History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 120

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532

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Traditions of Mr. Waterman's masterly horseman- ship are numerous, and he made a very fine appearance on horseback. He rode a sorrel mare, and went “like a streak," erect as a ramrod, wearing his three-cornered hat, and with his pipe in his mouth. He was a true and high type of the old colonial minister and gentle- man. His lot was cast here in the stormy political times of Jefferson and Adams, when the feeling be- tween Federalists and Republicans divided members of the same church. Mr. Waterman, in common with the clergy and most educated men in New England, feared that the triumph of the infidel Jefferson would prove the downfall of religion, and his strong expres- sion exasperated the Jeffersonists in his congregation and cansed trouble. One of them gave him ten dollars to allow him to publish one of his political sermons, thinking its strong tone woukd react on him; but the publisher would not take it, saying that it was so strong it could not be answered, and would hurt Jeffer- son. Some seceded from the congregation on account of this political preaching, which was then usual. An election sermon was preached at the time of the State elections, sometimes when town-meetings were held, and always on public fasts, when the clergy were al- lowed and expected to discuss public questions. When the news of the election of Adams as President and Jefferson as Vice-President reached Litchfield in 1796, Rev. Mr. Champion, an intense Federalist, in his Sunday morning prayer implored the blessing of the Holy Spirit on the President, and a double portion on the Vice-President, " for thou knowest, O Lord, that he needs it.""

The second meeting-house was built during Mr. Waterman's ministry, and was a source of trouble. The vote for a survey to find the middle of the town was passed March 3, 1783, during the last of Mr. Storrs' ministry, and it was found to be on Town Hill, where the stake for the meeting-house was stuck in front of Nathan Beach's house. Mr. Storrs' sickness and death interfered with building then, but when Mr. Water- man was settled the enterprise was renewed, though

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there was trouble about the site at first. Jan. 11, 1790, it was finally voted to build the meeting-house on a rock a little southeast from the house where Samuel Lewis then lived, at the head of the road leading from the old meeting-house eastward. The 23d of the next December it was voted to build a steeple, and the 22d of October, 1792, it was voted to dispose of the old house; on the 2d of the following December liberty was granted to erect horse-sheds. Dec. 7, 1806, a committee was appointed to confer with Mr. Waterman regarding his uneasiness, with satis- factory results, for no further trouble was had until March 16, 1807, when another committee saw him in reference to a communication of his to the society. Sept. 25, 1809, it was finally voted to dismiss Mr. Waterman, and he was dismissed by a Council on the 14th of November, he to retain the whole salary for that year, and the society to pay him seven hundred and fifty dollars in three annual installments.

Mr. Waterman died after a short illness, while on a visit to a bachelor son in New York, who had left home at the age of fifteen to serve a mercantile ap- prenticeship with Messrs. Cutler & Smith, in Water- town, and later in life did business in New Orleans and New York. Mr. Waterman's remains were brought to Plymouth, where his wife had died on the 10th of the previous March ; a son, Simon, having also died in Berlin on the 7th of the previous September.

The present pastor is Rev. E. B. Hillard.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, TERRYVILLE.

This church was organized Jan. 2, 1838, with the following members, who had previously been con- nected with the church at Plymouth : Philo Lewis, Warren Goodwin, Mrs. Elvira Goodwin, John C. Lewis, Mrs. Ann P. H. Lewis, Anna D. McKee, Ezekiel Montague, Mrs. Janett Montagne, William E. McKee, Mrs. Adaline A. McKee, Milo Blakes- ley, Mrs. Dorcas Blakesley, Daniel Beach, Mrs. Sally Beach, Thaddeus Beach, Frederick H. Kel- logg, Elam Fenn, Mrs. Lydia Fenn, Sherman Guern- sey, John A. Warner, Mrs. Semantha Warner, Silas B. Terry, Mrs. Maria W. Terry, Andrew Fenn, Mrs. Rhoda Fenn, James Hunter, Hannah Goodwin, Robert Johnson, Mrs. Wealthy Johnson, Linus Blakesley, Abram S. Hemingway, Mrs. Ora Kim- berly, Mrs. Polly Hemingway, Nathaniel Humiston, Phineas Hitchcock, Mrs. Patty Hitchcock, David Atkins, Mrs. Mary Fenn, Mrs. Keturah Fenn, Han- nah Cook, Eli Terry, Jr., Mrs. Samantha Terry, Ju- lins P. Bonney, Gaius F. Warner, Mrs. Harriet War- ner, Eli Curtiss, Mrs. Emeline Perkins, Mrs. Heph- zibah Cook.

