History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 41

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 41

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Mr. Leach was succeeded by Rev. Merriwether Win- ston, July 1851, and he preached until September 1852, and the church remained without a pastor until November 1853, when the Rev. Lester Lewis was chosen pastor, and labored faithfully for and with the church until his death, February 7th 1858.

Rev. J. C. Wightman commenced his labors as pastor, November 21st 1858, resigned in the spring of 1859, but was immediately and unanimously recalled. Novem- ber 2d 1862, J. C. Wightman tendered his resignation which was accepted, and April 11th 1863, a call was ex- tended to J. H. Silbert and he commenced his labors and ministered acceptably to the church until October 30th 1870. April 23rd 1871, a call was tendered Rev. S. S. Chase. The call was accepted but while on a visit to New Bedford, he was taken sick and died before he ever re- sumed the pastoral relation to the church. The church was without a pastor until November 10th 1872, wher. a call was extended to Rev. B. W. Barrows of Nepouset, Mass. The call was accepted and he commenced his labors at once and continued to labor successfully until June 13th 1880, when he tendered his resignation, which was accepted. The church depended upon supplies un- til March 13th 1881, when a call was tendered Rev. C. A. Piddock, of Springfield, Mass., the present pastor, which was accepted, and he commenced his work with the church immediately. The church now numbers 388 members.

FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.

The first movement of any kind toward the formation of a Universalist society in the city of Middletown was by a circular dated November 10th 1829. Occasional services were held for a number of years previous to Au- gust 1838. At that time the State Convention was held in Middletown, and immediately after this meeting, viz., in September 1838, the society was organized.

Names of the persons who were signers and members of the society at its formation in 1838 or soon after: Au- gustus Cook, William Plumb 2d, Isaac Bacon, Joseph Coe, William S. Camp, Samuel Stearns, James T. Strat-

ton, J. N. Nelson, S. S. Allison, Russell Hopkins, Horace Clark, James G. Turner, Seabury Belden, James E. Bid- well, Charles Norton, Samuel Bacon, Henry C. Harris, Benjamin Carter, William Douglas, Thomas Tolles, Ja- son Mildrum, Leveritt Dimock, Timothy Savage, Luther Bowers, Charles Brewer, Jefferson Bacon, Stephen Crit- tenton, Asa Hubbard, William Hendley, Edwin Stearns, William M. Ward, Lewis Adams, Elijah Crowell, Samuel Crowell jr., Joseph Bevins, Josiah Pratt, Henry Smith, Spicer Leonard, William Crandall, Joel B. Green, Josiah Scovill, Merrick Nelson, Horace Caswell, L. Parmelee, Joshua Stow, Alexander Keith, Richard B. Bailey, Reu- ben Chaffee, Stephen Shaddick, Ezra Coe, Asa Richard- son, Benjamin Butler, William Stroud, Origen Utley, George Bacon, Talcott Smith, Benjamin F.Chaffee, James C. Beebe, A. R. Parshley, T. Manning jr., William F. Phillips, A. C. Arnold, A. C. Harris, W. G. Mack, I. H Arnold, William R. Smith.

The successive pastors have been: Lucius S. Ever- ett, 1838 to 1841: Merritt Sanford, 1841 to 1844; Townsend P. Abell, 1844 to 1853; William H. Waggon- er, 1853 to 1856; Cyrus H. Fay, 1856 to 1858; one year no pastor; George W. Quimby, 1859 to 1862; James E. Bruce, 1862 to 1865; part year no pastor; Eleazer S. Fos- ter, 1866 to 1868; one year no pastor; Cyrus H. Fay, 1869 to 1873; J. Hazard Hartsell, 1873 to 1876; part year no pastor; Manly W. Tabor, 1877 to 1880; Freder- ick M. Houghton, 1880 to 1883, part year no pastor; Harrison Clossen, 1884, present pastor.

The present officers of the society are: W. K. Bacon, Giles Bishop, E. C. Hall; and J. E. Bidwell, clerk and treasurer.

The first and only church edifice was built in 1839 at an expense of $12,000.

The first superintendent of the Sunday school was Ori- gen Utley. The present superintendent is Wallace K. Bacon, and Mrs. F. B. Chaffee is assistant superintendent.

