USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartland > History of Hartland, the 69th town in the Colony of Connecticut > Part 6
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November 10, 1835-"We the subscribers in behalf of the Second Ecclesiastical Society in Hartland acknowledge with gratitude the benevolence of Mr. Stephen Goodyear for presenting a Bell to the Society. May He receive the richest of Heavens blessings as an ample reward for his liberality. Sign.
In August of 1955, this same note was discovered among other papers at an auction in Unionville, Connecticut, and subsequently came into the possession of the writer who presented it to the Second Society on November 10, 1955, one hundred and twenty years to the day from the time when it was sent to Mr. Goodyear. It is now framed and hangs in the present Church building.)
The Society now had a Meeting House with a steeple and a Bell that they must have been extremely proud of for on February 6, 1837, they voted-"To ring the Bell at 12 noon and 9 P.M. till the 20th of March then at 12 noon to September 20th then at 9 P.M. till end of year." This must have meant every day of the week and the 9 P.M. ringing was no doubt some sort of a "curfew" of the time. At funerals the bell tolled to mark the number of years comprising the age of the departed. When the wind was in the right direction, its mellow peal could be heard both day and night-serving notice to the Methodists and those of other faiths that, so far as the Congregationalists were concerned, "God was in His Heaven and all was right with the world." But, in spite of all these accomplishments, the spirit of discontent began to rear its ugly head among the membership. There were some who voiced the opinion that it had been a mistake to build the steeple and install the bell on the old building. The original part of the old building must have been badly in need of repair to force the decision they made at this time.
Although they were much in arrears on their pastor's (Rev. Luke Wood) salary, nevertheless, on March 6, 1843, it was voted: "Society give up their Meeting House provided another can be erected in its place." A committee consisting of T. D. Bosworth, E. A. Gilman, N. W. Gaylord and T. E. Williams was appointed to bring in a model and an estimate of the probable expense. The committee subsequently reported at an adjourned meeting and recommended building a new Meeting House patterned after the one which had just been completed in Tol- land, Massachusetts, and estimated the expense to be $800. Over one year later, on April 12, 1844, the Society voted-"Society proceed to build a new Meeting House provided they can raise Eight Hundred Dollars for the purpose within the limits of said Society with instruc- tions to Committee not to pay over One Thousand." The building com- mittee appointed at that time consisted of Timothy E. Williams, Elias E. Gilman, N. W. Gaylord, Nathaniel Bosworth, Benson Coe and T. D. Bosworth. Work began immediately on tearing down the old building and the present Church building was erected on the old foundation. Work must have progressed rapidly for the new building was ready for dedication in June of 1845.
51
The Churches
On June 12, 1845, there was great celebration and dedication cere- mony with the Rev. Timothy M. Cooley of Granville, Massachusetts, preaching the dedication sermon. His text was from Psalms 111:25: "O Lord, we beseech Thee, send now prosperity." That the prayer was answered is attested by the fact that the ensuing years seem to have been some of the most prosperous that the Society ever enjoyed.
Rev. Luke Wood had been paid off and dismissed in May, 1842. It had been necessary for the Society to borrow money from one of their members to settle Mr. Wood's account and again they were without a settled pastor. However, in May, 1843, Rev. Aaron Gates was called and supplied the pulpit until April, 1846. The Rev. Gates also preached in East Hartland during this same time, but lived in West Hartland in the Brick house just north of the new Church. In 1844, he was appointed to take the official census for the Town and the population of West Hartland was given as 519. The 1850 census lists the entire population of Hartland as 1,060 indicating that East and West were about equally divided as to inhabitants.
Now that their new building had been completed and Providence had been kind enough to leave them a legacy in the form of $400. by the will and continued generosity of their old friend and ardent sup- porter, Mr. Stephen Goodyear, the membership renewed their interest and attendance, so that singing was revived and music became a more integral part of the Sunday Service. Instrumental music was introduced and there is now in possession of the Winchester Historical Society a violoncello originally belonging to Dwight L. Williams and the tag appended to it states that it was used by the owner for playing in the Second Church of Hartland for many years.
