USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Farmington > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 16
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Berlin > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 16
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > New Britain > History of New Britain, with sketches of Farmington and Berlin, Connecticut. 1640-1889 > Part 16
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY, BERLIN. .
Soon after 1825, or about the time that the Church of the United Brethren in Christ in this country began to include persons using the English language, a few persons and fami- lies under that name began to hold occasional meetings in Berlin. In 1829 a society termed " The Society of the United Brethren" was organized. Two years afterwards a house of worship was commenced. The building located on Main Street was so far completed in 1832 as to be used for public services, and, on occupying it, the name of the society was changed to the "First Universalist Society of Berlin." The first pastor, Rev. John Boyden, soon commenced holding regular services in the new meeting-house. He was suc- ceeded in 1836 by Rev. William A. Stickney, who was the pastor for a few years. He was followed in 1840 by Rev. Horace G. Smith, and a few years later, in 1843, Rev. Daniel H. Plumb was ordained as pastor of this society. He served in this position until 1845. After this date the preaching services were irregular, and in some seasons occurred only at long intervals. The society became reduced in numbers, and, in 1870, the meeting-house was sold to the school district and the proceeds paid to the treasurer of the Universalist State convention of the State of Connecticut.
The pastors of the Universalist Society, Berlin, were :
Rev. John Boyden, 1831-1836.
William A. Stickney, 1836-1840.
Horace G. Smith, 1840-1843.
Daniel H. Plumb, 1843-1845.
ALL SOULS CHURCH, UNIVERSALIST.
About the year 1842, Rev. William A. Stickney, then set- tled over the First Universalist Society of Berlin, in compliance with the request of persons residing in New Britain, preached in the school-house on South Main Street. During the following years there was occasional preaching by Revs. Geo. W. Quimby, D.D., G. V. Maxham, A. J. Patterson, D.D., and Abraham Norwood. The latter being State mis-
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BAPTIST, EPISCOPAL, AND OTHER CHURCHES.
sionary, gave some definite direction to the work, and services were held with some regularity in the old North Church. Services were held subsequently by Rev. S. A. Davis, State missionary, and Revs. F. Hitchcock, and C. A. Skinner, either in halls or school-houses. On May 31, 1874, the First Universalist Society was organized at the house of L. P. Summers, on Chestnut Street. The first officers chosen were: Trustees, G. W. Lunt, C. W. Spring, F. M. Scripture, and F. N. Gunneson ; treasurer, A. M. Bidwell.
Rev. S. A. Davis was then employed as a supply for about seven years, preaching usually once in two weeks. In 1880 Rev. M. W. Tabor was engaged as a supply. He continued with the society about one year. After he left, services were: held somewhat irregularly in Odd Fellows' Hall, the society- being supplied by the State missionary, or by different. clergymen settled elsewhere. The Mission Board of the. Universalist Church in the State finally decided to attempt a positive work in New Britain. As the result of the delibera- tions of this board, a formal call was extended to Rev. D. L .. R. Libby, then pastor of the Forest Street Universalist Church, Medford, Mass., to become State missionary of Con- necticut and take up the work of organizing a church. and erecting an edifice in this city. Mr. Libby accepted the. call and entered upon his work here April 1, 1883. After the new Odd Fellows' Hall was opened, the meetings were held in this hall until the erection and completion of All Souls' Church in 1885.
When Mr. Libby first came to New Britain to minister to this society, he found a small number of people who attended service and about twenty children for a Sunday-school. The congregation largely increased under his preaching, and. arrangements were made for building a house of worship.
On June 10, 1883, the State missionary purchased a. lot on Court Street for a site. At the annual meeting of the society held March 1, 1884, it was voted to build, and a build- ing committee was appointed .* Ground was broken for the
* This committee consisted of Rev. D. L. R. Libby, F. M. Scripture, W. W. Woodruff, A. E. Johnson, J. Farnham, and E. Ashley.
13
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
new church June 23, 1884, the corner-stone was laid August 18th, and the building was dedicated the next winter.
It is a neat brick edifice, containing a pleasant audience- room and chapel. The cost of the lot and building was about twelve thousand dollars. The enterprise was prose- cuted with harmony among the members of the society and with cheerful aid from other churches. There were at that time about eighty voting members in the society, and there were sixty-seven members in the Sunday-school.
Rev. D. L. R. Libby left in 1887, and preaching services were somewhat irregular until 1889, when stated services were re-established.
SECOND ADVENT CHURCH.
The Second Advent Church building on Arch Street was erected in 1848. The body of disciples worshiping there had no distinctive creed, but for many years maintained worship, with preaching services, on Sundays. There has not been regular preaching for some time, as the association has had no pastor, but meetings have been held, and the organization has been continued under the name of the Advent Christian Union.
THE PEOPLE'S CHURCH OF CHRIST.
The People's Church of Christ was organized Jan. 31, 1888, with thirty-two members. This church is independent in principle, but connected with other churches organized on the same basis, under what is called the Christian Union of New England. Rev. Hezekiah Davis is the pastor. The Sunday services are held in Bulkley's Hall. This church has increased rapidly in numbers, its membership in June, 1889, being 57.
