury Church, however, was devoted to the flames.
In 1794 the Rev. David Perry, of Ridgefield, resigned the pas- toral charge of the parishes of Ridgefield, Redding, and Dan- bury. Rev. David Butler succeeded him, and Rev. Elijah G. Plum was rector from 1808 to 1812. On October 6th, 1802, the church here was consecrated by Bishop Jarvis.
In 1809 there were reported 70 families and 22 communicants. In 1816 there were 41 communicants, in 1822, 44, and in 1824, 49 communicants. From 1812 to 1819 the Rev. Reuben Hubbard was rector, from 1819 to 1823 Rev. Ambrose S. Todd, and from 1823 to 1836 Rev. Lemuel Beach Hull .* After leaving Danbury Rev. Mr. Hull went to Wallingford, and then to Milwaukee, being the first Episcopal clergyman to settle in Wisconsin.
* Rev. Lemuel Beach Hull was a descendant of Rev. John Beach, who was a resi- dent of East Redding for twenty years, and rector of the church for a half century, taking charge of that parish in 1732, and preaching also in Danbury, Ridgefield, and Newtown. He was the son of Isaac and Hannah (Birdsey) Beach ; was born in Stratford, October 6th, 1700; graduated at Yale College in 1721 ; was ordained pastor of the Congregational church at Newtown, Conn., in 1724 ; went to England in 1731 to receive Episcopal orders ; returned to take charge of the mission of that church in Newtown and Redding, and died in 1782 .- Orcutt's Stratford.
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HORACE MARSHALL.
ABEL S. HAWLEY.
ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND RECTORY.
MRS. WM. CHAPPELL.
WM. CHAPPELL.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
In 1836 there were only five families and forty communicants remaining of the original churchmen. Up to this date the parish had clerical services once in three or four weeks, and from 1808 had been associated with Christ church, Redding, and for a part of the time with Ridgefield. After the chapel (now St. Thomas' church, Bethel) was built in 1835 the services were divided between the two alternately once in four weeks.
In 1836 the parish of St. James' church and St. Thomas' chapel attempted to have the services of a clergyman the whole time, but failed for lack of means. From Easter in 1838 to Easter of 1839 Dr. Short divided his time equally between Danbury and Brookfield, and the Christian Knowledge Society aided in the payment of his salary.
From 1836 to 1840 the Rev. David H. Short was rector of St. James'. In September, 1837, he married here Mary Emmeline, daughter of Captain Elijah Gregory. She died suddenly in August of the next year.
In 1840 Rev. Thomas T. Guion became rector, and remained in charge of the church until 1847.
In 1844 the first church at the lower end of Main Street was abandoned, and a new church erected in West Street, near Main. The Rev. Henry Olmstead and the Rev. John Purves were asso- ciated with the Rev. Mr. Guion, residing in Bethel and having charge of the chapel there. From 1847 to 1854 the Rev. William White Bronson was rector. From 1854 to 1864 the Rev. I. Leander Townsend was rector. In 1859 the church was enlarged by the addition of a chancel and new furniture. Rev. Dr. Haw- ley entered upon his duties as rector on March 1st, 1864.
In 1867 the present chapel, the chancel, and first bay of the nave of the new stone church was erected, and in 1872 the nave and tower were completed all save the stone spire. In May, 1875, Rev. Arthur Sloane assumed the charge of the parish, to be succeeded in September, 1880, by the Rev. Byron J. Hall. During his pastorate the church met with a loss in the death of Horace Marshall, who for many years had been senior warden, the chief representative of the congregation, and adviser of the clergymen.
In 1894 Rev. B. J. Hall resigned, and was succeeded by the present rector, the Rev. John D. Skene, whose pastorate began on November 1st, 1894.
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298
HISTORY OF DANBURY.
HORACE MARSHALL.
Horace Marshall was born on Christmas Eve in 1796, in Bir- mingham, Conn. His ancestors, English and Welsh, came to Boston about 1710. His grandfather was at one time a partner of General Wooster in New Haven, in the West India trade, but was unable to take an active part in the Revolution on account of loss of sight. His sons were active participants in the cause of independence, and one of them served on the staff of General Wooster in the battles of Western Connecticut. Mr. Marshall came to Danbury when twenty-one years of age, and went into the manufacturing of carriages and furniture with William Chappell, whose daughter Mary he afterward married.
