History of Litchfield county, Connecticut, Part 90

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 90

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).

" l'oted, That de Jacob Benton and Samuel Phelps and Danlal Bar- tholomew and Daniel Phelps and Capt Daniel Messenger Shall be a Committee to order and a point a School mnster and School mistrises In this town In the year Insuing and to Receive In and pay out the above Sum of money for the use aforesald according to there Dlacresion for the Larning of the youth s mougst us to w[r]ight and Rendo.

" Dec. 3, 1750 .- Fated, That there be Sixty pounds laved for the hiring a School master to teach Children to Head & write Cypher the one hulf to be Raised by the town and the other half to be by the parents or mins- ters of the Children that thay Send to Sald School.

" Voted, That there Shall be Forty pounds Raysd for the hiring of two women to teach Children to Rond the Schools to be kept the ons East Side of the town at Such P'laure as the Comailtteo that Shall be C'hoson Shall a polat; to be Halsed one half by the town the other half by the parents and nuters of the Children that thay send according to the number they send.

* 0. l'. signifies original proprietor.

378

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

" Voted, That Ebenezer Hopkios Isaac Bull and Abijah Catling Shall be a Commitee to order the prudentale of the Schools in hiring a School master and School mistrisee and disposing the money that was Voted for School according to the true intent for what it was Granted.

"Dec. 3, 1751 .- Voted, That there Shall be one hundred pounds in money of the old tenor Raised in this Town for Schooling of Children in order to teach them to writ and Read the one half of sd money to be Raised on the Ratetabel Estate of the inhabitants and the other half to be-Raised npon the poles of Such Children as Shall be Sent [to] School the above money to be divided upon the List on Each Side of the town and Improved as the Commitee that Shall Be Chosen Shall order the same in one Shool or more and to apoint the places to keep the Schools and git school masters for ye same.

" Voted, That Ebenezer Hopkins and Abijeh Catling and Lt Aaron Cook and Israel Merriman and David Hayden and decon Daniel Phelps Shall be a Comm[ittee] to apoint the Places for the Schools and dispose of the School money for the Use for which it is voted for.

" Dec. 20, 1752 .- l'oted, That we will have a School in this town for the year Ineuing to wit one month on the East Side of the town and one month at the School house in this town & one month on the West Side the Town.

" Voted, That their Shall be £60-008: 00d in money of the old tenor Leived on the one half of it Leived on the Ratable Estate in this Town and the other half of the sd money to be Leived on the poles of Such as Go to School in order to maintain a school among us.

" J'oted, That Cyprian Webster & Samuel Phelps & Den Jacob Benton Shall be a Commetee to apoint places for Seid School and to hire a School master for suid School.

"Sept. 18, 1753 .- Voted, That their Shell be Seventy Pounds money Levied on the poles & Ratable Estates of the Inhabitants of this Town to Defray the Charges of the meeting house and of the Schooling that we have had Done allready in this Town this year & pay for a Cloth to Cover the Ded that is allready provided in this town."

To the above extracts from the Town Book I. should be added as follows, from the records of "the West Proprietors of Harwinton :"

"March 20, 1753 .- Voted, That the proprietors will dispose of the unde- vided Land the interest of Sd money to Support a School in the west pro- priety of Harwinton."*

The last entry made in the recorde of the " Proprietors of East IIar- winton" is under date of March 6, 1759, in these words: " ajurned to the first munday of march next."

The last entry made in the Records of the "Proprietors of West Har- winton" is under date of April 14, 1757 [1769 ?], in these words : " l'oted, That this meeting be adjorned to the first munday of march, 1770."

The records of the proprietors, kept first at Hartford and Windsor re- spectively, at which places the first meetings of said persone were held, were kept, and said meetings were held in Ilarwinton after the organi- zation of the town .- Manning.

THE REVOLUTION.

A number of persons from Harwinton, large as compared with the population of the town, were sol- diers in what New Englanders term "the old French war," 1755-63. Some of these, as ascertained in 1837, were Charles Goodwin, Capt. Jacob Hinsdale, Timothy Homaston, Benoni Hough, Samuel Weston. Timothy Homaston, who had been under command of Gen. Amherst at the taking of Quebec, 1759, died, at a very advanced age, in 1829.

