History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 72

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

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Also,

" T'oled, That George Holloway shall he an agent to address the General Assembly at New Haven, October next, to appoint a committee to state the place where the meeting-house shall stand."

Also,

" Voted, That David Rugg should he the chorister till we agree other- wise."

Also,

" Voted, That George Holloway shall read the Psalm."

Also,

" Voted, That we will meet for public worship at Mr. Samuel Messen- ger's house till the town order otherwise."

When and by whom the church, the articles of faith, and church covenant were formed are now en- tirely unknown; nor is it known who were the members comprising the church. Whether such or- ganization was previous or subsequent to their first minister's preaching to them cannot be ascertained.

Whether any preacher was employed during the winter of 1740-41 is uncertain, but the people did not " forget the assembling of themselves together" in the worship of God, and David Rugg continued their stated leader in singing.

The Rev. Solomon Palner, of Branford, Conn., ed- ucated at Yale College, who graduated there 1729, was in the town in the spring of 1741 as a preacher.

On the first Thursday of March, 1741, the people met according to an adjournment of a meeting three months before, and voted to hire Mr. Palmer to preach to them until the Ist of June ns a candidate for settlement.

Ten weeks after, May 24th, the town met at the house of Samuel Messenger, and passed the following vote :

"That, with the advice and consent of the neighboring ministers, we will call the Blev. Mr. Solomon Palmer to a settlement with ua In the gospel ministry in this place."

They added to this call :

" That we will give Mr. Palmer the following salary, to be paid in money equal in silver at twenty-eight shillings per ounce: For the first year, which is to begin at the day of his ordination, two hundred pounds, the half of which shall be paid at said ordination ; the second year, one hundred pounds; the third, one hundred and ten pounds; and so rise teu pounds a year till it comes at one hundred and sixty pounds, to he paid annually so long as he continues in the work of the ministry in this place."

Soon after, the town granted Mr. Palmer fifty pounds additional to his settlement of two hundred pounds. In addition to his salary and settlement, Mr. Palmer was entitled to a whole right of land, or what was one fifty-third share of the town, the amount of which in land was not far from six hundred acres.

Mr. Palmer was ordained on the second Wednesday of August, 1741.

The first deacons of Cornwall Church were Jonathan Harris, who came from Derby and settled on Clark Hill, near Goshen, and Phineas Waller, who emi- grated from New Milford, and whose residence was half a mile northwest from Deacon Nathan Hart's, on Waller Hill.

For twelve years and seven months Mr. Palmer re- mained peacefully with his flock, during which time the town increased in population very considerably. No records of the church of those years are extant, and no list of church communicants.

In March, 1754, Mr. Palmer declared, on the Sab- bath, and to the great surprise of all his people, that his ordination had no validity, that he was an Epis- copalian, and that he now renounced his ministry among them.

There were but few Episcopalians in Connecticut; a church of that denomination had been existing in Stratford, and in 1722 the Rev. Mr. Cutler, rector of Yale College, became an Episcopalian. After this there were a few more added to the number.

It is believed that several of Mr. Palmer's parish- ioners were at first inclined to think favorably of his change of opinion ; but very few only continued so, for he claimed his land, which was granted to the first minister, but the people resented the claim as unjust, for he had deserted his charge. A lawsuit was com- meneed, but the matter was compromised, he giving up a part of his demand.

This controversy, it is probable, prevented the estab- lishment of an Episcopal church in this town, for the people had held their pastor in high estimation.

Mr. Palmer went to England, was there ordained as a priest, and sent baek as a missionary of the Church of England. Ile had an offer of a permanent settlement at Amboy, N. J., with an ample salary, but, from the reluctance of his wife to go thither, he remained in Connecticut. He preached at Goshen, at New Milford, and itinerated in various parts of the western section of the State.

Mr. Palmer derived no pecuniary benefit from leaving his parochial charge at Cornwall, but experi- enced the contrary.

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

For seventeen months after this defection of the first pastor the town had no settled minister.