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The first meeting of this society was held in the house of George W. Jeffrey, under the direction of Rev. Mr. Martin, a Baptist minister, from New York. In 1828, Rev. James Anderson, a Methodist minister, from New Haven, organized the church, with the following persons as trustees: Asa Jeffrey, Joseph Gilbert, John Hamilton, Ebenezer De Forest, and George W. Jeffrey. A piece of land, a short distance west of Wesleyan University was purchased of Henry Paddock, and a church edifice, 39 by 31 feet, was erected, and dedicated in May 1830. The following conditions were attached to the deed con- veying the property:

" And that no mistake may arise with respect to the construction of this Instrument, my intention Is that the premises shall be held for the erection of a place of public worship for the use of the association of colored persons whether legal or voluntary, who are generally known by the name herein before specified, and that the premises shall In no caso be used for any other purpose than that of erecting such a place of public worship, and other necessary buildings connected therewith or relating thereto."

The society did not succeed in paying the indebted- ness incurred for the erection of the building until 1850.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

In 1867, by the removal of the edifice, an additional in- debtedness of $900 was incurred which was gradually reduced, and in 1883 a bequest of $500 from Mrs. Rachel Penny left but a small amount remaining un- paid.

The society is at present under the jurisdiction of the New England conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, known as the " Zion Connection." The present membership is 30.

The Sunday school connected with the church is maintained principally by the students of Wesleyan University. The library contains 275 volumes.

ST. JOHN'S (R. C.) CHURCH .*

This church, which was organized in 1843, stands at the north end of Main street, in the city of Middletown, and together with the land belonging to it, which is chiefly used as a cemetery, extends nearly the whole length of St. John's street.

Religious services were held in Middletown by per- sons of this denomination, at irregular intervals, for a period of several years before the church was organized. About 1835, quite a number of Catholic families settled in and around Middletown. At this time there was a large demand for laborers in the Portland quarries, and here most of the men found employment. About one- half of their number located in Portland, and the rest were scattered around the city of Middletown, and that portion of the town which is now Cromwell. Being of a devout disposition, they immediately began to provide for religious services. The nearest resident Catholic priest at that time was Rev. Father McDermott, of New Haven, and the county of Middlesex fell within his mis- sionary labors. He was accordingly notified of the little congregation which had been formed in Middle- town, and in the summer of this year he visited the city, and celebrated the mass in a small house on East Court street, belonging to a gentleman by the name of Taylor. This was the first Catholic service ever held in Middle- sex county.

The Rev. Father Fitton, who had recently succeeded Father McDermott at New Haven, visited Middletown once or twice in the fall of this year; but no settled ar- rangements had, as yet, been made to establish a regular mission in the place. In the spring of 1836, Rev. Peter Walsh, who had recently been stationed in Hartford, re- solved to hold religious services at Middletown once a month. He visited the city one Saturday afternoon, but finding that the greater portion of the Catholics in this locality resided in Portland, he crossed the river and be- gan to look about for a place in which to celebrate the mass. He was unable to secure a house, so he engaged a barn from one Captain Worthington, on the main street. The next morning, when he reached the place in com- pany with his little congregation, he found the barn doors bolted, and for some reason, which was never made very clear to him, the owner refused him the use of the prem- ises for religious purposes. Expostulations were vain

and so the priest with his followers had to turn away. Father Walsh was just about to celebrate the mass under a large tree on the wayside, when a gentleman by the name of Joseph Myrick, who lived near Captain Worth- ington's residence, tendered the use of his dwelling to the worshippers. The offer was gratefully accepted, and the mass was duly celebrated. Mr. Myrick soon after- ward joined the church, becoming the first convert in the county.

From this time till August 1837, services were held by Father Walsh at the house of Michael Ahern, just above Pecousett. In September of this year, the Rev. John Brady, who succeeded Father Walsh in Hartford, began his missionary labors here, and continued for four years to hold services monthly at Mr. Ahern's residence. The congregation now began to increase rapidly, and soon outgrew their quarters. The people, too, began to pros- per materially, and felt themselves able to rent a house to be used solely for religious purposes. Accordingly, a small building, located in that part of Portland known as the Sand Bank, was secured of Thomas Condon, one of the first Catholic settlers in the county. The place was fitted up in a neat manner, and was occupied till the completion of the brick church in Middletown.