In the time of the great struggle which event- uated in securing our national independence, there were, as is known, individuals in nearly all parts of the country who took a view of that struggle differing from that of the mass of their fellow-citizens. There

is remembered but one such as having belonged to Harwinton :

"John Marsh, 3d, of Litchfield, applied [to the Governor and Council of Safety, Il Feb., 1777] for liberty to take Mark Prindle, of Harwin- ton (a tory [then] at Mansfield), and have him before the Court at Litch- field, in discharge of his bail bond, given for said Prindle in another case ; which was granted by the Governor and Council with their order to return said Prindle, after his trial, to Amariah Williams in said Mans- field."+

In 1781, Harwinton was subjected to a penalty of fifteen pounds for a deficiency of one man in the number of men required for the war .;

Incidents of a different character, as well as men more fitly representing the town at that period, were as given below.

While the people here were on a Sabbath morning, April 27, 1777, preparing to leave their homes for at- tendance on public worship, an express arrived through Litchfield from Danbury, announcing that Governor Tryon with his troops, the "Cow-Boys," as they were contemptuously termed by the Americans, had come from New York to the latter place. Mr. (afterwards Deacon) Webster, after receiving from the messenger the written message which was brought, gave it to Abraham Goodwin for conveyance to New Hartford. He ran with it, "post-haste," one mile to Lieut. Jonathan Goodwin, whom he found strapping to his horse a side-saddle. The lieutenant, a man who gen- erally required ample time for deliberation on even small matters, and who otherwise was becomingly slow in his movements, now, catching by a glance the pur- port of the document, exchanged his saddle in a trice, and, urging his wonder-struck animal into no inferior rate of speed, let something other than his " modera- tion be known." Harwinton soldiers, with others from this vicinity, immediately sped to Danbury, reaching that place, distant some forty-four miles, early on Monday morning, though not until after the British detachment had effected the object of their coming by the destruction of the breadstuffs and other military stores there deposited. Mr. Abraham Goodwin gave to the writer this account in 1837, say- ing at that time that his age was eighty-three years. He then resided in Harwinton :

" In 1778, Levi Monson, of Harwinton,¿ a sergeant in Capt. [William] Donglass' company, Col. [David] Wooster's regiment [made declaration to the Legislature of this colony that he], was taken prisoner on the Isle of Montreal, carried to Quebec, and thence, with [Amos?] Green, a soldier, and Col. Ethan Allen, to Falmouth, in England [and that he], re- turned from Falmonth to Halifax [N. S.], about June 29th, 1776."|

In the town records, for the years of the Revolu- tionary contest, various details show the interest felt, and the efforts made by this town regarding that en- deavor. Many soldiers here died by camp sickness and otherwise, though it has not been found that any from Harwinton were killed while fighting in the Continental army. In 1837 were living in Harwin- ton, and then receiving, as Revolutionary soldiers,

* In the records of the " Proprietors of East Harwinton," the latest mention noticed of "nndevided lands" is under date of 1746, at which time " deck [deacon ] thomas richards" was allowed to " make his pitch" of them.

+ Hinman's " War of the Revolution." # State archives. ¿ Hinman's " War of the Revolution" gives him as of Wallingford. Į State archives.

379

HARWINTON.

pensions from the national government, Simeon Bar- ber, Lyman Clark, Darins Foot, Silas Gridley, George Jones, Benoni Johnson, John Winchell (Nathan Barnes, of the Harwinton Church, resided at New Hartford).

LIST OF SOLDIERS.

Benjamin Barber, Simeon Berber, Timothy Barber, Isaiah Butler, Jr., Solomon Butler, Abraham Catlin, Eli Catlin, Phineas Catlin, Daniel Cook, Jonathan Cook, Jabez Frisbie, Asa Griswold, White Griswold, Joseph C. Hemley, Allyn Haydon, George Jones, Christopher Jonson, Samnel Jonson, Samuel Lambert, Hezekiah Leach, George Loomis, Elijeh Loomis, James Olcut, Jr., Hezekiah Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Samuel Phelps, Jr., Ashbel Porter, Jesse Potter, Enos Scott, Zimri Skinner, Samuel Wesson, Samnel Wesson, Jr., Abner Wilson.