Mr. Charles H. Porter, then a junior in Yale Col- lege, spent the month of January in the place, and by the blessing of God upon his labors Christians were greatly revived, and many persons were hope- fully converted. Two young ministers-viz., C. S. Sherman and David Dobie-followed up the labors of

Mr. Porter, and in the six months between the organ- ization of the church and the settlement of the first pastor thirty-nine persons were added to the mem- bership by profession of faith in Christ.

Aug. 8, 1838, was a great day with this people. In the forenoon the completed house of worship was dedicated, and in the afternoon three young men were ordained to the gospel ministry, one of whom, Na- thaniel Richardson, was installed (first) pastor of this church. The preacher upon this occasion was Rev. Dr. Noah Porter, of Farmington. The ministry of Mr. Richardson extended to July 2, 1840.

Rev. Merrill Richardson was the second pastor. He came to this field with the experience of a year's pre- paratory labor in Salisbury, Vt. He was installed Oct. 27, 1841, and was dismissed July 1, 1846. He was in- stalled pastor of this church a second time, May 16, 1849, and was dismissed Jan. 18, 1858. His entire term of service was thirteen and a half years,-a period nearly three times as long as that of any other pastor of this church. He died Dec. 12, 1876, being at that time pastor of the First Congregational Church of Milford, Mass., and, in accordance with his own de- sire, his body was brought here for burial.

During the time between the periods of Mr. Rich- ardson's labors, Rev. Judson A. Root was nominally pastor. He was settled Oct. 7, 1846, aud dismissed May 16, 1849; but ill health had incapacitated him for the performance of the duties of his office after April 30, 1847, at which time he resigned the pastoral charge. He continued to decline until his death. During a portion of the time in which Mr. Root was pastor, Rev. Samuel J. Andrews was employed as a supply. He acted in that capacity about six months.

After the last dismissal of Mr. Richardson, Edward A. Walker, a student from Yale Theological Semi- nary, supplied the pulpit. In connection with his labors an extensive revival began, which continued under the efforts of his successor. There had been an increase of solemnity in the parish before the depar- ture of Mr. Richardson, who was confident the church was on the eve of a revival. Mr. Walker was instru- mental in the great enlargement of the Sabbath- school, and in the resuscitation of the female prayer- meeting.

John Monteith, Jr., was ordained pastor Oct. 27, 1858. His ministry is a memorable era in the history of the church; a great accession of converts was re- ceived,-sixty-four in 1858, seven in 1859, four in 1860.

Following upon Mr. Monteith, who was dismissed July 31, 1860, the dismissal to take effect the first Sabbath in September, came another minister di- rectly from a theological seminary, A .. Hastings Ross, who supplied the pulpit for six months.

His successor was Rev. Edwin R. Dimock, whose labors covered a period of eighteen months.

After Mr. Dimock, Rev. H. H. McFarland sup- plied for six months, and was succeeded by Rev. Franklin A. Spencer, who was installed pastor June

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24, 1863, and was dismissed May 1, 1865. A revival attended his labors, and upwards of thirty were added to the church by profession of faith.

Rev. E. M. Wright began lahor as acting pastor, March 11, 1866, and resigned April 17, 1870, broken down in health and spirit by the sudden death of his wife.

