History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 118

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 118

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"Att the same meeting it was voted that the place of the meeting house shall be in some place convenient be- tween the fortification at the Neck gate, and the point by Mr. Buckingham's Lott."

"It is also voted that the schoolhouse be removed to the corner of Widow Tousland's Lott in the Lane going to Mr. Buckingham's: which votes about the meeting house and school house are to stand, notwithstanding all former votes to the contrary, & to be a final Issue of those matters."

February 22d 1676, Voted "same time that agreement Dec. 10, 1674, to set meeting house shall stand as act and voat of town, S. E. corner of Robert Bull's lot in Town plat."

January 14th 1677, "Granted to R. Chapman Jr & Samuel Platt a piece of upland four rod square upon the meeting house hill."

November 7th 1677, " that they as Conueiniant and as speedy as may bee, Build a meeting house according to this modell, viz: that they will Build a new Building to the old house, and Repair the old soe much of it as is conduceable to the house, and to that end they doe agree to Raise 50 £ Estate in the provision at present By Rate toward the encouragement of the workmen."

"At a full Town meeting M'ch 23d 1678 there were agatations & conclutions according to dimentions which were then consisting, a Meeting House, it was then voted that the town would build a house of God, domentions of fifty foot in length, and thirty foot in width, and four- teen foot between joynts, and be forthwith prosecuted to effect."

"At the same meeting, Capt Chapman, Lieutenant Pratt, Deacon Bushnell, Mr. Wastall, Wm Parker Senior, Wm Lord Senior, and Sergt. John Pratt " were chosen a "Committy " " to consider the capacity of the Town to make payment for the erecting of the new meeting house &c."

January 17th 1679. " At a Town Meeting some con- siderations about the form of a Meeting House, unani- mously agreed upon and voted, that they will have it to be sixty foot in length, and Thirty foot in breadth, & sixteen foot between joynts."

473

OLD SAYBROOK-FIRST CHURCH.

" Whereas the Town Meeting have again this day, be- ing brought by both duty & necessity, concluded to erect a new meeting house according to dimensions formerly agreed upon as appeareth by a Record dated 23d March, 77-78, and have had some intimation of likelihood of agreeing with Wm. Bushnell junior, to build the same, the Town do impower their present Selectmen, viz Jno Parker, Sargeant John Chapman & Joseph Ingham, to treat, and if they can to sign with the s'd Wm Bushnell upon Reasonable terms, or if not with him, then they have hereby power to look out for some other workman to carry on the work, and to agree with him or them for price & pay, and the Town do ingage to Ratifie & Con- firm what they shall do or cause to be done, always pro- vided, that in case of difficulty they do take advice of such as may be skillful in such cases, and the Town do impower the s'd Townsmen to agree with, and to call forth such men as shall be meet to help in providing any stuff for shingles or clapboards, or what else may be needed for promoting the work unto the shingling of ye s'd house as far and as fast as they can."

September 29th 1679 .- " At a Town Meeting orderly, warned with respect to the settlement of the place of the New Meeting House, when it should be set down, it was then determined that it should stand near about the place of the old meeting house; this determination was by writ- ten papers."

January 12th 1680 .- "At a Town Meeting orderly called, it was voted and agreed, that the Selectmen then in being, to wit, John Whittelsey, John Post & Samuel Cogswell, shall have full power to hasten and perfect the work of ye meeting house in the behalf of the town so far as they are able in the year ensuing. At the same town meeting it was voted and agreed, that the new meet- ing house should be seated in the same manner as the ould Meeting house was, and that the old seats, that is the timber of them shall be improved about the seating of the new meeting house as far as they will go."

January 20th 1680 .- " At a Town Meeting legally warned, it was discoursed and voted, agreed and con- cluded upon the way of raising the new meeting house: I: that the Townsmen shall give notice unto the Town in general that it is desired that they would contribute their help towards raising the said house, upon the day when they with the Carpenters shall appoint: 2: that notice shall be given the Inhabitants in generall that the pro- vision for the day shall depend upon the voluntary con- tribution of the people, hoping that everyone will be ready according to their capacity to bring in for the pro- moting the comfort & honor of so good work: 3: that the Townsmen shall at the Town's charge provide Cake & Sider upon the Town account so much as is needful for the day and the rest of the Town: 4: that after the first day, the Townsmen shall provide what hands the carpenter shall say needful for the carrying on of the remainder of the work, and they to be allowed suitable wages for their work; this was the Town Act."

