History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 108

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 108

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).

The story of her terrible deed was versified by a local poet, and within the memory of the living the aged women have been heard to sing in a mournful minor the sad song of this unfortunate woman.

She was doubtless buried in the old cemetery in Pine Orchard District, but her grave, like that of her children, is still unlettered, and the historian looks in vain for the last resting place of her whom in charity he fain would call a maniac, not a murderer.

MR. MARTIN LORD'S LETTER.

The following letter from Mr. Lord to Mr. Hull will be of interest to the reader:

"HENRY HULL, Esq.

The following accounts of my Grandfather, and the witches are entirely traditional. Capt. Aaron Kelsey was in the French War, when we were under England. He was in some engagements, but where I do not know. He was also in the Revolutionary War, and was wounded in the battle of Stillwater, by a buck-shot which struck him a little below the knee. There being a deficiency of officers he was obliged to take command of the left wing of the regiment.

*Son of Edward Griswold, the pioneer of the first settlers.

428

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

"Colonel Shipman, of Chester, commanded the right wing. Captain Kelsey was taken to a hospital, and while he was there he lost four children in three days of the camp disorder, or modern dysentery. He had two sons in the Revolutionary war-John and Eli. John was 17 and Eli 16 when they entered the service. Eli was in several engagements. He was at one time in a com- pany of forty engaged with a regiment of British cavalry. The company held their ground until a company of foot soldiers came in sight, when they were obliged to run for their lives. Twenty escaped to a swamp and twenty were killed by the horsemen. He afterward went to Yale College, and died in his senior year. He intended to have fitted for the ministry. He never recovered from the injury he received while running from those horsemen. John Kelsey was probably in several bat tles, as I have understood that he and Eli were together in the war, but I have never heard so much said of him as of Eli.

" I have the portrait of Mr. Coan, also the likenesses of both his wives.

"In regard to the witches, I know nothing about them, only what I have heard, and perhaps that is as much as any one ever knew. I cannot give the name of the one that lived in Lane District.

" It has been reported, over and over again, about witches living in Chatfield Hollow.

" The old woman's name was Goody Wee, and her daughter's name was Betty Wee.

" There is a cut between the hills a little northeast of the Leander Watrous place, which has for nearly or quite a century been called 'Goody Wee's Crotch.' Undoubt- edly, it was named after the supposed witch.

" It was formerly reported, the above named witches made their neighbors considerable trouble. For instance, they would enter the cream so it could not be worked into butter, and perform, according to the legends, other equally strange feats. It was said a person could not reach the top of Cedar Swamp Hill with a load of rails, as they would all slide out of the cart, by the agency of witches. Those things were imagined before Webster's Spelling Book and Beckwith's Almanac were published. The witches aforesaid are declared to have been seen riding through the air on broom sticks. I have never learned how they sat on them.

"I do not think of anything more in particular to write.

"Yours Most Respectfully, " M. LORD."

EARLY SCHOOL HOUSES AND TEACHERS.

The Center school house was formerly located in a lot now owned by N. E. Barnum, north of the residence of W. A. Hull.

There was also a school house on what is known as Tower Hill, near the Saybrook line. There were traces of it within the memory of the oldest inhabitants.

There was a third school house in what is now the ones.

Parker Hill District, near the Chester line. This build- ing was standing about 60 years ago.

Among the early teachers was Jeremiah Hull. He prepared for college with a view of entering the ministry. At that time three Killingworth boys, who were at Yale, died within a few months, and at the earnest solicitation of his mother Mr. Hull gave up his proposed collegiate course. He taught school at Killingworth and the ad- joining towns for 28 seasons. He was deputy sheriff of Middlesex county for over 20 years. He served in this capacity at the execution of Lung. For a great many years he acted as trial justice, and most of the local suits were brought before him. He died September 2 Ist 1858, aged 82 years.

His son, Henry Hull, the present town clerk, was one, of his father's pupils. He also taught school 28 seasons. He has also served the town in various capacities for the last half century,as selectman, justice of the peace, mem- ber of the General Assembly, judge of Probate, and in other offices.

Francis Turner also taught in the vicinity of Killing- worth for about 30 seasons. Many now living in the town were among his pupils.

