History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 130

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 130

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Two of these soldiers died at Andersonville, others fell at Procter's Creek, Va., Beaufort, S. C., New Orleans, Petersburgh, Va., Carlton, La., Ashland, Va., Cold Har- bor, Va., Peach Tree Creek, Chancellorsville, Chester- field C. H., Baton Rouge, Brashear City, La., Steven- son, Ala., Stafford C. H., Va., London Valley, Va., Silver Run, N. C.

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS.

There are in Portland several fine collections of stuffed birds, etc. The first of these is that made by W. W. Coe. It is contained in a large and handsome room well adapted to the purpose. Two large cases, eight feet high, with armory between, fill the end of the apartment. There are about seven hundred specimens in all; among them many rare birds, albinos, etc, including the mythi- cal " white blackbird." The birds are so skillfully stuffed, and the natural attitude so well preserved in mounting, that there is no stiffness, as sometimes noticed in such collections. There are also many nests, and at least 500 eggs.

Mr. John Sage has also a fine collection, some beauti- fully mounted, but the greater part of bird skins, scien- tifically arranged. He has also a variety of nests, and a large collection of eggs. Mr. Sage has some very choice tropical birds.

Mr. Charles Neff has about 125 varieties of mounted birds, together with a large number of bird skins from different parts of the world, and 150 varieties of birds eggs in sets. Mr. Neff's collection of Indian relics, a very fine one, has already been alluded to.

Mr. James Lord has also a collection of stuffed birds, to which he is constantly adding.

FERRIES.

Formerly Portland was connected with the opposite towns of Middletown and Cromwell by two ferries. The second, now discontinued, had its landing on this side at the end of " Worthington Lane." Later the landing was at Steven's wharf or the "Navy Yard," so called, and the ferryman was William Norcott. In more recent times the landing was made at the old place, Worthing- ton Lane, and the ferryman was General Stocking, as he was called. There has been no regular ferry here for some years.

For years after the swift darting canoe of the Indian crossing the river to hunt the deer had disappeared, the only communication between Middletown and her east- ern suburb was a clumsy "scow." Then it became a

flatboat, propelled by horse power. In 1847, the Legis- lature was petitioned to remove the landing to the termi- nation of the Main street, at Connecticut River. Prior to this the landing had been made much farther down, on the sandy flat below the railroad bridge. Jerry Haling was the last ferryman here. July 31st 1852, the town voted to change the horse boat ferry to a steam ferry, and the steam ferry boat Mattabesett was built and placed thereon. The steamer Portland was built in 1870, and is still running.

GILDERSLEEVE ICE HOUSE.

The ice house of S. Gildersleeve & Sons was built in the fall of 1878, at a cost of about $10,000. It is 150 feet front, 100 feet deep, and 33 feet high, with two com- partments, making a storage capacity of 10,000 tons. It is fitted with steam engine and endless chain elevator, capable of hoisting a ton of ice per minute. About 75 men, with teams and ice tools, are employed from two to three weeks in filling it, the length of time varying ac- cording to the weather, This is the only ice house on the Connecticut River for shipping ice to New York and other ports.

FIRES AND FIRE COMPANY.

There have been more large fires in Portland the past year than in the 10 years previous. The United States Stamping Company has been particularly unfortunate in this respect. On the evening of March Ist 1884, their large factory and other buildings were destroyed by fire, which it is supposed originated in the drying room. A large quantity of finished goods was destroyed or injur- ed, and all of the machinery disabled. The total loss was estimated at $247,000. August 14th, the stables were burned, together with two horses, hay, harness, sleigh, and buggy; loss, $4,350. August 28th, another building was burned, with 300 bales of hay, and the case used at the Centennial with most of the goods which formed their exhibit; loss $2,200.

James Laverty's wholesale liquor store was burned on the afternoon of June 4th 1884. It was quickly con- sumed, together with a shop, livery stable, and Mr. Laverty's house. Spreading in the other direction, it destroyed eight other buildings, mostly houses belonging to the Brainerd and Shaler & Hall Quarries. The pro- gress of the fire was checked by pulling down the house adjoining Mr. Laverty's.

The Valley Mills were burned at about 2 o'clock A.M., March Ioth 1884. The loss was nearly $15,000, par- tially covered by an insurance of $8,000.