It was not long before even this temporary chapel proved too small for the constantly growing con- gregation. In 1843, therefore, Father Brady began to look about him for a site on which to erect a church edifice. At this time there were thirty men, most of them heads of families, in the parish. He spent several weeks in search of a suitable lot, but was unable to find one. He resolved to locate the church in Middletown, as most of the members were by this time residents there. One Monday morning he was visited by Mr. Charles R. Alsop, and surprised by an offer, at a very low figure, of the fine site where the church is now located. Father Brady accepted the terms at once and closed the bar- gain. A gift of $500 which was immediately made by a wealthy Catholic resident, Mrs. Richard Alsop, sufficed to pay for the land; and arrangements were at once made for the erection of a fair sized brick structure. But the labor of raising the necessary funds for the pros- ecution of this work, small as it might seem in after years, was very great. Father Brady visited many indus- trial centers for the purpose of making collections for the undertaking. The lively interest which the little congregation felt in the work greatly aided and encour- aged him, and in a short time its success was assured.

In 1845 the number of male adults in the parish had grown from 30 to 100. They now felt themselves en- abled to support a resident pastor. Accordingly, in this year, the Rev. John Brady, a nephew of the Hartford clergyman who had hitherto officiated, having recently been ordained, was stationed in Middletown.

The church was soon built and fitted up, and upon its completion it was found to be almost entirely free from debt. A cemetery was laid out in the large lot in the rear of the church, and every man or family who had contributed $20 to the building fund was given in return a burial lot in the cemetery.

* By D. J. DONAHOE.

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MIDDLETOWN -- CHURCHES.

During the years intervening between 1845 and 1850, inclusive, hundreds of Catholic people settled in Middle- town, Cromwell, and Portland, emigration from Ireland being very large in those years, and the demand for laborers in the Portland quarries having increased. The new church, therefore, was soon found too small for the increased attendance, and Father Brady immediately set to himself the task of erecting a magnificent structure which would answer the demands of the congregation for many years. The proprietors of the Portland quarries, seeing the need that existed for a larger church, and ad- miring the devotion of the people as well as the deter- mination of the clergyman, made a generous offer of all the stone which would be needed in the erection of the new edifice. Almost every dollar which went to defray the expenses of building this new church was collected from members of the congregation. A burial lot in the cemetery was given to every person or family contribu- ting $20, and half a lot to those who gave $ro. In a short time nearly all the lots in the cemetery were taken up, and the church was in a fair way of being success- fully built. It was for many years the largest and by far the most beautiful church in the city. The building is of Gothic architecture, and capable of comfortably seat- ing an audience of one thousand persons.

In 1855, Father Brady was succeeded by the Rev. Lawrence T. P. Mangan, who remained in charge of the parish until November 1857. He was followed by the Rev. James Lynch, a man of ability and enterprise. Father Lynch remained in control of the affairs of the parish for a period of fifteen years, and during this time many extensive improvements and additions were made. In 1864, he had the tower completed, and had a large bell placed in the belfry. The whole interior of the church was overhauled, and a fine organ was placed in the loft. The church was frescoed in elegant style by William Borgett of Middletown. The frescoing, which is a masterly and artistic piece of work, deserves especial mention. The ceiling is in panels of rich Gothic design, of a light blue ground, with the various emblems of the passion of the Saviour painted in bold relief. The sanct- uary arch and pillar capitals, as well as the arch over the altar, are richly gilded. Above the altar are the four Evangelists painted in motto style. On the east side of the altar are fine paintings of St. Peter and St. Paul; on the west side the Virgin and child, and St. John. On the east wall are paintings of St. Patrick and St. Bridget; on the west wall, the Holy Family. In 1879, the altar was remodelled and handsomely decorated by the same artist.

The cemetery at the rear of the church, being already too small for the needs of the congregation, Father Lynch purchased a large tract of land on Johnson street, from Michael H. Griffin, and in 1864 had it laid out as a cemetery. The land lying on the south of this tract was purchased in 1883 by the Rev. Denis Desmond, and laid out in an elegant manner for the same purpose, making a large and convenient graveyard, and one of the hand- somest Catholic cemeteries in the State.