Mrs. Julius Buell (Miss Rachel Evarts) was for a long time a teacher in the public schools of Killingworth and won an excellent reputation as a teacher.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

Several of the farmers of Killingworth, about eight years since, formed themselves into an association by the name of " The Killingworth Agricultural Society." In 1880, Deacon L. L. Nettleton, Washington E. Griswold, R. P. Stevens, Francis Turner, Nathan H. Evarts, and all others who had subscribed to the articles of associa- - tion, petitioned the Legislature that they be constituted a body politic and corporate by the name of the "Kil- lingworth Agricultural Society." The petition was granted, the society organized under their charter, and Deacon L. L. Nettleton was appointed president, and continued until the last election, when he declined. David K. Stevens is now the president. As the society had no building in which to hold their meetings and their fairs, they at once made arrangements to build an Agricultural Hall, and to this end appropriated their share of the State bounty to agricultural societies towards paying the expenses of the building their hall. But some evil minded persons brought the subject before the Legislature, and the society was debarred from having any further benefit of it for that purpose, and they, in- stead of letting the State have it, divided it among the rest of the agricultural societies. How rich it must have made them!

But the hall was built, and it is 33 by 56 feet, with base- ment, and by dint of perseverance and their annual fairs (without any further State aid), the society have paid their bills.

The basement is now thoroughly cemented, and the society expect to pay this bill as they have their former

429

KILLINGWORTH-THE REBELLION-FIRST CHURCH.

WAR OF THE REBELLION.

The action of the town during the Rebellion is shown by the following extract:

" At a Town Meeting held at the Town House in Kil- lingworth August 7th 1862, for the purpose of taking measures for encouraging enlistments in the Union Army etc. it was

" Resolved; That for the purpose of encouraging en- listments under the call of the President of the United States, bearing date July Ist A. D. 1862, for three hun- dred thousand additional troops, the town of Killing- worth will pay in addition to all other bounties and com- pensations, the sum of one hundred Dollars to each resi- dent of this town who since July Ist 1862, has enlisted or . who shall on or before the 15th day of August 1862, enlist into the military service of the United States and be duly accepted to serve for three years or during the war; and the Selectmen are hereby authorized and directed to pay the volunteers agreeably to this resolution; and bor. row such sums of money as may be required for such payment; and the Selectmen are also authorized to ex- tend, at their discretion, the time for enlistments with the benefit of this resolution from the 15th day of Au- gust 1862, to the first day of September 1862.

" Provided; That nothing in this resolution shall be so construed as to authorize the payment of any bounty above Three hundred thousand is full."

At a special town meeting, held in the town hall in Killingworth, August 26th 1862, it was

" Voted : That the Selectmen of this town be directed to pay to each volunteer who may enlist before the 4th of Sept. at 12 o'clock noon into the militia of this State toward filling the quota of this town to answer the requisition of the President of the United States for nine months, one hundred Dollars, and that the Selectmen be authorized to borrow on the credit of the town, money sufficient to pay such bounty."

At a special town meeting, held at the town house in Killingworth, October 25th 1862, it was

" Voted: That the Selectmen of this Town be directed to pay to each volunteer who may enlist before the 27th of Oct. inst, into the Militia of this State toward filling the quota of this town to answer the requisition of the President of the United States for militia and be turned over to the service of the United States for nine months one hundred Dollars,

" Provided always ; That the Selectmen be authorized to receive Volunteers on the day that they shall be directed by General Orders from the Adjutant General to draft to make up our said quota and give to the said volunteers one hundred Dollars each upon the same terms as above, and that the Selectmen be authorized to borrow money on the credit of the town to pay such bounty."

At a special town meeting held at the town house, in the town of Killingworth, August 20th 1864, it was

" Voted: That the Selectmen, or an agent which may be by them appointed, be authorized to fill the quota of

this Town, or any part thereof, with volunteers or substi- tutes under the present call of the President for Five hundred thousand men, and the Selectmen and Town Treasurer are hereby authorized to borrow money on the credit of the Town to pay for the same. Provided: The sum does not exceed ten thousand Dollars, or in ratio thereof."

CHURCHES.

