History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 166

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 166

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The history of this church would not be complete without reference especially to one to whose tireless labors, consistent life, and godly example the church is indebted more than to any other person for its growth and influence in the community,-Jabcz M. Gilbert. The "Methodist itinerant" came preaching a universal atonement, man's moral ageney, a full, free, and perfeet salvation from sin, the new birth, the knowledge of the "witness of the Spirit," the duty of holiness of life. These truths met the wants of his soul; he aeeepted them, hesitated not to join the little band of like faith, demonstrated by a long and consistent life the truth of the doctrine he pro- fessed, and died leaving a vacancy not soon to be filled. A man of firm convictions, strong will, stern integrity, deep and ardent sympathies, liberality equal to and often beyond his means, the elureh found in him a reliable leader, a wise counselor, a constant and liberal supporter, the poor a cheerful and open-hearted benefactor, and the community a recognized example of consistent piety.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.

The Congregational Church in Ridgebury was or- ganized in the month of January, 1769. It was com- posed of eighteen members, "professing the doetrinc and practicing the discipline agreed upon by the General Consoeiation of the Churches of Connecticut at their meeting in Saybrook, 1708."

It appears from the records that meetings for pub- lic worship were held as early as 1760, in what was called the "New Patent meeting-house," which was probably built as early as 1738, but there was no set- tled pastor until 1769, when a council of the conso- ciated pastors and elders of the Western District of Fairfield County-composed of Revs. Jonathan In- gersoll, Robert Silliman, Moses Mather, Samuel Sher- wood, Seth Pomroy, Hezekiah Ripley, and Ebenezer Davenport, together with the following nine messen- gers: Mr. Joseph Bishom, of Stamford ; Joseph Platt,

Esq., Norwalk; Lieut. Nathan Olmsted, Ridgefield; Mr. Stephen Godfry, Green's Farms; Capt. Elisha Albert, Greenfield ; Lieut. Nehemiah Mead, Wilton ; Theophilus Fiteh, Esq., Canaan; Deacon Daniel Andrews, Norfield; Ensign Nathan Read, Middlesex -was convened and the ehureh organized.

At the time of its organization the church consisted of the following eighteen members: Rev. Samuel Camp, Jabish Smith, Isaialı Birehard, James Nor- throp, John Rockwell, Daniel Coley, David Rockwell, Timothy Benedict, Samuel Keeler, Lemuel Abbott, Samuel St. John, John Joyce, Jonathan Osborn, Samuel Gates, James Sears, John Barber, Thomas Frost, and Thomas Wilson ; and the Rev. Samuel Camp was ordained and installed as their first pastor.

Mr. Camp's salary was "seventy-five pounds law- ful money annually." The society also voted to give him one hundred and fifty pounds for his settlement, to be paid in three equal annual instalments. Mr. Camp continued his labors with the church until 1804,-a period of over thirty-five years, -- when he was regularly dismissed. He died in Ridgebury March 10, 1813.

After the dismission of Mr. Camp the church was without a settled pastor until 1821, when Rev. Nathan Burton was installed as pastor. He continued until June, 1841,-a period of nearly twenty years. Mr. Burton was a member of the church in Ridgebury, and was chosen deacon in 1813. After serving in that capacity for eight years he resigned the office, in Oc- tober, 1821, to become pastor of the church. He died in August, 1859, aged seventy-nine years.

Mr. Burton was succeeded by Rev. Zalmon B. Burr, of Westport, Conn. He was ordained and installed in June, 1843, and remained with the church seven years. After Mr. Burr the society engaged the ser- viees of Rev. Martin Dudley, who preached about a year.

The next settled pastor was Rev. Philo Canfield, of Buffalo City Presbytery. He commenced his labors in August, 1852, and was installed in Septem- ber of the same year. Mr. Canfield continued his re- lations with the church until the spring of 1856, when the connection was dissolved. In August of the same year Rev. William W. Page was employed to preach for the society one year as a supply. From Septem- ber, 1859, to September, 1861, Rev. E. S. Huntington, of Danbury, preached for the society. Mr. Hunting- ton was sueceeded by Rcv. F. J. Jackson, who preached nearly a year.

At a special meeting of the church, convened for that purpose, December, 1862, a call was extended to Rev. John E. Elliott, of Barkhamsted, Conn. Mr. Elliott accepted the call, commenced his labors in February, 1863, and was ordained and installed in May following. He remained with the church but two years or thereabouts.

