History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 167

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

USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > History of Litchfield county, Connecticut > Part 167

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Lieut. Israel Curtiss, son of Capt. William, was an- other of the " original signers," and took a prominent part in the settlement of the town. He was a lieu- tenant in the militia, and represented the town at the May session, 1689, and for seventeen sessions after- wards.

Col. Joseph Minor, son of Capt. John, was not one of the "original signers," but was one of the early settlers, and for eighty years afterwards held a prominent position. He attained the greatest age to which any inhabitant of the town has ever arrived, save one, since its settlement. He was born March 4, 1672-73, and died Oct. 20, 1774, being nearly one hun- dred and two years old. He was born sixteen days after the signature of the "Fundamental Articles," came to Woodbury a child, and spent a long life in its ser- vice. He passed through the several grades of the military service to the rank of colonel, and was very efficient in preparing men for service in the French and Indian wars. He was representative thirty-two sessions, town clerk twenty-eight years, justice of the quornm fourteen years from 1725, and judge of pro- bate thirty years. He lived under the hill in rear of Horace H. Minor's present dwelling-house. He in- herited the homestead and other land from his father, which said Horace, one of his descendants, now owns; and it is a remarkable fact that it has never passed by deed since the deed from the Indians, two hundred and twenty-one years ago. It has passed from father to son through the Probate Court.

Another early settler, but not an "original signer," was Hackaliah Preston. He was a native of Wales, but came to Stratford from Turkey. Tradition says the Turks for some reason sought to kill him, and that he fled to save his life. He married Emma Fairchild, daughter of Thomas Fairchild, of Strat- ford, one of the principal planters and first magis- trates of that town, who had come thither directly from England. He soon removed to Woodbury, in one of the companies of the first settlers.

Hon. William Preston, son of the above, was born at Stratford, March 21, 1676, just before his father's removal to Woodhury, and was, therefore, in one sense, a son of the soil, having spent his entire life in the town, and rested from his labors, Sept. 5, 1754, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. He was a leading

695

WOODBURY.

man in the town, county, and colony. He was a member of the Geucral Court thirty-five sessions, and stood high in the militia, having attained the rank of colonel. He was justice of the quorum eleven years from 1740. On the formation of the new county of Litehfield, in 1751, he was appointed its first judge, which office he held three years till his death, per- forming its duties to the credit of himself and the in- terests of the people. He was a man of fine talents and commanding influence, of sterling integrity, and unflinching determination. He was active and effi- cient in all the walks of life, and died much lamented.

Such was the character of the early men of Wood- bury.

CHAPTER LXXIII. WOODBURY (Continued).

Home-Lots-Rev. Z. Walker's House-Palisaded Houses-First School- House-Second, or Stoddard Parsonage-First Meeting-House-First Birth, Marriage, and Death-First Clothier-First Physician-First Blacksmith-First Divorce-Parson Stoddard Kills Two Indians- Wood Creek Expedition-Slavery.

THE settlers laid out their home-lots in quantities of from two to five aeres, with narrow fronts, which were arranged on both sides of the Main Street, or " Indian trail," from East Meadow two miles, or the whole length of the present street. The " home-lot division," four times as large as the home-lot, was laid out in rear of it, and extended back one mile from the street, "that," as the record says, "run through the middle of the town from end to end of the town." This rule for building the houses elose together was in pursuance of an order of the general court to all new towns, for protection against the In- dians. Next came the "meadow division," or low- land, which was laid on the intervales, or plain lands. After this eame the " upland division," laid out on the irregular, hilly grounds. At the same time the " pas- ture division" was laid out for the accommodation of their cattle. In process of time came the "woodland division," after they had cleared their other divisions, and a provision for fuel became necessary. Still later, when they had subdued and brought under cultiva- tion their other lands, came the "Good Hill division" and the " White Oak Plain division," which desig- nate their own localities. All these divisions were assigned or laid out to the settlers in proportion to the size of their home-lots, and that was determined by the amount paid in under the original articles.

