History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 31

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

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" Mr. Champion proved to be an able and popular minister, and continued here in the pastoral office until 1798. He died in this town, Oct. 5, 1810, in his eighty-second year.

" From the organization of the town to the year 1768 all business relating to schools and ecclesiastical affairs was transacted in town-meeting. The society of South Farms (or the Second Society of Litchfield) having been incorporated, the First Society met for the first time, May 9, 1768. Elisha Sheldon, Esq., was chosen moderator; Isaac Baldwin, Esq., clerk ; Mr. Joshua Garrett, treasurer; and Mr. Edward Phelps, Jr., Capt. Oliver Wolcott, and Capt. William Marsh, society's committee. There was little doue at these society's meetings, from year to year, except to appoint officers, committees, and choristers. Now and then we find an entry in the records of a different character, Thus, December, 1772, measures were taken for ' coloring the meeting-house, and putting up clectrical rods.' At the same meeting the society's committee were directed 'not to let the town's stock of powder and ball to be stored in said house.' Two years later it was voted that ' the new method of singing

at present taught by Mr. Lyman' should be intro- duced into the public worship of the congrega- tion ; and the singers taught by Mr. Lyman were granted 'the use and privilege of the front seats in the gallery.' The subject of the minister's salary still gave the society much trouble. Mr. Champion com- plained of the depreciated and fluctuating currency, as Mr. Collins had done before him. To obviate this difficulty the society, in 1779, voted to give him as his salary for the then current year the sum of seventy- five pounds sixteen shillings, money, 'to be paid in the following articles at the usual prices affixed, viz., wheat, at four shillings per bushel ; rye, at three shil- lings do .; Indian corn, at three shillings do. ; flax, at sixpence per pound ; pork, at twenty-five shillings per hundredweight; beef, at twenty shillings do .; tried tallow, at sixpence per pound ; lard, at fivepence do .; oats, at one shilling per bushel.'

"Mr. Champion's successor was the Rev. Dan Huntington, who at the time he received the call to settle here was a tutor in Yale College. He was or- dained in October, 1798. As he was a gentleman of learning and eloquence, the church and society were delighted with their new pastor, and he appears to have been no less pleased at being settled in such a place and over such a people. He thus wrote con- cerning them,-

"'A delightful village, on a fruitful hill, richly endowed with its schools, both professional and scientific and their accomplished teachers. With its venerable Governors and judges, with its learned lawyers and sena- tore and representatives, both in the National and State departments, and with a population enlightened and respectable, Litchfield was now in its glory.'

" During Mr. Huntington's ministry in this place a remarkable religious awakening overspread this and the adjacent parishes, resulting in the hopeful con- version of about three hundred persons among the different denominations of Litchfield.

"" This town,' eys Mr. Huntington, 'was originally among the num- ber of those decidedly opposed to the movements of former revivalists, and went eo far, in a regular church-meeting called expressly for the purpose under the ministry of the venerable Mr. Collins, ae to let them know, by a unanimons vote, that they did not wish to see them. The effect was they did not come. The report circulated that Litchfield had ' voted Christ out of their horders.' It was noticed by some of the older people that the death of the last person then a member of the church was a short time before the commencement of our revival.'

" Previous to the settlement of Mr. Huntington, the society voted him a ' settlement' of one thousand dol- lars and an annual salary of four hundred dollars, also agreeing to continue to Mr. Champion, during life, a salary of one hundred pounds. In December, 1805, a subscription was made of funds to be placed at interest, for the purpose of adding two hundred dollars to the salary of the pastor. It would seem, however, that, notwithstanding these efforts to increase his income, Mr. Huntington had resolved upon leav- ing. The church and society, in February, 1807, voted not to concur in his request that a separation should take place between them. A council, how- ever, was called, and the connection amicably dis-

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solved. In March, 1810, the society voted a unani- mous call to the Rev. Lyman Beecher, which was accepted, and he was installed on the 30th of the succeeding May, President Dwight, of Yale College, preaching the installation sermon. After a successful ministry in this town of about sixteen years, he ac- cepted a call from the Hanover Street Church, Boston, and was dismissed Feb. 21, 1826. His successor in the ministry here was the Rev. Daniel Linn Carroll, who was ordained Oct. 3, 1827, and was dismissed, at his own request, March 4, 1829.