Almost from the first establishment of the church a

parochial school was attached to it. It was opened in 1849, by Andrew A. Cody, a gentleman of a fine educa- tion, who had graduated the year previous from the classical college at Fermoy, in the county of Cork, Ire- land. Mr. Cody acted as principal of this school from the start until his death which occurred in 1866. He held several important offices of trust, and became also a clever lawyer, but his best efforts were given to the school, which became, under his management, an impor- tant institution of learning. He was ably assisted during the greater part of the time by Isabella A. Fagan and Helen G. Fagan, two maiden sisters, the former of whom died in the same year in which the death of Mr. Cody occurred. From 1866 until 1872, the school was under the charge of the Board of Education, and became one of the public schools of the city. In May of the latter year, the parisl: resumed control of it, and it was taught by the Sisters of Mercy, a branch house of which order had been established in the parish on the 7th day of that month. A handsome convent building had been erected on the ground east of the parochial residence, and seven Sisters of Mercy had been invited by the Rt. Rev. Bishop McFarland to locate in the city. They came from St. Xavier's convent in the parish of Ennis, county of Clare, Ireland. They have met with great success, and per- formed many useful labors since the founding of their house in Middletown. So successful, indeed, have they been that they have been able to open two branch houses, one in Bridgeport, which was opened in March 1879, and the second in Fairfield, which was started in August 1882. Besides conducting the free school in the old school room, to which use the brick church has been put, they have also, from the first, main- tained in the convent building a select academy for young ladies only, which has always been largely attended. A thorough general English course is pursued, and in- structions are given in French, Latin, and music, and the Sisters in both schools have gained a well-deserved repu- tation as able educators in the branches taught by them.

The Rev. Edward J. O'Brien assumed charge of the parish early in 1873, Father Lynch having removed to Waterbury to fill the vacancy caused by the elevation of Father Hendricken to the Episcopacy of the Providence Diocese. Father O'Brien was succeeded in 1876 by the Rev. F. P. O'Keeffe, who also remained but a short tinie, being succeeded by the Rev. Denis Desmond, of Port- land, in October 1881.

Father Desmond, who had recently erected a magnifi- cent church and parochial residence in Portland, dis- played his untiring energy by at once commencing great improvements on the church property in his new charge. A debt, which had been contracted in the erection of the convent house and the building of the church tower, still hung over the parish. The new pastor at once caused the old debt to be paid off. He then placed steam heaters in the church, convent, and parochial resi- dence; new windows were set in the church, greatly adding to its beauty; the cemetery was enlarged and

I46

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

beautified, as before stated; and many other extensive and very necessary improvements were made.

In conclusion there remains but to say that the Catholic population has increased so rapidly and steadily, that, since the establishment of the church, Portland and Cromwell have been set off as separate parishes, each being quite large, and the present population of the parish of Middletown numbers more than 4,200 souls. The people are remarkably devout, no less than 2,600 persons attending divine services each Sunday. The Sunday school, which is conducted by the Sisters of Mercy in the school room, is attended regularly by some 600 children. There are also a number of societies among the children and young ladies which tend materially to increase and promote the religious pros- perity of the parish.

CHRIST CHURCH (EPISCOPAL).

The first movement in church work, in South Farms, was made by Mrs. Charlotte K. Fuller (wife of the Rev. Samuel Fuller, D. D., of the Berkeley Divinity School), who began a "Mothers Meeting" there in November 1868.

Early in the next year, the services of a lay reader were secured from the Berkeley Divinity School, and very soon a Sunday-school was established. Mrs. Rob. ert T. Thorne united with Mrs. Fuller in opening a sewing school, which was prosperous. The first baptism was administered by Dr. Fuller, June 12th 1867, in a private house, where the first mission services were held. A vacant store was next prepared for a chapel, where Dr. Fuller first administered the communion to nine per- sons, on February 8th 1868. The parish was organized July 28th 1869, when the Rev. Robert T. Thorne was elected rector. A subscription had been raised for the erection of a chapel during that year, the mother church giving $867 collectively, and one individual thereof $5,- ooo in addition, placing it at once in an independent po- sition. The building was consecrated July 29th 1869, by the bishop of the diocese. The Rev. R. T. Thorne resigned the rectorship, in 1877, and was succeeded by the Rev. G. Henry Smith. In 1879, the Rev. John Townsend, having come to Middletown to reside, took charge of the parish and still remains rector.

Reported to the convention of 1884: families, 44; communicants, 79; Sunday scholars, 80; with 9 teachers.