In the autumn of 1867, Rev. Augustus Alvord, of Bolton, Conn., commenced preaching for the church,

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and remained with them until August, 1871, four years, preaching as a stated supply, and in September of the same year (1871) Rev. William M. Parsons, of Brooklyn, N. Y., was invited to supply the pulpit. The invitation was accepted, and Mr. Parsons has continued his labors with the church until the pres- ent time.

Mr. Camp, the first pastor of the church, was a na- tive of Salisbury, Conn. But little is known of the results of his labors. He left on record the names of thirty-five children of members of the church bap- tized by him from 1769 to 1799, none of whom are now living, so far as known. Mr. Burton also records the names of some twenty "children of believing pa- rents" baptized by him. Of those baptized in infaney by Mr. Burton, but oue is a member of the church at the present time or residing in Ridgebury, though several are known to be living elsewhere.

During the long interval between the dismissal of Mr. Camp and the settlement of Mr. Burton services were regularly held in the church, the pulpit being supplied by neighboring ministers or a sermon read by some person of the congregation appointed for that purpose; and from 1813 to 1817 a season of spe- cial religious interest was enjoyed, thirty-four mem- bers beiug added to the church by a public profession of faith iu the Lord Jesus Christ.

The labors of Mr. Burton were highly appreciated by the church and eminently blessed of God. From 1821 to 1843, which covers the whole period of his ministry as pastor, one hundred and fourteen were added to the church, of whom "some remain unto this present, but the greater part are fallen asleep."

During the pastorate of Mr. Burr, 1843 to 1850, eight new members were added. From 1850 to the elose of Mr. Caufield's pastoral relations with the church, in 1856, twenty were added. From 1856 to the present time the additions to the church have been "few and far between,"-only seventeen in the whole twenty-two years.

There have been nineteen deacons of the church since its organization in 1769, of whom but one, Dea- con James E. Hayt, remains. In October, 1762, the Ecclesiastical Society of Ridgebury bought the land on which the church now stands of John Whitlock. The consideration was "the love and respect I have and do bear unto said Dissenting Society in Ridge- bury."

Previous to this time, it is said, an old Congrega- tional church of some kind stood ou the hill about half a mile south of the present house of worship. This was probably the "New Patent meeting-house" before alluded to. But in August, 1768, the society voted to build a "church" forty-six feet long by thirty-six feet wide, to be "shingled with cedar shin- gles, and sided with chestnut or oak." It was fur- ther voted that "the new house shall stand facing the east, and be finished by the first day of July, 1769."

In February, 1784, it was voted "that we will do something towards making the meeting-house more comfortable and convenient," and in 1793 a commit- tee was appointed to " mark out the meeting-house into pews and sell them, and to lay out the money that shall arise therefrom on the house." The con- gregation worshiped on rough wooden benches for twenty-four years before the pews were built, and listened to golden truths preached from a plain wooden pulpit. There were no stoves except such as the more elderly females brought with them on the Sabbath, and these were always replenished with fresh coals from the neighboring fireplaces during the intermission. The house was without plastered walls, but we never heard that any of the congregation complained of the cold. After the introduction of pews, the two-known as No. 5-on each side of the pulpit were reserved as "honorary pews," and the two-No. 11-" under the stairs" as " spare pews."

During the brief service of a Mr. Perkins, who supplied the pulpit for nearly a year after the dis- missal of Mr. Camp, it was voted, in October, 1804, that "persons of other persuasious may come and hear Mr. Perkins preach."

At a meeting of the society held Nov. 30, 1818, it was voted "that the Society grant liberty to the town of Ridgefield to hold their Town-Meeting in the Meeting-House in said Ridgebury for one Meeting."

During the summer of 1816, and again in 1834, the society repaired the meeting-house built in 1768, very much improving its external appearance, and in 1838 they also thoroughly repaired the interior, en- tirely removing the wall, pews, and pulpit, supplying their places with new walls, convenient slips, and a desk of more modern style. They also closed the doors on the north and east, leaving but oue entrance to the church.

In the spring of 1832 the society purchased ten acres of land, with the buildings standing thereon, for a parsonage, and Feb. 12, 1838, they sold the same to David Hanford, of Norwalk, Conn.

In the year 1844 the present pleasant and eonven- ient parsonage-house was creeted on a plot of grouud four rods by twenty, presented to the society by Mr. David Hanford and the late Gamaliel N. Benedict, Esq.