Portland Fire Company was incorporated in 1884. The officers are: John H. Hall, president; Lorin Ingersoll, vice-president; W. A. Chapman, secretary and treasurer; Richard Pascall, foreman; I. O. Brown, engineer. The company has a new fire engine, hose carriage, and 600 feet of hose, which cost $1,750. The engine house cost $700. The town appropriation for the fire company was $3,000.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

CHURCHES.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .*

Prior to 1700 there were but three houses in Portland. James Stancliff had built upon the river bank, opposite Middletown; farther back lived John Gill; while at the base of the hill beyond the Wangunk Meadow, on the left going toward Rose Hill school house, resided Wil- liam Cornwall. In 1710, nine other families joined them, forming the nucleus of a society.

The oldest record now extant, kept by Samuel Hall, gives an account of the first meeting of the inhabitants on the east side of the river, March 2d 1710, for the building of a meeting house for the preaching of the gospel. A building committee was appointed, and 20 men pledged themselves to pay their equal proportion, according to their estates, in a bond of £20. This agreement was signed by John Gill, William Cornwall sen., Samuel Hall, Nathaniel Savage, Ebenezer Smith, Sham- gar Barnes, Ephraim Wilcock, William Stancliff, Jonathan Gleed, Richard Gill, Coriah Bacon, Thomas Wright, John Bevin, George Stocken, David Strickland, Thomas Buck, Joseph Warner, Ebenezer Hurlbut, and John Meer.

In 1712-13, one acre of land was granted the inhabitants "ye East side ye great river " between the land of James Stancliff and the river for a burying place. This was the old quarry burying ground, the remains of which have been removed and located east of the present Episcopal Cemetery.

The General Assembly at the May session 1714 granted to the inhabitants on the east side of the river parish privileges. The following is from the society records:

" Whereas, the Honorable Assembly held at Hartford, May the 13th, Anno Domini 1714, granted to the inhabi- tants of Middletown on ye East ye great river liberty to be a society of themselves, we then propose as forthwith, June 3d, at a Society's meeting that Samuel Hall should be clerk and that the place of the meeting house should be at the east end of Mr. John Hamblin's lot or there- about; that the broad axe men shall receive for their labor two shillings sixpence per day, and the narrow axe men two shillings."

It was voted that the meeting house should be 40 feet long, 26 feet wide, and 16 feet between joints. The next two years were spent largely in determining the site. There was quite a settlement in the northeastern part of the town beyond Mesomesic Mountain. The settlers probably came from Glastonbury. An old chart locates some 60 families in that section; and the ruins and founda- tion stones of some 30 houses can be seen to-day in the woods, a thick undergrowth of young timber having grown up around them. From the early records there seems to have been considerable strife between the people at Meso- mesic and the people on the Neck, as to where the meeting house should be placed. Seven or eight society meetings were held, and sometimes it was voted to build in the east- ern, and sometimes in the western, part of the town. At

length it was wisely left to the judgment of a committee, who fixed the place for building at the corner of Samuel Hall's lot, commonly known as "Hall Hill," where the roads cross at right angles, near the residence of Gordon Stewart. The people at Mesomesic went so far as to put up the frame for a meeting house, though it was never inclosed. The underpinning may be seen to-day, in the woods, a mile and a half north by east of the residence of Captain Case. Some now living recall hearing their grandparents speak of the crowds of people that used to gather upon the green for worship on the Sabbath, around this meeting house.

Samuel Hall, Joseph Warner, and Nathaniel White were chosen a committee to procure a minister, with full power to agree with him on as easy terms as they could, and it was voted, December 13th 1720:

" To give Mr. Daniel Newell a call to preach the Gos- pel among us; to give him for the two years ensuing, £50 a year and his wood, and in the future to add some- thing to it, as the Society find themselves able; also to bestow certain lands, partly given and partly purchased at 30 shillings per acre, so long as he continues in the work of the ministry .among us."

It was also voted to build Mr. Newell a house 40 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 14 feet between joints; to finish the lower rooms, he finding glass and nails. This was the first parsonage and was located opposite the first meeting house. The meeting house was in the corner of the field now owned by Gordon Stewart, and the parson- age was on the left, in the corner of the field now owned by Titus Hale. The old asparagus bed of the parsonage garden has yearly sent forth its growth.

October 25th 1721, Rev. Daniel Newell was ordained pastor of the church. It was this year ordered that those who paid the minister's rate in grain should pay good wheat at five shillings per bushel, rye at three shillings, and corn at two shillings. At the same meeting there was granted a rate of eight pence on the pound for de- fraying the charge of building the minister's house, and Ensign Smith and Sergeant Gains were chosen to give Mr. Newell a deed of the land on which the house stood.

