History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 102

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572

USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 102

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VILLAGE OF SHELTON.

The village of Shelton is located in the eastern part of the town on the Housatonic, opposite Birmingham, and was named in honor of Edward H. Shelton, Esq. It is delightfully loeated, overlooking the Housatonie, and commands a fine view of the neighboring town of Derby. It is the seat of various manufacturing establishments, and is one of the flourishing villages of Fairfield County. The medieal profession is rep- resented by Gould A. Shelton, M.D., who is the only physician in the village.

Huntington is a hamlet, containing two churches, located in the eentre of the town.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.

Huntington, originally in Stratford, was incorpo- rated in 1789, and embraced two parishes, Ripton and New Stratford (now Monroe). When Monroe became a town Ripton took the name of Huntington. The church was organized with ninety-two members from the Stratford church, Feb. 12, 1724, and the pastor, Rev. Jedediah Mills, was ordained the same day. In eonneetion with the call and settlement of Mr. Mills the following vote was passed, "without contradiction of any person," viz .: "to give Mr. Mills eighty pounds towards building his house,- forty pounds of it in money and forty pounds of it in work,-and in the beginning fifty pounds salary a year, and afterwards rising as God shall enable us and as Mr. Mills shall stand in need, and as this society shall think fit, and also one hundred aeres of land already given by the town of Stratford."

The first meeting-house was probably erected about

1720, and stood on Fanton Hill, about eighty rods northeast of the present one. The second edifice stood about twenty rods northeast of the present one, which is the third, and was erected in 1832.

The following are the names and terms of service of each minister : Rev. Jedediah Mills, 1724-76; Rev. Daniel Ely, D.D., 1773%-1816; Rev. Thomas F. Davis, 1817-18; Rev. Thomas Punderson, 1818-44; Rev. Charles N. Seymour, 1844-47 ; Rev. Eliakim Phelps, D.D., 1847-49; Rev. William B. Curtis, 1850-58; Rev. John Blood, 1858-62; Rev. William D. Morton, 1864-69; Rev. Loring B, Marsh, 1869-72; Rev. Allen Clark, 1873-74; Rev. Lucius H. Higgins, 1875.

The following are the present officers of the church and society : Pastor, Rev. L. H. Higgins; Deacons, George L. Nichols, Oliver G. Beard, Lewis J. Shel- ton ; Superintendent of Sunday-school, Edward S. IJawley ; Assistant Superintendent of Sunday-school, Frank W. Wooster ; Church Clerk, N. W. Blackman ; Society's Committee, Deacon L. J. Shelton, S. B. Nichols, D. A. Nichols; Seeretary and Treasurer, Mr. E. S. Hawley. The number of present members is one hundred and forty-five.

Among the ineidents in the history of the church are the following :

The so-called " Half-Way Covenant" was used by the church till done away with in 1817.

In 1743, David Brainerd was expelled from Yale College, in part " because he had disobeyed orders in attending prohibited meetings of those who were at- tached to the preaching of Whitefield and Tennent." Rev. Mr. Mills regarding his treatment as unjust re- ceived him into his family, and under his instruction he studied theology, and, thus fitted, went forth as a missionary to the Stockbridge Indians.

During Dr. Ely's ministry there were additions to the ehureh by profession every year exeept six. He was a member of the corporation of Yale College, and about one hundred young men were fitted for eollege under him.

During Rev. Mr. Punderson's ministry of twenty- six years two hundred and fourteen were admitted to the ehurel.

Dr. Phelps had somewhat of notoriety in connec- tion with the "Stratford knockings." He was the father of Rev. Austin Phelps, D.D., of Andover The- ological Seminary, Massachusetts.

During the winter and spring of 1877 there oe- eurred one of the most marked works of grace that had been witnessed for a generation, as one result of which nearly forty united with the church.

The Scattergood Mission is under the care of Rev. Friend Hoyt, who founded it, and to whose untiring energy the suceess of the movement is due. An effort is being made to organize it into a Missionary Church Society.

* Dr. Ely was a colleague with the Rev. Mr. Mills for three years pre- ceding the death of the latter.