After the departure of the Rev. Aaron Gates, in 1846, the Rev. Pearl S. Cossitt served for one year from June, 1847 to November 1848. Then a call was given to the Rev. Charles G. Goddard who settled with them and remained their pastor from June 1850 to February, 1854, serving again after an interim of one year, during which the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. Henry A. Austin, Rev. Goddard resuming in June, 1856 and continuing until his death in August of 1872. The years of Rev. Goddard's pastorate were routine but fairly prosperous and he was a man beloved by his congregation. In 1879, the records report that the "Society received more money for the sale of slips than in any previous year." In 1880, the Society purchased from Nathaniel Gaylord, Jr., the house formerly occupied by Dr. Bosworth, and converted it into a Parish House suitable for social activities. It is apparent that up to this time no place had been available for community gatherings and it must have added a great deal to the life of the village. (The house was con- verted into a Hall and was used later by the Grange, eventually being sold to Stuart Clark of New Jersey who uses it as a summer home at the present time.) Upon the death of Rev. Goddard, his congregation decided that he should be buried in the exact center of the cemetery in back of the Church and this was carried out accordingly. The senti- ment expressed at the time indicates that it was to be a symbol that as Shepherd of his living flock, he was continually in their center, so in
52
History of Hartland
death should he be in their center also. A monument was erected over his grave to commemorate the devotion of his parishioners.
After the purchase of the Hall, the Ladies Aid became very active; and were, no doubt, a welcome addition to the Society, especially in helping raise money for various purposes. Before this time they had taken very little part in any of the Society's activities.
The Rev. Rodney L. Tabor served them as pastor from July, 1872 to September, 1874 and was followed by Gilbert A. Curtiss, a licentiate, from the Hartford Seminary, from May, 1875 to April, 1876. Then on November, 1876, a call was given to the Rev. Rolla G. Bugbee, who accepted, was ordained and served them until November, 1880. He was followed by Rev. Frederic A. Balcolm in January of 1882, leaving in 1884. These were more or less uneventful years and there are no out- standing reports of great interest. It is apparent that, on the whole, the congregation was satisfied with its ministers, and life kept on in "the even tenor of its way."
In June, 1884, the Rev. Hiram N. Gates was called and settled. It was during his pastorate that the Church building, now in use for over forty years, was discovered to be sadly in need of repair and renovation. The Ladies Aid apparently began agitation for something to be done about it. At the annual meeting held April 30, 1883, it was voted "That the Society's Committee act with the Ladies Aid Society's Committee in repair of the church." The records do not disclose the names of members comprising either committee, but under date of April 28, 1884, the following report was submitted and as it tells the whole story, we are quoting it verbatim:
"The Following Report of the Secretary of Committee on repairs to the Ecclesiastical Society, Made April 28, 1884."
"The committee on repairs appointed at your last an- nual meeting has requested me to make the following re- port to the Ecclesiastical Society at its meeting today.
"The first meeting of the committee was held in this place (2nd Congregational Church) on the evening of August 28, 1883. At that meeting the subject of repairs was discussed at some length. What had better be done-the probable cost-and the means at our command with which to meet the probable expense. In conclusion the commit- tee at this meeting appointed a sub-committee consisting of Messrs. Gaylord, Griswold and Gates, to make investi- gation with a view to ascertaining the probable cost of the carpenter work-the renovating of the walls, and the painting of the house, both outside and in. Our resources at that time were only about $230. cash in bank and the hope that something might be added to this from donations to be solicited from friends of the church who are residing in other parts of the country. The sub-committee made the inquiries directed and obtained an estimate from E. B. Parsons of Winsted on the carpenter work amounting to $230. more or less-on the painting from H. H. Griswold an offer to do it for $125., and at a meeting of the commit- tee held October 10, 1883, reported the same. In the mean- time, the committee had received $50. from Mr. Oatman
53
The Churches
of Hartford and the assurance from Mr. Moore that we would have no difficulty in raising what funds we might need with which to repair our house. In view of these facts, the committee felt that it would be safe to venture on the estimates and consequently ordered the sub-committee to employ Mr. Parsons to do the wood work and by vote engaged Mr. Griswold to do the painting-consequently the sub-committee engaged Mr. Parsons, and Griswold commenced the work on the shutters and walls.
"About the first of November Mr. Lent Merriman vis- ited the place and proposed a modification of our plans. That instead of painting or calcimining the walls and ceil- ings of our house-we paper them. And proposing to fur- nish the material for $80.89 and send a workman to put it on at $3.50 per day and board. This proposition was re- garded with so much favor by some of our members that a meeting was called November 2nd at the hall to con- sider it. At the full meeting of the committee the matter was thoroughly discussed and the probable total cost esti- mated at about $180. Although exceeding our original estimates considerably, yet as Mr. Merriman offered to bear $25. of the expense himself and two of our own mem- bers offered $50. toward it and in view of the desirable- ness of the work over anything that had been proposed, the committee decided to accept Mr. Merrimans proposi- tion, which was afterwards reduced by Mr. Griswold de- ducting $25. from his bill on the painting.