GERMAN BAPTIST CHURCH.
Rev. W. C. Walker, while pastor of the First Baptist Church, finding a number of Germans in New Britain who did not attend any church, invited Rev. Mr. Dietz of New Haven to preach to them in the German language. He
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BAPTIST, EPISCOPAL, AND OTHER CHURCHES.
came and held the first service February 2, 1871. He found about two hundred German hearers, to whom he preached every week for a few months. The first person was baptized May 6, 1871. Mr. Dietz went to Germany soon after, and his place was supplied by Rev. Mr. Kohler. Mr. Dietz returned in the autumn and was then assisted by Rev. Mr. Rabe. A number of conversions were reported, and several persons were baptized by Rev. J. V. Schofield, who had succeeded Mr. Walker as pastor of the First Baptist Church. The meetings for Germans were then for some time conducted by Revs. Moellmann of Meriden, A. Hueni of Cleveland, O., W. Rabe and J. P. Ingold of New Haven, who in succession carried on the work among the German Baptists. The meetings were usually held in the First Baptist Church ; the Sunday-school at 9.30 A. M. and the preaching service at 3 P. M. A number of those attend- ing were baptized and added to the Baptist Church in New Britain. In 1877 some steps were taken towards securing a permanent pastor. A call was given to Rev. Charles Schmidt, who accepted and entered upon his work here in 1878. The congregation gradually increased in. numbers, and it was determined to form a separate church and secure a new place of worship. On the 9th of July, 1883, the German Baptist Church was organized, and Rev. Charles Schmidt was ordained as the regular pastor. A building lot on Elm Street was bought, and a plain neat chapel was erected. This was dedicated January 1, 1884. Rev. Charles Schmidt resigned May 1st of that year, and was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Weimar, who remained till 1887, when he re- signed, and Rev. Jolm Jaeger became his successor.
SWEDISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, MARIA.
The first regular mission of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church was established in New Britain in the lat- ter part of 1877. The meetings were held in the chapel of the Methodist Church, the preaching services being con- ducted by Rev. J. Medlander of Portland, Conn., Rev. T. O.
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
Linell of Rhode Island, and Rev. A. P. Monten of Phila- delphia. Students from the Lutheran Seminary of the latter place occasionally visited New Britain and assisted in the services. In March, 1881, the congregation or church was organized. There were different preachers for the first few imonths, but Rev. O. A. Landell was installed as pastor soon after the organization of the church. In 1883-85, a small but convenient church edifice was erected at the corner of Elm and Chestnut streets. The corner-stone of this edifice was laid in July, 1883, and the church was dedicated March 8, 1885. The building is of wood with a belfry and a base- ment, which is used for Sunday-school and for other meet- ings. The main audience room, including gallery, has seat- ing capacity for about six hundred. Rev. O. A. Landell was dismissed in 1836, and Rev. O. W. Ferm was installed pastor September 27, 1887.
SWEDISH EVANGELICAL BETHANY CHURCH.
In 1883 a number of Swedes who sympathized with the Free Mission movement in Sweden, decided to hold meetings in New Britain. In September of that year Rev. C. J. Erixon of Boston came and held religious services with this little band, gathering on an average about twenty-five to each service. A society was organized January 7, 1884. Soon after regular services were held in the Center or South Church chapel every Sunday. Rev. Mr. Erixon resigned in October, 1884, and ministers from other States came and preached one Sunday at a time, and attended some of the week-day services. Among those thus serving this society were Rev. A. Lidman of New York, Rev. Emil Holmblad and Rev. A. G. Nelson of Massachusetts, and Rev. C. W. Holm of Rhode Island.
At an Ecclesiastical council of Congregational churches convened at the First Church July 15, 1886, the Swedish Evangelical Bethany Church was recognized, and Rev. Jonas H. Ahnstrom from Holmstad, Sweden, who had for more than a year been preaching to this society, was installed
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BAPTIST, EPISCOPAL, AND OTHER CHURCHES.
pastor of the church. The public services were usually held in the chapels of the two Congregational churches until the autumn of 1886, when the size of the congregation made it necessary to hire a hall for the Sunday evening meetings. The services were continued in Herald Hall until 1888 ; then All Souls' Church was hired and the meetings held in it. In October, 1888, Mr. Ahnstrom resigned and was dismissed to minister to a Swedish church in Jamestown, N. Y. During Mr. Ahnstrom's ministry, one hundred and fifty-four persons joined the church, and fifty-eight took letters to churches in other places.
A few weeks after Mr. Ahnstrom left, Rev. G. E. Hjerpe of Illinois came to New Britain and took charge of this church. In May, 1889, the church became incorporated un- der the general law, and soon after the Methodist Church edifice was purchased for its use. The first service was held in the present location May 26, 1889.
SWEDISH BAPTIST CHURCH.
The Swedish Baptist Church is a mission church formed under the auspices of the Baptist State Missionary Society. Its meetings commenced April, 1883, and in December of that year a church organization was formed. The services are usually held in Herald Hall. Rev. Torsten Clafford, a native of Stockholm, came to New Britain in 1883, and became the local preacher of this mission. He was regu- larly ordained and installed as pastor February 10, 1884. He was succeeded by Rev. Andrew Borgendahl.
