History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 61

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 61

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" Resolved by this Assembly, Those Inbnbitance of the Town of Wood- bury that live within the limits of said society of Bethlehem, be nnd they are hereby incorporated into n separate and distinct Town by the name of the Town of Bethlehem and that the bounds and limits, shall hie the same ns the present bounds of the Society of Bethlehem with the same rights Powers, privileges and franchises of every kind in other towns in this Stute by law now have and enjoy. Excepting only that they, be restricted to One Representative only in the General Assembly. And that said Town of Bethlehem shall hold their first Town Meeting at the Publie Meeting house in said town on the 20 day of June next nt two O'Clock in the Afternoon and that Oliver Parmlee Esq of said Bethlehem, be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to cause said meeting warned and shall receive the votee of the inhabitance for Moderator and shall preside as moderator until a moderator shall be chosen at which meeting said town of Bethlehem, shall have liberty to choose nll their town Officere who shall be invested with the same powere ns similar Officers in other towns by law have, and shall continue in Office until others be chosen in their etead.

" A true copy of Record Examined by George Wyllys, Secretary of State."

THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING.

The first town-meeting assembled June 20, 1787. Daniel Everett was chosen Moderator ; Moses Haw- ley, Town Clerk ; Robert Crane, Capt. Enos Hawley, and John Wheeler, Selectmen; Ebenezer Bird, Town Treasurer; Gideon Atwood, Constable and Collector of Taxes; and Nathan Ranney, Constable. The meeting then adjourned to June 26, 1787.

TOWN CLERKS.

Ilomer Skidmore, 1853-54; IIenry W. Peck, 1855-61; Homer Skidmore, 1862; George C. Stone, 1863; Henry Davie, 1864-66; George C. Stone, 1867; Abraham Beecher, 1868-72; llenry W. Peck, 1873; Franklin Booth, 1874; George C. Stone, 1875-81.

TOWN-JIOUSE.

Land was purchased for the site of a town-hall in 1838. Jerial Hayes contracted to build the same, but, failing to complete it in the time specified, a building committee was directed to cause the same to be completed by June 1, 1840.

SELECTMEN FROM 1787 TO 1881.

1787 .- Robert Crane, Capt. Enos Hawley, John Wheeler, Ebenezer Bird. 17SS .- Robert Crane, David Camp, Ebenezer Perkine. 1790-91 .- Ebenezer Perkins, David Leavit, Jr., James Kassoo, Jr.

1791-92 .- Same as 1790-91, with the addition of M. Ilawley. 1793 .- D. Leavit, Jr., J. Kaseon, M. Hawley.

1794 .- David Leavit, Jr., David Ambler, David Bellamy. 1795 .- No record.

1796-1800 .- Robert Crane, Friend Clark, George D. Kasson.

1801-3 .- Friend Clark, George D. Kasson, Jolin Steel (2d).

1804-8 .- Friend Clark, George D. Kasson, Nehemiah Lambert.

1809 .- George D. Kasson, Nehemiah Lambert, Nathaniel Hawley. 1810 .- Same, with the addition of Jonathan Smith. 1811-12 .- Nehemiah Lambert, Nathan Hawley, Jonathan Smith. 1813-15 .- Nehemiah Lambert, Nathno Ilawley, Nathan Burton. 1816 .- Nathan Hawley, George D. Kasson, Samuel Bloss. 1817-18 .- Nathan Hawley, George D. Kasson, William Kasson. 1819-20 .- George D. Kasson, William Kasson, Benjamin T. Lake. 1821-22 .- Sheldon C. Leavit, Joseph II. Bellamy, Phineas Crane. 1823-24 .- Sheldon C. Leavit, Joseph HI. Bellamy, Samuel Bloss. 1825 .- Josephi II. Bellamy, Samuel Bloss, Levi Thompson. 1826-28 .- Levi Thompson, Joseph Ambler, Adam C. Kasson. 1829 .- Sheldon C. Leavit. Joseph Ambler, Adam C. Kasson. 1830 .- Minot Smith, James Allea, Phineas Crane. 1831-32 .- Minot Smith, James Allen, Jerial Hayes. 1833 .- Minot Smith, Nathan Jackson, James Allen. 1834 .- James Allen, Levi Thompson. 1835 .- Levi Thompson, Noble Alleu. 1836-37 .*- Noble Allen, Jerial Hayes. 1838 .- Noble Allen, Jerial Hayes, B. T. Lake.