The house of Rev. Zechariah Walker, the first min- ister, or "first parsonage," stood where Mrs. Levi S. Douglass now lives, and covered a part of the present eellar. Isaac Judson built his house in Judson Lane, and was one of those surrounded with palisades as a protection against the Indians. Another palisaded house stood on the site occupied by Horace Hurd's dwelling-house. Capt. John Minor's, under the hill,

below where Horace H. Minor now lives, was an- other. Another of the fortified houses was that of one of the Bronsons, in Transylvania. It had a look- out on its top, by the chimney, for observation. The reservation of land for a school, as agreed in the "fundamental articles," was laid out north of the cranberry pond before 1700, and the first school- house stood where George Hitchcock's wagon-shop now stands. In 1700 some change was made, when Rev. Anthony Stoddard was settled in the ministry, and his home-lot was laid on the 12th of May in this place, then called Foot's Neck. It was a part of the contract of the town with him to build him a house of certain dimensions on this lot. It was immediately commenced and finished, so that he eould move into it late in 1701. It was surrounded with " palasadoes," was the most strongly fortified house in the planta- tion, and could receive more people than any other in case of an alarm. This old house was pulled down in the fall of 1880, and a fine modern dwelling is now erected on its site by Walter S. Curtiss, Esq. This was the oldest house in the State, except the old stone house in Guilford, and it was a pity that the old landmark was removed.

After the settlers were in some measure located, and began to have some of the comforts and eonve- niences of life, their thoughts naturally turned to the prime object of all the plantations in New England,- the establishment of publie worship, and the location and construction of a suitable house in which to enjoy the ministrations of the gospel. From their first set- tlement hitherto they had worshiped in each other's houses in the inclement months of the year, and in the summer months had convened, in the stillness of the Sabbath morn, in a beautiful and retired spot on the east side of the Oronaug Rocks, between the cliffs, with their sentinels placed on the tops of the adjacent roeks to guard against surprise from savage foes, and there made the " surrounding aisles of the dim woods" vocal with the high praises of God. In a rude pulpit of stone, still anding in that lonely dell, we may, in imagination, see the faithful Walker addressing his attentive hearers, and delivering to them the words of " truth and soberness." This spot received the name of Bethel Rock from this circumstance, and has ever been held as a consecrated place by the descendants of those early Christians, whither they have at times repaired for meditation and prayer to the present day.

The unsettled state, produced by King Philip's war, having passed away, and the inhabitants become quite numerous for a new town, they resolved to build a house for publie worship. As has ever been the case in such matters, they did not readily agree on a loca- tion. They tried various ways to solve the difficulty. Among other methods they " cast lots," thus showing us a glimpse of the superstition of the age in which they lived. But although they had "solemnly left the matter to God" for a decision, vague suspicions of some human agency in the result obtained arose in

696

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

the minds of many. They, therefore, in a peaceable and orderly manner submitted the question to the arbitrament of Deputy-Governor Robert Treat, Sr., Maj. Nathan Gold, who chose Nicholas Camp as the " third man," and they fixed the site where Hon. N. B. Smith's carriage-house now stands, July 5, 1681, about twenty rods from the first parsonage, five from the school-house, and twenty-five from the second corn-mill. The work of building immediately com- menced. It was of large size for those times, and was used for public worship till the erection of the second meeting-house in 1747. The people were called to church on the Sabbath by the beating of a drum upon the rock on which the Masonic lodge now stands. The same instrument was used to call the people to- gether on other days in the week for other purposes. It was beat for town-meetings, for the assembling of the train-band, and in cases of alarm in times of war. There was a particular beat for each of these occa- sions, but what was the difference in the roll of the drum ecclesiastic, the drum military, and the drum civil is not now known. During the perilous times of the French and Indian wars, guards were placed on Lodge Rock, Orenaug Rocks, and Castle Rock, while the people, who worshiped within the church, also carried their arms. After the dedication of the second meeting-house, the old one was used for a town-hall for many years, and also by the Episcopal Society for their service. Still later it was used by Mr. Tallman for a slaughter-house. But it was taken down many years ago, and a portion of it now constitutes a part of one of Hon. N. B. Smith's outhouses.

The first female born in Woodbury was Sarah, daughter of Samuel Sherman, Jr., and the first male, Thomas, son of John Wheeler. . They were both born in 1673, and baptized in Stratford. The first marriage that appears on record is that of Benjamin Hinman and Elizabeth Lumm, July 12, 1684. The first death recorded on record or tombstone was in 1683. The first wheelwright was Samuel Munn, who came in 1681. .

