USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 11
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Berlin > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 11
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > New Britain > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 11
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" At the Same Meeting this Society Did by Vote Adjourn the same to ye Sixteenth Day of December, at the House of Mr. Wm. Paterson,* at one of the clock in ye afternoon."
At the adjourned meeting held December 16th, which was opened at the house of Mr. Paterson on East Street, the two matters which were most prominent were those relating to the meeting-house and to the school. After providing for the latter, the persons who, at the annual meeting, had been chosen a committee to apply to the town of Farmington for a change of roads, or laying out of highways, to make the approach to the place selected for the meeting-house more convenient, were continued a committee to make similar application to the County Court, in behalf of the Society, in the following request :
" That the Court may lay out Suitable Highways for the accom- modating the Inhabitants of this Society to Com to ye Place appointed by said Court to Build a Meeting House on, if the same Cannot be obtained otherways."
After this vote was passed, the meeting voted " to adjourn forthwith to the house of Uriah Judd." This adjournment was, evidently, to allow the members of the society to go from Mr. Paterson's, on East Street, to view the site which the County Court had fixed for the meeting-house. The site was on a rough, rocky hill, in a wood lot, but at the place decided to be near the center of the travel of the parish. After viewing the site, the members of the society went to the house of Uriah Judd, which was near, and the meet- ing was again opened the same afternoon ; the record pro- ceeds :
" Att the Same Meeting itt was voted to Build a Meeting-House for Religious Worship at the Place whare the County Court have afixed the Stak in this Society, fourty five feet in Length & thirty-five feet in Wedth & twenty-two feet High Between Joysts ; and also that Capt.
*William Paterson lived on East Street, and this house was later the residence of Dr. Smalley.
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Johnathan Lewis & Sergt. Ebenezer Smith & Lieut. Josiah Lee and Mr. Ladwick Hotchkiss & Mr. John Judd be a Comt. to carry on the Same so far as to Git the Timber for said House & Bring it to said Stak, and also Bords Suffitient for floors & Bording the outsid in order for Clabording & Shingling & also two thousand of white pine Bords & also the said Comtt. are Directed to Alow every man in this Society to work in proportion to their Lists, if they see caws, and that the value of Each Man's work be computed by said Comtt."
This meeting was adjourned to the first Monday in March, but some questions having arisen regarding the work, a special meeting was held the 23d of January, 1755, when the following action was taken :
" Voted That the men that Laboured at Giting the timber for the meeting house agreeable to the vote in Decem' be alowed, the Hewers Eighteen Shillings and Scorers or Narow ax men Sixteen Shillings pr Day, and for the future according to the Discretion of ye Comtt.
Voted to Raise a Rate of two Shillings on the pound to Defray the Charge of Giting the Timber for ye Meeting-House to be paid in Work or Money according to the Direction of the Comtt.
At the adjourned meeting held at the house of Ladwick Hotchkiss, March 3, 1755, the building committee were authorized to provide :
"For the Building the meeting-house in this Society, Good Chestnut Shingles Suffitient for covering ye said House ; and Good White Oak Clabboards Suffitient for said House ; also Window frames & Sashes, all well Seasoned and brought to the Meeting House Stake in this Society, by the Last Day of September next and that the Window frames and Sashes shall be made of White pine."
The alteration of highways did not proceed as rapidly as was desired, and at this adjourned meeting :
"Sargt. Phineas Judd and Insn. Dan'l Dewey ware chosen as an addition to the Comtt. for the Procuering Necessary highways for ye Inhabitants of this Society to com to the place appointed by the County Court for them to Build a Meeting House on."
In the winter of 1754-55, and the following spring, much of the timber for the meeting-house was cut and brought to the site of the building. It appears to have been hewn on or near this place, and most of it prepared for the build-
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ing in the spring. During the busy season for farmers, work upon the meeting-house was suspended, but after haying and harvesting were finished, it was resumed. At an adjourned society meeting, held at the house of Ezra Belden, Aug. 18, 1755 :
" Voted that Mr. Judah Wright, Mr. Moses Andruss, and Lieut. Josiah Lee be a Comit. to cary on the Building the Meeting House in this Society so far as framing and Raising and underpinning the same, by the 10th of October next ; also Bord, Clabbord and Shingle ye same in ye fall if the season will allow."
The timber prepared for the meeting-house was somewhat longer than was necessary for a building of the size voted, and the committee appointed to superintend the framing took advantage of it and increased the size of the structure .* The house was raised in October, a few days after the time fixed.