1839-42 .- Minot Smith, James Allen, Bennett Warner. 1843-44 .- Minot Smith, Nicholas Moss, George L. Bloss. 1845 .- Abraham Beecher, George L. Bloss, David M. Cowles. 1846 .- Abraham Beecher, George M. Kasson, E. L. Thompson. 1847 .- Abraham Beecher, Edwin L. Thompson, George L. Blose. 1848 .- Abraham Beecher, George L. Bloss, Abner Allen. 1849-50 .- Abraham Beecher, Marvin S. Todd, II. W. Peck. 1851 .- Marvin S. Todd, Henry W. Peck, John C. Ambler. 1852 .- Marvin S. Todd, Homer Skidmore, George M. Kasson. 1853-54 .- Marvin S. Todd, Sidney Peck, Joshua Bird. 1855 .- Marvin S. Todd, Sidney Peck, Clark C. Guild. 1856-58 .- Marvin S. Todd, Sidney Peck, Henry Catlin. 1859 .- Murvia S. Todd, Henry Catlin, Phineas Crane. 1860 .- IIenry Catlin, Phineas Crane, Samuel L. Bloss. 1861 .- Henry Catlin, Phineas Crane, Walter B. Lake. 1862 .- IIenry Catlin, James Allen, Abraham Beecher. 1863-64 .- Abraham Beecher, Jumes Allen, Edwin L. Thompson. 1865 .- Abrahanı Beecher, Edwia L Thompson, Samuel L. Bloss. 1866 .- Samuel L. Bloss, Edwin L. Thompson, David W. Ames. 1867-68 .- Samuel L. Bloss, Benjamin T. Lake, Allen Smith. 1869-70 .- Samuel L. Bloss, Benjamin T. Lake, George C. Guild. 1871 .- llenry Catlin, Warren N. Taylor, Theodore Bird. 1872 .- Theodore Bird, Ralph Munson, John Trowbridge. 1873 .- Nehemiah L. Bloss, Lewie G. Sherman, Jonathan Wooten. 1874-75 .- Nehemiah L. Bloss, Jonathan Wooten, George S. Guild. 1876 .- Auzi D. Bacon, Heury C. IIill, David W. Ames. 1877 .- Amzi D. Bacon, Theodore Bird, George S. Guild. 1878 .- Amzi D. Bacon, Ilenry Catlin, Theodore Bird. 1879 .- Henry Catlin, Warren H. Taylor, Marvin S. Todd. 1880 .- llenry Catlin, Marvin S. Todd, Theodore Bird.

Grand list, 1880, $453,152.

The present town officers are G. C. Stone, Town Clerk; Henry Catlin, Marvin S. Todd, and Warren H. Taylor, Selectmen ; Jonathan Wooten, Town Treasurer ; Benjamin T. Lake, Town Deposit Fund Treasurer.

LIST OF REPRESENTATIVES.

1787, David Ambler; 1788, David Ambler, David Camp; 1789, David Camp, Capt. Jonathan Smith ; 1790-91, David Ambler; 1792, David Ambler, Oliver Parmelee ; 1793, David Ambler ; 1794-96, David Bel- lamy ; 1797, Oliver Parmelee, David Bellamy ; 1798, David Leavitt, Jr., David Bellamy ; 1799, David Leavitt, Jr .; 1800, David Leavitt, Jr., David Bellamy; 1801, David Leavitt, Jr., Alexandria Kasson ; 1802, David Bellamy, David Leavitt, Jr .; 1803, David Bellamy, Nehe- miah Lambert; 1804-5, David Bellamy ; 1806, Nehemiah Lambert, David Bellamy; 1807, David Bellamy ; 1808, Nehemiah Lambert, David Bellamy ; 1809, David Bellamy; 1810, Sammel Church, Jr., David Bellamy ; 1811, George D. Kasson, Samuel Church, Jr .; 1812, Nehemiah Lambert; 1813, George D. Kasson, Leveritt Judd ; 1814, Samuel Church, Jr., Leveritt Judd ; 1815, Nehemiah Lambert, Shel- dou C. Leavitt ; 1816, Nathan Hawley ; 1817, Sheldon O. Leavitt,

* Ia 1837 the election was held upon the 26th of September, and not the fore-part of December, as heretofore.

JAMES ALLEN SR.