"The papering was done according to contract and speaks for itself and cost $165.15. The carpenter work was done but the cost of it so far exceeded the estimate given beforehand, that we were astonished and alarmed. In- stead of its coming at about $230., we found that the total cost of the labor, material and board of the men doing the work to be $444.52-nearly twice the estimate. Mr. Gris- wold's bill for painting, extra labor, etc. was $143.50. Sun- dry small bills for hardware, mason work, lumber and team work amounted to $45.28, making a total cost of work on the house $798.44.
"Of these bills we have paid $532.15 the means to do which, have been obtained as follows:
"From the Ladies Aid Society
$ 265.73
"From Alvah Oatman
$ 50.00
Judge Wilder
50.00
11
Rev. W. H. Moore
25.00
11 Charles Goddard
10.00
.
Caleb Camp
5.00
11
George Gilman
2.00
11
Lester Gilman
10.00
152.00
11
Mrs. Darwin Griffin
60.00
11
Deacon Wilcox
11.00
11
Discount on bills
6.45
77.45
11
Sunday School Collections
9.10
11
Discount L. Merriman
25.00
11
Overpaid by N. W. Gaylord
2.87
$ 532.15
"Leaving a balance of $266.29. to meet which we have the pledge of Mr. Dwight Williams and sisters for $50.00 toward the expense of papering, and a reliable subscription of $140., leaving a balance as yet unprovided for of $76.29.
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History of Hartland
"This report would not be complete or satisfactory to myself or to this Society did I omit to mention the efforts and efficiency of the Ladies Aid Society. Their labor and assistance in the work certainly deserves the highest com- mendation. In the first place they gave all the fund they had on hand and collected for us $62.98 in all $292.73. They then set about to cushion the house and succeeded so much beyond their expectation that they enlarged their plan so as to take in the carpeting of the house. This they have done as you can see for yourselves. The expense of this work of the Ladies has been-For the cushions $102.40- Carpets $62.22 Totaling $164.62. To meet which they raised a subscription of $137.50 nearly all of which has been col- lected and paid over, leaving a balance against them of about $20.12. Thus we see that the ladies have assisted in this work to the extent of $457.35.
"One item more and I close. Mr. Merriman writes us that he has already collected a considerable sum and pro- poses to collect enough more to secure for us a chandelier to ornament and light this house when needed. He has said that he hopes to get for us an $80.00 Chandelier for which he will pay only $60.00. When this shall come and be put into its place, the house and its furnishings will be about complete.
"If some good friend would give us a pulpit bible and a new and modern communion set, it would be complete. But to sum up the whole expenditure we have- Repairs on house $ 798.44
Furnishing above 165.62
Chandelier 80.00
$1,044.06
"On which we owe over and above our assets and in- cluding the Ladies liabilities $96.41.
"All of which is respectfully submitted."
H. N. Gates
Secretary Committee on Repairs
There can be no doubt that the finished job was beautiful, in their eyes, at least. Some of this wallpaper is still on the wall of the old gallery leading to the Bell Tower and is turquoise blue in color with wide borders of dark gray and gilt. One can still visualize the effect it must have produced on the congregation in conjunction with the thought that their "house" was now in good order. Heat was provided by two wood-burning stoves placed in the rear of the auditorium- their long stovepipes extending the entire length of the building and entering the corbeled chimney at the west end of the church. These were suspended from the ceiling with wires placed at frequent intervals. This method of heating continued for the succeeding 69 years.
The chandelier arrived and was installed complete with oil lamps, being the same one now in use, but, of course, wired for electricity. Apparently no one came forward to present them with a new pulpit bible for the one now (1960) in use is the one presented to them in 1848, and contains the following inscription on the fly-leaf:
55
The Churches
"This Bible was presented to this Church & Society By Mrs. Lowly Merrills wife of Deacon L. Merrills with a heartfelt wish that both the giver & those to whom the gift is made may be abundantly enriched of its divine truths, in the present life, and afterward received to glory." P. S. C .* Hartland, January 20. 1848 *The initials P.S.C. are those of Rev. Pearl S. Cossitt who was Pastor at that time and in whose handwriting the in- scription is made
Rev. Hiram N. Gates resigned as pastor in May, 1886, and again they were compelled to depend on finding someone to preach on a month-to-month basis. Money was again hard to raise and they made their first request to the "Home Missionary Society" for $225. to carry on the work for the ensuing year.