"In 1827 the society voted to erect a new church edifice, and Messrs. Frederick Wolcott, Stephen Dem- ing, Salmon Buel, William Buel, and Leonard Good- win were appointed a building committec. This church was located upon the site of the present church, and was dedicated July 15, 1829.

" The Rev. Laurens P. Hickok, of Kent, was the next pastor, having been installed July 15, 1829. During his ministry here of about seven years two hundred and fourteen persons united with the church. Ninety-five of these were added at two communion seasons in the autumn of 1831, being a part of the fruits of the great revival of that year. In Sep- tember, 1836, Dr. Hickok, having been elected pro- fessor of theology in the Western Reserve College, Ohio, requested a dismission from his pastoral charge, which was reluctantly granted, and he was dismissed Nov. 15, 1836.

"June 12, 1838, the Rev. Jonathan Brace, of Hartford, was ordained as pastor of the church, and was dismissed, at his own request, Feb. 28, 1844. During his pastorate of about six years not far from one hundred and fifty persons united with the church.

"The Rev. Benjamin L. Swan was installed as the eighth pastor Oct. 22, 1846, and elosed his labors here on the 10th of May, 1856, having supplied the pulpit with much ability and acceptance for nearly ten ycars.

"Rev. Leonard Woolsey Bacon was ordained Nov. 16, 1856, on which occasion the ordination scrmon was preached by his father, the Rev. Leonard Bacon, D.D., of New Haven ; resigned in 1860. Rev. George Richards, acting pastor, January, 1861, to December, 1865; Rev. William B. Clarke, pastor, Dec. 27, 1866, to November, 1869; Rev. Ilenry B. Elliott, acting pastor, April 1, 1870, to April 1, 1874; Rev. Allan McLean, acting pastor, Nov. 21, 1875, still here.

" Deacons of the First Church from 1723 to 1859, John Buch, Nathaniel Baldwin, Benjamin Hosford, Benjamin Kellogg, Benjamin Webster, Thomas Har- rison, Peter Buel, Moses Stoddard, Andrew Adams, William Collins, Ozias Lewis, Thomas Trowbridge, Andrew Benedict, Frederick Buel, Truman Kilbourn, Charles Adams, Cyrus Catlin, Henry W. Buel, Henry B. Bissell, Frederick D. McNeil, George M. Woodruff."

The present officers of the church are Charles Adams, Clerk ; Frederick D. McNeil, Treasurer ; Henry R. Coit, Auditor ; Henry B. Bissell, Henry

W. Buel, Frederick D. McNeil, George M. Woodruff, Deacons. Present number of members, two hundred and seventy-four.

Sunday-School .- George M. Woodruff, Superinten- dent and Treasurer; Charles B. Bishop, George H. Trowbridge, Librarians.

Jan. 4, 1867, Frederick D. McNiel and George M. Woodruff were chosen deacons in place of Charles Adams, resigned, and Frederick Bucl, deceased.

The present church edifice was completed and oc- eupied in 1873.

MILTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .*

The first record now in existence connected with the history of this church is dated in the year 1779, but the date of month and day are so dim as to be undecipherable, and is a record of an adjourned meet- ing of the Third Society of Litchfield. David Welsh, Esq., was chosen moderator and Jesse Judd clerk. It was

" l'oted, That we will hire Mr. Stephen Heaton to preach with us seven- teen days, for which we agree to give him thirty-five bushels of wheat, or equivalent in money, to be paid by the 20th of November, 1780."