A society meeting was held Oct. 22, 1755, when the following vote was passed :
" Whereas the Comit. have Framed and Raised ye Meeting House in this Society Larger than the vote, this Society agreed by vote yt was well Done & Desier ye Comit. to proceed to finish ye same, as it now is, so far as they were Ordered by this Society."
During the autumn and early winter the building was covered, and at the annual meeting, held December 1, 1755, provision was made for painting it in part, as appears from the following extracts from the society records of that meet- ing :
"Att the same Meeting it was Tryed by vote whether they would culler the Meeting House, viz: the Windows and covering and Doors, &c. Voted in ye affirmative. Mr. Joseph Clark was chosen to procuer coler- ing stuff and culler the Meeting House, agreeable to vote above."
" Att the same meeting it was voted that Josiah Lee, Judah Wright and Moses Andrews be a comtt to Lay the Floor in the Meeting house in this Society Early in ye Springe."
While the meeting-house was thus slowly taking form, new highways were laid out and old paths altered, to make
*As finally built, it was 80 by 64 feet, or more than three times as large as first ordered.
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access to the building more convenient. At the death of Captain Stephen Lee, in 1753, his land, extending west from his home on East Street, descended to his two sons, Isaac and Josiah. After the location of the meeting-house, they deeded each one rod in width on the division line of their land, from East Street west half a mile and six rods, to the town of Farmington for a highway. This provided a high- way two rods in width from East Street direct to the site of the meeting-house, and was the origin of Smalley Street. Dr. Isaac Lee also deeded a second piece, which included the site of the meeting-house and the open space in front of it,. and a third piece which "run northly across the Mill Brook, three rods below the bridge." Benjamin Judd deeded a piece north of the plot deeded by Dr. Lee, and Uriah Judd, a son of Benjamin, who lived south of the site, gave a piece which is described as "three rods wide running past my house to the site." The following action was taken at a society meet- ing held May 13, 1775 :
"At the same meeting Mr. William Smith & Sergt. Judah Hart & Mr. Noah Stanley & Jedediah Smith were appointed a committee to surch for ye best place they can find for a Burying place for said Society & see on what Terms it may be had and make report to the Society at their next meeting."
Until this time the dead had been buried in the burying- grounds at Farmington, or Great Swamp. The place selected for a cemetery for New Britain was on the highway which had been donated by Dr. Isaac Lee of Middletown and Deacon Joshua Lee, and which became known as " Burying-ground lane," now Smalley Street. The same persons deeded to the society the plot which became the New Britain cemetery, and which comprised the older portion of the present cemetery at the southwest corner, on Smalley Street.
In the spring of 1756 the floor to the meeting-house was laid, and temporary seats were provided so that the house could be occupied for preaching services and other public
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meetings,* but it was several years before the building was completed. It was only by self-denial and heavy taxes that means were provided for carrying on the work.t
Among the entries of sums paid for work and materials, the following bills copied from the society records are some- what characteristic :
"Ye Parish of New Britain Dr. to Joseph Clark, for what I have don to the Meeting House viz: to 30 window frames and for making 720 sashes, and for setting part of the glass, and closing ye sashes, & to 100 feet of white pine Bord and for sixty feet of sill Dito, the whole in Proklamation Bills in this Colony is £13. 18. 8, or £195 old Tenor, if paid within three weeks from this Time, apart of which I have all Ready Received of the Treshurer of said parish for which I have already given him my Receipt.
Joseph Clark."
"Joseph Clark's second Bill is as foloeth, viz:
August ye 19th, 1756. Ye Parish of New Britain Dr. to Joseph Clark for three Galons of Linset Oyle & for 24 pounds of White Lead & for 2 p'd of Spanish White & for 2 pounds of Spanish Brown & for 2000 8 penny nails, all is in procklamation Bills of this Colony £2. 18. 6.
Joseph Clark."
(True copys as on file Examined pr. Isaac Lee, Society Clerk )
At the same Meeting the Society Did by vote Grant to Mr. Joseph Clark his two Bills as above expressed."