In 1887, evidently in recognition of their good work in raising money to help repair the church building, Ladies were given an active part in the affairs of the Society for the first time. Miss Enuna Gaylord was chosen Clerk and Mrs. H. H. Griswold and Mrs. Anna N. Goddard added to the Committee. It was the beginning of a new era for the Second Society. From that time until the present day-women have been in the majority-men in the minority-in connection with all phases of the religious, social and business activities of the Second Church and Society.
The year 1887 was eventful in a number of ways. It was at this time that an agreement was made with Riverton to share the same pastor on the following basis: "On the 31st of May, 1887, the Committee of the Church in conference with that of Riverton, after hearing several can- didates, settled early in July to engage Rev. F. J. Nute, then of New Marlboro, Mass., to occupy the respective pulpits of the two churches for one year beginning with the first of July. The salary to be paid amounting to One Thousand dollars counting the parsonage-situated in Riverton-as one hundred. Riverton to pay three-fifths and West Hartland two-fifths. Mr. Nute to give us one service on the Sabbath at 11 A.M. and Riverton two, afternoon and evening." This same arrange- ment, with minor changes, is still in effect in 1960, having continued for 73 years to the mutual benefit of both Parishes so far as finances are concerned. The loss in spiritual leadership, however, in no longer having a resident minister as a constant "Shepherd of the Flock" was one of great consequence-and one from which the Second Society has never fully recovered.
It was also in 1888, apparently during the pastorate of the Rev. F. J. Nute, that the Church issued a printed "Manual of the Congrega- tional Church of West Hartland." This manual contains a new "Con- fession of Faith" and "Covenant" differing substantially in content from the originals subscribed to on May 4, 1780. It appears that the changes were made to bring their spiritual activities up to date and in harmony with the changing times.
The manual also states that from the original membership of 21 males and 23 females-a total of 44 at the beginning-478 new members
56
History of Hartland
had been admitted during the 108 years of the Second Society's exist- ence.
The active members in 1888 totaled 67, listed as follows:
Beman, Mrs. Annie M.
Griswold, Mrs. Clarissa S.
Brown, Alvin D.
Griswold, Herbert H.
Brown, Mrs. Belle J.
Griswold, Mrs. Annie P.
Bushnell, Mrs. Rose Ann
Griswold, Clara L.
Carrier, Dudley H.
Griswold, William H.
Carrier, Mrs. Henrietta
Carrier, Mrs. Joanna
Hitchcock, Albert W.
Coe, Harlow W.
Coe, Mrs. Marinda
Coe, Trueman B.
Coe, Ward E.
Miller, Jonathan A.
Coe, Florence E.
Deffner, Earnest
Newton, Flavel C.
Fitch, Carrie E.
Newton, Albert A.
Gates, Mrs. Sarah
Newton, Mrs. Clara I.
Gates, Hiram N.
Nickerson, Uriah N.
Gates, Mrs. Mary C.
Nickerson, Mrs. Mary L.
Gaylord, Emma H.
Pierce, James E.
Gaylord, Laura B.
Pierce, Mrs. Hensea
Gibbs, Mrs. Ellen J.
Parsons, Mrs. Jane A.
Gillette, Mrs. Belle S.
Goddard, Mrs. Anna N.
Spencer, Lucy A.
Terry, Mrs. Caroline A.
Terry, Frederic C.
Williams, Mrs. Octavia P.
Gray, Fannie
Williams, W. Howard
Green, Mrs. Emily
Griffin, Mary A.
Wilcox, Harvey L.
Wilcox, Mrs. Helen C.
Wilcox, Julia E.
In addition, the following were listed as "Absent Members" who had moved to other localities but had not withdrawn their membership from the Church body:
Ensign, Eleazer E.
Stillman, Mrs. Harriet
Ingraham, Mrs. Alford
Stillman, Albert A.
Osborne, Ambrose A. Stillman, Mark W.
Peck, Phineas E.
Kirkwood, Jennie
From this manual and report it is evident that the Church and Society were experiencing at this time one of the more prosperous and fruitful periods which occurred from time to time in their varied cir- cumstances covering the previous century. It was to be short-lived, how- ever, as such periods usually are in the history of any Church or Society.