June 24th 1680 .- " Att a Town meeting, it was voted and agreed as it is discoursed with the carpenter that

built the meeting house, and the town understanding from him that the s'd carpenter has been a loser by his bargain, the town hath agreed that the carpenter shall have payed to him by the town to the amount just done to what the said house is worth, that is to say the frame of the said house."

December 27th 1680 .- " It was voted and agreed that the Townsmen in present being should go on to perfect the work of the meeting house in the behalf of the town according as the selectmen shall see need. At the same town meeting, Mr. John Tully was chosen Town Clerk."

1681 .- " It was agreed and voted that there shall be a contribution set up, when the church doth see meet."

December 29th 1681 .- " With the consent of the Town, the Townsmen have agreed with old Goodman Kirtland for the sweeping the meeting house for the year ensue- ing for thirty shillings, and also with Mr. John Wastall for beating of the drum upon Sabbath days & town meet- ing days for the year ensuing for thirty shillings. The Townsmen have also granted Goodman Kirtland forty shillings to be paid by the Town for his keeping school for the year ensuing."

The sixth minister, and third ordained pastor of the church in Saybrook was Rev. Azariah Mather, a descendant of the family so celebrated in New England for its many distinguished clergymen. He was a son of Rev. Samuel Mather, of Windsor, Connecticut, third minister of the first Congregational church in that town, and Hannah Treat, his wife, daughter of Hon. Robert Treat, of Milford, Connecticut, afterward governor of the Colony of Connecticut. Azariah was born August 29th 1685. He was ordained in Saybrook in 1710. Tradition says that in his case, as in that of Mr. Buckingham and Mr. Fitch, the elders insisted on their right to impose hands with the ministry, and they were permitted ac- cordingly. He had been a tutor in the college at Say- brook, and was distinguished for his knowledge of the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages. He was an able, eloquent, and commanding divine .* A sermon in Latin, published by him on being baptized for the dead, and based on Ist Cor. XV, 29, remains a testimony of his talents. He was dismissed in 1732. The number of members in his church at that time was 48; males 15, females 33. From the town records it is learned that Mr. Mather bought of the heirs of Rev. Thomas Buckingham, his house and land, September 23d 1710.

His remains lie in the burying ground on Saybrook Point, not far from the grave of Rev. Thomas Bucking- ham, and his tombstone, like that of Mr. Buckingham-a slab of slate, is fast crumbling to pieces. The inscrip- tion is as follows:

HERE LYETH THE BODY OF THE REV MR. AZARIAN MATHER BORN AT WINDSOR AUGUST 29TH 1685 EXPIRED IN SAYBROOK FEB'RY 11TH 1436 .ETATIS SUR: 52 HE WAS A FAITHFUL MINKTER

A GENERAL, SCHOLAR AN EMINENT

CHRISTIAN A VERY GREAT SUFFERER BUT NOW IN GLORY A TRIUMPHIER.

* Church record.

474

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

" He many weeks felt Death's attacks But fervent prayers kept him Back His faith & patience 'twas to try

& Learn us how to Live & Die Haveing the wings of faith & Love & Feathers of an holy Dove he bids this wretched world adieu & swiftly up to Heaven flew Disturb not then his Precious Dust With censors that are most unjust."

The " censors " are said to refer to a habit which im- paired his usefulness during the latter part of his minis- try-something not unusual among the ministry of that day -- an over indulgence in wine -- which unfortunately has been perpetuated on his tombstone. Rev. Jared Harrison, first minister at Chester, had a similar failing, which undoubtedly caused his dismissal from his pas- torate.

Who ministered to the people between the dismissal of Mr. Mather in 1732, and the ordination of his successor, Rev. William Hart, does not appear from the church rec- ords. Mr. Hart, who was the son of Rev. John Hart, of East Guilford, now Madison, was the progenitor of the present family of Harts in Saybrook. He was or- dained November 17th 1736. He was a man of dis- tinguished talents, and was considered an able counsel lor. He was much respected by the ministry, and esteemed and beloved by a united people. He was a distinguished controversialist in his day, and published several tracts against the doctrines of President Ed- wards, and Drs. Hopkins, Bellamy, and Whittaker. In

one of these tracts he styled the peculiar sentiments of Dr. Hopkins, " Hopkinsianism," which gave rise to that term, afterward so common. He also distinguished him- self by his writings on the church controversy in Wall- ingford, by his sermon on regeneration at New Haven, and by his treatise on qualifications for a Christian com municant. He was opposed to the practises of certain evangelists who went about the country preaching wherever they could get an audience, and reviling the settled clergymen. One of the foremost of these was Rev. James Davenport, of Southold, L. I. On one occasion in 1741, as related by Rev. Charles Chauncey. in "Things of a Bad and Dangerous Tendency," Mr. Davenport called on Mr. Hart, and asked permission to preach in his pulpit that day, which Mr. Hart declined to grant, unless he would retract some of his errors, such as denouncing the settled ministry of the people, and urging them to set up separate meetings, or go to other churches where the ministers were converted, which he refused to do.