Henry B. Mead was ordained June 7, 1871, and dis- missed May 12, 1874. During his ministry there was an accession of thirty-three by profession of faith.

Rev. Leverett S. Griggs began labor as acting pas- tor Oct. 25, 1874, and is the present incumbent.

In addition to the foregoing, Rev. A. C. Baldwin has preached to this people many months in the ag- gregate.

Of the seventeen ministers named, six have already cease to live and labor among men, viz .: Messrs. Porter, Merrill, Richardson, Root, Walker, Dimock, and Wright.

The following figures exhibit in part the growth of the church. Starting with a membership of forty-five in 1838, it had an enrollment Dec. 31, 1850, of one hundred and twenty-eight; Jan. 1, 1858, one hundred and forty-nine ; Dec. 31, 1860, two hundred and nine- teen ; Dec. 31, 1865, two hundred and thirty-one; Feb. 1, 1879, two hundred and seventy-seven.

During the forty-one years of its existence it has had the privilege of furnishing four candidates for the gospel ministry, viz .: Edwin Johnson, lately pastor of the Second Congregational Church of Bridgeport; Linus Blakesley, pastor of the First Congregational Church of Topeka, Kan .; Horace R. Williams, pastor of the Congregational Church of Almont, Mich .; and Mosely H. Williams, engaged in the work of the American Sunday-School Union, Philadelphia.

The Sabbath-school preceded the organization of the church, being first held in the old red school- house in 1834. There were four classes, taught by Milo Blakesley, Philo Lewis, Miss Rhoda Swift (now Mrs. James Hunter), and Mrs. Sherman Guernsey. The session was at nine o'clock in the morning, giv- ing an opportunity to attend the morning service at Plymouth.

After this Bible elasses were held at private houses until the new church edifice was occupied.

From that time until 1857 the school was organized every year in the spring, and closed in the fall.

There were no records kept during those years, but it is remembered that Deacon Milo Blakesley was first elected superintendent, followed by Warren Goodwin, Phinchas Hitchcock, James Edmunds, with Miss Hannah Goodwin as assistant, Deaeon S. B. Terry, with Miss Eliza Bunnell (Mrs. Carpenter) as assistant, Warren Goodwin, N. C. Boardman, Gaius A. Norton, and perhaps others, cach serving one or more years. In May, 1857, R. D. H. Allen was elected, and it was decided in the fall to continue the school through the winter. The school had numbered about forty in 1845, and forty-five in 1849, as we learn from private memo-

randa. During the revival of 1858, and under the min- istry of Rev. E. A. Walker, the school received a new impulse, calling into its membership nearly the entire congregation. The school was reorganized, R. D. H. Allen was again elected superintendent, B. S. Beach chorister, which position he has since filled with little or no intermission, and A. H. Beach was elected sec- retary, acting also as assistant superintendent, to which position he was elected in 1859. Mr. Allen continued to hold the office of superintendent until February, 1865, with the following assistants: O. D. Hunter, appointed Oct. 26, 1860; W. H. Scott, Feb. 1, 1863; and A. H. Beach, Feb. 8, 1864. During all these years Mr. Allen had charge of a class of young men, and at his request A. H. Beach acted (perhaps with the exception of one year) as an extra assistant by relieving him of many of the details of the superintendent's office. During one year, also, Miss Margaret Mcclintock assisted, having the ar- rangement and oversight of the younger classes. Feb. 10, 1865, James C. Mix was chosen superintend- ent, and M. D. Holcomb assistant. Both having re- moved from the place, J. P. Crawford was elected su- perintendent, Oct. 29, 1865, and selected W. H. Scott for assistant, who has served in that capacity ever since.