This meeting-house was undoubtedly dear to those who aided in its erection and who worshiped within it. In out- ward appearance it resembled a large barn, with doors and window-frames painted. It was located where the County Court fixed the site, nearly half a mile northeast of the city square. It faced the east, and upon that side. were large double doors, opening directly into the audience room. At the north and south ends were single doors, also opening into the only room in the house, the audience room. On the
* The first society meeting held in the meeting-house was May 17, 1756.
t The first tax laid at the first annual meeting, December 2, 1754, was "three shillings on the pound," for the general purposes of the society. _ 1 month later, on January 23, 1755, "a tax of two shillings on the pound " to defray the expense of obtaining timber for the meeting-house, to be paid in work or money, was laid. At the next ammal meeting, held December 1, 1755, a tax of eight shillings on the pound was laid, "to defray the expenses of the past year and the year ensuing."
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west side, opposite the principal entrance, a high pulpit was placed, with a sounding-board overhead, and narrow stairs on each side leading to the two small doors of the pulpit; these doors were fastened by wooden buttons. The galleries * were added some years later, when permanent pews were made ; but at first temporary seats were provided for the main floor, and here the worshipers gathered for Sunday services, and for other religious and business meetings. As there was no basement, and the room had only partial under- pinning, the room must have been very cold in winter, but no provision was make for heating, except such warmth . as was derived from the foot-stoves carried in by some of the women. The meeting-house had no chimney, tower, or steeple, but was finished on the outside of the roof like an ordinary barn or shed.
On the east side of the meeting-house was an open space, somewhat irregular in surface, which was termed the "Parade." This, for many years, was the rendezvous of the local train band, and the place of their military evolu- tions. A number of oak and hickory trees, left from the primitive forest, afforded shade in summer, and were a slight protection from the winds of winter.
The erection of a house of worship was evidently under- taken and carried on with gladness by this new society, but the expense coming at the time when the community was called upon to make extraordinary contributions for carry- ing on the war in which the colonies were at that time inter- ested, made the burden greater than it would otherwise have been. At a society meeting held in October, 1755, it was voted that :
" Whereas we are a Small Parish and are at Grate charges in building a Meeting-House, together with ye Extraordinary charges of the war, are willing to Receive suitable Additions to this Society either South, North or West, as the General Assembly shall in their Grate Wisdom see cause to make."
* In 1758, " Mr. Judah Wright and Mr. Joseph Clark were appointed a comittee to procuer Galiry pilor's and place them in their proper Place."
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The next year, or February 25, 1756, Capt. John Pat- terson and Ladwick Hotchkiss were appointed a committee to prepare a memorial to the General Assembly praying that a tax might be laid "on the unimproved lands in the society to be improved in building a meeting-house and settling a gospel minister amongst us." The petition was granted, and a tax of one penny an acre on all unimproved lands was granted for the purpose proposed, for the term of four years.
The society, at the same time it was building this plain meeting-house, was also endeavoring to provide for the reg- ular preaching of the gospel. For a few months after the organization of the society, the ministers of neighboring parishes appear to have officiated in New Britain. The preaching service was held at private houses on East Street, or at the school house. Rev. Stephen Holmes preached several successive Sundays, and at a society meeting held October 25, 1754, it was voted that he be invited to preach as a candidate for settlement. He continued to preach and perform other parochial services for about three months, but was not installed as a pastor. He afterwards married a daughter of John Patterson, the first deacon of the First Church.
When it was known that Mr. Holmes was not to become the permanent minister, Rev. John Bunnell of West Haven, a man of considerable experience, who had been commended by the Hartford South Association, was invited to become a candidate. He preached for several Sundays with so much acceptance to the people that, at a society meeting held March 17, 1755, it was voted that he be invited to settle, and a settlement was voted, and also a salary of fifty-five pounds per annum. Notwithstanding carnest and repeated entreaties, Mr. Bunnell declined the call. At a meeting held May 15th of the same year, he was requested to reconsider his action, and a special committee was appointed to visit him, and if possible, to remove his objections, and prevail upon him to become the minister of this society. The vote of the society is recorded as follows :
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" Att the same meeting, Sargt. Ebenezer Smith, Sargt. Woodroff, Mr. John Judd & Isaae Lee were appointed a committee to aply themselves to Mr. John Bunnell in behalf of this society to pray him to Reconsider the request of this society & our Needy circumstances & ye Ill consequences of his Denial and see if there be any way to Remove the Objections that lay in the way of his setteling in the work of ye Ministry Amongst us. etc. But if he still continues to Denigh our Request & pursist in a Negative answer after all our Impertunities, that they be Directed to aply themselves in behalf of this Society to Mr. Elizer Goodrich of ye parish of Stepney & pray him to com into this Society and preach ye Gospel Amongst us ; and if he is not to be obtained, then to proeuer sum other suitable candidate or candidates to preach ye gospel amongst us."
