History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 54

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 54

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April 19, 1847, negotiations were made with Thos. T. Whittlesey to purchase the present site, being lots sonth of his dwelling, for $1800. The Deer Hill property, excepting tlie burying-ground, was sold for $2500. The present building was erected at an expense of $6836. The subscriptions and property of the church amounted to $4505, leaving at the completion of the building a debt of $2351. The building committee were Thomas Ambler, William Montgomery, Levi S. Benediet, Charles Hull, Samuel G. Raymond, and Joseph L. Ambler.

The new edifice was dedicated Jan. 5, 1848, with

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the following order of exercises: Reading of Scrip- tures, by the pastor, Rev. Rufus K. Bellamy ; Prayer, by Rev. Wmn. Reid; Sermon, by Rev. John Dowling, D.D. ; Concluding Prayer, by Rev. Wm. Dennison. In the following April Mr. Bellamy tendered his resignation and accepted a call from the Baptist Church at Chicopee, Mass., and has remained there since.

The retrospect from this point is in the highest de- gree encouraging. Times of trial and discouragement followed, but the period, taken as a whole, was one of steady and substantial progress. The Sabbath-school grew to a permanent and vigorous condition.

The Rev. Aaron Perkins accepted the call of the church while ministering at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and entered upon his duties in May, 1848. Many were added to the membership of the church during his connection with it. His resignation was accepted March 7, 1852.

The Mill Plain Baptist Church was constituted during Mr. Perkins' pastorate. A meeting was held in the Danbury church, Sept. 11, 1851, to consider the matter, and it was voted expedient for the brethren residing in Mill Plain and vicinity to call a council for the purpose of organizing a church at that place. At a subsequent meeting nineteen persons were granted letters to form the new interest, which was duly recognized, under the name of the "Baptist Church of Mill Plain," by a council which convened Sept. 24, 1851.

Deacon Thomas Wildman died during Mr. Perkins' pastorate. His death occurred Feb. 28, 1852. Nathan Seeley and Eli Barnum were elected deacons Aug. 4, 1849.

The Rev. W. S. Clapp next received the suffrages of the church in a unanimous call to the pastorate, extended April 11, 1852, and which was accepted on the 16th, he then being ministering to the Mount Olivet Baptist Church, New York City. He occupied, during the more than five years which he stayed in Danbury, a place in the affections of the church and community which it is the lot of but few pastors to obtain. A great revival occurred during his minis- tration, and Mr. Clapp gave the right hand of fellow- ship to the largest number ever received at one time since the church was organized. He resigned Aug. 9, 1857.

The next successor to the pastoral office was the Rev. Henry K. Green, who was called Oct. 3, 1857, and soon afterwards commenced his ministry. He resigned in February, 1850.

G. M. Hoyt was elected deacon Feb. 6, 1850. · March 4, 1860, Henry Crofut and L. S. Benedict were elected deacons. The latter, however, never served the church in that capacity.

From the time Mr. Green resigned until August the church was without a settled pastor. During the interval Mrs. Anna Moore died, her death occurring in May, 1859. She was baptized at Suffield, in this

State. For many years she was the only one in the village of Danbury professing this faith. Both the churches in the town-one at King Street and the other at Miry Brook-were remote from her. She frequently walked to King Street church on Sunday. She died highly esteemed.

After Mr. Green's resignation the church was sup- plied for several weeks by Rev. O. W. Briggs, who afterwards declined a call to the pastorate. Rev. M. S. Riddell also received and declined a similar invi- tation. In the autumn of 1859, Rev. Geo. M. Stone, then at Madison University, spent four months with the church as a supply. At the expiration of that time he received a unanimous call to assume the duties of the pastorate. It was declined at the time, but in 1860 a renewed invitation was accepted. He entered upon his duties in August, and was ordained on the 19th of September, Rev. Mr. Turnbull, of Hartford, preaching the sermon. He married Miss Abbie B., daughter of Nathan Seeley, in April, 1861. His pastorate embraced a period of unusual interest, including the four years of conflict for the restoration of the Union. The record of the church during this period was one of honor. Elliott Taylor, Charles Os- born, and Col. Henry Stone died in the service of their country while members of the church. Others served honorably and returned. A daily morning prayer-meeting was held for months during the dark- est period of the struggle, in the Conference-room of the church. The summer of 1862 was spent by the pastor in Europe. June, 1862, Jabez Amsbury and John Green were elected deacons. The seven years embraced by his pastorate were signalized by displays of divine grace.