He carried on this business until his death, and was probably the only man in the State who continued so long in one occupa- tion without a break. He lived in the same house and worked in the same shop, both on Main Street, for more than half a cen- tury. For more than fifty years he was warden of St. James' Church, and senior warden for over forty years. He was essen- tially an intellectual man, a natural student. Fond of books, he was one of the original proposers and promoters of the Mechanics' Library in this town.
He lived so long in Danbury, and was so well known to its people, that his death was a matter not only of general interest, but of public importance. He passed calmly to his rest on April 7th, 1886, in the eighty-ninth year of his age.
One who knew him well has thus written : "Horace Marshall leaves a name and record that will be cherished when monuments of marble shall have crumbled and perished."
SANDEMANIAN CHURCH.
This offshoot from the old Presbyterian Church of Scotland was first called, as a sect, Glassites, after its founder, Rev. John Glas .* Later on it was known as Sandemanians, from the Rev.
* Rev. John Glas died at Dundee in 1773. His tombstone in that city bears the following inscription :
" JOHN GLAS. Minister of the Congregational Church in this place, Died 2d No- vember, 1773. Aged 78 years. He long survived Katharine Black His beloved wife, (Interred also in the same grave,) And all his children, Fifteen in number, many of whom arrived at mature age : And Nine lie here beside their Parents. His character in the churches of Christ is well known and will outlive all monu- mental inscriptions.".
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3
5
1. JOHN KNAPP.
5. WM. B. ELY.
2. REV. ROBERT SANDEMAN. 4. SANDEMANIAN CHURCH. 6. REV. JOHN GLASS.
3. NAT'L BISHOP.
7. LEVI KNAPP.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Robert Sandeman, who reduced his opinions to a system. San- deman was born in the city of Perth, Scotland, about the year 1720. He married Catharine, a daughter of Rev. John Glas, and soon after became a Christian elder.
In 1764, accompanied by Mr. James Cargill, Sandeman came to America, and assisted in the formation of several churches in New England.
In 1769 there was a Sandemanian church in Portsmouth, N. H., on what was then called Brimstone Hill, now Richmond Street. During the time of his stay in Portsmouth for the organization of this church Mr. Sandeman occupied several times the pulpit of the Rev. Robert Drowne, one of the " New Lights." There was a Sandemanian church in Taunton, Mass., in the latter part of the last century which had quite a following, but it soon faded out of existence, as have all the churches of that belief, the only known members being the survivors of the church in Danbury. There was a small society of Sandemanians in New- town many years ago.
This sect had also a place of worship in Plumtrees in the latter part of the last century. The last member of this society was " Uncle Isaac Williams," who long since passed to his rest, dying July 11th, 1843.
Soon after reaching America Mr. Sandeman settled in Dan- bury, where he died in 1771 .* Many years ago the Sandemanians had in Danbury a following of about fifty members. Twenty years ago this number had decreased to ten, and to-day there are but three members in this city. Its members in England and Scotland are fast diminishing, as additions are few. The only church building remaining of this denomination is now a thing of the past, and will hereafter figure only in the local his- tory of Danbury.
After the death of Robert Sandeman the church in Danbury was presided over by Elder Nathaniel Bishop, who died in 1857, after which time the position was filled by William H. Ely until his death in 1869.
* Mr. E. A. Houseman, of this city, has a number of letters written in shorthand by Rev. Robert Sandeman to friends in England before his coming to America. These are beautifully done, and in a good state of preservation. There are five letters to Samuel Churchill, of date 1761, one to Mrs. Grace Jeffrey in 1759, and others to Mrs. Maxwell and " Mrs. Birch, Caldecot House, Abington, Berkshire." In these letters are mentioned " Battie and Allen," "Colin Robertson," and " Sallet."
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
The little church which so many remember-plain and simple, but glorified by its setting of green grass and tall trees upon the hill-top-was provided with a large circular table, around which the members gathered, each with a King James version of the Scriptures. As each felt individually disposed they read and commented on such passages as seemed interesting and instruc- tive. In this service females took no part, but were spectators and hearers.