Whether Mr. Palmer took away or destroyed the records of this infant church, or they were lost by the careless neglect of others, is unknown ; not a scrap of such history is extant. It is not known whether any one preached in Cornwall except Mr. Gold until his installment. This was on the 27th of August, 1755.

The Rev. Hezekiah Gold was a native of Stratford, a descendant from a family highly honorable, being a grandson of the Hon. Lieutenant-Governor Nathan Gold, and a son of the Rev. Hezekiah Gold, of Strat- ford. His father, who was an evangelical pastor of the First Congregational Church of Stratford, advo- cated the cause of the revival of religion first referred to, and was a friend to Mr. Whitefield and to his asso- ciates. His son, who became the minister of this town, was educated at Yale College, where he graduated in 1751. He possessed a superior mind, having talents comprehensive and penetrating, by which he easily obtained a thorough knowledge of human nature, and of course able to acquire much influence with whom he associated. Until unhappy dissensions took place, in the latter part of his ministry, Mr. Gold's influ- ence among the people and families of liis charge was almost unbounded. In every concern, private and public, civil, military, and domestic, the advice and opinion of Mr. Gold was esteemed as highly impor- tant. During the former and greater part of his min- isterial labors, a very large assembly gathered at the house of God on the Sabbath, which stood nearly op- posite to the house of George Holloway, Esq.,-the house now owned by Ithamar Baldwin.

The following were the male members of Mr. Gold's church, April 3, 1783: Joshua Pierce, Caleb Jones, Woodruff Emmons, Amos Jones, Edward May, James Bierce, Joseph Pangman, Jacob Brownson, John Pierce, John Wright, Jacob Brownson, Jr., Nathaniel Swift, Zachariah H. Jones, Seth Pierce, Nehemiah Beardsley, Ralph Grimes, Timothy Brownson, Deacon J. Kellogg, Ketchel Bell, Lemuel Jennings, Dar. Everest, Ebenezer Symonds, Thomas Tanner, John Benedict, Austin Bierce, John Jones, Josiah Stephens, Seymour Morse, Elias Birdsey, Joel Wood, Amos Camp. Mr. Gold, the pastor, makes thirty-three.

Pastors .- The following is a list of pastors from the organization of the church to the present time: Solo- mon Palmer, 1741-54; Hezekiah Gold, Jr., 1755-90; Hercules Weston, 1792-1803; Timothy Stone, 1803- 27; William Andrews, 1827-38; Nathaniel M. Um- ston, 1838-40 ; Hiram Day, 1841-48; Ralph Smith, 1851-55; Ira Pettibone,* 1854-57; Stephen Fenn, 1859-67 ; Elias B. Sanford, 1869-71 ; N. A. Prince, 1872-74; Samuel J. White, 1875, present incumbent.

Deacons .- John Harris, Phinehas Waller, Benjamin Sedgwick, Samuel Abbott, date of appointment un- known ; Thomas Porter, chosen Oct. 8, 1765 ; Elijah

Steel, June 24, 1773; Judah Kellogg, Josiah Hop- kins, June 20, 1776; Benjamin Gold, Abel C. Carter, July 9, 1812; Jedediah Calhoun, December, 1819; Victorianus Clark, March 4, 1831 ; Henry Swift, Silas P. Judson, July 21, 1839; Marens D. F. Smith, Jan. 5, 1855; Robert T. Miner, George H. Swift, Jan. 6, 1867 ; Silas C. Beers, Dec. 13, 1868 ; Harlan Ives.

The first resolutions passed by the people of Corn- wall-in town-meeting assembled A.D. 1740-was to get a minister, and the second was like unto it, viz .: to build a " meeting-house." In due timethe minister was obtained, and the house was commenced,-I will not say built : I think it never was built.

In 1745 the town passed a resolution accepting the house of the builders, so far as the work had pro- gressed, and ordered that it be set apart to God for purposes of worship.