March 20th 1722, William Cornwall sen., and Jonathan Judd were chosen " tithing men " to look after the dis- orderly in time of exercise and between the meetings, and two years later, Ensign Smith and Joseph White were added to that responsible committee. December 3d 1722, it was voted " to buy a basin for the carrying water for baptizing children." This is the first sacred utensil spoken of.

The names of those appointed on the committee of trust during Mr. Newell's ministerial service were: Jo- seph Warner, Richard Gill, Ensign Gaines, Ebenezer Hurlbut, Sergeant Hale, Ebenezer Gill, Joseph White, Nathaniel White, Jonathan Wilcock, and Sergeant Sav- age. Samuel Hall, formerly deacon in the North Church, of Middletown, and clerk of this church during all of its early history, was elected to the office of deacon, and publicly ordained January 17th 1724. He served until his death, which occurred March 6th 1740. January

*BY REV. JOHN S. BAYNE.

525

PORTLAND-FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

23d, following, Joseph White was also chosen deacon.

Rev. Daniel Newell became pastor of this church at its organization. He was a native of Bristol, and grad- uated from Yale College in 1718. He died in 1731, aged 31 years. In the inscription on his grave stone it is said that he was a learned, zealous, and faithful minis- ter of Jesus Christ. During his ministry there were 237 baptized, 53 admitted to the church, 51 owned the cove- nant, and Io united by letter. The following are the names of those who signed the covenant, and they are the original members of the church, the majority of whom probably brought letters from the churches of Middletown and Cromwell: Daniel Newell, Samuel Hall, Ebenezer Smith, John Gains, Richard Goodale, Samuel Eggleston, . John Ranney, Shamgar Barnes, Thomas Buck, Thomas Wright, Nathaniel Wright, Joseph White, Jonathan Judd, Esther Cornwall, Elizabeth Warner, Elizabeth Stocking, Mary Smith, Esther Savage, Naomi Gains, Mary Goodale, Sarah Warner, Patience Eggle- ston, Hannah Ranney, Susanna Bevin, Mercy Miller, Sarah Hurlbut, Elizabeth Wright, Mehitable White, Han- nah Judd.

June Ist 1732, it was voted to give Mr. Moses Bart- lett a call; to give him £250, to be paid in the three years ensuing, he settling and continuing in the work of the ministry among them. At the same meeting it was voted to give Mr. Bartlett four score pounds a year for his salary and the use of the parsonage added. The church which stood on Hall Hill was attended at that time by all the people of the town. They came from what is now East Hampton, a part of Westchester, and Marlborough, Middle Haddam, and Cobalt, and as far north as Glastonbury. June 6th 1733, Rev. Moses Bart- lett was ordained pastor. During the second and third years of Mr. Bartlett's ministry there seems to have been an unusual degree of religious feeling, and numbers were added to the church; but it was during the years 1741 and 1742 that there was the greatest revival. It was these accessions and the general prosperity of the church that suggested and effected the passage of the following resolution :

"At a meeting of the Society on the east side ye Great River, February 3d 1746, thirty-six of the inhabi- tants of the society present in said meeting and qualified to vote, did by their votes declare that they judged it necessary to build a Meeting House in this Society and they that voted in the negative were but seven."

" October 4th 1748, it was voted to proceed to build a meeting house 56 feet in length, 42 in breadth, the posts to be 25 feet long. The first church edifice had stood - 32 years, and was doubtless too small, for the second meeting house was 16 feet longer, 12 feet wider, and I1 feet higher. The General Assembly appointed a committee and they located the house, but the people were not pleased, and a second appeal was made to the Assembly, and after a protracted delay a second com- mittee of gentlemen arrived and the new meeting house was located across the street from Colonel Bartlett's.

December 15th 1848, David Sage was chosen and or- dained deacon of the church. June 4th 1750, it was agreed to apply to the town of Middletown for liberty to purchase three acres of land of the Indians " joining and encompassing the Stake which the last Assembly's committee pitched for us to build our Meeting House;" and Deacon David Sage was chosen to treat with the town of Middletown and take a lawful deed of the Indians. The deed with the Indian signatures affixed is still preserved among the society's papers. It is shown by the records that [at this period the society laid out the roads and built the bridges.

December 27th 1766, Rev. Moses Bartlett died, aged 58. On the monument erected to his memory by his people he is called a "sound and skillful divine, a physician of the body and the soul." He was born in Madison, graduated from Yale College in 1730, and studied theology with his distinguished father-in-law, Rev. Nathaniel Fisk, of Haddam. During his ministry there were 809 baptisms, 88 joined the church on pro- fession of their faith, 24 by letter, and 255 assented to the covenant.