Mr. Crawford was succeeded in 1866 by James Hunter for five successive years, and he by N. T. Baldwin for two years. F. W. Mix, appointed in 1873, has held the office until the present time. Since 1858 the numbers on the roll have varied from two hundred and forty to three hundred and fifty, and the average attendance from one hundred and thirteen to two hundred and twenty-eight. Of the entire mim- ber (three hundred and ninety-two) received into the church by profession since its organization, two hundred and forty-three were from the Sabbath- school. The school has succeeded remarkably in re- taining the interest of our people of every age and position. It has received the carnest, active co-oper- ation of our most prominent business men. It has done much to mould and guide the religious thought of our community, and has turned the minds of many to Christ and His salvation.

The house of worship was erected with funds se- cured by a subscription bearing date Sept. 13, 1837, which amounted to $3558. A small additional sum was raised subsequently to complete the building. The chairman of the building committee was Wyllys Atwater, and the builder was Riley Scott, who is still a member of this church.

The parsonage was donated to the ecclesiastical so- ciety, Ang. 26, 1841, by Eli Terry, Sr.

In 1853, in the period of the ministry of Rev, Mer- rill Richardson, an enlargement of the capacity of the house of worship became necessary, and the galleries were introduced, for which the sum of four hundred and sixty-seven dollars was provided by subscription.

In 1878 the building was raised up and thoroughly

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renovated, and the lecture-room and ladies' parlor constructed underneath. The total outlay was some- thing more than eight thousand dollars, including the cost of the organ, which was contributed by the Sab- bath-school. The chairman of the building com- mittee was O. D. Hunter. Services of rededication were held Nov. 6, 1878.

The deacons of the church have been as follows : Milo Blakesley, Eli Curtis, Silas B. Perry, Gaius A. Norton, R. D. H. Allen, and Ira H. Stoughton.

The present officers of the church are as follows : Pastor, Leverett S. Griggs ; Deacons, R. D. H. Allen, Ira H. Stoughton ; Standing Committee, pastor, dea- cons, clerk, Sunday-school superintendent, N. Taylor Baldwin, James Hunter, George H. Plumb ; Sabbath- school Superintendent, F. W. Mix ; Assistant Super- intendent, Walter H. Scott; Treasurer, Deacon Ira H. Stoughton ; Clerk, W. T. Goodwin.

ST. PETER'S CHURCH.

This church was organized in 1740, in Plymouth Hollow, now Thomaston, where the first church edi- fice was erected. The rectors previous to the war of the Revolution were Theophilus Morris, James Lyon, Richard Mansfield, James Scoville, and James Nichols. The society was reorganized after the Revolution with the following members : Solomon Collins, Abner Blakeslee, Titus Barnes, Asher Blakeslee, Eli Blakes- lee, Hosea Blim, Moses Blakeslee, Samuel Blakeslee, Philo Bradlee, Amos Bronson, Ebenezer Bradley, Noah Blakeslee, Jude Blakeslee, Ebenezer Bradley, Jr., John Brown, Thos. Blakeslee, Joab Camp, Abishai Castle, Zadok Curtis, Amasa Castle, Ezra Dodge, Samuel Fenn, Ebenezer Ford, Jesse Fenn, Lemuel Funcher, Cephas Ford, Barnabas Ford, Isaac Fenn, Enos Ford, Daniel Ford, Amos Ford, Cornelius Graves, Benj. Graves, Simeon Graves, Zacheus Howe, Eliphalet Hartshorn, Eliphalet Hartshorn, Jr., Jesse Humaston, David Luddington, Zebulon Mosher, Chancey Moss, Jacob Potter, Samuel Peck, Jr., Sam- uel Potter, Gideon Seymour, David Shelton, Ezekiel Sanford, Jr., Abel Sutliff, Jr., Samuel Scoville, Jr., Jesse Turner, Wm. Tuttle, Thos. Williams, Eli Wel- ton, Thos. Way, Ogrius Warner, Thos. Williams, Jr., Samuel Way.

After its reorganization, the church to 1792 was supplied by Ashbel Baldwin, Philo Shelton, Pillotow Branson, and Chauncey Prindle.