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

BAPTIST CHURCH.#

The first church was organized Nov. 3, 1838, with the following members: Ferris Drew, James Beard, Wright Drew, Jesse Gilbert, John G. Beardsley, Smith Beardsley, Rebecca Beardsley, Israel Hamilton, Fanny Drew, Ann Hamilton, Charity Drew, Phebe Olmstead, Emily Hubbell, James Drew, Reuben Drew, Phebe Drew, Maria Drew, Ann Beardsly, Mary Beardsly, Lucias Hubbell, William M. Hub- bell, C. Johnson, Samuel Drew, Sarah G. Johnson. Pastors : William A. Deunison, Alva Gregory, Judson G. Lyman, William B. Knapp, John Waterbery, F. N. Barlow, A. N. Benedict, Charles Nichols, Amos Benedict, C. W. Potter, J. G. Gahun, George F. Pay, Sumner Tatham, Addison Brainard, and F. Perry. The church building was erected in 1839.

Present officers : Committee, George W. Drew, John Tomlinson ; Church Clerk, Levi Beamas. The pres- ent membership is between thirty and forty.

ST. PAUL'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH .*

The parish of Ripton, in Huntington, and the parish of New Stratford, in Monroe, were once a part of the parish of Christ's Church, at Stratford. St. Paul's church at Huntington, was built about the year 1740. The parish of Ripton was set off from the parish of Christ's Church, at Stratford, in April, 1749. Rev. Christopher Newton was its first minister, and was one of a small number who went to England for holy orders of the Episcopal Church, and was ordained by Zachary Pearce, Bishop of Bangor, at the chapel of Spring Garden, Westminster, by order of Thomas, Lord Bishop of London. He was admitted to the holy order of deacon on the 25th day of July, 1755, being St. James' Day. On Sunday, the 27th day of July, he was admitted to the holy order of priests accord- ing to the manner and form of the Church of Eng- land .; He was appointed missionary at Huntington in 1755. During his ministry at Ripton Parish he officiated some part of the time at Tashua, in Trum- bull.

The first records of Ripton parish are dated "Easter Monday, April 12, 1784." The following may show the manner in which the minister's salary was some- times raised in those days :

"Voted, That Rev. Mr. Newton's rate on list of 1784 shall be twopence halfpenny on the pound, including his wood ; with this reserve consid- ered in the vote. Those who have a mind to furnish any wood may pay the lialfpenny on the pound in wood."

The Rev. Mr. Newton's death occurred on Feb. 6, 1787. He was an able and sound divine.

Rev. Abram Lynson Clark succeeded Rev. Mr. Newton in 1787, and resigned in 1792, when he re- moved to Providence, R. I. The Rev. Charles Sea- bury succeeded him for one ycar.

It is certified on the parish records that a vote was

passed to employ the Rev. William Green for one year, and for his services during this time he was to be allowed one hundred pounds lawful money. A certified copy of this vote was forwarded to Bishop Provost, of New York.

The records also show that at a meeting held June 24, 1789, it was voted to allow the Rev. Calvin White one hundred pounds lawful money, and the use of the glebe houses and land, and thirty-three loads of wood.

In the year 1800 the Rev. Ambrose Todd was set- tled, and remained until his death, which occurred July 25, 1809, in the forty-sixth year of his age, and the twenty-second year of his ministry. He was much beloved by his people, and at his death was deeply lamented. The records show that when he was called to the parish, a vote was passed to call the Rev. Ambrose Todd, at a salary of one hundred pounds, lawful money, and forty loads of wood.

In 1805 the Rev. Mr. Todd was requested to per- form divine service at St. Paul's church at Ripton, and at St. Peter's church at New Stratford (now Monroe), one-third of the time, and the wardeus of St. Paul's church, at Ripton parish, were empowered, when called upon, to make such arrangements for the direction of the new church at New Stratford as might secm necessary. The people in New Stratford had heretofore assisted in paying for services in Rip- ton parish.

In the year 1800, St. Paul's Church Society voted to sell the glebe house and lot to Rev. Mr. Todd. In August, 1809, the society votcd to continue the salary of the Rev. Ambrose Todd to his family until the fifth of the next December, together with the usc of the glebe orchard. At the same time and place it was voted that the society entertaiu the high- est regard for his memory, and agree to defray his fu- neral expenses and erect a tombstone to his memory.

June 17, 1811, the two societies voted to call the Rev. Menzies Rayner to prcach alternately at St. Paul's church, at Ripton, and at St. Peter's church, at New Stratford, at a salary of five hundred and fifty dollars per annum and the use of the glebe lot, pro- viding the salary could be raised without taxation.