In the summer of 1860 extensive repairs and changes were made in the church edifice. The building was lengthened, the side galleries were taken away, and the interior walls frescoed. In July, 1866, through

: the efforts of a few of the brethren, a beautiful organ was given to the church. The Sabbath-school was sustained with an interest and enthusiasm which in- creased every year.

The removals by death during Mr. Stone's pastorate included many of the most worthy and efficient mem- bers of the church. From August, 1860, to August, 1866, the number of deaths was thirty-six. Deacon Ambler died April 16, 1867. His wife survived him but a few days.

In August, 1866, Mr. Stone was attacked with bleed- ing of the lungs. He partially resumed his duties after a little rest, but was compelled in the following spring to request a respite for the summer.

While spending the summer in Minnesota he be- came convinced of the desirableness of spending some time in that climate, and in July, 1867, tendered his final resignation, which was reluctantly accepted .. Mr. Stone gained the love of the entire community. His removal to the West was attended with beneficial results to his health. He was settled for two years at

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Winona, Minn., three years at Milwaukce, Wis., and seven years at Tarrytown, N. Y. He is now pastor of the Asylum Avenue Church, Hartford. For a period of fifteen months following his resignation the church was without a pastor.

Minor R. Deming became a member in March, 1861, and afterwards became pastor of the Baptist Church in Marlboro', Mass. June 16, 1868, Victor W. Benedict was licensed by the church to preach, and has since preached for the King Street and Mill Plain churches, and is now pastor of the church at Croton Falls, N. Y.

At a covenant-meeting held Oct. 1, 1868, it was unanimously voted to extend a call to Rev. A. C. Hubbard, then pastor of the First Baptist Church of Cincinnati, Ohio. The invitation was accepted, and he entered upon his labors Nov. 15, 1868.

The pastorate of Rev. A. C. Hubbard has been one of great success. From the time he took charge of the church up to the present the membership has steadily increased, the financial affairs have been managed with ability, and all things have, in the main, been prosperous. Mr. Hubbard is a born min- ister. He has the talent for conducting the work ; he has ability, learning, and, above all, that quality which attracts and attaches to him all with whom he comes in contact. He is popular outside of his own church, and all people honor him for his upright car- riage, his integrity, and his straightforwardness.

The tenth anniversary of his pastorate was cele- brated on the 17th of November, 1878. In his sermon that morning he gave a few statistics which will serve for closing the history of the church. The additions to the church during the ten years were 272, of which 179 were by baptism. These numbers may now be given, up to to-day, as about 300 and 200 respectively. There have been dismissed by letter in that ten years at least one-third more than were received by that agency. The smallest number upon the roll in the past eleven and a half years was 398; the largest, 466. The present number is 460.

Of the financial condition of the church Mr. Hub- bard spoke in his sermon on the above occasion as follows : When he assumed the pastorate there was a debt upon the church of $4000. This was after- wards increased by over $1000 more. This has been cleared off by the most earnest effort. He estimated that at least $5000 more had been raised and ex- pended on improvements. The average annual cur- rent expenses in the ten years was $2768; the debt and improvements, $10,000; benevolent operations, in- cluding those of the Sunday-school, $5700, making a grand total of $43,390.

The Sunday-school of the church has been equally prosperous. The present superintendent, Mr. J. Ams- bury, with his able co-workers, have the proud satis- faction of knowing that no school in the village has had a more prosperous time. The records of the school up to 1871 are missing. Since that time they

have been faithfully kept, and they show the largest attendance at one time to have been 327, in 1879; the largest average attendance was, in 1880, 287. The number of scholars on the roll is 475. The collec- tions in the school have aggregated nearly $3300. The library of the school now numbers six hundred volumes. This has grown from a few books pur- chased for $6.35, which moncy was raised by Rev. E. C. Ambler, who started the first Sunday-school of the church in 1817.

MILL PLAIN BAPTIST CHURCH.