The "old church," which had stood as a sort of moral lighthouse for more than eighty years, and which had been the spiritual birthplace of so many souls, was finally demolished, and a new house thirty by forty-six feet ereeted in its place, which was dedi- eated, with appropriate exercises, to Almighty God in 1851. It is well furnished, with a bell weighing nine hundred pounds, a melodeon, ete., and, though there is but a feeble remnant of the church left, yet the Word of God is faithfully preached every Sab- bath and the ordinances of the gospel regularly administered.

Legacies have been left the society at different

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

times, amounting in the aggregate to over seven thou- sand dollars, the income from which is appropriated to the support of the gospel and other current ex- penses of the church.

In former years the business of "hatting" and shoemaking was extensively carried on in Ridgebury, which gave employment to a large number of people, male and female. At the present time there is no manufactory of any kind in the place, and the Protestant population is somewhat diminished.

Located near the church is a beautiful cemetery, containing an acre or more of ground. A part of it was used for burial purposes years before the Revolu- tionary war, and contains the bones of some of its heroes. Within a few years it has been twice enlarged and inclosed by a neat and substantial iron fence. It is now one of the pleasantest rural cemeteries of its size in the State.

An old burial-ground belonging to the Episcopal Society was located on the south and east of their church edifice, on the hill three-quarters of a mile south of the present cemetery, a century and a half ago. In 1860 several of the old tombstones were standing. At the present time none of them remain.

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.#

An Episcopal congregation existed in the society in the northern part of the town called Ridgebury in the early part of the last century, and services were held contemporary with those in Ridgefield. It ap- pears from the printed reports of the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel" that prior to 1731, and for some time afterwards, Ridgefield, Ridgebury, and the Oblong (Salem) were considered in some sense within the bounds of the parish or mission of Fairfield. The church appears to have been built about the middle of the last century, and was located in an ele- vated position of the place, on the open space or green about half a mile south of the present Congre- gational church. The exact date of its erection can- not now be ascertained.

In a letter of the church-wardens and vestrymen of Salem to the Venerable Society in London, dated Aug. 31, 1767, they thus state: "That we formerly united with the brethren of the Church at Ridgefield and Ridgebury, on the borders of the Connecticut Colony, and engaged the Rev. Mr. Clark to read Divine ser- vice and sermons to us on Sundays. Since Mr. Clark left us, by the advice of the Rev. Mr. Dibble (of Stam- ford), and the Rev. Mr. Leaming (of Norwalk), we have employed the worthy Mr. Epenetus Townsend, who hath for some time alternately read to us and the people of Ridgefield and Ridgebury, whose exemplary life, sober conversation, and devout performances of religious offices highly recommended him to our esteem ; and as the poor people of Ridgefield and Ridgebury, by the concurrence of the Church Wardens

and Vestry in this memorial, hope to be indulged in being included under his care, having formerly a con- junction with some of the neighboring places in the Province of New York, experienced the goodness and compassion of the 'Venerable Society' in appointing the Rev. Mr. Lamson to officiate among them, being many in number, having built a Church in each of those places, Ridgefield but eight, and Ridgebury but four miles from Salem, but at such a distance from Norwalk that they expect but very little service from the Rev. Mr. Leaming ; whereupon we have unitedly sent our respective bonds to the Rev. Dr. Auchmuty, of New York, in trust, obliging ourselves to pay in each place, equal to £10 sterling per annum, in the whole amounting to £30 per annum for the time being; and we no longer expect the Society's favor than we shall continue to deserve it."

The Rev. Mr. Townsend accordingly went to Eng- land to receive holy orders, and returned in April, 1768. In a letter dated the 29th of September, 1768, he informed the society " that he arrived at his Mis- sion on the 26th of May, 1768, and was kindly received. The church-wardens, also of Salem, in the name of the people belonging to the Mission, have returned thanks to the Society for Mr. Townsend's appointment. At Salem and Ridgefield there are one hundred and fifty church people, at Ridgefield eighty."

In a letter to the society, dated Sept. 29, 1769, he says, "I have constantly performed Divine service equally in my three Churches of Salem, Ridgefield, and Ridgebury ; in each of which places people are zealous in their attendance on public worship; and I have the pleasure to observe that through the divine blessing on my labors each of those congregations is somewhat increased."