The people in the parish of Ripton being desirous that the relationship of minister and people between them and Rev. Mr. Rayner should be brought to a close, a committee was appointed in December, 1826, to visit Rev. Mr. Rayner to ascertain the lowest terms upon which he would leave the society. The com- mittee reported that Rev. Mr. Rayner would join with St. Paul's Church Society in requesting the bishop to dissolve the connection with that society in cousidera- tion of two hundred dollars, and that his services should cease on the last Sunday of December. The dissolu- tion was made by Thomas C. Brownell, Bishop of Connecticut.

On Jan. 8, 1811, a subscription was started and the sum of thirty-five hundred dollars was raised . for a

* Contributed by Mrs. J. P. Shelton.

+ These orders are preserved and are at the home of Mrs. David Shel- ton, in Huntington, whose husband was grandson of Rev. Mr. Newton.

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HUNTINGTON.

fund, the interest of which should be appropriated forever for the support of preaching in Ripton parish by an Episcopal clergyman.

In June, 1811, St. Paul's church was destroyed by fire. It originated in consequence of a young man, a citizen of the town, shooting a dove which was sitting on some part of the church.

From the close of Mr. Rayner's rectorship to the year 1864 several different clergymen occupied the pulpit for short intervals.

In 1836 the society, being in embarrassed circum- stances, made application to the bishop for pecuniary aid, that it might be enabled to have preaching con- tinued. Since that time it has been a missionary society. In 1841 a parsonage was built on the glebe property.

In April, 1864, the Rev. Joseph Covell was called, and remained for nearly thirteen years, when he re- signed on account of ill-health and infirmities of age. He was an efficient Christian minister, a sound di- vine, and looked well to the interest of his small flock. By good advice and Christian ministration lie was instrumental in adding numbers to the church, leaving the small society in a united and prosperous condition. During his rectorship the church was im- proved in appearance by repainting, rescating, fres- coing, and being made more modern in style. The expense incurred was nearly twelve hundred dollars, which was all subscribed and paid as soon as the work was completed.

Rev. Mortimer Hyde next filled the rectorship for two years. Since his resignation there has been no regular clergyman, but the pulpit has been supplied by lay-reading and the ministerial services of the Rev. Mr. Duffield, of Monroc.

The society was once large and flourishing, but by deaths and removals, and the members in the eastern part of the town uniting with St. James' Church at Birmingham, it has been rendered unable to keep up ministerial services without great sacrifices on the part of the membership.

CHAPTER XL. HUNTINGTON (Continued). MANUFACTURING INTERESTS.

The Ousatonic Water Company-Tho Derby Silver Company-Birming- ham Corset Company-The Shelton Company-Bolts, Tacks, Etc .- Wilkinson Brothers & Co.'s Paper-Mills.

THE OUSATONIC WATER COMPANY.

CONNECTICUT is emphatically a manufacturing State, and, as in many other portions of New Eng- land, the sagacity, enterprise, and perseverance of her citizens are everywhere observable in the manner in which they utilize every afforded facility for internal improvements and the development of the great in-

dustries which are peculiar to these localities. As a result of such enterprise, villages and towns of rare beauty and interest have rapidly sprung up along the margin of her rivers, where the opening of the pres- ent century witnessed no indications of busy, bustling humanity. But these places, wild and unforbidding as was their natural appearance, have, by the embel- lishiments of art, been rendered far more delightful and desirable than those which were often originally more attractive.

Much of the surface of this State is broken and hilly, yet it can boast of no mountain scenery prop- erly so called. The face of the country is delightfully varied by low ranges of hills; and the passage of the Connecticut and Housatonic and other smaller yet beautiful rivers through its entire length. There are several elevations in the State dignified by the name of mountain, and, although their highest peaks are much inferior in height to the mountains in other parts of New England, they present many attractions and add much to the scenic views of the State. The lakes nestling among these miniature mountains in some parts of the State are extremely beautiful. But the most picturesque scenery is to be found in the val- leys of her rivers, where it is ever changing and loses none of its beauties from the sources of the rivers to where they mingle with the waters of Long Island Sound.