The following is a list of " married men on service in the Continental army from Harwinton," who, March 8, 1779, had received supplies from the town :

Rosswell Catlin, Ozem Cook, Caleh Elmore, Thomas Greene, Seth Grid- ley, Joseph Halsted, Joseph C. Hanley, Elisha Hinsdale, Samuel Hinsdale, Lieut. Asahel Hodge, Elijah Scott, Ethel (Ithiel ?) Scott, Timothy Stedman, James Wilcox, and Benj. Catlin, quartermaster.

The latter seems to have enlisted at some place other than Harwinton, and was probably a son of Benjamin, Jr., and grandson of Benjamin, Sr., of Harwinton .- Manning.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

HARWINTON (Continued).

The Congregational Church-The Episcopal Church-Incorporation- First Tawn-Meeting-Officers Elected-Representatives from 1757 to 1882-Military.

ECCLESIASTICAL, CIVIL, AND MILITARY. CONGREGATIONAL CITURCII.

THE following history of the Congregational Church is taken chiefly from Manning's "History of Harwin- ton," and is given in extenso, as the history of the church for a long time was really the history of the town. The first memorial asking to be embodied in church estate was presented Oct. 4, 1737, as follows :

" The inhabitants of Harwinton, presenting by their agents, Daniel Messenger, Zechariah Seymour, and Anthony Hoskins, a memorial to the General Court, in which they ask from that body what they had unsuccessfully sought from it May 13, 1736, 'an- thority to embody in church order' and 'to be incor- porated as a town,' assign as reasons for their request that 'the place being daily increasing, it will be ne- cessary for us not only to have a settled minister,' but 'also to build us a house' for divine worship.

" Dec. 20, 1737, at the first town-meeting, it was

" T'oted, That the Euhabitants of the town of Harwinton hane uery unanimnely A grieed to Buikl A Meteing House for Dinine Worship :- " Voted, Woagree thus that the Meetlog Hlouse Shall be set In the Senter Line Between the Proprietors of Hartford and windsor Condishion that Windeor Propriators give their Proporshion of land Agreed for the Ju- currigement of our Minnistor and Pay half the Choust building the Meeting House and half the: 100: l'ound Agreed to giuo the Ministor In Labour :-

"Subsequent proceedings were had, as at the sev- cral dates below may appear :

" May 2, 1738,-Voted and nnanimusly agreed to APlye our Selues to the Generall Assembly now in there Present Sestions to A fix A Place for the Meeting Hous for the tow town of harwinton to Stand in for diuine worship :- -

" Voted, That Mr daniel Messinger and m' Jsreal Merriman Shall be A Commeete to make APlication to Jenerall assemBly att there Present Sestions to fix de termine and asartain the Place where A house to Meet in for the Publick worShip of god Shall be Erectted and Built within the Bounde of Harwinton.

" May, 1738 .- Daniel Messenger and Israel Merri- man, acting as a committee of the town of Harwinton, present to the Legislature a request that that body will appoint a committee to designate a place for the site of a meeting-house in Harwinton. The request was granted.

"Oct. 6, 1738 .- The committee appointed by the Legislature report that they have located the meeting- house 'where the Litchfield [and Farmington] road crosses the line of east and west proprietors.' Peti- tions of various persons are sent to the Legislature, ex- pressing objections to the location selected, and dis- satisfaction with those who had chosen it. The Legislature sustained the' action of their committee. Harwinton takes other measures :

" Nov. 1, 1733 .- Voted, To Chuse a Commeete of unJnterrastted Par- sous to afix or State aplace or Placses whare the julinbitants of harwin- ton Shall Meet it on the Sabbath dey until there is A Meeting houe Built And Maad fit for the jnhabitants to Bleet in on Said day to worship God in.