The present church edifice was erected in 1796, and consecrated Nov. 2, 1797. The rectors from that time have been Nathan B. Burgess, Roger Searle, Rodney Rossiter. After Mr. Rossiter the following officiated about six months each : Robert W. Harris, Joseph T. Clark, Gurdon S. Coit, Norman Pinney, and Allen C. Morgan.

In 1831, Rev. Dr. Burhans became pastor. His successors have been as follows : 1837, Rev. Mr. Wa- ters (supply), Rev. William Watson ; 1851, Rev. Mr. Denison ; 1854, Rev. A. B. Goodrich ; 1856, Rev. S. H.

Miller; 1859, Rev. Dr. Berry ; 1862, Rev. Mr. Lums- den; 1864, Rev. B. Eastwood; 1869, Rev. Porter Thomas; 1873, Rev. L. M. Dorman; 1874, Rev. S. B. Duffield ; 1877, Rev. Mr. Bates ; 1879, Rev. J. D. Gilliland.

There is also an Episcopal Church,-St. Matthew's, -located in the northeast part of the town, but has no settled rector.

CHAPTER L.

PLYMOUTH (Continued).

MANUFACTURING INTERESTS .- CIVIL HISTORY. THE MANUFACTURING INTERESTS OF TERRYVILLE .*

A SMALL stream rising in the northwestern part of Terryville still bears the old Indian name, "Pequa- buck." This receives before it leaves the village the Poland River and a small tributary coming from the "Old Marsh," so called. Under this name the Pequa- buck unites with the Farmington River at Farming- ton, and thence flows into the Connecticut at Windsor. These three streams have been utilized since the first settlement of the country for sawing lumber, grinding grain, and various other local purposes.

In or about the year 1824, Eli Terry (2d) re- moved from the western part of Plymouth (Thomas- ton), and built a shop on the Pequabuck, for the manufacture of clocks, where the shop formerly owned and occupied by the Lewis Lock Company now stands, which shop was burned in 1851, and re- placed by the present one. He was the eldest of four sons of Eli Terry, who came from Windsor, Conn., in 1793, and established the clock business in Ply- mouthi Hollow, then Northbury, now Thomaston. His father had been thoroughly educated by the best English clock-makers of the country, and in his ex- perience of more than thirty years had not only placed the business on a solid foundation, but made it for himself a financial success. He trained his three eldest sons to the same trade, and furnished them capital to commence, each for himself, in different parts of the town. Eli Terry (2d) was at this time about twenty-five years of age, and evidently possessed the elements of character which command success : he was energetic, ambitious, industrious, and economical.

As this was then only a farming community, he was under the necessity of providing houses for himself and his employees. He took great interest in the so- ciety he gathered around him, and was a man of large influence for good. The methods of business were very different from those of the present. It will be remembered that there were then no railroads to the market, and goods were carted to the nearest water- conveyances, and thence shipped to the cities, or they

* Contributed by R. D. H. Allen.

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were distributed by peddlers to all parts of the coun- try. Money was scarce, and a cash trade was the exception. Many clocks were exchanged for goods of every kind,-everything that was needed in such a community,-hence the necessity that the manufac- turers keep a store for the distribution of these goods. Sometimes, if shrewd, he thus made two profits, but perhaps quite as often the skillful manufacturer failed to be qualified for a merchant, and made a loss instead of a profit. The peddlers sold at high prices to parties who would buy and give their notes in payment, and these notes often proved worthless. The system of barter, too, extended to the pay of the workmen. Very little cash did they get, but orders on the store instead, and at the settlement at the end of the year for which each one was hired, he received a note for the balance due. These were the serious drawhacks to business of every kind at that time.