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Nehemiah Lambert ; 1818, Nehemiah Lambert, Joseph H. Bellamy; 1819,* Joseph H. Bellamy ; 1820, Sheldon C. Leavitt ; 1821, Joseplı H. Bellamy; 1822, Sheldon C. Leavitt; 1823, Nathan Barton, Jr .; 1824-25, Sheldon C. Leavitt; 1826-27, Joseph II. Bellamy; 1828, Sheldon C. Leavitt; 1829-31, Nathan Jackson ; 1832, Minot Smith ; 1833, Nathan Jackson ; 1834, Nathan Hawley ; 1835, Isaac S. Wads- worth; 1836, James Allen; 1837, Jerial Hayes; 1838, Noble Allen; 1839, Nathan Hawley ; 1840, no choice ; 1841, Charles A. Bloss; 1842, Abraham Beecher; 1843, Gideon Allen; 1844, Nicholas Moss; 1845, George T. Bloss ; 1846, Benuett Warner; 1847, Nicholas Moss; 1848, Marvin S. Todd; 1849, Edwin L. Thompson ; 1850, Sidney Peck ; 1851, James Allen, Jr .; 1852, James Allen; 1853, Henry W. Peck; 1854, Benjamin T. Lake; 1855, William A. Hayes; 1856, Henry Catlin ; 1857, Leonard L. Hotchkiss; 1858, L. II. Guild; 1859, Sidney Peck ; 1800, Samuel L. Bloss ; 1861, Marvin S. Todd; 1862, Henry W. Peck ; 1863, Marvin S. Todd; 1864, Abraham Beecher; 1865, Edwin L. Thompson; 18GG, Henry Davis ; 1867, Henry J. Martin; 1868, Henry Catlin ; 1869, Marshall E. Beecher; 1870, Warren II. Taylor; 1871, Gideon D. Crane; 1872, George S. Guild; 1873, Marshall E. Beecher ; 1874, Richard W. Bacon ; 1875, Henry C. Hill; 1876, David W. Thomp- son; 1877, Herbert S. Jackson; 1878, David W. Thompson; 1879, George C. Stone; 1880, David II. Judd; 1881, Francis E. Judson.

THE REVOLUTION.

The following vote of the society of Bethlehem illustrates the spirit of the people in 1776 :

" We the subscribers in Bethlehem, Considering the great Danger we are in from our unnatural Enemies do voluntarily Iugage to Equip onr- selves as soon as we can with a good Gun, Sword or Bayonet, and Caterage Box for any Especial Emergency, for the Defense of our Invaluable Rights and Privileges and Promise to support the same with our Lives and fortunes as witness our hands the 18th day of July A.D. 1776."

This agreement was signed by Capt. Andrew Mar- tin and forty-four others.

MILITARY RECORD.

The following is the list of those who entered the late Rebellion credited to this town :

Charles and Levi Baldwin, E. Burke, A. W. Burr, Joseph Boyce, Felix Clary, William B. Crane, Francis Dugan, John Duffee, William Flynn, John Ferry, Isaac Foot, Michael Garrey, James H. Gilbert, Joho Hogan, Henry J. Hubbard, John Hayden, Patrick lloward, Daniel Hunt, John Jorle, Oliver Johnson, Alexander D. and E. N. Kasson, Louis Le Blanc, A. J. Lownsbury, Peter Monagher, Richard McGee, Jr., Thomas McBride, Olin Nash, Dexter A. Harson, B. and John K. Northrup, James Oswald, J'atrick Rourke, Theodore Stewart, Abram B. Polles, George Willlams, Philip L. Waldron.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

JAMES ALLEN.

The Allen family have been identified with the history of Bethlehem for more than a hundred years. Amos Allen, the pioneer, came from Woodbridge and settled in the southwest part of the town, where he raised a family of six children, five sons and one daughter. He was a large land-owner, and gave to each of his sons land, upon which they settled, in the immediate neighborhood. James Allen was the old- est son by a second wife. His land was adjoining the old home on the south. His father died when he was nineteen years of age. When twenty-one he was mar-

ried to Clarissa Way. Their children were Abner, Amos, James, George P., and Jabez. Mr. Allen was a man of good judgment and strict integrity, and he enjoyed in a large degree the confidence and esteem of his neighbors ; was a Democrat in politics, and often called to fill town offices, and was a selectman for many years, and frequently chosen administrator of estates and guardian of minor children. He repre- sented the town in the Legislature in 1836 and in 1852. He was also a soldier in the war of 1812, for which his widow received a pension. He died in 1858, in his sixty-fourth year. His wife died March 10, 1881, at the advanced age of eighty-two years.