Dr. Trumbull, in his "History of Connecticut," says that in 1713 "there was but one clothier in the colony. The most he could do was to full the cloth which was made. A great proportion of it was made without shearing or pressing." If this assertion is correct, Woodbury was the location of that first clothier, and Abraham Fulford was his name. His home-lot was laid out next to that of Samnel Stiles, the town miller. The fulling-mill was on the East Sprain, near " East Meadow Rocks." The first phy- sician was Dr. Butler Bedient, and Dr. Ebenezer Warner, Sr., settled about the same time. The first blacksmith in Woodbury of whom the records speak was Deacon Samuel Bull, of Farmington, who was granted a ten-acre accommodation on condition he would carry on the blacksmith trade in town for ten years. He married the only daughter of Mr. Walker, the first minister. So it seems the blacksmith was

"settled" like the minister. The first divorce was granted to Jonathan Taylor from his wife by the Gen- eral Court, at its October session, 1708. The grounds were that his wife endeavored to "take his life by her violence, deserting him, and living with Joseph Allen, a negro, at Sackett's Farm, N. Y.,"-the Bible cause somewhat aggravated.

It is related that during the Indian war of 1708, one Sabbath evening, after the conclusion of services at church, while the Rev. Anthony Stoddard was walking in his garden near Cranberry Pond, he dis- covered an Indian skulking in the bushes. He quietly re-entered his house, and took his gun. After watch- ing for a while, Mr. Stoddard obtained a fair view of him, fired, and the Indian fell. He dared not inves- tigate further that night. Early in the morning he discovered another red foe near his companion, whom he also dispatched.

Beginning with King Philip's war, in which it furnished more than its just share of men, being then but little more than two years old, Woodbury has always furnished its men liberally for all the wars that have arisen in which our country has had a part. In that fruitless and fatal expedition to Ward Creek, under Gen. Nicholson, of the royal service, to assist in the reduction of Montreal and Quebec, in 1709, Connecticut furnished her full quota, of which Wood- bury's part was nine. Two of these, Sergt. Thomas Skeel and John J. Johnson, died a few days after their return home, of disease contracted by exposure in the service.

It is difficult now to conceive that slavery ever ex- isted in Connecticut. Yet it was only in 1848 it was formally abolished by the Legislature. It is more than ninety years, however, since the institution in this State had even a " name to live." We can hardly believe that our honored forefathers could be slave- holders, and yet such is the fact. All the leading men of property in the early days owned slaves. Nothing was more common in the early inventories than the item of slaves, nor in distributions than whole or fractional parts of slaves divided to the heirs. It is true that they were treated kindly, educated, their religious interests cared for, presented iu bap- tism as members of the household, treated more like children than slaves, yet they were such, bought and sold at the will and pleasure of their owners. During the whole of the eighteenth century the institution flourished here, though in a mild form. They became attached in many instances to the places where they were brought up, and some of them lingered around the "old homestead" long after they were entitled to go free by virtue of law. In the war of the Revolu- tion, freedom was granted to all slaves who would en- list and serve through the war. To avail themselves of this provision, some twenty-five of their number in town enlisted at various periods of the war, and made good soldiers, fighting valiantly for the liberty of the country.

697

WOODBURY.

CHAPTER LXXIV. WOODBURY (Continued).

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Character of Rev. Zechariah Walker-Rev. Anthony Stoddard Settled- Rev. Noah Benedict Settled-Half-Way Covenant Abolished, 1760- Rev. Samuel R. Andrew Settled-Remaining Pastors of the Church - Recapitulation - Strict Congregational Church - Rev. Grove L. Brownell Settled-Rev. John Churchill Settled-W. L. R. Wychorf Settled-Episcopal Church-Methodist Church-Catholic Church.

WE have already stated the causes which led the second ehureh of Stratford to settle in Woodbury and the circumstances attending the building of the first meeting-house. Within the walls of this edifiee Mr. Walker continued to labor till his death, Jan. 20, 1699-1700, or Jan. 31, 1700, according to new style. He was a man of solid attainments, a fervid and pow- erful preacher, greatly beloved by the people of his charge. He conducted the affairs of his church with commendable discretion, and both that and the in- fant town flourished during his administration. Under him the church had secured a firm foundation, notwithstanding all the trials and hardships that beset its earlier years. After a life of usefulness " ye faithful, worthy, beloved Minister of the Gospel, and much lamented Pastor of ye Chh. of Christ," was gathered to his fathers, and his remains repose in the southern part of the ancient burial-ground, where the present fathers' monument now stands. He sleeps amid the faithful flock to whom he ministered in life.