For a religion that antedates the Wesleyans and Baptists little is known of it, even here in Danbury, where it has flourished for so many years-that is, speaking in a general way. The following is taken from an old Danbury paper :
" One of the peculiarities of the Sandemanian form of worship is that they have a weekly love feast, in which the whole con- gregation dine together. It was the original intention to have this take place in the churches, where a dining-room was pro- vided, but in Danbury they find it more convenient to have this dinner served at the house of one of the members."
" Their rules prohibit games of chance, prayers at funerals, college training, as well as most nineteenth-century innovations, while in food they are forbidden to use flesh meat and 'all things strangled.' "
Webster defines the religion, as taught by its founder, as follows :
" He held that faith is only a simple assent to the divine testi- mony concerning Jesus Christ as set forth in the Scriptures. His followers hold to a weekly administration of the Lord's Supper ; to love feasts, which consist in dining at each other's houses in the intermission of public worship; to the kiss of charity on the admission of members ; to mutual exhortation ; to abstinence from things strangled, and from blood ; to the washing of each other's feet; to a modified community of goods ; to a plurality of elders, pastors, or bishops in each church."
Barber, in his "Connecticut Collections," published in 1836, says :
"In 1764 Robert Sandeman, a native of Perth, Scotland, a man of superior abilities, came to this country. He settled in Danbury in July, 1765. The principal doctrines which he taught were similar to those of the Christian Church. His distinguish-
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
ing tenet was 'that faith is a mere intellectual belief.' His favorite expression was, 'A bare belief of bare truths.' He maintained that his church was the only true church, then arisen from the ruins of Antichrist, his reign being near a close. The use of means for mankind in a natural state he pretty much exploded."
One of the things that caused the decline of the Sandemanians in Danbury was the introduction of divisions among them. The most prominent party that branched off from the church was called the Osbornites, from Levi Osborne, their teacher, at one time a deacon in the church. Another party was called the " Baptist"' Sandemanians, from their belief in and practice of baptism. The greater majority of the latter dissenters finally merged into the Christian Church, in Danbury, the Church of the Disciples.
The following is the inscription upon the stone which marks the place in the old Wooster Street burial-ground, where Robert Sandeman was laid to rest :
" Here lies until the resurrection the body of ROBERT SANDEMAN, a native of Perth, North Britain, who in the face of continual opposition from all sorts of men, long and boldly contended for the ancient Faith that the bare work of Jesus Christ,
without a deed or thought on the part of man,
is sufficient to present the chief of sinners spotless before God. To declare this blessed truth as testified in the Holy Scriptures,
he left his country, he left his friends, and after much patient suffering finished his labors at Danbury April 2, 1771. Æ 53 years.
" Deigned Christ to come so near to us as not to count it shame To call us brethren, should we blush at aught that bears his name ? Nay, let us boast in his reproach and glory in his Cross, When He appears one smile from Him will far o'erjoy our loss."
302
HISTORY OF DANBURY.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .*
According to tradition the first minister of this persuasion to preach in Danbury was a Mr. Coleman. History tells us that the first sermon was preached here by Jesse Lee in 1789. Only a few were willing to hear him, and they out of curiosity only. Tradition says that the first society was formed in 1808, but the first record of Danbury Methodism is a society meeting on Sep- tember 1st, 1812, at which meeting Seth Crowel was chairman and Jabez Starr clerk.
There is no record of the cost or building of the first church edifice, but it is said that it was first started as a building for union services. The Universalists put some money into the building, but soon trouble arose, and their money was returned to them, and the Methodist Society owned the meeting-house. It was a very plain building with a gallery at one end, which was accessible only to men, it being reached by a ladder, which was taken down when service commenced, so that there could be no running out to disturb the congregation. The building was lighted by candles placed round the walls.
The first record we find of any person being paid for taking care of the building is on December 21st, 1827, when it was " Voted To pay Ira Hurd twenty-five cents a time for sweeping out." In the record of November 28th, 1828, we find it " Voted To raise money by contribution to pay expenses of wood and candles, also to take a public collection to pay a debt of $5.18."