The house was only covered with shingles and clap- boards, and in it the people worshiped, summer and winter, without fire, except what burned upon God's altar. The church was located at Cornwall Centre, a mile distant from this village.

In 1790 this church was taken down, enlarged, and put up again in this village, near where the liberty- pole now stands.

In 1840 or 1841 the old house was torn down and the present one built.

In 1874 a beautiful chapel was built upon the grounds upon which the old mission-house of the American Board once stood.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, NORTH CORNWALL.+

This church was organized in the fall of 1780} by seceders from the South Church. The first members were Andrew Young, Phineas Waller, Elijah Steele, Samuel Butler, Noah Bull, James Douglass, Marsh Douglass, David Clark, and Hezekiah Clark. Within two years the following were added, making, in 1782, thirteen members: Beriah Hotchkin, Noah Rogers (3d), Ethan Allan, Jesse Hyatt, Mrs. B. Hotchkin, Mrs. P. Waller. In 1805 the following were members of the church: Noah Rogers, Sr. (3d), Elijah Mal- lory and wife, Hezekiah Clark, David Clark, Jesse Hyatt and wife, Nathan Hart and wife, Thaddeus Cowles and wife, Titus Hart, Ichabod Howe, Silas Meacham, Mrs. Samuel Scovill, Sr., Mrs. Samuel Scovill, Jr., wife of Capt. Williams, Clarissa Irene Rogers, wife of Joseph Ford, wife of Philo Hawes, Mrs. Silas Clark, Abigail Hart, widow of John Hart, wife of Asa Emmons, Ira Gleason, wife of Joseph Hotchkin.

The first pastor was Rev. Samuel Bird, who re- mained, however, but a few months. The following is a list of pastors from the organization of the church to the present time : Rev. Samuel Bird; John Corn-

t Condensed from R. R. Pratt's historical address and Rev. N. Fitch's memorial sermon.

# Contributione to Ecclesiaetical History of Connecticut gives date of organization 1782.

* Acting pastor.

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wall; Israel Holley, 1795-1801 ; Josiah Hawes,* 1805- 13; Grove L. Brownell, 1817-18; Walter Smith, 1819-38 ; S. J. Tracy, 1838-39; Joshua L. Maynard, 1841-52; W. B. Clarke, 1855-59 ; Charles Wetherby, 1859-66; Jesse Brush, 1867-73. Charles N. Fitch, the present efficient pastor, was installed in 1874. Mr. Fitch is a graduate of Yale Theological Seminary, class of '73.

The deacons of the church have been as follows: Beriah Hotchkin, Phineas Waller, Hezekiah Clark, David Clark, Titus Hart, Eleakim Mallory, Nathan Hart, Noah Rogers, James Wadsworth, R. R. Pratt, E. D. Pratt, T. S. Gold, Egbert M. Rogers.

The Second Ecclesiastical Society was incorporated in 1804. The first church edifice was erected on the site of James D. Ford's homestead. In 1785 the sec- ond meeting-house was commenced on the site of the present school-house at Cornwall Centre. In 1790 the first house was taken down, and rebuilt in the vicinity of the present church at Cornwall. The present church was erected in 1826, and Jan. 11, 1827, was dedicated to Almighty God.

METHODISTS.

The new Methodist church at the Centre was erected in the year 1839.

Many pious and worthy ministers of the gospel have preached their one or two years in Cornwall since the first introduction of Methodism into the town.

BAPTISTS.

In the summer of 1800, Samuel Wadsworth, son of Mr. Joseph Wadsworth, then living on Cream Hill, and a grandson of Mr. James Douglass, was baptized by a Baptist minister in the Cream Hill Lake. This ceremony, from its novelty at the time, attracted a large attendance of people. There may have been Baptists here at an earlier day, but no accessible rec- ords furnish data of their existence in this town pre- vious to the above date. Among the carly Baptist preachers in Cornwall were the Rev. Messrs. Bates, Fuller, and Talmadge. Elder Fuller, the father of Mrs. Deacon Nettleton, had not a permanent resi- dence in this town, but often preached at the house of Capt. Samuel Wadsworth on Cream Hill. He was peculiarly solemn and earnest in presenting his sub- ject to his hearers, sometimes exciting to tears even the children, who would listen to him in breathless silence. His residence was in Kent, where some of his descendants yet remain.