" Voted, That M' John Burd: george Mayrch [Blarsh ?] and Edward Ph[e]lps :- Be the Men to fix or State the Place or l'lacsee abone Nameed -where we Shall Meet in on the Sabbath day to worship god in :

" It is now noted that Bir Daniel Messinger and Mr daniel P'helps Be A Commeete to lay the Surcomstances of our cases before these Men and to bring there return or answer to the Inhabitants of the town of har- winton.

" Dec. 12, 1738 .- l'oted, That Joseph Richards and John Wilson Bo tything mon.

" Of such officers, not previously chosen in Harwin- ton, the need in present circumstances was very ap- parent.

" May 4, 1739 .- Voted, That M' daniel Messinger And Samnell Phelps ben commeete to A Plio our Selnes to the general Court that the Place for A meeting House that was l'icht on by the general Courts Commeete may be Confirmmed or a New Commeto be A l'oyntted to A fixe A l'lace for to said town of Harwinton for thelr meetlughouse to Stand in or on.

"May 10, 1739 .- Daniel Messenger and Samuel Phelps, agents in behalf of the town of Harwinton, make application to the Legislature for confirmation of the location, etc. The location, as selected per committee of the Legislature, is confirmed.

" Sept. 21, 1739 .- l'oted, That the Length of the meeting Hous for the Enhabitants of llorwinton Shall be fifty foot In length and forty foot wid and the height to be twenty four foot between Joyuts.

" Voted, That Me Jeral Merreman Beujlinen Catling and Jacob Bonton Be A Commeeto to order and Cary on or let out the Building of the Said Meeting lons -.

" Voted, That A Rate Shall Be Mad of tweelue l'once upon the l'ound Ju the List be granted & Mul to Caryon the Building of the said Sloet- Ing Tons.

" Voted, That Jonathan Catling and Ianac Bull be Collectors to Jnther the above granted rat for the Carylug on the Building of Sald Meeting Hous.

"Sept. 27, 1739 .- The Legislature are apprised that

380

HISTORY OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT.

Harwinton have a committee chosen to direct and ' contract' for building a meeting-house.

"Oct. 8, 1739 .- A rate of land is referred to, prob- ably in aid of the building.

" Dec. 14, 1739 .- joseph Merremon and Moses Webster be tything men.

" Voted, To give Mr jarael merremon three Pounds for the use of lis Hous one year to met in on the Sabbath day --.

" Voted, That the Meeting ITouse as to the former width be mad fine foot narrowwer than the former oot was ---.

"May 7, 1740 .- More difficulties are developed, as Pelatiah Mills, Daniel Bissel, Hezekiah Bissel, Josiah Higley, Ebenezer Tyler, Samuel Barber, Thomas Bull, Samuel Haydon, Daniel Phelps, Job Alford, Daniel Gillet, John Stoughton, and Noah Loomis petition the Legislature that 'they may be discharged from paying any tax on land lying within two and one- quarter miles from the south end of the town.' The meeting-house was by them, it seems, regarded as likely to be erected too far north for their conve- nience.

"May 13, 1740 .- Other dissatisfaction is manifested, as Benjamin Catling, Israel Merriman, Jacob Benton, Jonathan Hopkins, Jonathan Catling, Jonathan Brace, Ebenezer Hopkins, John Coult, Samuel Phelps, Hezekiah Hopkins, Stephen Hopkins, Jo- seph Richards, Joseph Merriman, Samuel Catling, Nathan Davis, James Cole, Abijah Catling, Jonathan Butler, Zechariah Seymour, Jr., Nehemiah Messen- ger, Amos Hinsdell, and Samuel Moody certify to the Legislature that 'they had not been invited to a friendly conference in regard to locating the meeting- house, nor had they heard of it till after the meeting' for that purpose had been held.

"July 3, 1740 .- " Voted, That arate of Eight teen Pence upon the Pound in the list Be Made on the Ratable Estate that is in the town of Ilarwinton Now Set down in the list and it Shall be Put to the use of Carring on the nesesary Charges of finishing the Mee[t]iog House.

" Voted, That the glase for the meeting House shall be of the size that is Called Seven Enche and Nine.