In 1700, Rev. Anthony Stoddard commenced preaching to the people, and in 1702 was ordained over the church. Rev. Israel Chauncey, of Stratford, having forgotten all former difficulties, was one of the officiating clergymen on the occasion. The town in 1700 built him a house, as has already been stated. The ministry of Mr. Stoddard was remarkable for its duration and the prosperity which attended it. From the date of his first sermon as a candidate to his last, immediately preceding the brief illness which termi- nated his useful labors, he numbered more than sixty years in his holy calling, and great peace and har- mony ever prevailed under his administrations. The number of communicants was always large, notwith- standing four large societies were taken from his limits during his ministry. These were Southbury in 1730, Bethlehem in 1739, India in 1741, and Rox- bury in 1743. The good work seemed constantly to grow under his hands with a steadiness rarely equaled. The whole number by him admitted to full commu- nion was 474; to the half-way covenant, 142; and 1540 received baptism at his hands.

To his ministerial labors he joined those of lawyer and physician. Like many of the early ministers, he prepared himself for the practice of medicine that he might administer to the wants of the body as well as those of the mind. In this capacity he was often called. He acquired a very good legal knowledge for those early days. This was the more necessary, as at

the beginning of the eighteenth century there were but four lawyers in the colony, and as late as 1730 an aet was passed limiting the number of lawyers that might practice to three in Hartford County, and two in each of the other counties. He was clerk of probate for forty years, during which time he drew most of the wills of his townsmen and did the greater part of the business of the office, the judge for the time being approving his acts. All the records of the court during the time he was clerk appear in his handwriting. He was also one of the largest farmers in town. After a life of arduous and successful labor the second pastor, at a good old age, entered into his rest. He died Sept. 6, 1760, in the eighty-third year of his age and the sixty-first year of his ministry, after a severe illness of " about two days' continuanee." He lived and died enshrined in the hearts of his people. He was buried in the central part of the old burial- ground, and there reposes surrounded by a numerous congregation slumbering in death, very many of whom he himself had followed to the grave. As in life he was ever united to his people, so in death they are not divided.

Previous to Mr. Stoddard's death, early in 1760, Rev. Noah Benedict had been called to be settled as his colleague, but he died before the day fixed for Mr. Benedict's ordination, which was Oet. 22, 1760. The ordination took place that day as arranged, but it was to the work of the ministry as sole pastor.

At the time of the death of Mr. Stoddard the half- way covenant system had not been abandoned. He, as well as his father, Rev. Solomon Stoddard, was an advocate of the system, though Rev. Mr. Edwards, the grandson of the latter, had done so much to over- throw it wherever it existed. The system was not in accordance with Mr. Benediet's views, and within two weeks after his ordination it was, by a vote of the church, abolished. The half-way covenant members were invited, if they had owned their covenant in sincerity, to the Lord's table, which invitation they accepted, and the practice ceased forever. At the same meeting a covenant and profession of faith were adopted by the church, which, with slight verbal al- terations, is the one now in use.

Mr. Benedict spent a long and useful life among his people. Few controversies arose among them during the long period of his ministrations till near its close. This was a controversy in regard to the location and building of the third meeting-house. That constant source of bitter animosity, the location of public buildings, was the only thing that disturbed the serenity of a period of pastoral labor extending through a period of more than half a century. But he lived not to see the heat of the battle, having died about three years before the final disruption of his church. lle died April 20, 1813, in the seventy- sixth year of his age and the fifty-third year of his ministry. Under his administration the church was prosperous. The number admitted to it was two

698

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

hundred and seventy-two, and seven hundred and fifty-eight persons were by him baptized. Mr. Ben- edict was a man of sound piety, and of great dignity and amiability of character. He held an honored place in the affections of his people. Thus we see that three ministers served this church for the long period of one hundred and forty-three years.