ROMAN CATIIOLIO.

A small Roman Catholic church was erected at West Cornwall about 1850.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI, WEST CORNWALL.

The chapel at West Cornwall was commenced in

* Between the pastorates of Mr. Hawce and Mr. Brownell, Rev. Francis L. Robbins and a Mr. Hawley preached as candidates.

1877, and dedicated Jan. 3, 1878. It was erected at a cost of four thousand dollars.

CORNWALL AND SHARON BAPTIST CHURCH,t

for upwards of thirty years woven into the ecclesias- tical affairs of the town of Cornwall, ought not to be overlooked in this history. The meeting-house, raised about 1820, in North Cornwall, is still standing (used as a dwelling, and owned by Hon. T. S. Gold). Its membership was from forty to sixty in its best days, and among its pastors we may mention Elders Samuel Ambler and Asa Talmadge, both of whom owned farms and supported themselves by that occupation, preach- ing on the Sabbath purely for the good they might do. The deacons were Samuel Adams and Elijah Nettle- ton. The church dissolved about 1843, but was the father of the church whose history follows this. Many of the members were, though the property was not, transferred. The records were burned in a fire that destroyed the house of Deacon Holmes. But two of the members are still living, one of whom adds to the records here given : "Though the books are burned and the house disused, many names are on a book that even the conflagration of a universe will not reach, for whom there was prepared a mansion in the heaveus that 'faileth not.'"

BAPTIST CHURCHI IN CORNWALL HOLLOW.+

On the 13th of November, 1843 (by the advice of Elder N. E. Shailer and Elder A. D. Watrous, mis- sionarics under the patronage of the Connecticut Baptist State Convention), Zebulon O. Lawton, Eliza- beth B. Lawton, Sarah A. Nettleton, and Jane E. Nettleton, baptized believers in Jesus Christ, pub- licly gave themselves to the Lord and to one another, by His will entering into a covenant.

In the constitution of the church, which was adopted March 25, 1844, at the house of Leighton Bradley, they adopted the name of the "North Cornwall Bap- tist Church," after the old society, a name that seems afterwards to have been changed by common consent to Cornwall Hollow Baptist Church.

According to custom among Baptists, a Council was convened at the house of Ransley Hull, April 17, 1844, "to examine our covenant und declaration of faith, and (if the Council think best) to give us pub- lic fellowship as a church." Sermon by Rev. G. B. Atwell from Acts xi. 26.

The house of worship, still in good repair, was built in 1845, and dedicated the same year.

We find that discipline was not neglected, and from the following example we judge that churches at the present time are derelict. After several church-meet- ings, in which the case came up, but was deferred for further council and prayer, after two separate com- mittees had been appointed to confer with the offend- ing member, we find the following record : "Heard

t Contributed by Rev. H. G. Smith.

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HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

the report of the committee appointed to visit - -. Report accepted. On finding from the com- mittee that she was neglecting her covenant obliga- tions with God and the church, and that she at- tended parties and balls, after mature deliberation, the church voted to withdraw from her the hand of fellowship."

Jan. 1, 1847, a number of members and others assembled at the house of A. B. Holmes, appointed Elder E. Doty moderator, and proceeded to organize a branch of the Cornwall Hollow Church, and re- ceived members. By a vote of the parent church shortly after, these were permitted to become members on the presentation of their letters.

A sad disturbance seems to have entered the church, owing to their action in regard to the misconduct of a previous pastor. A church-meeting was called, com- posed of all the members "in regular travel at the time." Confessions were sought from each as in their judgment the Lord required, and "they proceeded to travel onward in the capacity of a church," though bearing scars that time refused to heal. The resur- rection body will come up without them.