" Voted, That Mr daniel Messinger Shall hane one Pound eleuen Shil- lings and Six Pence out of the town tressuror for rum yt was found for the raising of the Meting Hous.

" Dec. 22, 1740 .- Voted, This town will not meet at the house of mr Israel merremans onthe Sabbath day under the Present Circumstances.

" Voted, That this town will meet on the Sabbath day three months next ensuing at M' Beniamin Catlings haus and after that tomeet on Sabbath day three months at the house of mr Jsaac bulls or mir Samul Phelps.

"Jan. 20, 1741-42 .- Up to this date the town-meet- ings had been attended 'at the hous of Jacob Ben- ton,' or 'at the Hons of Mr. Jsreal Merremons,' one at the latter-named place so lately as Dec. 15, 1741 ; but now one is recorded as held 'att the meeting- hous on the 20 day of January year 1743.' Three such meetings, at least, were held thenceforward. Public worship, though under circumstances of in- convenience, was probably commenced there about this time.

"July 23, 1744 .- " T'oted, That wee will have But one Roo of pews Round the meeting Hewse-

" Voted, That the Jeinners works of the Said Meeting House Shall Seace untill the anuall Meeting in Desember next insuing this meeting.

" Dec. 18, 1744 .- Voted, That ye present Commetee Shall have Lyberty to agree with ye Joyners in this Town if they Can agree with them in order to finish ye meeting house So high as to Lay ye Galary floors.

" May 13, 1745,-Voted, That we will Seat the Meeting House.

" May 20, 1745 .- Voted, That Mr Jacob Hinsdell and Mr Joseph hayden and Cyprian Webster Shall be a Commity in order to Seat the meeting house in the above sd Town.

"Sept. 17, 1745 .- Thirty pounds in money [before voted] in order to Git a Stock of powder Shall now be payed out to the Joynors to defray the Charges of finishing said meeting house [other specified soms are, by vote, appropriated to the same purpose].

" l'oted, That [the building committee] Should Dignify the Seats in Said meeting house & give Jnstruction to the if Commity that was Cho- sen to Sate the Meeting house in Righting.

"Sept. 25, 1745 .- Report is made that 'the inside work and the gallery are finished.'

" Dec. 17, 1745 .- Voted, That what the Seeters that was Chosen to Seet the meetinglious there Seeting of it Should be of no valn [N. P. the dig- nifying of the Seets and the Instructions that the Commity that was Chosen gave to the Seeters inorder to Seet the meeting house Shall be of no Ualu or Siguifycation].

" ye Town Excepted what Mr Jacob Hiosdell Did in Seeting the meet- ing House in sd Town.

" Feb. 17, 1745-46 .- It was Voted that all ye boards & Timber & Stone that was Left in finishing of ye Loar part of ye meeting house Shall be made Use of So fare as it will Go for the benifit of the above Said School house in any Use as sd Commity [at the present meeting of the Town appointed, for building a School-house,] Shall See fit about ad [School] house.

" Voted, That Ebenezer Hopkins & Jacob benten & Samuel Wesson & John Wessen & Asa Hoskins & Amos Catling & Timothy Stanly & Ne- hemiab llopkins & William Cook Shall Sit in ye pew under ye Stares at the west end of the meeting house & that Sarah Merimon & Sarah Phelps & Ann llinsdell & Mary Hopkins & Abigall Stanly & Mary Kel- logg & Elisabeth Webster & Ruth Phelps & Martha Davis & ITannah Phelps Shall Sitt io ye pew under the Stares at ye East End of the meet- ing house.

" Dec. 3, 1750 .- Toted, That there shall be £20. 00 : 00. money old tenor Leved on poles and Ratable Estate in this town in order to pay the Charges that Shall arise in Giting the Glass that is wanting for the meeting honse & ye Steps for ye meeting hense door to pay other Charges that shall arisse in this town in year insuing.

" it was Voted that the Select men of this town for the time Being Shall be a Commitee to Regealate the Seting of the meeting house in this Town for ye year insning.

" Dec. 3, 1751 .- l'oted, That the Sum of Forty Pounds in money of the old tenor be raised on the pols and Ratabel Estates of the Inhabitane of this town in order to Repare the meeting House in this town at the Dis- cresion of the Select men of this town.