In the same letter he says, "I beg liberty to request a favor from the Society, which may perhaps be of considerable service to me; the professors of the Church in Conn. are taxed for the support of the Minister of the Church in the same proportion as the Congregationalists for the support of their minister. This tax is levied and collected by the Congregation- alists, together with their own, and by them paid to such ministers of the Church as are appointed over them by the Society. Now Ridgefield and Ridge- bury being in Conn. the Committee appointed for raising and paying the minister's rate at Ridgebury have been in some doubt whether I am entitled to the rates of the Church people there, because it is certain they were formerly under Mr. Leaming's care, and had no written appointment, or anything from under the Society's hand to convince them that the Society had now included them within this Mission. Should the Ven. Society mention Ridgefield and Ridgebury in an abstract, as parts of my Mission together with Salem; or should they in a letter to the Church Wardens and Vestry of Ridgefield and Ridgebury, or in some other method give assurance that Ridge- field and Ridgebury belong to my Mission, it must

* Now extinct.

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be of advantage to me, as it would remove all doubt whether I was by the laws of that Colony entitled to the Church people's rates in those places."

The society's abstracts for 1772 say "that Mr. Townsend, missionary at Salem, states his eongrega- tions to be inereasing. Hath baptized sixty-two in- fants and two adults." In 1775 they say "that Mr. Townsend is constant in the performance of his duty in his own parishes, and preaches frequently in the parts adjacent. From Ladyday to Michaelmas he baptized twenty-one infants and one adult, and ad- mitted two new communicants." The abstraets for 1776 add "that one letter from Mr. Townsend, of September 29, 1775, gives the account of his mission, in which he hath baptized thirty infants, buried seven, and married three couple in the preceding half year."

During the interval of the Revolutionary war there was a suspension of services in Ridgebury, as in the other stations, by the departure of the Rev. Mr. Town- send, in July, 1776, as stated in the account of St. Stephen's church. The last services held in Ridge- bury of which there is any existing record was in 1779, where we find the following in the Ridgefield parish record :

" At a meeting of the First Episcopal Society in Ridgefield, holden at the Town House on the 22nd day of Sept. 1789, the following oceurs among its doings :

" Voted, That this Society shall pay a tax of two pence on the pound on the list of said Society by the first of March annually to David Perry, as long as he shall serve them in the office of a Minister.

" Voted, That the Society will consent that said Perry shall go to Ridge- bury one quarter of the time."

At a meeting of said society in the year following the above consent, aeeording to the record, was with- drawn.

Thus, after the services of the ehureh had been maintained with more or less frequeney nearly half a eentury in Ridgebury, they appear to have been brought to a elose, as far as any existing record re- mains. Removals and deaths wrought many changes in the congregation. Many of those remaining united with the Ridgefield ehureh. Among its active sup- porters in the latter period of its history were Dr. John Andreas, the Sherwood families, Dr. Stephen Bennett, Nehemiah Sturges, Eliphalet Brush, and others. The two latter-named families united with the church in Ridgefield, and their constant attendance there is still in the recollection of many of its members.

The church edifiee, which stood on the north side of the green, and was about the size of the first one ereeted in Ridgefield Parish, remained until about the year 1810, when, being much out of repair, it was taken down and its materials disposed of for other purposes, with the exception of a stone, still visible, supposed by many to have been one of the corner-stones. No vestige of its foundation now remains.

CHAPTER LXVI.

RIDGEFIELD (Continued).

MISCELLANEOUS.

Town-Meeting, 1715 - Early Births - The Schools - Burial-Places - Change in the Boundary of Ridgefield-The Ridgefield Press-Cen- sus from 1756 to 1880-State Senators-Judge of Probato-Represen- tatives from 1740 to 1880-Town-Honses-The Pound-Jerusalem Lodge, No. 49, F. and A. M .- Jerusalem Chapter, R. A. M .- Pilgrim Lodge, No. 46, I. O. of O. F .- Grand List, 1879-Military-The Soldiers of Three Wars-Muster-Roll of Capt. Gamaliel Northrop's Company, 1776-War of the Rebellion-Action of the Town-List of Soldiers.

THE following are the proceedings of the town- meeting held in 1715:

" At a Town Meeting Held in Ridgefield Decembr 27 Anno Dom 1715 Benjamin Willson, Samuel Smith and Joseph Benedict were by a Major vote Chosen Seleet Men for ye year Ensuing."

The following officers were also chosen: Constable, Daniel Olmstead; Trustees, Joshua Lobdell and James Northrop; Surveyors, Jonathan Rockwell, Richard Olmstead, and Nathan St. John; Collector of Town Rate, Timothy Kecler; Tavern-Keeper, Mr. Osborn ; Fence-Viewers, James Benediet, Joseph Northrop.