In October, 1855, the pastor, Rev. William M. Simons, and wife and four members, withdrew to unite, with sixteen other members residing in and about Falls Village, in forming a separate church. Shortly after this branch became a church (the record does not say how long) it was beset by embarrassments, the minister removed West, and at length the church gave up the field, selling the property to the Congre- gationalists, who occupy the place.

The first pastor was Rev. N. E. Shailer, from Feb. 20, 1844, to March 1, 1845. This office he combined with that of general State missionary, preaching for them only when providentially in that vicinity. It was through his instrumentality largely that the society was formed. In this work he was assisted by Rev. A. D. Watrous, also State missionary.

The first settled pastor was John P. Barnett, who was settled April 1, 1845, and was to be "paid two hundred and fifty dollars for his labors." From March 1st to April 1st he was to preach " for the con- sideration of five dollars in money and teams to move his goods from Northeast." We find also on the records a document duly signed and countersigned, in which the above Barnett stipulates, for the specified sum, that he will "preach for the term of one year, twice on the Sabbath and once during the week, if requested by the committee." He was dismissed at the end of the year, and Elder Alfred Gates was chosen to succeed him. Jan. 13, 1849, we find his resignation accepted by a vote of the church. He appears to have been succeeded immediately by Rev. E. N. Jenks, who was the next pastor, until 1850, when they saw fit to give " Elder S. Gate a call, so long as the church will raise the salary." That was not long, as we find at the next annual meeting the .committee was instructed to "supply the desk" the

year ensuing. This, however, was fortunately done by securing, some time during the year, the pastoral labors of Elder William M. Simons, for we find at the next annual meeting they voted to continue him as their pastor. He was a laborious and efficient minis- ter, and April 27, 1853, a Council ordained him to the work of the ministry in that place.

From this time onward the records are imperfect, but from 1854 to 1858 Rev. Thomas Benedict and Rev. E. Doty appear to have filled successively the pastoral office. May 22, 1859, George Pay was called to become their pastor, after ordination, which oe- curred on the 15th of June. He remained two years, after which Rev. Charles Y. Swan, Rev. George B. Atwell, Rev. A. H. Simons, and Rev. Mr. Jones supplied the desk, but the records are imperfect at this point. Dec. 23, 1863, the society voted to eall Rev. L. W. Wheeler to the pastorate, which he filled two years.

From this time forward fifteen years the church was without a settled Baptist minister, and listened to the preaching of such men as Providence threw in their way, sometimes the Congregational minister in North Cornwall, and more often the Methodist pastor at North Goshen. During this time no church- meetings were held, many moved away, some died, and others connected themselves with neighboring churches. Their light nearly went out. From a membership of over a hundred it was reduced to four or five. Yet it was not to die.

In 1876 missionaries of the Connecticut Baptist Convention visited the place, which resulted in some awakening and additions to the church. This was followed in 1880 by Rev. H. G. Smith, pastor of the churches in East Cornwall and Bantam Falls, coming and preaching every two weeks, alternating with Rev. C. N. Fitch, Congregational pastor at North Corn- wall. Now, 1881, Mr. Smith is acting pastor, preaeh- ing in his two other fields during the day, and in this place every Sabbath evening.

Before closing this history, there is one man whose work and worth, in connection with this church, demands more than passing notice. Deacon A. W. Lawton was received into membership from the North Cornwall Baptist Church, dissolved Dec. 12, 1843, and was "appointed to take the lead of religious meetings when there is no regular minister present." Shortly afterwards he was elected deacon, which office he sus- tained to the end of his life.

The following extracts are taken from an article which appeared in the Christian Secretary at the time of his death :

"DEACON A. W. LAWTON.

"Deacon Amos Wells Lawton died at his residence in Goshen, Wed- nesday morning, Feb. 16, 1831, in the eighty-fourth year of hie age. He was born in Hopkinton, R. I., May 1, 1797. In 1828 he moved to Goshen, where he resided until hie death.