Mr. Allen received but a small farm from his father, to which he made additions until he had two hundred and eighty acres, upon which he built a good and sub- stantial honse, now the home of his third son, James, Jr., who received the home-farm from his father, and, like him, has added other lands until he has some four hundred acres of land, with large improvements and fine buildings (a view of which may be seen in this work). Heis one of the most substantial and successful farmers in his town, and has held several town offices, and represented the town in the Legislature in 1851. He married Betsy L., daughter of George W. Peck, and granddaughter of Deacon Calvin Peek, who came to Sharon when a young man, where the family still reside. Their children are Frank P., who is in the lumber business in Georgia; Charles M., is a hard- ware merchant in Waterbury ; J. Edward, is a farmer in Bethlehem ; and Henry M., lives at home.

CHAPTER XXVI.

BRIDGEWATER.

Geographical - Topographical-Incorporation of Town-First Town- Meeting-Officers Elected-List of Town Clerks-Representatives from 1857 to 1881 - Ecclesiastical History - Congregational Church-St. Mark's Church - Methodist Episcopal Church - Baptist Church- Roman Catholic Church-Grund List, 1881-Military Record.

Tins town lies in the southwestern part of Liteh- field County, and is bounded as follows : on the north by New Milford, on the east by the town of Roxbury and New Haven County, on the south by Fairfield County, and on the west by Fairfield County and the town of New Milford. Its surface is hilly, but is well adapted to agricultural pursuits. Tobacco raising forms a leading occupation of the inhabitants.

The carly history of this town is interwoven with that of the mother-town, New Milford, and will be found detailed in the history of that town elsewhere in this work.

INCORPORATION OF BRIDGEWATER.

Bridgewater formed a portion of New Milford until May, 1856, when it was set off' ns a separate town. It was known as the " Neck."

* Undor the constitution.

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

The first town-meeting was held July 14, 1856, with Charles H. Sanford as moderator. The following offi- cers were chosen : Sherman Peck, Glover Sanford, and Roswell Morris, Selectmen ; Charles H. Sanford, Town Clerk; Peter Wooster, Treasurer; Eli Sturdevant, Constable and Collector; Burr Glover, Burr Mal- let, Samuel F. Clark, and John Keeler, Constables; Nelson D. Trobridge and Addison Beardsley, Grand Jurors ; Samuel R. Clark, Henry C. Knight, and J. G. Randal, Tithingmen; Charles Leavenworth and Alva Warner, Haywards; David Wooster, Gauger; Harley Sanford, Sealer of Weights and Measures; James M. Phippeney, Packer; William P. Bennett, Sexton; J. Platt, Burying-ground Commissioner; Henry B. Young, Pound-Keeper; Peter Phippeney and S. W. Treat, Fence-Viewers; Horace Judson, Register.

TOWN CLERKS.

The following is a list of town clerks from the organ- ization of the town to 1881 :

Charles H. Sanford, 1857-59; G. R. Warder,* 1860-62; Austin H. Gillett, 1862-69; Henry 11. Du Bois, M.D., 1870-74; G. R. Warner,+ 1875-81.

REPRESENTATIVES FROM I857 TO 188I.

1857, Hiram Keeler ; 1858, Ifomer B. Sanford; 1859, N. D. Trowbridge; 1860, John Peck; 1861, R. J. Livingston ; 1862, F. S. Sanford; 1863, Smith R. Weeks; 1864, George Beardsley; 1865, Eli Sturdevant; 1866, Glover Sanford; 1867, Alonzo Barnum; 1868, G. R. Warner; 1869, Austin HI. Gillett; 1870, Daniel Keeler; 1871, Sherman Peck; 1872, Burr Mallett: 1873, Edgar L. Peck ; 1874, Darwin Keeler; 1875, Bence B. Beach ; 1876, Marcus B. Mallett; 1877, John Keeler; 1878, Jeremiah G. Randall; 1879, James H. Keeler; 1880, George W. Morris; 1881, Amos Northrop.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

CONGREGATIONAL CIIURCII.#

Inasmuch as the history of the Congregational Church and Society was for a long time almost the history of this section of the old town, it will be given in extenso :

The first ecclesiastical society in Bridgewater was organized in the year. 1803. Up to that year it was a part of the first society in New Milford. At the ses- sion of the General Assembly in said year action was taken upon the petition of Truman Minor et al., to be set off as a district society, on "account of the inconveniences which they suffer by continuing a part of the New Milford Society." The petition bears date " April 30, 1803," and was granted. The limits of the society, as specified in the act of the Legislature, were the same as those of the present town of Bridgewater. Those seem to have been based originally upon what- as to its northern boundary-was known as the " established military lines in said Neck" (probably the limit of a company of the militia.)