The Baptist Church at Mill Plain was constituted during Mr. Perkins' pastorate. Members living in that vicinity had long desired a church at Mill Plain. A meeting was held in the church at Danbury, Sept. 11, 1851, with special reference to the subject. It was then voted expedient for the brethren residing in Mill Plain and vicinity to call a council for the purpose of organizing a church at that place. At a subsequent church-meeting nineteen persons were granted letters to form the new interest, which was duly recognized, under the name of the "Baptist Church of Mill Plain," by a council which convened Sept. 24, 1851.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

In the month of June, 1789, the Rev. Jesse Lee, known as the pioneer of Methodism in New England, visited Danbury. His sojourn was but for a day. He improved his time, however, by preaching two sermons in the court-house. Only a few were willing to hear him, and most of them out of curiosity. He was probably the first Methodist to set foot in Dan- bury. Subsequently other Methodist itinerants occa- sionally found their way to the village, usually preach- ing a sermon in the court-house and then passing on to other fields.

It was not an casy matter for them to find enter- tainment in Danbury. Dr. Jabez Starr is supposed to have been the first who would allow a Methodist preacher to sit at his table or sleep in his house. Some of the surrounding towns were more willing to open their homes to these men of "strange doctrine," and thither they were obliged to go for food and shelter.

Some time in the year 1808 a society was formed in the centre of the town. Hitherto there had been a "class" in the southwest part of the town, now known as Starr's Plain. This society was organized under the pastoral charge of Rev. Noble W. Thomas and Rev. Jonathan Lyon, whose large cireuit em- braced this region of country.

During the following year, under the earnest labors of Levi Bronson, a local preacher and elass-leader, together with the preachers of the circuit, the little society succeeded in building a small and plain house of worship. The deed of this property loeates the church on land bounded as follows: "Northerly by Joseph Robertson and Daniel Scofield, including the

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lane running from the highway to the meeting-house ; easterly by William Tweedy and Justice Barnum; southerly by said Tweedy ; and westerly by Joseph P. Cook, Jr." The "highway" spoken of is now called Franklin Street, and the "lane" is the road leading to the Tweedy factories on Rose Street. Among the trustees of the society were Jabez Starr, Peter Hack, Charles Boughton, Levi Bronson, and Caleb Benedict.

For nearly thirty years the little church on the hill was the centre of Methodism. Some are still living who speak with enthusiasm of the good times enjoyed in the humble house of the days gone by. Those were certainly noble men and women who stood as the representatives of Methodism when she was de- spiscd by the masses.

Among those who bore the burden and heat of the day may be mentioned Revs. Rory Starr and John Nickerson, local preachers connected with the church from its early history. By their upright living in the community, by prudence and zeal in the church, they gave character to the denomination they represented.

Many are the pastors who came and went during that period of Danbury Methodism ; but the rule of the denomination demanding a change every two years made it impossible for any of them to become identified with the general interests of the town. Their names linger in many households as precious memories.

In the year 1835 a new site was purchased on Lib- erty Street, and soon the church now owned by the Disciples was erected thereon.

At the Conference of 1836 Danbury Methodism ceased to form a circuit and became a station. Hith- erto her ministers had given only a part of their ser- vice here, but the Rev. Jacob Shaw was appointed to Danbury with the intent that he should live here and work, and he did this with great success. At the be- ginning of his pastorate the whole membership num- bered one hundred and fifty-eight. At the close of his first year he reported over three hundred.

The revival of 1837, just referred to, was probably the most effective and abiding ever experienced by the society. The current of religious thought and feeling ran deeply; men and women were strangely awakened, and were brought out into a positive re- ligious life. Much of the fruit abides to this day, and many more have gone up higher.

At this time the officers of the church were as fol- lows: Local preachers, John Nickerson and Rory Starr; exhorters, Alvin Hurd, Stephen H. Barnum, John Comes ; leaders, George Andrews, William Hill, George Starr; stewards, Wm. T. Scofield, Jonathan Couch, Underhill Nelson, Joel Sanford. Among the trustees were John Nickerson, Rory Starr, Jesse Cro- fut, Philo Wildman, Underhill Nelson, and Thomas Stocker.

Rory Starr departed from the church militant to the church triumphant on Thursday morning, Feb. 27, 1845. John Nickerson ceased his labors on earth and

entered into rest on the 20th of March, 1848. As was fitting, the records of the church make special men- tion of these two worthies: "Being dead they yet speak."