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

In 1735, the inhabitants of North Killingworth were or- ganized into a parish. January 18th 1738, 50 persons who had been members of the first society were formed into a church society. This was 71 years after the first church, and 22 years after they began to reclaim lands for settlement. Several times the people in the northern part of the town, tried to obtain the consent of the old parish to their organization. At a town meeting, Decem- 12th 1728,

" Lieut. Joseph Wilcox, Capt. David Buell, Capt. Jo- siah Stevens, Josiah Baldwin, & Justice Abraham Pier. son,* were chosen a Committee to confer with our north- ern neighbors the Farmers, Respecting said farmers em- bodying themselves, by themselves, for Public worship

to persons enlisting after the Quota of this town for the & to consider where it may be most commodious &

Reasonable for a line to be Run between s'd Farmers and the rest of the Town, for dividing between the re- spective societies and make report to the next Town Meeting."

This did not secure a division, and at a meeting held May 7th 1730,

"Samuel Wilcox, Serg't Theophilus Redfield, Lieut. Joseph Kelsey, Ebenezer Crane & Daniel Buell were chosen a committee to draw a plan of the town in order to lay before the General Assembly in May the 19th instant. There to object against the memorial of di- vers of the inhabitants of said Killingworth, commonly called Farmers, requesting that Killingworth may be di- vided into two Distinct Societies and there to show to the General Assembly the unreasonableness of said Me- morial."

" At a Town Meeting January ye 15th A. D. 1730-31 it was voted that our northern inhabitants shall join with us in building a new Meeting House, and that shall be Built by a Rate or Rates particularly by them- selves, and when said Northern Inhabitants shall be sett off, and be qualified according to law to be a Society by themselves & shall be a Building a Meeting House for themselves, that then, we that Remain, that is to say, the old society shall Reimburse back again that there will be our new Society as much as the said new Society shall disburse toward building the sd meeting house in the Old Society."

The above resolution paved the way for a peaceable separation in religious and school matters. The first

* This Abraham Pierson was son of Rector Pierson, aud was called the "Worshipful Abraham Pierson."

430

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

meeting house was 58 feet long and 30 feet in breadth, and was so far finished as to be occupied in 1743.

Rev. William Seward, the first minister, was born in Guilford, July 27th 1712, and was ordained December 27th 1737. The ordination council consisted of " Revr Elders " Phineas Fisk, of Haddam, Jared Eliot, of Kill- ingworth (Clinton), William Worthington, of Saybrook (Westbrook), Abraham Nott, of Saybrook (Centerbrook), Thomas Ruggles, of Guilford, William Hart, of (Old) Saybrook, and Jonathan Todd, of East Guilford. Mr.

Seward died February 5th 1782. During his ministry here, 158 were received into full communion, 466 owned the covenant, 1,343 were baptized, and 307 couples were married.

The second minister was Rev. Henry Ely, born in Wilbraham, Mass., May 16th 1755. He was educated at Yale College, and was a class mate of Noah Webster. He was ordained September 25th 1782. His salary was, by agreement, to be $300 as a settlement, and £90 yearly. In addition to this it was voted to give 60 loads of wood. He was dismissed February 12th 1801. Mr. Ely built the house where Mr. O. E. Redfield now re- sides. . It was voted, December 2d 1782, " that Lieut. Roswell Parmelee, Josiah Parmelee, and Sergt. Joseph Griswold, be a committee to git ye timber and hew and frame a house for Mr. Ely."

The third pastor was Rev. Josiah B. Andrews, a native of Southington, Conn. He was a class mate of Dr. Ly- man Beecher in Yale College, and graduated in 1797. He was ordained April 21st 1802, and was dismissed April 16th 1811. During his ministry here he received 143 into the church, united 67 couples in marriage, bap- tized 125, and attended 148 funerals. After leaving Killingworth he went to Perth Amboy, N. J., left the sacred office, studied medicine, and received a diploma from the New York Medical College, in 1816. In 1837 the removed to New York city, and practiced medicine there, preaching occasionally. He died in 1853.

The fourth pastor was Rev. Asa King. He was called to Killingworth October 7th 1811, and installed Novem- ber 20th of the same year. He was dismissed August Ist 1832. The cause which led to his dismission was his devotion to the cause of temperance. For several years the cause had advanced rapidly in other towns, and especially in the south parish (Clinton). A few years later Mr. King and his total abstinence theories would have been welcomed in this parish. He died December 2d 1849, aged 80 years.

Rev. Ephraim G. Swift was the fifth pastor. He was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, August 14th 1782, and was installed pastor of this church December 11th 1833. At his own request he was dismissed November 6th 1850. During his pastorate, 198 were admitted to the church, and 296 were baptized. He united in mar- riage 153 couples, and attended 338 funerals. He died at Buffalo, New York, August 28th 1858.