Simultaneously with the organization there was pledged by a subscription a fund amounting to two

thousand five hundred and seventy-seven dollars, " the interest of which shall be paid annually, and carefully applied to the support of an able and discreet minister of the gospel in said society." Much of the fund subscribed was never paid, and during the first thirty years the interest was but partially collected. Lega- cies have from time to time been added, but consider- able sums seem to have also been lost. The last legacy-one thousand dollars-was from the estate of the late Lyman Smith.

The first meeting of the society was on Nov. 17, 1803, at the house of John Canfield. At a meeting held Feb. 1, 1804, it was voted " that we will lay a tax of five mills on the dollar for the benefit of the society, to be payable by April 1st." Jeremiah Canfield was appointed collector of said tax. At the same meeting it was voted "that the society committee be empow- ered to hire a minister, and lay out as much of the money to be raised by the tax as they think for the good of the society." Also "that we will purchase pine lumber for the purpose of building a meeting- house." Also "that Eli Smith and Benjamin Mead be appointed a committee to purchase said lumber." By a vote passed Dec. 27, 1804, their purchase was rejected, and no advance seems to have been made until the end of 1806, December 16th, at which time a committee of nine, of which Benjamin Mead was chairman, was appointed to pitch a stake at the cran- berry pond " for the meeting-house." They were re- quested to attend to the business " on Thursday next at two P.M." This seems to have been done satisfac- torily, for on Jan. 8, 1807, they voted that "we will build a meeting-house in this society with a steeple, this present year, on or near the place where the stake is now pitched, south of the cranberry pond, on James W. and Sally Smith's land. Said house to be raised and closed." The building committee were Eli Smith, David Merwin (2d), and Andrew Miner." The same committee was to set a price on the lumber bought, and also upon "all kinds of labor by the day." The price fixed upon for the first three months of that year was three shillings and sixpence per day (about sixty-two cents), and seven shillings for a four-cattle team."

The frame of the present edifice is the one which was put up at that time, but the house has been re- modeled twice. It seems to have been built in the plainest manner. The first covering was of shingles and not painted. This we infer from the fact that on Oct. 10, 1807, they voted "to paint the steeple, all above the deck floor, and the trimmings of the house." The building does not seem to have been completed before 1810.

The pioneers seem to have been fruitful in expe- dients for meeting and conquering financial difficul- ties, for, near the close of 1807, they appointed Andrew Miner, as agent of the society, to petition the Legisla- ture for a lottery to finish the house.

In the early part of 1817 the meeting-house was

* Mr. Warner resigned, and Levi M. Warner was appointed.

+ Vice Gillett, resigned.

# Condensed from a historical discourse delivered in Bridgewater, July 9, 1876, by Rev. J. B. Doolittle.

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BRIDGEWATER.

struck by lightning. This was soon repaired. It un- derwent no further extensive repairs until 1842.

It is a matter of interest to the young to know that in those early days it would have been considered by many a positive sin to have a fire in the meeting- house. Our grandfathers tell us that they used to sit patiently through two long sermons; and if their feet became intolerably cold they would knock them together to stimulate circulation. The ladies have always in this country been privileged characters. They used to carry foot-stoves; some of which, of more recent pattern, may still be found in the slips, contesting the ground with the modern soapstone. I find no record of the first introduction of stoves. It was probably, however, not far from the year 1825. And probably for some years the stove-pipes formed a junction in front of the pulpit and thence out through the roof. The first substitute for a bell was a large triangle. This in time was replaced by a bell.

The church was organized Aug. 10, 1809. Its rec- ords were burned in 1830. It was organized with twenty-nine members,-nine male and twenty female. Rev. Reuben Taylor, the first pastor, was ordained Jan. 24, 1810, and was dismissed April 5, 1815.

From the time of his dismission until Feb. 15, 1824, the church remained destitute of a preached gospel and its blessed ordinances, except occasional supplies, for a few weeks at a time, by itinerant preachers.