The pastors who served the society during its stay in Liberty Street were Rev. Jacob Shaw, two years; Rev. H. Wing, who after a few months sickened and was obliged to resign; Rev. J. Crawford, who sup- plied the pulpit the remainder of the Conference year ; 1840-42, Rev. Sylvester H. Clark ; 1842-43, Rev. James Floy ; 1841-45, Rev. Fitch Reed; 1846-47, Rev. John Crawford; 1848-49, Rev. Robert Jessup; 1850-51, Rev. John B. Merwin; 1852-53, Rev. W. C. Hoyt.

During the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Hoyt the building now occupied by the society was erected, and the old building sold to the Disciples.

At a meeting of the trustees of the Methodist Epis- copal church held Wednesday, April 27, 1853, to act upon proposals for building the new Methodist Epis- copal church of Danbury station, there were preseut Sturges Selleck, Samuel Stebbins, William T. Scofield, Allen McDonald, William W. Stevens, George Hull, Thomas S. Barnum, and James W. Nichols, Joel B. Sanford being absent.

On motion of W. T. Scofield, it was votcd that the board accept the proposals of Barnum & Starr for erect- ing the new church, seventy-four by fifty feet, for nine thousand three hundred dollars, provided the money can be raised to meet the several payments as they become due in said proposals. It was further voted that Samuel Stebbins and George Hull be a building committee, with power to make the contracts with Barnum & Starr, to superintend the erectiou of said church, and to do any other business to be done by the trustees iu relation thereto. It was also voted that Sturges Selleck and Rev. W. C. Hoyt be a committee to circulate the subscription-paper drawn up this day for five thousand dollars. At a subsequent meeting the size of the church was enlarged to seventy-eight by fifty-six feet.

At the opening of the new church the society num- bered about three hundred, including probationers. The Sunday-school was in a prosperous condition, un- der the superintendence of George Starr, consisting of nearly forty officers and teachers and one hundred and fifty scholars.

The pastor, Rev. W. C. Hoyt, in his report to the Quarterly Conference, says, "The numbers gradually increase. The Bible-classes are interesting. The in- fant class is well sustained. The teachers are gener- ally in their places, and labor faithfully for the good of their scholars. The friends of the school have much to encourage them."

In the spring of 1855 the New York East Confer- ence of the Methodist Episcopal Church, consisting of nearly two hundred ministers, held its annual ses- sion in Danbury. The changed feelings of the people towards the preachers of the denomination was beau-

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tifully illustrated by the cheerfulness with which the homes and churches were opened for their entertain- ment and service. The Conference passed resolutions highly complimentary to the town and the hospitality of its citizens. "What hath God wrought" in behalf of Methodism !

Since the erection of the new building now occu- pied the following pastors have officiated in the order named: Rev. E. E. Griswold, recently deceascd ; Rev. George W. Woodruff, a man sui generis and successful in his pastorate; Rev. John Miley, now professor in the Drew Theological Seminary; Rev. John Pegg, Jr .; Rev. John Crawford, whose home is with us still ; Rev. W. T. Hill, now presiding elder of the New Haven District, who under the extended pastoral term remained three years; Rev. Thomas H. Burch; Rev. W. F. Hatfield, who was removed in the spring of 1873 to White Plains, N. Y. Rev. J. L. Peck suc- ceeded Mr. Hatfield, and remained three years. Rev. P. Pilsbury followed Mr. Peck, and remained one year. The present pastor is the Rev. Spencer H. Bray.

At the last report, rendered in April of this year, the membership numbered six hundred and fifty full members and eighty-five probationers, making a total of seven hundred and thirty-five.

The church was enlarged and improved during the year 1876, and now has very pleasant Sunday-school rooms and a fine auditorium.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

On Sunday, July 9, 1876, Rev. J. J. Hough, then pastor of this church, preached a historical sermon, from which the following is taken :

. "The history of this church stretches back over a period of a hundred and eighty ycars. For more than three-quarters of a century had the First Church of Danbury been in existence at the time of the American Revolution. Two generations had re- ceived instruction and guidance from its pastors, while as yet there was no thought among the colo- nists of a separate nationality. Could the founders of the church now return, they would find no trace of the work of their hands. Not a familiar house, or even a forest-tree, would greet them. The landscape they might recognize, for the everlasting hills, the valleys, and the streams are unchanged, but every- thing else would be to them new and surprising. The luxurious homes, the busy factories, the stores, the railroads and telegraphs, the schools, the present tem- ples of worship, the altogether new and changed life of their descendants, the different styles of clothing worn, would all be to them subjects of wonder and surprise.