The repeated and earnest solicitations of the society for Mr. Bunnell to become pastor were not successful, though he preached for the society forty-four Sabbaths, and on Fast day and Thanksgiving day. The society again applied to the Association for counsel and aid. At a meeting held June 30, 1755, it was voted :
" That Sargt. Ebenezer Smith, Sargt. Robert Woodruff, Mr. John Judd, Isaac Lee and William Patterson, be a Comit. to apply themselves to the South Association of Hartford County, for their Advice for some sutable Orthodox Candidate to settel in ye Work of the Gospel Ministry Amongst us as soon as they, (viz. the Comit.) think the Society under sutable circumstances for setteling."
By this and similar votes of the society, by the repeated efforts to provide means to meet its general expenses, and by the hesitancy of ministers to settle over it, there are clearly indicated some of the difficulties which met the pioneers of New Britain, in their efforts to found a church and establish preaching and gospel ordinances. The less than forty fami- lies in the parish were scattered over nearly as large a territory as is now occupied by the city and town. The site of the meeting-house, though near the center, was a consider- able distance from all the three clusters of houses which consti- tuted most of the parish. It was not upon an open highway, but in a field that was rough, rocky, and not easily accessi- ble. Rocks were to be removed, roads made, and much labor performed, to prepare a place for meeting, and the
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meeting-house, as it slowly took shape, was plain and barn- like, with little to attract either minister or people. But the men who took the lead were not dismayed. They perse- vered in efforts to secure a pastor. The Hartford South Association having commended Mr. Amos Fowler of North Guilford to the society, at the annual meeting held December 1, 1755, a committee consisting of Robert Woodruff, John Judd, and Isaac Lee, was appointed to procure the advice of the Association, in reference to Mr. Fowler's "preaching as a probationer in order to his settilment."
A favorable reply having been received, and Mr. Fowler having preached several Sabbaths, at a society meeting held February 29, 1756, a vote was passed as follows :
"It was Tryed whether by vote the Comtt. that was apointed to aply. themselves to ye South Association of Hartford County for their advice for M' Amos Fowler to preach in this society, as a Probationer in order to his settiling in the Work of ye Gospel Ministry Amongst us Should proceed agreeable to said act. Voted in the Affirmative by 48 & in ye Negative by 3."
Two months later, or April 25th, the vote inviting him to settle was thirty-nine in the affirmative, and two in the negative. The terms proposed were that he should receive one hundred and forty pounds as settlement, to be paid in two payments, one in one year and the other in two years from settlement, and that his salary should be fifty pounds yearly for the first three years, and then should be raised five pounds yearly, until it amounted to sixty pounds, to be paid in
"Lawful money annually or Bills of Publick Credite or Grain, aquivalent so long as he shall continue to be our minister."
A committee of twelve* men was chosen :
* The committee consisted of "Ensign Robert Woodruff, Isaae Lee, Mr. John Judd, Mr. Wm. Smith, Lieut. Elijah Hart, Sargt. Phinehas Judd, Lieut. Daniel Dewey, Major Jno. Paterson, Capt. Johnathan Lewis, Sargt. Joseph Smith, Capt. Josiah Lee, and Sargt. Judah Hart." Col. Isaac Lee, the clerk of the society, though careful to give the titles of others, omits his own titles, not even prefixing the Mr. which preceded the names of those who had no military office.
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" To present the vots of this Society to Mr. Amos Fowler and use their Influence with him to Tary amongst us, & if the Terms proposed ap- pear Insuffitient, to Endeavor to Acquaint themselves with what will be, as also Receive his Answer and Mak Report to this Society, at their next Meeting."
The meeting was adjourned to May 17th, and by re-ad- ournment to June 7th, when the record says :
" It was Tryed by vote whether this Society still continued Desireous that Mr. Amos Fowler should settill amongst us. Decided in the affirmative."
The meeting was again adjourned twice, to hear Mr. Fowler's answer. Finally, at the second adjourned meeting, . held July 19, 1756, the following letter from him was read :
" New Britain, July ye 19th, 1756.