Whether it was because of the fact that the Second Society no longer had a resident Pastor or that the Methodists were active in seek- ing converts is difficult to determine at this time, but the records show
Searles, Leon D. B.
Goddard, Alice M.
Goddard, Charles P.
Gorham, Cora E.
Williams, Mrs. Sara E.
Griffin, Frederic D.
Hitchcock, Mrs. Elizabeth A.
Hitchcock, Burritt C.
Keep, Warren A.
Miller, Mrs. Georgiana
Griswold, Helen L.
57
The Churches
that a marked decline in interest and church attendance hit the Second Society at this time and continued without interruption for the next 25 years. Dismissions to the Methodist and other churches fill the rec- ords and routine matters of little consequence were on the agendas of the Annual Meetings.
After the departure of the Rev. F. J. Nute in 1888, the ministers serving both Riverton and the Second Society in West Hartland were Rev. Frank P. Waters from November 1888 to March 1891; Rev. Clay D. Chunn from May 1891 to November 1892 and Rev. George E. Lincoln from November 1892 to November 1894. Their pastorates were of short duration and their retention or dismissal was entirely dependent upon the wishes of the Riverton Parish who controlled the situation with their three-fifths majority.
In May of 1895 Rev. George S. Richards became the Pastor of both Riverton and West Hartland churches. His ministry continued for six- teen years until he retired in November 1911. Rev. Richards, having no family, resided for the most part in West Hartland, boarding at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward A. Gaylord. He was a man of considerable erudition but possessed of so many eccentricities that he found little favor with his bucolic parishioners. His sermons, although scholarly discourses, were seldom appreciated by his less learned listeners and it was only a short time before their numbers began to dwindle until on some Sundays only one or two of the faithful could be found in the congregation.
It was during the late 1890s that the Methodists were engaged in dismantling and moving their old church from the four corners to a new location in West Hartland Center just a few rods North of the Sec- ond Church. Many of those formerly belonging to the Second Society affiliated with the Methodists and Congregationalisin in West Hartland reached an all-time low. During the sixteen years Rev. Richards served as Pastor, there was little accomplished in the way of increased religious activity and it was more a question of maintaining the "status quo" than of attempting to embark on programs designed to attract new members or increase the enthusiasm of the faithful few who struggled valiantly to keep the Second Church from closing its doors and discontinuing services altogether.
The horse and buggy were still the principal means of transporta- tion for those who lived long distances from the Church. Although horse- sheds had been maintained for many years directly South and North of the church building, the ones on the South were torn down and a small parcel of land across the road was purchased from John L. Hitch- cock and new sheds erected to shelter the teams of those attending Sun- day services. Apparently the anticipated need did not materialize and the sheds soon became a storage place for farm equipment owned by local residents. Although the sheds were built about 1898, by 1930 they had fallen into such a state of dilapidation that they were removed en- tirely and the land on which they stood was sold to the writer in 1940.
In the years between 1911 and 1923, attempts were made in both Riverton and West Hartland to revive the flagging spirits of religion as
58
History of Hartland
they applied to Congregationalism and there was some success in ob- taining new members and increased interest. Rev. Lydia Hartig became the first Woman Preacher to serve the Second Society and conducted services from December 1911 to December 1912. Rev. M. Dean Moffatt also served for over one year from January 1913 to December 1914. James H. Potter, (brother of Dr. Rockwell Harmon Potter or "Mr. Con- gregational" as he is more familiarly known) served as a licentiate while attending the Hartford Seminary, from October 1915 to August 1916.
Beginning in 1917, during the period of the First World War, both the Congregationalists and Methodists found themselves having in- creased difficulties in raising money enough to support preaching in both churches. Rev. P. Harry Dodd, a Methodist, was engaged as pastor for both churches in West Hartland, serving in that capacity from April, 1917 to April, 1922. Rev. Dodd did not preach in the Riverton Church but did supply the Methodist Church in Colebrook River, maintaining his residence in the Methodist Parsonage in West Hartland. This ar- rangement of sharing the same Pastor contributed in great measure to the Federation of both Congregational and Methodist Societies which immediately followed.
In 1922, Rev. Warren E. Wheeler, although retired from the min- istry, consented to supply the pulpit of the Congregational Church and, in spite of his advanced years, began at once to effect a workable Fed- eration of Methodist and Congregational Societies which was accom- plished in a few short months and was officially adopted in September of 1923. It was at this time that the members of both societies displayed a high degree of good common sense seldom encountered under similar situations.
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