"To the Truth of all which, we Whose Names are underwritten do testify; having been Eye and Ear Wit- nesses to the above Conference.

" SAMUEL LYNDE, " WM. WORTHINGTON, " ABRAHAM NOT, " GEORGE BECKWITH, " WILLIAM HART, and others."

On one occasion some men were disputing over a supposed case, that of the alighting of a flock of wild geese in a small pond on the Neck or Lynde's Point that

afterward fell to the Hart family. The question was, whether it would be right to shoot at theni on the Sab- bath, the only house within hearing distance being the one on the farm, the supposed hunter being the tenant. One argued that it would be a breach of Sabbath; the other that a supply of good food could be obtained with- out disturbing any one, and that the temptation would be too great to be resisted. It was finally agreed to leave it to Mr. Hart, and both sides of the case were stated to him, but the only reply obtained, was, “ If old Munn was there, he would do it !" The answer was probably sufficient, as old Munn was rather a lawless character.

For many years the worshippers in the old meeting house were seated by a committee. Their duty, which was a delicate one, was to seat the people according to their rank and circumstances, and it was not unusual for some of them to be dissatisfied with the award. On one occasion a dissatisfied parishioner complained somewhat bitterly to one of the seating committee, when he was told that the seat was as good as he deserved. " If you were seated where you deserve to be," was the retort, " You would be no nearer the house of God, than the town pound !" The seating committee drew a plan of the house, and in each pew put down the names of those who were expected to occupy it, and submitted it to an adjourned meeting for their approval. At an adjourned society meeting, held March 7th 1747-8, the committee reported that they had " Drawn up a Plan or Scheam of Seating the meeting house as follows." Then comes the plan. At the bottom they say: " The plan or Scheam that is thus Drawn up is humbly offered to your better Judgment, By us, Daniel Buckingham, Sam'll Kirtland, Hez. Whittelsey, Joseph Buckingham, Nath. Jones."

Mr. Hart was prevented from occupying his pulpit for - two years before his death by paralysis and a colleague was settled with him. He died, July 11th 1784. Rev. John Devotion, in his funeral sermon, says of him:

"In council he was Job-' Unto me men gave ear and waited, and kept silence at my conimand. After my words they spake not again,' and truly there was no need, for ordinarily they cut the Gordian knot. Solid judg- ment, well-studied discourses, faithful service, and a sa- voury conversation, with a sound mind, able to comfort souls with that comfort wherewith also he had been com- forted of the Lord, enabled him to rule the church with- out any schism during his long ministry."

Mr. Hart married Miss Mary Blague, June 8th 1742, and their children, Mary, Rebecca, William, Samuel, John, Sarah, Joseph, Elisha, and Amelia, were all pres- ent at the funeral, except the eldest.

In the same cemetery with Mr. Buckingham and Mr. Mather Is a large table of brown stone, with a tablet of slate set into it, bearing this inscription:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF REV'D WILL'M HART WHO RESTED FROM HIS LABOURS ON THE LORD'S DAY JULY IIth 1784 IN THE 72d YEAR OF HIS AGE & 48th OF HIS MINISTRY. WISE IN COUNCIL MIGHTY IN THE SCRIPTURES INSTRUCTIVE IN HIS LIFE & MINISTRY. BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD.

475

OLD SAYBROOK-FIRST CHURCH.

Anterior to his ministry, two Congregational churches had colonized from the first church, and formed distinct parishes, on account of distance from the sanctuary and increase of population. One of them was establishedin 1725, and the other in 1726. A fourth was organized in 1742. Before this it was not unusual for even females to walk to the sanctuary from eight to ten miles. In conse- quence of this repeated colonization the church was much diminished in numbers, amounting only to 48 members. The third meeting house was built in 1726. Instead of being built on the Point, as the others were, it was placed rather more than a mile west, on a small plat of ground at the junction of Main street and the road leading to Oyster River, facing south, where it stood till 1840, when it was taken down. The steeple was added in 1793, the work upon it being finished June 13th, and the bell was added in 1794.