" In the year 1843 himself and wife, with some half-dozen otbers, joined in organizing the Baptist Church of Cornwall Hollow, of which he be- came deacon, and 60 remained at the time of his death. As the most

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prominent of the organizers and supporters of the interest, he found and filled a sphere most useful and honorable. his house being the home of many of the members of the ministry of the Baptist denomination in the northwestern portion of the State, while many cao attest the spirit of generous hospitality which always dwelt beneath his roof. He was ever identified with Baptist interests, and took an active interest in the Litch- field County Baptist Association, of which for many years lie was the treasurer.

" He represented his town in the State Legislature of 1853, and held at various times most of the offices of trust and responsibility in Goshen, where the most of the years of his active life were passed."

COLLEGE STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, EAST CORNWALL .*

This church was constituted in the town of Warren, Nov. 15, 1787, under the name of the Warren Baptist Church, with the following members : Benjamin Dun- ning, Asahel Wedge, Samuel Sturdivant, Truman Beeman, Ely Dayton, John Lord, Ira Wedge, Salmon Wedge, Samuel Sturdivant, Jr., Isaac Dunning, Anna Beeman, Hannah Wedge, Mercy Dunning, Sarah Sturdivant, Hannah Raynold, Rachel Beeman, Abi- gail Pratt, Jerusha Thomson, Jemima Cogswell, Abi- gail Spooner, Anner Sturdivant, Sarah Merriman.

In 1790 the church consisted of eighty members, who were scattered in the town, Warren, Cornwall, Wash- ington, Goshen, Kent, and Sharon. Jan. 28, 1793, eighteen of the members withdrew to form a church in Sharon. The erection of the first church edifice was begun in 1850, and on May 31, 1851, a resolution was passed changing the name of the church to the College Street Baptist Church of Cornwall. The church was dedicated June 19, 1857. Among the ministers who have officiated for the church were Isaac Root, Dodge, Howard, Beecher, Danicl Bald- win, Thomas Benedict, L. B. Hart, J. F. Jones, Rich- ard Thompson, Jackson Ga Nun, C. W. Potter, J. Fairman, D. F. Chapman. Edwin D. Bowers was or- dained pastor June 2Ist, although he had officiated from the 5th of the previous February. He was suc- cecded in June, 1878, by the present efficient pastor, Rev. H. G. Smith.

METHODIST CHURCH, CORNWALL BRIDGE.

It is impossible to ascertain when this church was organized. Among the first preachers were James Coleman, Benjamin Griflin, Samuch Cochran, Billy Hibbard, E. P. Jacob, J. J. Mathias, Nathan Emory, and Smith Dayton. Among the recent ministers may be mentioned Spencer II. Bray, Edward Bray, Benja- min A. Gilman, H. Q. Judd, Ira Abbott, L. L. Stone, and Robert Codling. The present (March, 1881) pas- tor is Rev. William Wake. The church edifice was erected in 1835. The present board of trustees are D. W. Manucl, Jolin Hall, Leonard S. Whitcomb, Wilbur F. Harrison, Sebra Wells, Charles HIall, and Daniel Winchell.

The present board of stewards are Charles Hall, Wilbur F. Harrison, D. W. Manuel, and Leonard S.

Whitcomb; superintendent of Sunday-school, W. F. Harrison.t

EDUCATIONAL.

A foreign mission-school was established in this town May 1, 1817, the object being for the educa- tion of foreign youth, to prepare them for becoming missionaries, schoolmasters, interpreters, and physi- cians among heathen nations, and to communicate such information-viz., agriculture and the arts-as should tend to promote Christianity and civilization.

It was opened under the management of Mr. Ed- win W. Dwight, who served one year, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. Herman Daggett. Mr. Daggett offici- ated six years, and was succeeded in 1824 by Rev. Amos Bassett, who continued until the school was abandoned, in 1827. Rev. Henry L. Vail was at one time an assistant teacher.

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History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 72

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