" Dec. 20, 1752 .- Voted, That we will take up all the Long Seats in the meeting House Excepting the two fore Seats one on the Right Side the Grate alley and the other on the Left side.

" Voted, That there shall be 50-00-00 pounds in money old tenor Leved on the Ratable Estate in this Town to defray the Charg of Buld- ing of the Pews in the Body of the meeting house.

" Voted, That Den Jacob Benten & Abijah Catling and Cyrrian Web- ster Shall be a Commetee to Look after and See that the Pews he made in the body of the meeting house and to draw the said 50-00. 00 pounds in money and dispose of it to the workmen that dee the work.

" Voted, That Den Jacob Benten & Cyrrian Webster & Abijab Catling & Lt Nathan Davis & Lt Samuel Phelps & Capt Jacob Hinsdell Shall be Seeters of the meetinghouse after the pews are made in the Loer part of the Meeting Honse in this town in the year Insuing.

" This building stood south of the present Congre- gational church.

" The First Preacher .- The earliest account discov- ered of social religious worship being attended pub- licly in Harwinton is contained in a document, pre- served in the State archives at Hartford, bearing date May 13, 1736,-a ' Memorial of George Wyllys, Daniel Messenger, Nathan Davis, and the rest of the inhab- itants of Harwinton.' After 'referring to a tax,

381

HARWINTON.

granted' by the General Court in May, 1735, 'of one penny on a pound for the support of preaching, etc.,' it relates that 'The Memorialists have thereupon hired ye very worthy MT. Timothy Woodbridge, Jun", who hath for a considerable time preached to us, to the universal content, satisfaction, and approbation of us his hearers.' It further relates that 'they had agreed to pay him £104 per annum,-that is, 30s. a week and his board; [that] they were then in arrears to M'. Woodbridge for the preceding year ; and [that they therefore] ask authority to lay another tax.' Of the last-named person, as connected with Harwinton, our State records have no other notice and our town records have none.

" The First Pastor .- In the State archives is a me- morial, dated Oct. 4, 1737, addressed to the General Court by its signers, Daniel Messenger, Zechariah Seymour, and Anthony Hoskins, in behalf of them- selves and of the other inhabitants of Harwinton,-

"* Asking authority to embody in church estate, to be incorporated as a town, and to lay a tax for support of & minister.' The memorialists relate that 'it will be necessary for us to have a settled minister (in regard to which we have applyed to & Gentleman who is well approved of by the Ministers &c. in the Govt, and especially by us to preach for us some considerable tioie, to great satisfaction, and have as far as wne consistent with our duty capitulsted with him about A settlement) and also,' etc.

" From this memorial, as compared with the earlier one, it is plain that a second person as preacher is in- tended. The votes below quoted refer to him :

" Nov. 1, 1737 .- Att a meeting of the Proprietors of east llarwinton held att the house of Mr. Daniel Messenger by & Jurnment

"Voted, That the Proprietors Give to the first man that ie ordained in the work of the ministry amongst ns one Hundred aCree of Land and that he may Chuse it where it Shall hest Sute Him In our undevided Land in the manner & form as our Lotts ware Laid out In provided he Shall Continew In the work of the ministry and in Principele to wich he is ordained.

"Voted, That mr Daniel Brown and m' Daniel Messenger be a Com- mitee to go to Winsor Proprietors meting & tu im form them what we have done at our Proprietors meeting and to make return of what they dow to our next meeting.

" Dec. 20, 1737 .- The inhabitants of Harwinton, in their first town-meeting assembled, to their vote ex- pressing their unanimous agreement 'to Build A Meteing House for Diuine Worship,' add an explana- tory and restrictive one :

"Voted, We agree thus that the Meeting House Shall be set in the Senter Line Between the Proprietors of Hartford and windsor Condishond that Windsor Propriators give their Proporshon of land Agreed for the Jncur- rigment of our Minnister and Pay half the Choost boilding the Meeting ing House and half the : 100 : Pound Agreed to give the Ministor Jn Labour :-

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 90

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