Another society meeting was held on the 8th of April following, when it was voted to hire Mr. Ilcaton yet longer, as the language is, " to complete our winter privileges." There are several records of this sort :

" l'oted, That we will improve our church privileges this winter."

This seems to mean that public worship was main- tained within the bounds of the society during the winter, while the inhabitants went to Litchfield during the summer.

The society took the name of Milton on the second Monday of June, 1795, under an act of the General Assembly of 1795, May session, incorporating it as an ecclesiastical society. The society is composed of the northwest part of Litchfickl and adjoining terri- tory in the towns of Goshen, Cornwall, and Warren. There are persons from all four of these towns in the communion of the church.

The church was organized Aug. 19, 1798, with eleven male and thirteen female members. For the first few years it was served by supplies. April 26, 1802, Rev. Benjamin Judd was invited to settle, and was installed as pastor on the 19th of May. Within a year, or n year and a half, the church was greatly weakened by the withdrawal of several influential members, so that Mr. Judd was led to propose the dissolution of the pastoral relations. This took place in June, 1804.

Rev. Abraham Fowler was installed Sept. 16, 1807, and was dismissed June, 1813, in consequence of the financial weakness of the society. From this time forward there was no settled ministry or stendy wor- ship until 1841, more than twenty-seven years. During this period, however, there were two very powerful revivals of religion, adding many members

· Contributed by Her. Goorge J. Harrison.

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

and preserving the church from destruction. The first of these occurred very soon after the dismission of Mr. Fowler, and in connection with the labors of the celebrated Dr. Nettleton. An interesting account of this revival is given in the "Life of Nettleton." As a fruit of this work twenty-seven persons united with the church. One of these, Daniel Page, still survives, after an interval of nearly sixty-seven years.

There was another powerful revival in the winter of 1825-26, in connection with the labors of Rev. Lewis Smith, an evangelist. As a fruit of this work twenty-seven persons united with the church on the 16th of April, 1826, and fourteen on the 28th of May. Of these, onc only is still living and in the communion of this church.

In the year 1841 some of the members of the church and society were led to fceł that they could not live longer withont regular public worship. Proper steps were taken, and Rev. Ralph Smith was employed as minister. He began his labors in October, 1841, and remained till April, 1844.

Rev. John F. Norton was ordained pastor in Oc- tober, 1844, and at his own request, under a feeling of discouragement, was dismissed in April, 1849.

Rev. Heman L. Vaill began to supply the pulpit June 3, 1849, and closed his labors Dec. 1, 1851. The society was then in debt, and felt unable to continue worship. A meeting was called to arrange for the payment of the debt, and then to ccasc further effort. At that time Mr. A. P. Smith, a citizen of Milton, who hitherto had taken no active interest in the affairs of the church, encouraged them to go forward. The debt was paid, the seats rented at a higher rate, and Mr. Francis Williams employed as preacher. Mr. Williams commenced on the second Sabbath of December, 1851, and closed his labors on the last Sab- bath of April, 1853. He was followed by Rev. James Noyes, who remained about cleven months.

Rev. George J. Harrison began his ministry here Sept. 14, 1854, and is still in charge (March, 1881), having now served the church nearly twenty-seven years.

Jan. 1, 1881, there were fifty-five members of the church,-nineteen males and thirty-six females.

This church, during its entire existence, has en- conntered great trial and difficulty. It has been weak in numbers and resources, and has been maintained under much discouragement, and at the cost of much personal sacrifice and self-deniał. Its members trust that God, who has thus far watched over and kept them, will continue to keep and bless then.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF NORTHFIELD .*

Northfield was first known as Southeast Farms, and was composed of territory lying part in the town of Northbury and part in the town of Litchfield, from which the settlement obtained the name of Northfield. It is not known at what date an ecclesiastical society

was formed, but the first society meeting of which there is a record was held Oct. 15, 1789, when it was voted to hire a minister for six months.