A late writer, in speaking of the attractive places and manufacturing interests on the Ousatonic-better known as Housatonic-River, says, in reference to the great achievement of the Ousatonic Water Company:

" At tho present day, when manufacturing enterprise seeks every available opportunity for its development, it seems strange that less than forty years ago tho project of ntilizing one of the finest water-powers in New England should have encountered vigorous opposition ; yet such wns the fact, aud but for the indomitable energy and perseverance of somo half a dozen individuals the great improvement might have shini- bered for another generation.

" A brief history of the cuterprise which under the anspices of the Ousatonic Water Company, at Derby, Conn., was brought to successful completion in 1870 cannot fail to prove of interest to our readers, and es- pecially to those who desiro to find an advantageous location for man- facturing operations within easy distance of New York City.

"The Onsatonic-or Housatonic, according to modern orthography- is ono of tho largest rivers in Now England, having a much greater vol- ume of water than the Blackstone, Quinnebaug, Chicopee, Shetucket, or Willimantic, all bordered by flourishing manufacturing towns, and Unt littlo less than the Merrimac, which drives tho countless spindles of Lowell. The Housatonic takes its rise among the hills of Berkshire Co., Mass., more than ono hundred miles above the head of tide-water at Bir- mingham, Conn., and empties into Long Island Sound near Bridgeport.

" It drains about two thousand square miles of territory and receives numerous tributaries, some of which are rivers of considerable magni- tude, such as Still River, Pomperang, Shepang, etc. These afthients usually commence their course at the outlet of large lakes which serve as natural reservoirs, equalizing the flow of water and insuring an nn- failing supply at all seasons of the year. The minimum average flow of water during the lowest stages is estimated at not less than five hundred cubic feet per second, which is equivalent to twenty-five hundred horse- power for twelvo hours per day.

" Asido from the abundanco of water which the Ilonsatonic affords, the fact that it was the last available large water-power in close prox- imity to navigable tide-water along the whole New England coast would soem to have been sufficient inducement for its speedy ntilization, but it is only within a few years that its incomparable advantages appear to have been fully recognized.

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

" The project of damming the Housatonic River was first broached in 1838, and in the following year the State Legislature granted a charter, or rather revived an old one which had been issued in 1822 for the pur- pose of constructing a canal, and which had expired by its own limita- tiou. The provisions of the charter were liberal, with the exception of one restriction : the company were not allowed to build a high dam for fear of injury to the shad-fisheries, which were then considered very valuable. The construction of fish-weirs was not so well understood at that time as at the present day, and people were sceptical as to the prac- ticability of indneing shad to perform the acrobatic feat of scaling a dam, even with the aid of mechanical contrivances.

" To ereet a low, tumbling dam at the only available spot would have involved the necessity of a canal to bring the water where it could be made serviceable, and the estimated cost was so great that the project was abandoned, and for more than twenty years was allowed to rest un- disturbed.

"The matter was again revived in 1863, and in 1864 application was made to the Legislature to dam the river at any point that might be selected, and the privilege was granted after satisfying the committee of the Legislature that the rights of navigation and other rights would be maintained by the building of locks, etc.

" The uext difficulty was to secure the assistance of capitalists, and it was not until the autumn of 1866 that the requisite amount of capital- $400,000-was secured and the company fully organized for active oper- ations. Mr. Henry T. Potter was appointed engineer and superintend- ent, and the great work was fairly inaugurated by the laying of the first stone on the 17th of July, 1867. With several interruptions from fresh- ets the work progressed, and was nearly completed when the great freshet of Oct. 4, 1869, swept away nearly one-quarter of the dam. In the following spring operations were again resumed, and without further serions hindrance carried to final completion, the last cap-stone of the noble stincture being laid on the 5th of October, 1870.

" The difficulties encountered were of no ordinary magnitude, but fortunately the directors of the undertaking were men of indomitable determination, and each added obstacle seemed but a further incentive to vigorous prosecution of the work. Among those most prominently concerned, who contributed largely, not only of money, but valuable time and attention, should be mentioned the names of Mr. Edward N. Shelton, Dr. John I. Howe, David W. Plumb, Edwin Wooster, Robert N. Bassett, A. H. Alling, Royal M. Bassett, William E. Downs, Thomas Elmes, and others.