Rev. Samuel R. Andrew was settled, by unamimous call, over the church Oct. 8, 1817. He preached his farewell discourse Jan. 4, 1846, having been dismissed on account of failing health. The division in the church, caused by the disagreement about the location of the new meeting-house, had ended in the forma- tion of another church before his installation, and the church, under his care, for nearly twenty-nine years enjoyed uninterrupted peace and prosperity. Two hundred and sixty-three members were received into the church, and two hundred and forty-three persons were by him baptized. The present church edifice was dedicated Jan. 13, 1819, seventy-two years after the dedication of the second. Thus we see that this church was led for one hundred and seventy-two years by three ministers.

Mr. Andrew was the only son of Samuel Andrew, who was grandson of Rev. Samuel Andrew, of Mil- ford, one of the founders of Yale College, a fellow, and, pro tempore, a rector of that institution, and for fifty years pastor of the First Church in Milford. Mr. Andrew was born at Milford, May, 1787, and grad- ated at Yale College in 1807. He studied law for a year or two, and spent a few years at the South in editing a newspaper and in teaching. He studied theology with Rev. B. Prince, of Milford, and was ordained over this church in 1817. He was chosen fel- low of Yale College in 1837, which office he resigned in 1847, on moving out of Litchfield County to New Haven, and was at the same time appointed secretary of the college, which office he held till his death, May 26, 1858, at the age of seventy-one years. In 1848 he was chosen a member the Connecticut Acad- emy of Arts and Sciences.

Mr. Andrew's intellect was strong, clear, compre- hensive, and discriminating. His judgment was pre- eminently sound and wise. His taste was pure and classical. His sensibilities were exquisitely suscep- tible to beauty in nature, in literature, and in char- acter. His thoughts were always just, and often rich and original. He was a laborious student, and a close, independent, and comprehensive thinker in theology. His sympathies were as tender as his intellect was strong. His heart was warm to the suffering and sor- rowing. He was true to his friends and loved them well. His piety was the very beauty of holiness, it was so unaffected, so symmetrical, so honest, and so tender.

He died as few men die. He had arranged to make a visit to his old friends in Woodbury, and had dis- patched a more than usually cheerful letter to an inti- mate friend there. That letter was received after he

had been some hours dead. In the morning he woke at his usual hour, and, apparently, in his usual health. He spoke of being slightly chilled, adjusted the cov- ering of his bed, breathed twice audibly, and in an instant was gone. Such a death had been pronounced by him to be beautiful and desirable, and his thought was fulfilled. "Mortality was swallowed up in life." "He walked with God, and he was not, for God took him."

The remaining pastors of this church are all living. Rev. Lucius Curtis was installed July 8, 1846, and resigned on account of ill-health Jan. 22, 1854. Rev. Robert G. Williams was installed Jan. 29, 1855, and resigned Jan. 15, 1859. Rev. Charles E. Robinson, D.D., began to supply the pulpit early in 1861, was installed June 10, 1861, and resigned Jan. 27, 1864, on account of ill-health. Rev. Charles Little sup- plied the pulpit from the summer of 1865 to the fall of 1867, without installation. Rev. Horace Winslow supplied the pulpit for a year from January, 1868. Rev. Gordon W. Noys was installed over the church, Dec. 8, 1869, and continued his ministrations for teu years, when he resigned. For the past year and a half the pulpit has been supplied by Rev. A. W. Colver.

From its origin, two hundred and eleven years ago, this church has received into its fold sixteen hundred and twenty-six persons, administered the rite of baptism to three thousand one hundred and two, and ordained twenty-five deacons, four of whom are now living. Its present membership is about two hundred. Six churches have been formed entirely out of it, two others have received a good number from it, to say nothing of its contributions to other denominations within its ancient limits, and to the churches of its own faith in the cities of the East and West.

In 1816 another large and flourishing church was formed out of the First Church, and was incorporated under the name of the "Strict Congregational So- ciety," with the same territorial limits as the first society. This was about one hundred and forty-six years after the gathering of the First Church in Wood- bury. The first minister was Rev. Grove L. Brownell, who was ordained over the church July 27, 1817, and continued his ministry about twenty-three years. He was a very capable and faithful minister of the gospel. Two hundred and thirty-eight joined the church by profession during his ministry, and fifty-eight by let- ter, which, added to the original forty members, make the whole number of persons connected with the church during his service three hundred and seventy- five. The number of children baptized by him was one hundred and eighty-eight.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 167

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