January 26th 1767, a committee was appointed to see that " ye pulpit be supplied by some of ye neighboring ministers and to seek out some young candidate to come amongst us on probation for settlement," and soon after- ward it was voted to invite Mr. Cyprian Strong, who had been supplying the pulpit for some time, to become their settled pastor at a salary of £100 per year, but the par- sonage was retained for the use of Mr. Bartlett's family the ensuing year.

November 5th 1765, it was recommended that the committee, consisting of Captain Jeremiah Goodrich, Captain David Sage, and David Robinson, "be em- powered to purchase a piece of land for burying our dead," and a year later they purchased of William Bartlett an acre and a half of land for £5, 5 shillings (the present cemetery, lying east of the Central Church), the deed bearing date January 24th 1767.

From the incorporation of the town of Chatham in 1767 till April 8th 1799, until the completion of the new town house on Penfield Hill, all town business was trans- acted at the meeting house of the First Society of Chat- ham.

November 7th 1783, Moses Bartlett was chosen clerk, and sworn. October 17th 1791, Dr. Moses Bartlett and Hezekiah Goodrich were chosen deacons, and Josiah White was chosen chorister. November 25th 1803, Deacon David Sage died, aged 86 years. For 55 years he had been deacon of the church and during this period, in spiritual power and influence, was second only to the pastor. He had been elected under Rev. Mr. Bartlett's ministration, and when the young pastor in the midst of his multifarious duties heard the summons and went up higher, all eyes at once turned to Deacon Sage for coun- sel and spiritual comfort, and during those years when the church was destitute, he was, ex officio, their pastor. It was at his house, still standing intact, the first back of the present parsonage, that the learned council convened

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

to examine Rev. Dr. Strong, and from which the next day they reverently wended their way to the church and installed the young pastor.

November 19th 1811, Rev. Cyprian Strong died, aged 67 years. Says his immediate successor: " It is recorded by one who had the means of information concerning him that he was highly and deservedly esteemed for his good sense, his thorough acquaintance with theology, and his uniform and blameless conversation, In the midst of numerous trials he was calm and resigned. The prominent features of his character are happily expressed on his monument: ' In morals exemplary, in doctrines un- corrupt, in reasoning profound, in declaring God's coun- sel perspicuous and solemn, and in death peaceful.' " A

number who have been engaged in the ministry, pursued their theological studies under his direction. During the 44 years of his connection with the church, 201 were added to it, 24 owned the covenant, and 720 were bap- tized.

June 17th 1812, it was voted to invite Rev. Eber L. Clark to settle as pastor among them, at a salary of $500 per year, provided that he would admit people (in certain cases) to take the bonds of the covenant, and that he would baptize their children. The invitation was ac- cepted conditionally, and, September 24th 1812, a coun- cil was convened, and Mr. Clark was installed pastor of the church. He was dismissed November 7th 1815. During his ministry, 29 joined the church on profession of their faith, and five by letter. He afterward settled in the parish at Granby. In 1820, he was settled in Winchendon, Massachusetts, and from 1838 to 1855 he was pastor of the Congregational church at Richmond. He was a native of Mansfield, and a graduate of Williams College.

From 1774 to 1790, Deacon Ebenezer White, Captain Samuel Hall, Colonel John Penfield, Colonel Joseph Blague, and Jeremiah Goodrich were empowered to man- age the affairs of the church, and from this time down to 1812, William Dixon, Jonathan Brown, Aaron Wilcox, David White, Jesse Johnson, Joseph White, Daniel White, Amos Goodrich, David Crittenden, and Samuel Penfield served, at long intervals, in the same capacity. Novem- ber 6th 1804, Moses Bartlett, who for some years had been clerk and deacon, was chosen treasurer, and held those offices till his death, in 1810. Hon. Ebenezer White, who represented Chatham at 32 sessions of the Legislature, was at the convention which ratified the Constitution of the United States, and was associate judge of the County Court, succeeded his father, Joseph White, as deacon, and held that office till his death, July 29th 1817, a space of 49 years.