Rev. Frederick William Hotchkiss was ordained col- legiate pastor with Mr. Hart, September 23d 1783. He was the son of Mr. John Hotchkiss, of New Haven, mer- chant, was born October 30th 1762, and graduated from Yale College, September 1778, was licensed to preach October 1782, and began to preach as candidate in Say- brook in November of the same year. By his own re- quest a colleague was ordained in 1838, in the 56th year of his ministry, and 76th year of his age. He died March 31st 1844.

Rev. S. McCall in his centennial sermon, July 30th 1876, says of him:

"Need I refer to the mingled love and veneration with which his memory is regarded, and his name spoken among you still? Old men trusted him, young men hearkened to him, little children ran after him and clung to him. I love to recall a picture sometimes set before me, from the memory of those who witnessed the real- ity. The venerable man of God is passing up through the main aisle to the pulpit. The pews on either side are full of men and women. The high pulpit stairs are covered with little boys, partly because there is not room for them to sit elsewhere, and partly because they choose to get as near as allowable to their aged pastor, and there is a strife among them -- not unseemly -- to see which shall have the honor of opening the door for his advancing steps, and so gain the special benedic- tion of his gracious smile."

When Mr. Hotchkiss was ordained, the church had 69 members; when his successor was ordained, there were 330-297 of whom were then residents of the town. An Episcopal church was formed in 1830, and a Metho- dist church in 1837, notwithstanding which the loss in total membership was small. Besides carrying on a pri- vate school, he fitted a considerable number of young men for college, of which he has recorded the names of eight from Saybrook, as follows: Ezekiel Jones Chap- man, Dorrance Kirtland, Asa Chapman, Charles Clark, John Clark, William Tully, William Fish, and Henry Chalker, and the names of 22 from other places During the latter part of his ministry, the present church building was erected, and the old one was taken

down. The new building was dedicated January Ist 1840, the corner stone having been laid on the 4th of July of the previous year. Mr. Hotchkiss possessed a com- manding presence and a sonorous voice, and he was always in demand on public occasions, especially on "training" day. He was for a time chaplain of the regiment to which the Saybrook company belonged, and his prayer could be distinctly heard by every man in the field.

On one occasion, after the formation of the artillery company, there was a strife between the two companies to see which should get Mr. Hotchkiss to head the dinner table. He, however, settled the matter, by eating a hearty dinner with both companies. It is said of him, that for many years, it was a rare thing for him to eat supper in his own house, that meal being taken with some one of his parishioners. The humblest were visited as regularly as the more influential, and their coarser fare was partaken of with apparently as good a relish. It is related of one old lady, that on one occasion when he demurred at the large quantity of molasses she was put- ting into his tea, she replied: " It wouldn't be too good for you, Mr. Hotchkiss, if it was all molasses." In this way he became acquainted with his people, and obtained an influence over them, which ministers of the present day know but little about. In his "long prayer," on Sundays, among his numerous petitions, he never forgot the shad fishermen, in the fishing season, but prayed earnestly for their success. As this was one of the prin- cipal industries of the place, and as his most influentia parishioners were concerned in one way or another in fish- ing, it was eminently proper that he should do so. His "long prayer," as it was called, was, according to the custom of the times, much more lengthy than are the prayers of the clergy at the present day. "How long has he been praying ?" whispered one old "salt " to another, as he tip-toed into the porch of the old meeting house one Sunday morning, during Mr. Hotchkiss' "long prayer." "He was praying when I got here, and I was here before sunrise," was the whispered response. Forty year have elapsed since his death, and the affection with which he was regarded, still lives with those who remem- ber his pastorate.

. Rev. Ethan Barrows Crane was ordained as the col- league of Mr. Hotchkiss, June 27th 1838. He was born in Troy, N. Y., July 15th 1811, graduated at Union Col- lege, July 1832, and the same fall entered the Theolog- ical Seminary at Auburn, where he remained three years and six months,-till the spring of 1836.

He came in the freshness of his early manhood, full of life, ardor, and zeal. He was quick in thought, sym- pathy, and speech, abundant in labors, which were crowned with gratifying success. He very soon took rank among his ministerial associates as one of the first, and was especially relied on to make a speech when something must be said, and nobody had time to prepare. His conversation excited the admiration of the young-some- times, possibly, the envy of the old. He suffered not a little in spirit, as well as body, from imperfect health,

476

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

and was honorably dismissed from his charge in 1851, after thirteen years of service. In that time 118 were added to the church-36 by letter, and 82 by profes- sion."*

Mr. Crane tendered his resignation to the church, September Ist 1851, and by a council on the 16th the dissolution was effected at the close of the eccesiastical year, September 27th.