Now came a long struggle about building a new house of wor- ship, which lasted from 1829 until 1836, when a pretty little church was built on Liberty Street where now stands the Church of the Disciples. It is recorded that previous to that time a lot on Elm Street was bought for $2000 and material purchased for a build- ing, but a fire destroyed the material, and the project was aban- doned.
When Danbury became a station Jacob Shaw was sent by the Conference to supply the pulpit, which he did so effectually that the society was built up from 156 members to over 300. We of this day little know of the anxiety, prayers, and tears of the period just before this time. Some of the leading men on the Board of Trustees resigned because they thought the society
* Contributed by J. Clark Beers.
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
was becoming too proud. One man in particular would not give one cent toward the new church, the old one was plenty good enough for him. He left town for a little time, and during his absence the enterprise went on, much to his surprise. It is prob- able that he felt a bit ashamed of the stand he had taken in re- gard to the church building, for one morning while the man who was framing the building, Rory Starr by name, sat on a long timber busy thinking where he could get a particular piece that he needed, there was heard a great shouting down the street, and soon Uncle Caleb came into the yard. After talking for a while he said, "How are they getting along with the new church ?" "Very well," was the answer, "but I am short one timber, a long one, and was looking around and thinking where I could procure it." "Well," said Uncle Caleb, " come down and see what I have got out here." They went down and found just exactly what was needed. Then Uncle Caleb said, " How about subscriptions ?" " We have done very well so far, but are short just now," was the reply. " Well, here is an old shot-bag, take that." It panned out $50 in silver, which was quite a lift at that time.
At a Society meeting on December 5th, 1838, it was " Voted That the Society employ a sexton for the ensuing year." The vote was reconsidered, and it was " Voted That we receive pro- posals for this purpose and that a committee of three be ap- pointed to receive them."
"June 10th, 1838, Quarterly Conference report, estimating com- mittee's report, $130, which added to the salary amounts to $402."
In the original subscription list of the Liberty Street church are many names of persons belonging to other denominations, and some to no denomination, with amounts reaching into hun- dreds of dollars.
September 27th, 1848, the first record in eight years of the Quarterly Conference, Orlando Starr is mentioned as the first superintendent of the Sunday-school, though it had been sup- posed that W. T. Schofield was entitled to that honor. Levi Perry is mentioned as a preacher and Samuel C. Keeler as an exhorter.
The first report of the Sunday-school reads, " the same as last Quarter." The next is more complete, and gives the following statistics : "Number of children connected with Danbury
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
Station, 77 ; Average attendance, 45; Volumes in the Library, 425. Amount of money expended, $18." Bethel charge-" Num- ber of scholars, 60 ; Average attendance, 46 ; Amount of money expended, $25." About this time Bethel was set off by itself as a church or station.
The next epoch of church history came in 1852, with the ad- vent of W. C. Hoyt as pastor. He was a good preacher, one of the practical kind, and left his mark wherever he went. During his stay here the brick edifice was built after about as much talk and as great a struggle as when the church on Liberty Street was erected.
In a little book belonging to the trustees of the church we find the following :
" March 13th, 1854.
With the Chairman in the chair And the Secretary there, And the brethren in their seat Till the number was complete, Save Selleck from Starr's Plain, For whom we look in vain."
January 1st, 1855, " Resolved That it's time we were at home, and our next meeting shall be when and where business re- quires."
The church and parsonage were completed at a cost of about $14,000. Mr. Hoyt received for his first year's salary $550.
January 4th, 1863. In the Sunday-school reports we read : " Twelve have gone from our school to stand between us and the traitors to our country : Abel M. Wheeler" (who died in ser- vice), " Chas. H. Hoyt, P. C. Lounsbury, Frederick Starr, Henry Curtis, William Warren, George Purdy, Wm. Otis, Amos Day, Thaddeus Feaks, John Carpenter, Hanson Smith, Charles Patchen."
In October, 1865, salary of the minister, W. T. Hill, $1200. At this time the afternoon preaching service was changed to the evening. The church has grown in strength and numbers, and its present roll stands at 1002. The Sunday-school numbers 60 teachers and 580 scholars. A new church building, the second on the present site, was dedicated by Bishop C. D. Foss on March 22d, 1891.