Rev. Hiram Bell, the sixth pastor, was born in Antrim, New Hampshire, graduated from Williams College in 1836, studied theology at East Windsor, Connecticut,

was ordained at Marlborough, Connecticut, February 17th 1840, and, after a pastorate of 10 years at Marl- borough, was dismissed, and was installed at Killing- worth November 6th 1850. He received 120 into the church, married 76 couples, and attended 250 funerals.

The present meeting house was built in 1820. On the 20th of May 1820, the last religious service was held in the old meeting house. The present edifice is a fine structure, considering that it was built in 1820, by a people of limited means.

Rev. Timothy Lyman, the seventh pastor, was born in Chester, Massachusetts, graduated from Amherst College, studied theology at Andover, Massachusetts, was in- stalled November 21st 1866, and was dismissed March Ist 1869.

The Rev. William Miller was the pastor from March 1869 to May 1879. His ministerial labors were well blessed; many were added to the church. During that period, he wrote and published the much valued Historical Dis- course. The society had bought a farm and built on it a parsonage house, and was thereby largely in debt. It was through Mr. Miller's influence that the debt was paid off by voluntary subscription. It was also during his ministry that he became very intimate with General William S. Pierson and sister, and thereby they were in- duced to give the church an organ. It was then absolutely necessary to remodel the orchestra to receive the organ. The improvement of the whole of the interior of the church to its present form and finish, was proposed by Rev. Mr. Miller and immediately seconded by the ladies, and it was promptly done, and by volun- tary payments. The Rev. Mr. Miller has retired from the ministry, and resides in New Britain, Connecticut.

The Rev. E. P. Armstrong, a graduate of Yale Theological Seminary, commenced his ministerial labors here January 25th 1880, and was ordained February 15th 1881. His ministerial labors were soon blessed, and a goodly number were added to the church. There was an old debt against the society for building the church edi- fice. Mr. Armstrong made a movement to have it paid off. He and the ladies put the papers in circulation to raise a certain part of the necessary funds, and the men were to raise the balance, or the ladies' subscriptions should be forfeited. The men were caught; the ladies won: the debt is paid. Rev. Mr. Armstrong was dis- missed, at his own request, April 17th '1883.

The Rev. Ira C. Billman commenced his ministerial labors here September 1883, and he continues as acting pastor.

EMMANUEL PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH, KILLING- WORTH.

The Episcopal church in this town sprang from a church movement begun in North Bristol, now North Madison, in New Haven county, near the close of the last century.

Divine service was first held in a school house on Town Hill, in North Bristol. An interest in the worship of the church being thus awakened, the movement extended

43I

KILLINGWORTH-EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

itself across the Hammonassett River into the north part of the town of Killingworth, where a society was soon formed, which united with the society in North Bristol, and began the erection of a house of worship about 1800.

The ground on which the church building stands was given by Bezaleel Bristol. Among the names of the founders and early members of the church were: Asher Fowler, Nathan Fowler, Josiah Crampton, Nathan Crampton, Noah Hill, James Pardee, Bezaleel Bristol, Henry Davis, Lemuel Davis, Joel Norton, John Blatch- ley, and Elias Isbell. The church edifice is a wooden building. When first built its dimensions were 3212 by 40 feet. Eleven and one half feet have since been added to its length. When erected, and until 1867, it was called Union Church-a name commemorative of the union of the societies of North Bristol and North Killingworth. · The church was occupied in an unfinished condition for many years, and the interior was not completed until the fall of 1816. On Friday, June 6th 1817, the church was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. John Henry Hobart, Bishop of the diocese of New York. On that occasion 47 per- sons came forward to receive the apostolic rite of con- firmation.