" On the 10th of October, 1870, the completion of the work was signal- ized by a celebration in the village of Birmingham, participated in by the Governor of the State, the mayor of New Haven, and many other distinguished gnests. A procession exceeding a mile in length was formed, and under military eseort proceeded to the vicinity of the dam, where eloquent speeches, the recitation of an appropriate poem, and the inspiriting strains of martial musie combined to render the commemora- tion worthy of the occasion, and marked the day as one to be borne in remembrance while the spark ling waters of the Housatonic continue to furuish the motive power for the active industries that contribute to the welfare of the entire uation."

This privilege is located at the liead of navigation on the Housatonic River, only seventy miles by rail from the city of New York.

A damn of solid masonry twenty-two feet in height, eonstrueted in the most approved and substantial man- ner across the Housatonic River at this point, ereates the largest and most reliable water-power in the State. The river extends over one hundred miles above the dam, and drains about two thousand square miles of territory ; on its tributaries are numerous lakes with a combined area of not less than ten thousand aeres, which serve as natural store-houses for water, equal- izing the flow and affording a large amount at all sca- sons of the year. This, together with the immense reservoir above the dam, five miles in length, insures a permanent supply of not less than five hundred eubic feet per second, equal to two thousand five hun- dred horse-power twelve hours per day. There are

at present ten mills in full operation, giving employ- ment to a large number of hands.

The water may be used on both sides of the river, and as cach factory-lot lias a frontage on the river, water-transportation may be had for heavy freights, such as eoal, iron, lumber, etc. But little expense for grading or foundation would be requisite, and every- thing necessary for building purposes is conveniently procurable. There are good roads on each side of the river. The company own about two hundred and sixty acres of land below the dam, affording numer- ous cligible sites for manufacturing purposes. Since the completion of the dam there have been erected, and arc now in full operation, ten manufacturing es- tablishments, including one paper-mill, one zinc-mill, two bolt-factorics, one shovel-factory, one silver-pla- ting works, and one woolcn-mill ; also one pin-factory, one manufactory of carriage-hardware, and two saw- mills ; the whole, however, is using but a small portion of the actual power. About two hundred acres are suitable for building-lots, and a large number of dwelling-houses are already erected. The entire property is worth not less than one million dollars.

As a location for manufacturing purposes this is certainly unsurpassed in New England, whether we consider its natural advantages or the faet that it is but seventy miles distant from New York, with which city there is an established communication by steam and sailing-vessels, railroad and telegraph. There are five trains daily in each direction, both via New Haven and Bridgeport, making twenty arrivals and departures each day.

A great advancement in manufacturing operations will undoubtedly soon be witnesscd, and it would be wisdom on the part of those who contemplate new en- terprises of the kind, or desire to remove into a more eligible location than they now occupy, to exam- ine into the advantages attending the factory-sites which are now offered by the Ousatonie Water Com- pany. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to find any other situation possessing equally advantageous features within so short a distanee of the great me- tropolis, and prudence would suggest seeuring the favorable opportunity now extended, for such chances for profitable investment arc not likely to remain very long without due appreciation.

Some of the superior advantages of the location are its proximity to New York City, its eonncction there- with by rail and water,-being distant only two and one-half hours by rail,-the frequency of the trains allowing ample time for daily transaction of business, and return, from cither point. Transportation by water and two competing lines of railroad, either Bridgeport or New Haven, insures low rates and con- nection with all freight-lines throughout the country.

If we compare the rate of freight fron Birmingham to New York and the cost of coal at Birmingham with the rate of freight from the other New England man- ufacturing centres to New York and the cost of coal

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at these manufacturing centres, the desirability of the Birmingham location will be apparent.

The average cost of freight between New York City and the principal New England manufacturing cen- tres is about three times as much per hundred as be- tween New York and Birmingham, and the average price of coal at the same places more than twice as high as at Birmingham, which would make a differ- ence in the items of freight and coal, for an average mill of one hundred horse-power, of about four thousand dollars annually. This difference would pay the rent for a good mill-site with one hundred horse-power at Birmingham and leave a margin of about two thousand dollars. If we also consider the cost of a dam, flowage, and canal, with the repairs necessary to keep them in order,-which are usually part of the expenses of the mill-owner, but which in this case are provided and maintained by the com- pany,-the difference in favor of the Birmingham lo- cation will be greatly increased.

The location in the midst of a manufacturing com- munity, with a population of ten thousand within a radius of two miles, and the proximity of other man- ufacturing-towns of the Naugatuck Valley, are of great advantage in respect to skilled labor.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 102

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1572

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) comp. cn
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1572