October 3d 1816, Rev. Hervey Talcott was ordained pastor of the church. At a meeting held November 3d 1812, measures were taken for establishing a permanent fund for the support of the gospel ministry. A subscrip- tion paper was circulated, which elicited 42 subscriptions, and, including other funds, made a sum total of $6,075. Mr. Talcott received a salary of $500 per year, with a settlement of $500 to be paid in two years from the time

of his ordination. April 16th 1822, Erastus Strong was appointed clerk, and sworn, and Deacon Jonathan Brown became treasurer of the society. During the following year (1823) occurred the most remarkable revival of re- ligion that this church ever witnessed. From the first Sabbath in May to the first Sabbath in January follow- ing, 60 persons were admitted to the church on profes- sion of their faith. February 26th 1824, it was voted that the seating committee be discharged, and that each one should sit where he pleased. In 1827, it was voted "that the committee procure a load of wood for the use of the stove in this house the present winter." Dispens- ing with the seating committee and bringing into the meeting house a stove were among the fruits of the re- vival of 1823.

At a regular church meeting, November 2d 1821, Job H. Payne and Joel Strickland were chosen deacons of the church. During the year 1824, the meeting house was repaired at an expense of $500. At the annual meeting in 1826, it was first voted to sell the pews to the highest bidders; and John Payne was made auctioneer, and also elected treasurer of the society. At the first sale the pews ranged from $3 up to $20. August 28th 1843, it was voted "that in the opinion of this meeting it is expedient to build a new house of worship," and P. H. Sellew, J. R. Ames, and J. H. Payne were ap- pointed a committee to examine and select the site for the new meeting house. November 18th 1843, it was voted "that it is expedient and desirable that the corpo- rate name of this Society should be altered from the ' First Ecclesiastical Society of Chatham' to the 'First Eccle- siastical Society of Portland,'" and this change was con- firmed by an act of the Legislature at its session the following May.

At the annual meeting in 1845, differences of opinion prevailed as to the location of the prospective new church, and accordingly a committee, consisting of Deacon Job H. Payne, Philip H. Sellew, and Ebenezer B. White, were appointed to select two or more judicious and dis- interested persons as an advisory committee, to consult together and report. The next year, by a vote of nine to fifteen, it was determined to place the new edifice on the old site, but it was decided by the moderator (one of the deacons of the church) to be no vote. At a meeting soon after it was voted thirteen to seven to build on "Meeting House Hill." This was likewise decided by the same moderator to be no vote. It is presumable that the foregoing decisions were reached by the moder- ator, in view of the smallness of the number present, the general want of enthusiasm, and possible lack of the requisite pledges. Three years elapsed, when, Novem- ber 6th 1849, it was voted twenty-six to nine, three not voting, that the meeting house should be erected on the lot owned by John I. Worthington, situated between the dwelling houses of Harlord H. Caswell, and George H. Pettis, and William H. Bartlett, Ebenezer B. White, Henry E. Sage, Philip H. Sellew, and Reuben Payne were appointed a building committee. The present church edifice was built in 1850, and on the 18th of

527

PORTLAND-FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

December of the same year was dedicated. It is of Gothic structure, 70 by 39 feet. The building cost $6,200; the site, bell, furniture, and other accomoda- tions, $1,450; total, $7,650.

The following are the names of the society's con)- mittee from 1812 to 1850: Daniel Shepard, Samuel Pen- field, David Crittenden, Daniel White, Asahel Pelton, William Dixon, Seth Overton, David White, Dr. Isaac Smith, Nicholas Ames, Job H. Payne, John Payne, Erastus Shepard, Erastus Strong, Henry E. Sage, Philip H. Sellew, Ebenezer B. White, John R. Ames, Joel Strickland, and Joseph E. Goodrich. The follow- ing occupied other responsible positions: Elisha Brown, David Williams, Edward Lewis, Alfred Payne, Luther Wilcox, Joseph Abbey, Joel Bartlett, and Abel Lewis.

February 7th 1851, George C. H. Gilbert and Frank- lin Payne were elected deacons. January 6th 1861, Rev. Hervey Talcott resigned his pastoral office, but was nominally the pastor until his death, which occurred December 19th 1865, in his 75th year and the 50th of his ministry. During his ministry 231 were added to the church, of which 175 united on profession of their faith, and '102 were baptized.

Mr. Talcott was succeeded by Andrew C. Denison, who resigned the pastoral office December 28th 1867, having received a call to become president of Biddle Theological Institute, North Carolina. Losing health and wife at the South, he came North the following year, and has since been acting pastor of the church at Middlefield. During his ministry of some six years at Portland there were 21 baptisms, 28 united with the church on profession of their faith, and 18 by letter.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 130

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