Dear Friends : - Agreeable to my promise made to you your last Meeting, may this Inform you yt I am willing to Except of your kind proposals with a Little Alteration in ye Form of ye Salary, viz : to begin ye first year with fifty pounds Lawfull money and from thence to proceed Rising five pounds yearly untill itt Coms to Sixty pounds, and so to con- tinue to Give Sixty pounds Lawfull money or Bills of Publick Credite in this Colony Aquivalent, so long as I shall continue to be your Minister. And thus for the futore, provided you continue well United, & provided there Happens Nothing which I shall Look upon suffitient to Render my setteling with you Not my Duty, I shall Endeavor to do my part in taking ye properest Steps in Order to Settle in ye work of the Ministry with you. Tho as the work is grate & arduous I chuse some Length of Time before I Actually Undertak. These from him who is your most affec- tionate Friend.
Amos Fowler."
The meeting by vote agreed fully to comply to Mr. Fowler's proposals, in altering time for paying the first year's salary, and another committee was appointed to make arrangements for his settlement, but circumstances occurred which prevented the relation being consummated. He soon after withdrew from the parish, and the next year was ordained a colleague of Rev. Thomas Ruggles, pastor of the church in Guilford.
At a meeting of the society held Oct. 5, 1756, Sergt. Judah Hart, Mr. Noah Stanley, and Capt. Jonathan Lewis were chosen a committee to supply the pulpit. A special
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meeting was held Nov. 1, to consider the matter of a minister, when the following action was taken :
". Att the same Meeting it was proposed to try ye Minds of the parish which they chose should be caled into the Society to preach amongst us, Either Mr. Root or Mr. Taylor, and it was Universally agreed by vote, Except one, to Introduce him that had ye Most Vots of ye two. Att the same Meeting it was agreed by Vote which ye Society chose of ye two Gentlemen above mentioned, should be introduced as above, and they chose Mr. James Taylor provided thay could obtain the advice of the Rev'd Comtt. of the South Association of Hartford County."
At the annual meeting held Dec. 6, 1756, a new commit- tee was appointed to procure some suitable candidate, and also to apply to the committee of the Hartford South Asso- ciation for advice. At this meeting it was also voted that Mr. James Taylor be introduced "to preach ye Gospel as a probationer, in order for his setteling in ye Work of ye Gospel ministry." Mr. Taylor preached in the society for nearly nine months during 1756 and 1757, and the society repeatedly voted upon the question of his settlement as a pastor. The records of a society meeting held February, 1757, read :
" Att ye same Meeting ye Society agreed by Vote to settel Mr. James Taylor in ye Work of ye Gospell Ministry amongst us as speedily as may be convenient. Att ye same Meeting a comtt. was appointed to apply to Mr. James Taylor and see if they can agree with him on ye Terms of his settelling in ye Work of ye Gospell Ministry amongst us."
The meeting was adjourned until the 28th of March, "to proceed further with Mr. Taylor." At this adjourned meet- ing, a long and specific statement was adopted, in which the society made the following proposal :
" Mr. Taylor shall receive as salary and settlement, two hundred and seventy pounds for three years, ninety pounds to be paid at the close of each year. Agreed by vote to give to Mr. James Taylor if he shall so settle as mentioned above, for his salery for ye year fourty five pounds Lawfull Money or ye value in Grain as mentioned hereafter, and then to Rise Annually as ye List of ye Parish rises, until it comes to sixty pounds, and so to continue to Give sixty pounds, Lawfull Money, annu- ally, or ye value thereof in Grain so long as he shall continue to be our Minister. And it is hearby understood that the said annual salery
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may yearly be paid in Grain, that is to say, in an equil quantity of Wheat, Rye or Indian Corn."
The grain was to be brought in the months of April or May, and at no other time, and the price was to be fixed by the parish committee. The Society also agreed to give Mr. Taylor eighteen cords of wood annually.
There was still some opposition to his settlement, and it was voted "that the whole matter be referred to a committee to advise what should be done." The committee, consisting of Rev. Timothy Pitkin of Farmington, Rev. Joshua Belden of Newington, Rev. Ebenezer Booge of West Avon, and Rev. Samuel Clark of Kensington, met in April and advised that the society hear Mr. Taylor two months longer as a probationer, and if there was then dissatisfaction to call another council. Two months later, at another meet- ing of the society, held June 7th, Mr. Taylor having preached the two months, and the dissatisfaction still continuing,* the society, with his consent, called another council, consisting of the members of the former and four other clergymen, to give advice. This council recommended Mr. Taylor's settlement ; and at a meeting held June 27th, a committee was appointed, and other steps taken to secure his ordina- tion, but he was never settled over the New Britain parish, and the society was again doomed to disappointment. ;
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