The next minister was the Rev. James Beattie, of New Orleans, a native of Scotland. He served the church as stated supply from October Ist 1851 to November Ist 1852. His sound doctrine, his powerful voice, and his clear, deliberate utterances, will long be remembered by those who heard him. He was followed during a por- tion of 1853 by the Rev. Jesse Guernsey, of New Haven, a talented and effective preacher.

On the 7th of December 1853, Rev. Salmon McCall was ordained pastor. Mr. McCall was born at Lebanon, Conn., March 17th 1826, and graduated from Yale Col- lege, July 1851. He resigned on account of ill health in 1871, after a pastorate of 18 years. During his term of service 134 were added to the church by profession and by letter.

The next pastor was Rev. Francis N. Zabriskie, D.D., who was installed April 17th 1872. He was born in the city of New York, April 29th 1832, graduated at the University of the City of New York, and at the Theo- logical Seminary of the Reformed Church, at New Bruns- wick, N. J. Dr. Zabriskie resigned the pastorate of the church in 1876, and was dismissed by advice of a coun- cil August 21st, closing his pastorate September 15th.t

The next minister was Rev. Richard B. Thurston, who was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, June 28th 1819, graduated from Bowdoin College, September 1841, and from the Theological Seminary, Bangor, Me., August 1846. His ministry in Saybrook began December 31st 1876, and closed June 19th 1881. Though regularly called, he was never installed, therefore must be ranked as stated supply.

The present minister, Mr. Thurston's successor, is Rev. Wilson D. Sexton, who was born at Poland, Ohio, May 30th 1853, graduated from Western Reserve College, Hudson, Ohio, 1877, and at Union Theological Seminary, New York, 1881, and was ordained at Old Saybrook, August 3d 1881.

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Episcopal services were held as early as August 1825, in the Center school house, by Rev. Peter G. Clarke, of Essex.

The first meeting in regard to building a Protestant Episcopal church in the first society in Saybrook, was held in April 1830, at which a building committee was chosen, consisting of Messrs. Richard Hart, William Lynde, Richard Chalker, Richard E. Pratt, Augustus Chalker, William Willard, William H. Lynde, Ira Bush-

nell, and William Clark. At the next meeting, May 31st, the committee were directed to accept the propo- sals of Richard and Augustus Chalker, for building a church.

It was also voted " to organize ourselves into a So- ciety or Church according to the order of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, under the name of Grace Church, Saybrook, Connecti- cut," and also to hold the annual meeting on the first Monday after Easter Sunday in each year. The names of the signers and organizers of the society, are as follows:

Richard W. Hart, Nathaniel Clark, Richard Chalker, William H. Lynde, Daniel Bates, Erastus Haskell, Na- than Howell, Ira Bushnell, William Clark, Noah Walker, Richard E. Pratt, John S. Small, Charles E. Fisk, Ed- ward Denison, David Spencer, Sylvester Chalker.

The corner stone was laid in 1830.

The following is a list of the clergymen who were called to take charge of the parish, and who officiated as ministers in charge, rectors elect, or rectors:

Rev. Ashbel Steel, a part of 1830, 1831, a part of 1832; Rev. John M. Guion, a part of 1832, to a part of 1836; Rev. G. C. V. Eastman, a part 1836, to a part of 1837; Rev. William Warland, a part of 1837, to a part of 1842; Rev. Harvey Stanley, a part of 1842, to a part of 1843; Rev. W. G. French, a part of 1843, to a part of 1844; Rev. J. M. Willey, a part of 1844, to a part of 1847; Rev. John M. Guion, a part of 1847, to a part of 1849; Rev. C. R. Fisher, a part of 1849, to a part of 1850; Rev. S. J. Evans, a part of 1850, to a part of 1854; Rev. Jonathan Godfrey, a part of 1854, to a part of 1855; Rev. Peter L. Shepard, a part of 1855, to a part of 1868; Rev. J. E. Heald, from Christmas 1868, to June 20th 1878; Rev. John H. White, from November 1878, to January 1881; Rev. Jesse Brush, from March Ist 1881, and is now in charge of the parish.

The corner stone of the new stone church was laid in 1871, and it was completed and consecrated in 1872. Present number of families, 80. Present number of communicants, 125.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 118

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