The " talk" which resulted in the building of this edifice com-
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
menced with the first year of the ministry of John W. Barnhart, 1885. At first the idea was repairs of and additions to the old church, and elaborate plans were drawn, at an expense of not less than $150, for extending the front of the church and other improvements, but they were abandoned with the usual mourn- ing among certain members, who thought the old church good enough for the Methodists, and said (as was said years ago under similar circumstances) that we were " getting too proud."
The Sunday-school began to raise money about 1885 for a new church, and before Mr. Barnhart's time was out the first thou- sand dollars for that purpose was in the bank, and the founda- tion for a large chapel in the rear of the old church was laid, so that when Rev. W. W. Clark came to minister to the church the enthusiasm had so grown that with a little effort money and pledges were secured to the amount of $40,000.
Some laughable incidents occurred during the raising of the first subscription for the new church. One man of some means said, " You can't do it," but when he saw it was to be done said he would give $2000 for a new church up-town, and was followed by others, until several thousand dollars were raised. Rev. Mr. Clark, equal to the occasion, said, " All right, I can build two churches as well as one. Go ahead, brethren, but there will be a church built here first, and then one up-town if you wish it." But when pushed to the point they backed out, and growled at one another for not doing as they had agreed among themselves. History repeats itself in Church as well as in State.
The church building is of brick, with interior finish of hard wood and stained-glass windows. It has a seating capacity of 1000, which can be increased to 1200. The cost of this building was $41,494. The chapel was built at a cost of $9860, and the new parsonage adjoining the church at $6700. A fine organ adorns the choir loft, and the congregations at each service are large. Verily " a little one has become a thousand. God has wrought wonderful things. To Him be all the glory."
The following are the names of the ministers who have had charge of the Methodist Episcopal church in Danbury from 1836 until the present time :
Jacob Shaw, two years ; Hiram Wing, who died after a few months-John Crawford served the remainder of the two years ; Sylvester H. Clark, 1840-42 ; James Flagg, 1842-44 ; Fitch Reed,
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HISTORY OF DANBURY.
1844-46 ; John Crawford, 1846-48; Robert Jessup, 1848-50 ; John B. Merwin, 1850-52 ; William C. Hoyt, 1852-54 ; E. E. Griswold, 1854-56 ; George W. Woodruff, 1856-58 ; John Miley, 1858-60 ; John Pegg, 1860-62 ; John Crawford (third time), 1862-64 ; William T. Hill, 1864, but obliged by sickness to re- tire ; Thomas Burch, 1864-70 ; William Hatfield, 1870-73 ; John L. Peck, 1873-76 ; Benjamin Pillsbury, 1876-77 ; Spencer H. Bray, 1877-80 ; W. C. Steel, 1880-82 ; John Pegg, 1882-85 ; John Barnhart, 1885-88 ; William W. Clark, 1888-1891 ; Ichabod Simmons, 1891, the present pastor.
THE CHURCH AT STARR'S PLAIN .*
Early in the present century James Beatys lived a few rods beyond the base of Sugar Hollow Mountain, near the corner of the present Starr's Plain and Long Ridge roads. One cold win- ter day Mr. Beatys was cutting wood in his door-yard, when Rev. James Coleman, known as " Uncle Jimmy," a Methodist preacher whose circuit extended from Ridgefield to the Canada line, passed by on horseback, on his homeward journey from Canada. According to the hospitable custom of that day, Mr. Beatys invited the traveller in to dinner, an invitation gratefully accepted. Finding that his guest was a minister, Mr. Beatys asked him to make an appointment to preach at his house, which he did two weeks later, giving the first Methodist sermon in Starr's Plain at the house of a very strong Episcopalian. The sermon made a deep impression, and was followed by another a little later, the result of which was a number of conversions, including the children of James Beatys, whose distress was great when he saw his children turn from the church of their father to Methodism.
The outcome of these meetings was the organization of the first Methodist class in the town of Danbury, of which the orig- inal seven members were Daniel Beatys and Hannah, his wife, Levi Bronson and wife Abigail, John Mills and wife, and Joseph Sturges. Levi Bronson became a local preacher presumably about this time, and helped largely to build up Methodism in this town.
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