For five years succeeding 1824 the church enjoyed the regular preaching of the gospel for one-third part of the time by Rev. Fosdic Harrison, pastor of the church in Roxbury.

Mr. Taylor was settled upon a salary of four hun- dred dollars. But at the outset he was also given five hundred dollars as a "settlement." This was in accordance with the usual custom of the churches in the settlement of pastors. This money was given him upon the condition that, " Provided he leaves the society within the term of ten years, and the fault shall be his, he shall refund to the society in propor- tion as he has not tarried that length of time." On March 6, 1815, he was notified that his "resignation would be accepted." He therefore saved his two hundred and fifty dollars.

Mr. Taylor built and occupied the house which is known as the Lyman Smith place. The magnificent shade-trees around it, set out by him, are his most en- during material monument. He also set out the or- chard east of the house. He purchased the trees of a Mr. Sturdevant, who was to take his pay in sermons upon the " doctrine of Election." Mr. Taylor gave them a pretty strong one on the following Sunday, and at the close of it Mr. Sturdevant said : " Mr. Tay- lor, we will call the tree account square."

The period of the early history of this church was characterized extensively in New England by the breaking up of the old denominational monopoly ; a reaction against the " high Calvinism" which had so

prominently characterized the "standing order" dur- ing the last half of the last century.

In 1820 one Mr. Burritt preached here. The only allusion to him upon the records is the fact that "six- teen united with the church under him."

The second settled pastor here was Rev. Albert Camp. He was probably Dr. Camp's son, of North- field. He was ordained and installed Dec. 9, 1834. The Consociation met at that time at the house of Stephen Treat,-Mr. Camp's boarding-place. His salary, as voted by the society, was three hundred and sixty-five dollars per year, and three Sundays vacation. During this pastorate the meeting-house was rebuilt.

March 10, 1842, the society voted to repair the underpinning and steeple, put slips in the place of pews, and cover the building on three sides with pine siding; also to "paint the outside and inside," if sufficient funds can be raised by subscription. J. L. Miner was appointed a committee to circulate the same, and Lyman Smith, John Wooster, and Harmon Treat were appointed a committee to superintend the work.

During Mr. Camp's pastorate the parsonage was built upon land donated by Stephen Treat, but for interest upon which he was during his lifetime to be paid thirty dollars annually. The parsonage was first owned as a joint stock "affair," but was after- wards bought in and owned by the society. Beach Sanford and Daniel Miner were the building com- mittee. The cost was twelve hundred and thirty- two dollars and two cents.

A vote of the society, bearing the date of 1830, is as follows :

"That if Homer Treat will be accountable to the society for seventy- five dollars, the said II. T. shall have the privilege to solicit subscriptions from individnals to help him pay the said seventy-five dollars, and he shall have the privilege of boarding the ministor through the year, and no member of the society shall be allowed the privilege of having a scholar or schelars to study and recite to the minister during the year, either directly or indirectly."

Mr. Camp was dismissed June 6, 1843.

Rev. James Kilbourn supplied the pulpit from Aug. 13, 1843. He was ordained and installed Feb. 21, 1844, upon a salary of four hundred and fifty dol- lars, including aid from the Domestic Missionary So- ciety. He was dismissed July 1, 1850.

Rev. Dillon Williams was acting pastor during the two years following,-that is, until September, 1852.

The interval between September, 1852, and 1860 found Rev. F. Harrison acting as reserve, while un- successful efforts seem to have been made to secure a pastor. There were nine added to the church, of whom three were by profession; sixteen were dis- missed.

Among those who occupied the pulpit at times are the names of H. HI. McFarland and Lester Dorman. Rev. L. S. Potwin was ordained and installed Oct. 2, 1860, and was dismissed in 1863.

Rev. Henry E. Hart, was acting pastor from July,

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

1863, to July, 1866. Rev. Wm. H. Dean commenced his labors here Nov. 21, 1866, and was installed Aug. 28, 1867. His dismission occurred June 21, 1871. Simultaneously with his coming there was developed a revival of considerable power, which resulted in the largest numerical accession which the church has ever experienced. During his pastorate a new pipe organ was put into the church. It cost eleven hun- dred dollars, and was the gift of Lyman Smith.

Rev. John B. Doolittle commenced his labors here July 1, 1872, and was installed on the 16th of October following.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 61

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