In 1792 a committee was appointed to build a meeting-house, and on April 21, 1794, it was voted to petition the general assembly to be set off as a distinct society. On the 10th of the following November it was voted to give Rev. Joseph E. Camp a call to be- come pastor of the church. November 24th it was voted to give Mr. Camp a settlement of one hundred ponnds, and more if it could be raised, with a salary of seventy pounds a year for four years, seventy-five pounds the fifth, eighty pounds the sixth, and eighty- five pounds thereafter.

The struggle to obtain the first meeting-house was a long one, for not nntil eleven years after the eom- mittee was appointed to build a meeting-honse was it completed. The expense of the building was three thonsand one hundred and sixteen dollars. The land upon which the house was built was the gift of a Mr. McCall.

The Congregational Church was formed Jan. 1, 1795, consisting of fourteen members, as follows: Samuel Peck, Steven Sanford, Titus Turner, John Warner, Abigail Sanford, Anna Warner, Tabitha Merriman, from the Northbury Church ; Abel Atwa- ter and Bethiah Peek, from the church in Litchfield ; Ebenezer Todd and Ebenezer Todd, Jr., from the church in North Haven ; Israel and Hannah Wil- liams, from the church in Westbnry; and Zerviah Curtiss, from the church in Cheshire. The sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Waterman, of Northbury, admonishing the new church to let its light shine.

Rev. Joseph E. Camp became the first pastor of this church, and served it for a term of forty-two years, being dismissed in 1837, living only a year after the relation between himself and the church was sev- ered. During his ministry one hundred and seventy- five members were added to the church.

This church was connected with the Litchfield South Consociation until June 20, 1859, when it sev- ered its connection with that body. Since the dis- mission of Mr. Camp the church has had but two set- tled pastorates, both of them being quite brief. The present membership of the church is one hundred and one.

This church has received occasional bequests dur- ing the more recent years of its existence, the largest being a munificent gift, by Mr. Asa Hopkins, of about ten thousand dollars, the interest of which is used an- nually for the "support of the gospel" in Northfield.

ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCHI.+

Among the first settlers of the town of Litchfield none were Episcopalians. Mr. John Davies, who came from England in the year 1735, was in all probability the first Episcopalian who settled here, and for some years the only one. But in the year 1745, on the 5th

* Contributed by Rev. H. A. Otman.

+ Contributed by Rev. Storrs O. Seymour.

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day of November, a number of persons, thirteen in all, who were anxious to have the services of the Church of England, met at the house of Mr. Jacob Griswold, who lived about a mile west of the village. The result of this meeting was that the services of Mr. Cole were secured te act as lay reader. These services were kept up fer two years, when Mr. Davies, in 1747, executed a deed conveying, by a lease for nine hundred and ninety-eight years, fifty-two acres of land to Mr. Cole, for the use of the "Society for Propagating the Gospel,"-a missionary society of the Church of England which is still in existence. For this Mr. Cole and his heirs were to pay annually on the trust of St. Michael one peppercorn, if law- fully demanded. In addition to this land, fifty acres more were procured and deeded to the same society. Both lets were to be for the benefit of the Episcopal minister in Litchfield. This land was situated in the southwest part of the town, a little northeast of "Lit- tle Mount Tom," and is now owned by Harvey Waugh and Lucius L. Griswold, and is still called the " Glebe."

The first service held by a clergyman episcopally ordained was by the Rev. Dr. Johnson, ef Stratford, but there is no record of the date.

There have been three church edifices in the his- tery of St. Michael's parish. The first one was built on the hill west of Kilborn's Brook, just south of the barn which stands on the land now owned by Mr. Joseph Merriman. This building was raised on the 23d of April, 1749. It has generally been supposed that Mr. Davies gave the land for this building ; but this is a mistake. An examination of the town rec- ords shows that Mr. Davies never owned this land. The Rev. Mr. Mansfield, of Woodbury, officiated when the church was opened for divine service.