ALL SAINTS' CHAPEL:

A Sunday school was established by some of the ladies resident at Staddle Hill (which adjoins the city on its western boundary), early in 1870, in a private house there. The Rev. Walter Mitchell, at that time assistant to the rector of Holy Trinity, began services in the North Dis- trict school house, on the evening of Advent Sunday, 1870. A lot was procured and the corner stone of All Saints' Chapel was laid in November 1875. The open ing service was held August 17th 1876, by the Rev. Walter Mitchell, who had then become rector of the mother church. The chapel was consecrated on the 11th

of January 1877, by Rt. Rev. John Williams, D. D. The services were continued here by the rectors of Holy Trinity and their assistants, the rector giving monthly, one Sunday service with the communion. Since there has been no assistant at the Parish Church, aid has been rendered by lay reading, and preaching by the Rev. Professors of the Berkeley Divinity School. There are now (1884) in this mission, 33 families, with 48 communi- cants, and 65 scholars in the Sunday school, not includ- ing the two Bible classes. The cost of the lot and chapel was $5,000.

PAMEACHA MISSION.

As the southern portion of the city of Middletown ha's many German residents, lay reading was commenced there in that language about 1870. When the Rev. Walter Mitchell became assistant to the parish church, he often preached to them in German, and so continued to do after he became rector, as also did the Rev. A. D. Miller, who laboured faithfully among them. A Sunday school was established here in 1874 or 1875, which is still continued, having now (1884) fifty-five scholars, and eight teachers, with superintendent, and librarian for the library of 200 volumes. These services have been and are still conducted in a hired building prepared for the purpose. The past year this mission has received gifts of an altar, with suitable altar cloth, reading desk, and lectern.

BETHANY CHAPEL.

This chapel is located at the corner of Butternut and Middlefield streets. The corner-stone was laid in the spring of 1878, and the building dedicated the following autumn. Previous to the erection of this chapel, a Sunday school was held in the school house of the Staddle Hill district; now there are Sunday school exercises in the chapel each Sabbath day, and preaching in the evening. H. H. Paine is the superintendent of the school, and supplies the pulpit.

SOUTH FARMS METHODIST CHAPEL.

This chapel was built in 1879, by the Methodist Church of Middletown. The funds for its erection were princi- pally given by persons living in the vicinity. The land was donated by Mr. Jesse G. Baldwin, president of the board of trustees. The chapel is still under the control of the church. Regular services are held, and the at- tendance is about 100. There is a Sabbath school con- nected with the chapel having a membership of about 60.

WESTFIELD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH .*

Westfield is a pleasant rural village located in the north- ern part of Middletown, about a mile from the Westfield Station, on the Berlin and Middletown Railroad. The inhabitants are a prosperous people, mostly engaged in agricultural pursuits. The first settler is generally con- ceded to have been one Edward Higby, who settled there about 1720, and whose residence was at the foot of a bluff called " Higby Mountain." Other early settlers

*BY REV. JOHN ELDERKIN.,

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MIDDLETOWN -- CHURCHES.

were: Benjamin Atkins, Benjamin, Nathaniel, John, and ¿ Joseph Bacon, Joseph Cornwell, Joseph Doolittle, Sam- uel Plumb, and Daniel Roberts, from the first society in this town; John Warner, Israel, John, and Jeremiah Wilcox, from Cromwell; Joseph Clarke, from New Haven; Nathaniel Churchill, from Wethersfield; Edward and Josiah Boardman, from Glastonbury; David and Richard Dowd, Asahel Dudley, and Joseph Graves, from Guil- ford. In 1815; there were 81 dwelling houses in West- field and 93 families. Early in 1852 there were 104 dwellings and 120 families. There were 84 deaths in the society during the ten years prior to 1852. The yearly mortality was as follows: In 1842, seven deaths; in 1843, nine; in 1844, three; in 1845, eight; in 1846, eight; in 1847, nine; in 1848, four; in 1849, seventeen; in 1850, seven; and in 1851, fourteen.

In 1766, a number of persons living in Westfield, but belonging to the first and second ecclesiastical societies, sent a memorial to the General Assembly, praying to be organized into a separate society; the petition was granted, and thus arose the fourth ecclesiastical society in Middletown. The first three names on that memorial were Edward Higby, Nathaniel Gilbert, and Benjamin Atkins. In 1773, this society built their first meeting house. It was 48 feet long and 30 wide. It stood where the present one stands. It was a plain structure, built in the style of those early times. There was no paint on the building at first, either inside nor out; and the only stoves used during winter were foot stoves.

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History of Middlesex county, Connecticut, with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 41

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