"In the year 1696-the year of the formation of this church-Danbury had been organized as a town but three years, although its earliest settlement was in 1684, when it was known by the Indian name of Pahquioque, or, as I find it in the old colonial records, Paquiage.

"From the records of a General Court held at Hartford, May 14, 1696, I take the following extract : 'Upon the petition of the towne of Danbury this court granted them liberty to embody themselves into church estate in an orderly way, with the consent of neighbour churches.' Previous to this act of th : court a meeting-house had been built, probably on the theory that the logical order was the procurement of a cage before catching a bird. The site of the first meeting-house was on 'the Town street' (now Main Street), a little north of where the court-house now stands. Its dimensions were about those of an ordi- nary farm barn,-thirty by forty feet. It is recorded that 'every person belonging to the town was present at the raising and sat on the sills at once.' It is sup- posed that Mr. Seth Shove was ordained pastor at the time the church was organized, in 1696. The court grant quoted above is the only record in existence re- specting the origin of the church, not even the num- ber of the original members nor their names being known. 'Robbins' Century Scrmon,' preached in 1801, characterizes the first pastor, Mr. Shove, as a ' very pious and worthy man, who was very successful in his exertions for the promotion of peace, virtue, and religion.'

"By a council of the colony authorities assembled at Hartford, Feb. 6, 1707, a time when the French were trying to excite the Indians to hostility against the English, it was ' Resolved, That for the preserva- tion of the frontier towns of Symsbury, Waterbury, Woodbury, and Danbury, order be sent to the inhabi- tants of those towns to provide with all possible speed a sufficient number of well-fortificd houses for the saftie of themselves and families in their respective towns.' In obedience to this order the town put in posture of defense the house of Rev. Mr. Shove, which stood on an eminence near the church, and the house of Mr. Samuel Benedict, at the lower end of the street. The colonial records show that the sum of 'five pounds in country pay' was granted the town of Danbury the following year 'in consideration of the charge of said town in fortifying.' In connection with the defenses provided, obedience to the following order by the council, of the same date, may have contributed to the 'safetie' of the people : ' Resolved, That these towns do every of them main- tain a good scout out every day of two faithful and trusty men to observe the motions of the enemy.'

" Mr. Shove's pastorate was terminated by his death, Oct. 3, 1735. The inscription upon his tombstone is : 'Here lyes buried ye body of Rev. Mr. Sethi Shove, ye pious and faithful pastor of ye church in Danbury 39 years, who died Oct. 3d, Anno Domini, 1735, ætatis suæ 68.'

" The church records were consumed when the town was burned by the British in 1777, consequently there are no writings to acquaint us with this early period in the history of the church ; but we may infer an in- erease of population and the growth of the church

: d

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under Mr. Shove's ministry from the fact that the first meeting-house gave place to a larger structure in 1719. Its dimensions were thirty-five by fifty feet. It occupied the same site as the building it replaced. The continued growth of the town and of the church is further indicated by the enlargement of this new meeting-house in 1745, during the ministry of Mr. White, fifteen feet being added to the front, making its dimensions thirty-five by sixty-five feet.

"March 10, 1736, five and one-half months after Mr. Shove's death, Mr. Ebenezer White was ordained pastor. In Robbins' sermon this commendatory state- ment appears: 'Universal harmony prevailed between the people and their minister for twenty-five years. The people of the town were considered by all the neighboring towns as eminent for morality and reli- gion, for regularity of conduct and constant atten- tions on the institutions of charity.'

"During the pastorate of Mr. White, the Fairfield East Association, in session in Danbury, July, 1745, licensed as a preacher of the gospel David Brainard, who was then under censure of Yale College, having been expelled for saying of Tutor Whittlescy, 'that he had no more of the grace of God in him than that chair.' (As Tutor Whittlesey was afterwards pastor of the Centre Church, New Haven, it is to be hoped that Brainard was mistaken in his harsh utterance.) The Association justified itself for its action in a lengthy document; but if this were nceded, a better vindication was the very useful work done by Brain- ard in his ministry. In a short career of five and one-half years he gained renown as a missionary apostle to the Indians. He died in 1747 at North- ampton, in the family of President Edwards, by whom shortly afterwards his biography was written.

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History of Fairfield County, Connecticut : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 54

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