Richard Osborn, Samuel Smith, and Benjamin and Richard Olmstead were seleetmen in 1716. Lieut. Samuel St. John, Samuel Smith, and Daniel Olm- stead were "townsmen" in 1718.

Samuel Smith, Thomas Hyatt, and James Nortli- rup were selectmen in 1747. In 1749, Matthew Ben- ediet and Nathan Olmsted were seleetmen.

FIRST BIRTHS.

The following is a record of a few of the early births :

" Ezekiel Ilawley, son of Thomas IIawley, of Ridgefield, was born on Aprill ye 15th 1713, being Wednesday."

" Joseph Hawley, ye son of Thomas Hawley, was boru on ye Lords day, being May 16th, 1714."

" Rachaell Keeler, yo Danghter of Joseph and Elizabeth Keeler, of Ridgefield, was born Oct. 4th 1706."

"Elizabeth Keeler, ye Daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Keeler, of Ridgefield, was born on ye 18 Nov., 1708."

" Rebeckalı, ye Daughter of James and Jerusha St. John, born Aug. 12, 176 -.*

"Ebenezer, ye son of Ebenezer and Hannah Smith, born Oct 3, 176 -. "* " Daughter of Matthew and Deborah Keeler was boru October ye 5th, I760."

" Martha, ye son of Martha and Deborah Keeler, was born April yo 10, 1702,"

"Hannah, danghter of Timothy and Mary Keeler, was born Sep. ye 30, 1762."

"Jonathan, ye son of Timothy and Mary Keeler, was born Decr ye 27, 1765."

" Elizabeth, daughter of Jesse and Mehitabal Benedict, boru June 16' 1757."

" Phillip, son of Caleb and Bithiah Lobdell, born Oct ye 7, 1761."

THIE SCHOOLS.

The first reference to schools found in the town records is in the year 1721, when it was voted that "eight pounds shall be raised for ye support of a school." The first school-house was erected prior to 1726, and stood in the church-green, near by the pres- ent site of the Congregational church. The date of

* Probably 1763.

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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

ereetion of this pioneer house is unknown, but, as stated above, it was prior to 1726, for in that year it was voted to repair the school-house.

This house was occupied until 1743, when the school was removed to the town-house. In 1725 the town was released from paying taxes, " provided they draw no money out of the treasury for the school."

It is evident that various methods were resorted to in the early days for the maintenance of the schools. The following extraet will prove of interest :

" At a sheep meeting held in Ridgefield, Dec. 24, 1742, it was voted by a majority that the money eoming for the hire of the Sheep the last year shall be given as a bounty to help maintain the town School for ever, and when the money is gathered it shall be delivered to the committee that is appointed to take care of the bounty money given by the Government to support ye school, And ordered by the above said vote to let out the said money as ye money is that comes from the government, and to im- prove the use thereof to pay it towards ye maintenance of said town school forever.

" Test TIMOTHY KEELER, " Clerk."

"This sheep-hire," says Rev. Mr. Teller, "is easily explained. Until about the year 1760 there were a considerable number of sheep in the town, owned by the town,-Mr. Goodrich says about two thousand,- which were kept by a shepherd in the summer months, and regularly twice in the week let to the highest bid- der to lay in his plow-land during the night season, which method of enriching the land, it is stated, ' caused the worn land to produce excellent crops of wheat of the best quality.' The money thus obtained was that which was appropriated by the town for school purposes."

The following receipt appears on town records :

" Ridgefield, April 28th, 1743, then received of Capt. Richard Olmstead and Matthew Benedict, Committee of the Donation Money Given by the Government, ye sum of 25£ 14s. and Gd. in order to pay the School Mas- ter. We say we received it, as Witness our hands,

" JOSEPH KEELER, " JAMES BENEDICT, " School Committee."

In 1742 the town by a major vote released the people of the New Patent (Ridgebury) from paying any tax to the town school on condition that they should keep a school among themselves six months yearly.

At this time there was in the town but one school- house, and that was located nearly opposite Mr. Ab- ner Gilbert's residence.

Rev. Samuel Goodrich says in his history of the town, written in 1800, that the schools of the town "are maintained 1st in part by the produee of the sales of lands in Litchfield County by the State and appropriated to the schools. 2nd. By the produce of an excise duty laid on Rum and Tea, but the act, proving unpopular, was never carried into general ex- ecution; the money paid in by this town was returned and appropriated for the benefit of sehools. 3ª. By the 40/ on the thousand, as it is called. 4th. By the produce of the sales of the western lands, and lastly, in case of deficiency, by a tax on the seholars."

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 166

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