For nearly half a century, the services were maintained by lay reading. The readers were chosen by the mem- bers of the parish, at the annual parish meetings. Oc- casionally a clergyman would visit them for the purpose of baptizing the children and administering the Holy Communion. Among the clergy who thus came forward to help this struggling parish, were the Reverends Mr. Keeler, Peter G. Clark, Mr. Burgess, Mr. Tappan, and Mr. Jarvis. For a long time, Rev. David Baldwin, resid- ing in Guilford, had charge of this parish, in connection with the churches at North Branford and North Guil- ford. In his report to the bishop, in convention, in 1835. he said: "During the last conventional year, I have offi . ciated eleven Sundays in Union church, North Killing- worth, administered the Holy Communion four times, and attended two funerals. Number of souls, as near as I can ascertain, belonging to this parish, 140." The name of Rev. David Baldwin is still remembered with reverence and affection in this parish. Rev. Frederick Sill also did a good work here. Later on lay reading was conducted by students from the Berkeley Divinity School, Middle- town.

Through the want of the regular ministrations of a clergyman and various other reasons, the church dwin- dled away; many of the zealous old men had gone to their rest. The few who remained were not able to sup- port a minister, and became almost discouraged. At length, in 1866, through the instrumentality of Mr. William Baldwin, a son of the Rev. David Baldwin, an effort was made to revive this old parish. The effort was blessed abundantly, and the services of the Rev. Samuel Fuller, D. D., were procured. He was truly a pastor to the flock, visiting the parishioners at their homes, and sympathizing with them in all their joys and sorrows. The church soon presented a new appearance.

A spacious chancel, together with robing and library rooms were provided, the pews were remodelled and re- furnished, the name Union Church was changed to that of Emmanuel Church, and a greater degree of spiritual in- terest was awakened in the hearts of the people. This continued for the space of six years, when Dr. Fuller re- linquished his charge.

A house for a parsonage and a few acres of land were purchased by the society. Dr. Fuller was succeeded by Mr. William C. Knowles, a candidate for deacon's orders, who came to reside in this parish in July 1873, and was ordained to the diaconate, February 21st 1875. Since that time he has continued to live in this parish, and to have the united charges of Emmanuel Church and St. James's Church, Ponset, in the town of Haddam.

A tower has lately been erected on the church, in which has been placed a fine toned bell. A beautiful memorial window of stained glass, has been placed in the chancel, to the memory of Bezaleel Bristol and his wife, Mary Redfield Bristol.

Notwithstanding the church is situated in a sparsely populated region, where no great increase in numbers can be expected, the services are well attended, and the condition of the parish is very encouraging. At the convention this present year (1884) the pastor reported to the bishop for the last conventional year one infant baptized; four persons confirmed; four admitted to the communion; present number of communicants, 33. He also reported two marriages and nine funerals.

Among the members of the society (now deceased), who labored long and earnestly for the good of the par- ish, and held offices as wardens, members of the vestry, etc., appear the names of Leonard Davis, Richard Bristol, William Blatchley, Jesse Tooley, and Henry D. Davis.

At the annual parish meeting, held on Easter Monday of the present year, the following named persons were . elected as officers of the parish: Alfred B. Scranton, par- ish clerk and delegate to convention; Samuel Shelley and Amasa P. Griswold, wardens; Chauncey Dudley, Albert Bristol, Childs Francis, and A. B. Scranton, vestry- men.

The small but comfortable parsonage is occupied by the incumbent, who derives his support from the mis- sionary society of the diocese, and from the voluntary gifts of those to whom he ministers.

A short distance from the church, on the banks of the Hammonassett River, is Emmanuel Church Cemetery, a beautiful plat of ground belonging to the society, laid out by the present pastor as a home for the dead. The first grave opened within this sacred enclosure received the mortal remains of Nathan E. Chatfield, who died March 11th 1877, aged 32 years.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, KILLINGWORTH.

In the year 1840 a few families living in the northeast part of Killingworth began to devise a plan for building a house of worship. At this time they were associated with the church located in the southwest portion of the town of Haddam.

432

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

They met at the house of David P. Kelsey, on Friday evening, December 11th 1840, to consider the propriety of this plan. There were present at this meeting: Rev. James H. Perry, Rev. Ebenezer O. Beers, David P. Kel- sey, Ebenezer Griswold, Jeremiah Griswold, Wyllys D. Kelsey, Martin L. Burr, and Charles D. Kelsey. A vote was taken and measures adopted for the advancement of the work

This society held successive meetings in various places for consultations in reference to the work, and to procure a tract of land on which to erect the building.

The house was raised June 24th 1841, on a tract of land owned and presented to- the society by Philo Par- melee.

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 Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 108

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: Whittemore, Henry, b. 1833; Beers, J.B. & Company, publishers
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 818