On the other hand, there were some favorable cir- cumstances for Mr. Terry. The demand for clocks was large, only limited by the limited means of the people who wanted them. They were almost an ar- ticle of necessity, but the extreme high price at which they had necessarily been held in the market forbade their use to those whose means were moderate; but by the introduction of machinery in place of hand-labor, and especially by the invention of the shelf-clock, which had been introduced by the elder Terry in 1814, they were placed within the means of a large class of people of more moderate incomes. Morcover, by this same reduction in cost the manu- facturer was placed beyond the reach of foreign com- petition, while, protected by letters patent, it was too carly to be affected by the home competition.

During the later years of his life Mr. Terry suffered much from the disease which terminated by his death in 1841, at the age of forty-two. In his business life of seventeen years he had accumulated what was then accounted a handsome property, which was dis- tributed to his wife and six children. The clock business was then sold to Hiram Welton & Co., who continued it to 1845, when, upon the failure of the company, caused in part by the failure of a party whom they had underwritten, the business was closed out.

Silas Burnham Terry, a younger brother of Eli Terry (2d), in 1821 erected a shop for the manufac- ture of clocks at the confluence of the Pequabuck . and Poland Rivers. He was less a managing man than his brother, but a man of unusual and varied in- telligence, a superior mechanie, ingenious, and sur- passed by no one in his knowledge of the mechanism of a clock. His brother Henry says of him, in an obituary notice published by the Waterbury American of May 30, 1876,-

" After prosecuting the business many years, and minking, for thu most part, costly eineks, struggling through the financial troubles of 1837 and 1839, when most men ant firmly established in business and capital were bruken down, he too became a sufferer, yet struggled on until he found

no way of emancipation from the burden of debt fastened upon him but to relinquish a business not only not remunerative, but to him dis- astrous. He had, however, during these years of business adversity in- troduced new machinery, from which others derived more benefit than himself, and had introduced newly-arranged clocks, which have since proved the hest in the market. The clock known ae the Setlı Thomas Regulator, Noe. 1 and 2, is one. It is a perfect time-keeper, and is as reliable, even for astronomical purposes, as the more showy clocke cost- ing ten times as much. The same clock is also made at Winsted, and by the Waterbury Clock Company. He had also made a new gravity escapement regulator, of which we propose to speak farther on."

Farther on, after speaking of the three-legged gravity escapement invented by E. B. Dennison, LL.D., and described in a treatise written by him, he claims that, though different in several respects, the one invented by his brother antedates the former, and says,-

" This regulator, when put in its present locality, was kept running four years steadily, during which time its rate of running was very per- fect, requiring the use of observatory instruments to ascertain the varia- tion at the end of four years. The perfecting of this gravity escape- ment we therefore claim as an American invention. It has been run- ning five years longer than the Westminster clock described in the trea- tise referred to, and may be seen at the late residenco of the deceased in this city."

About 1852 he invented the "torsion balance clock," so called. It was designed for a cheap clock. The movement was carried by a spring, as in other marine clocks, but the balance was a flattened wire stretched from top to bottom of the clock, to which was attached a horizontal rod or wire with a small ball at each end, which by their vibrations served to regulate the mo- tion of the clock, and took the place of the hair- spring. A joint-stock company was formed for the manufacture of this clock, and a new factory was built a short distance below the depot, utilizing the dam built by Eli Terry, Sr., in the later years of his life, after he had retired from business. The directors of this company were James Terry, William E. McKee, Theodore Terry, and S. B. Terry. The former was president and financial manager, and the latter super- intendent. The clock did not prove a success, owing to the extreme delicacy of the balance, which ren- dered it difficult to regulate. As a consequence the company relinquished the business. Mr. Terry, how- ever, always insisted that the difficulties were not in- superable, and in the later years of his life, when doing business for himself, contemplated taking it up again and perfecting it. Many will remember the clock, and the beauty and delicacy of its movement. Mr. Terry was afterwards in the employ of William I. Gilbert, at Winsted, and of the Waterbury Clock Company, and then, with his sons, organized the Terry Clock Company, in which he was engaged till near the time of his death, in May, 1876.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 120

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1532

Author: J.W. Lewis & Company (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1532