The records of the parish do not show when the second church building was erected. The land on which it stood, on the east side of South Street, was given to the parish by Samuel Marsh, Esq., of Nor- folk, Va., the brother of the Rev. Truman Marsh, who was rector at that time. The building must have been so far advanced that services could be held in it by 1812, for a vote was passed in that year to dispense with the use of the old church in part, and to use the new one at such times as the clergyman and society's committee deemed expedient.

At a special meeting held Dee. 12, 1814, a commit- tee was appointed to dispose of the eld church as they thought best.

This second building was consecrated by the Right Rev. Bishop Brownell, D.D., June 3, 1824. It re- mained in use till 1851, when it was torn down to make room for the present edifice. Of this the cor- ner-stone was laid July 15, 1851. It was finished | December 10th, and conscerated by Bishop Brownell on December 16th of the same year. No change was made in it until the winter of 1881, when the galleries - were removed and some other slight changes made.

Since the time when the services of the Church of England were first used here-viz., in 1745-down to the present time the parish of St. Michael's Church has been served by a long line of able, learned, and godly men. The first missionary who served here was the Rev. Solomon Palmer, at one time the Con- gregational minister in Cornwall. He went to Eng- land, and, after being ordained to the deaconate and the priesthood, was sent by the Society for the Prepa- gation of the Gospel as missionary for Litchfield, Cornwall, and Great Barrington, Mass. He remained in this position for nine years, and was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas Davies, a grandson of Mr. John Davies, to whom the church in Litchfield owes so much. In one of his reports to the society in Eng- land, Mr. Davies says that there were sixty-one fami- lies in his charge here. Mr. Davies died at New Mil- ferd in the spring of 1766. The Rev. Mr. Palmer then returned here, and acted as missionary until his death, in 1771.

In 1772 the Rev. Mr. Moseley came here as mission- ary. He was not much liked, and, seme difficulty arising between him and the people, he was with- drawn. He was the last clergyman whose stipend was paid by the English society, for, although the Rev. James Nichols came here in 1775, under an appointment from the society, the outbreak of the Revolutionary war led, of course, to a suspension of relation between the church in this country and in England. During this war Mr. Nichols either did not remain in Litchfield or, if he did, did not ofli- eiate, for Mrs. Anna Dickinson, in her account of the parish, says that during this time Mr. Daniel London was in the habit of reading service and a ser- mon, and that he was not deterred from it even by the stones which the soldiers threw through the win- dows while he was reading. After peace was declared, Mr. Nichols officiated here until 1784, when he re- signed and removed to Vermont.

When the independence of the colonies had been acknowledged by Great Britain, and State govern- ment had been set up, the churchmen of Litchfield organized ns a society under the laws of the State. This was done on Oct. 26, 1784, and the parish as- sumed the legal title "The First Episcopal Society of Litchfield." The society comprised then, as now, three parochial organizations,-St. Michael's Church, Litchfield ; St. Paul's, Berntown ; and Trinity, Milton. Mr. Ashbel Baldwin was their first rector. He offi- ciated here as ly reader, being then a candidate for holy orders, for about a year. On Aug. 3, 1785, he was ordained deacon by the Right Rev. Samuel Sea- bury, D.D., the first American bishop. This ordina- tion, which was held at Middletown, was the first in this country.

The following is a list of the clergymen who have been connected with St. Michael's Church : Revs. Solomon Palmer, 1754-63; Thomas Davies, 1763-66; Solomon Palmer, 1766, to Nov. 2, 1771; Richard

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Moseley, 1772-73; James Nicbols, April 20, 1775, to May, 1784; Ashbel Baldwin, Sept. 9, 1785, to Oct. 28, 1793; David Butler, D.D., Nov. 28, 1794, to Feb- ruary, 1799; Truman Marsh, Nov. 5, 1799, to Nov. 1, 1829; Isaac Jones (associate rector), Sept. 7, 1812, to April 1, 1826; John S. Stone, D.D. (associate rector), Dec. 26, 1826, to January, 1829; William Lucas (as- sociate rector), 1829-32; Samuel Fuller, D.D., Octo- ber, 1832, to July, 1837 ; William Payne, D.D., April, 1838, to May, 1845; Samuel Fuller, D.D., July 27, 1845, to Oct. 1, 1849 ; Benjamin W. Stone, D.D., Oct. 8, 1849, to May, 1851; John J. Brundage, D.D., Aug. 1, 1851, to Feb. 1, 1854; James M. Willey, April 8, 1855, to April, 1858; Henry N. Hudson, June 27, 1858, to Nov. 1, 1860; William S. Southgate, Nov. 1, 1860, to Jan. 1, 1864; Rt. Rev. Wm. Stevens Perry, D.D., Nov. 27, 1864, to May 6, 1869; C. S. Henry, D.D., 1870, to Nov. 30, 1873; G. M. Wilkins, Feb. 20, 1874, to Jan. 9, 1879 ; S. O. Seymour, April 27, 1879, present rector.

In addition to the gifts of land spoken of above, the parish has received many interesting and valuable gifts during its existence. Early in its history it re- ceived from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel a number of volumes of ecclesiastical history and doctrinal theology. Most of them have been scattered. A few, however, are still in the parish library. In 1803 the Hon. Ephraim Kirby presented to the parish a folio copy of the Book of Common Prayer and a Bible. These were in use for many years, and are still preserved. After the second church was erected, and about 1822, Mr. Solomon Marsh pur- chased a fine-toned organ and placed it in the church. In May, 1852, he gave it to the parish, where it was used till the present one was bought, about fifteen years ago. In 1857, Mrs. Marsh, widow of the Rev. Truman Marsh, gave the present rectory and the lot on which it stands. This was for the use of St. Mich- ael's parish, and not for the benefit of the whole so- ciety.

In 1856, Mr. Hosea Webster, of Brooklyn, who has always manifested a deep interest in the parish, gave a thousand dollars, the interest of which is to be used for the benefit of the Sunday-school. In 1863 the parish lost a warm friend in the death of the Hon. S. P. Beers. For half a century he had been connected with the parish, and no one has ever devoted more time and thought to its interests than he did. The bulk of his property was left by will to the "First Episcopal Society." The income from this source is divided equally among the three parishes.

Besides these, the parish has received from many individuals gifts of less value, but highly esteemed for the sake of the donors. During the last year a collection has been made of portraits of former rectors. By great pains likenesses have been found of all who have ever been connected with the parish excepting the Rev. Messrs. Palmer, Moseley, and Nichols. These have beeu hung in the vestry-room of the church,

where, as a sort of "cloud of witnesses," they may seem to their successors as a reminder that " the night cometh when no man can work."

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

"In June, 1790, the Rev. Freeborn Garretson, one of the ablest and most earnest apostles of Methodism in America, visited Litchfield on his way from the Hudson River to Boston. He was at that time super- intendent of the Northern District, and in his itiner- ant journeyings was almost invariably attended by his colored servant Harry, who was himself a licensed preacher of no mean distinction. They traveled to- gether on horseback, apparently vying with each other in their zeal for the promotion of the cause of their common Master. On Wednesday, June 23d (as we learn from Dr. Stevens' ' Memorials of Methodism'), Mr. Garretson 'rode seven miles to Litchfield, and was surprised to find the doors of the Episcopal church open and a large congregation waiting for him. He discoursed from the words "Enoch walked with God," and believed good was done. He left Harry to preach another sermon, and went on to the centre of the town; the bell rang, and he preached to a few in the Presbyterian meeting-house, and lodged with a kind churchman.' On the same day Mr. Garretson wrote in his diary :

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 31

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