CHAPTER XI.
CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
TOWN OF FARMINGTON.
THE first settlement at Farmington, then called the T " Tunxis Plantation," was made the year following the adoption of the first constitution of the Connecticut Colony; and the provisions of that constitution were extended over the settlement, and it came at once under the jurisdiction of the General Court. At the session of that Court held December, 1645, the name of the place was changed to Farmington, and it was ordered :
" Ye said plantation are to attend the General Orders, formerly made by this Court, settled by ye Committee to whom the same was referred, & other occasions, as the rest of ye plantations upon the River do: & Mr. Steel is entreated for the present to be Recorder there, until ye Town have one fitt among themselves; they allso are to have ye like Libertyes as ye other Towns upon ye River for making orders among themselves; pro- vided they alter not any fundamental agreements settled by ye s'd Com- mittee hitherto attended."
Under this charter the town was organized, and its exist- ence as a separate municipality was begun. Its jurisdiction for more than a hundred and thirty years extended over Avon, Bristol, Burlington, Plainville, Southington, nearly the whole of New Britain and Berlin, and parts of Bloomfield, Harwinton, and Wolcott. The first tax paid by the new town in 1645 was £10. At first there was no distinction between church and state, the freemen in their assemblies voting the salary of the minister and taxes for building or repairing the meeting-house with the same freedom that they laid out highways, built bridges, or provided for any secular affairs. The principal business of the town meetings was making regulations for the common fields, appropriating
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CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
house lots to new settlers, admitting associates as frecmen, locating roads, providing for the care of the meeting-house and the support of the minister, and for the school, and the appointment of the register or clerk, and the few other officers or committees as needed to care for the general interests of the community. Deputies to attend the General Court at Hartford were chosen annually, and when the busi- ness of the town at last seemed to require, "townsmen," or selectmen, were chosen to perform many of the acts at first determined by all the freemen in town meeting.
The records of the town show that Farmington, from the earliest times, maintained a vigorous town life, intelligently caring for public interests and fostering the institutions of society and civic life. For nearly a hundred and forty years the town remained undivided, the public business for the large territory which it included being transacted during this time where the first settlement was made. Southington was set off and incorporated in 1779, Berlin including New Britain in 1785, Bristol in 1785, Burlington in 1806, Avon in 1830, and Plainville in 1869.
John Steele, who had been secretary of the Colony and town clerk of Hartford before being appointed to that office in Farmington by the General Court, appears to have been reappointed to the same office by his fellow townsmen. He died in 1665. The original town records are incomplete, but a partial copy is in preservation, showing that the towns- men (selectmen) appointed in 1682 were Thomas Hart, John Orton, and John Hart. The town clerk in 1889 was Thomas L. Porter.
The situation of Farmington led to less frequent commu- nication with other towns than was common with the towns upon the Connecticut river. Its exposed position upon the frontier, and the presence within its bounds of a tribe of Indians more or less treacherous, led quite early to the adoption of measures for self-defense and for the defense of the colony. The compact nature of the settlement, each freeman being provided with a house lot of limited area on
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
or near the principal street, brought the people into closer sympathy and enabled them to act more promptly than they could if scattered, living at homesteads in the center of large farms.
The town, in its annual and special meetings, made provision for the defense of its territory, for the educa- tion of its children, and for maintaining public worship. The old town, also, by its corporate authority and acts, pro- moted the development and growth of the new towns formed from it, and Berlin and New Britain were both benefited by this action.
TOWN OF BERLIN INCORPORATED.
The three Ecclesiastical societies, which were afterwards included in the town of Berlin, at first not only built meet- ing-houses, provided for preaching and the expenses of public worship, but also took charge of the schools, provided and cared for cemeteries, and for highways and other matters of public interest. They were allowed to lay taxes for all these purposes, and conducted much of the local public busi- ness which in Farmington and the older towns was con- ducted in town meeting. So long as nearly the whole popu- lation belonged to the standing order, there was little com- plaint of taxes, or of the administration of trusts and the distribution of funds.
As dissenters came in, and other denominations were organized into societies or parishes, the work or authority of each society was limited to strictly Ecclesiastical matters. By the act of 1795, constituting school societies, the schools and cemeteries passed from the superintendence of Ecclesi- astical societies, and the authority of these societies was confined still more exclusively to church affairs.
At the time the Great Swamp Society was organized in 1705, and in the years immediately following, suggestions were made in regard to the formation of a new town, but the small number of inhabitants made it appear unwise.
It was during the war of the revolution, and but a few years after the Worthington parish and society had been
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CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
organized, that the subject of a new town began to be seriously considered. Southington, the first town detached from Farmington, was incorporated in 1779. At the annual meeting of the New Britain Society, held the same year, or Dec. 25, 1779, the following vote was passed :
" Whereas, the Limits of the Town of Farmington are so Extensive and the Business, as well as the Inhabitants, so Increased, and the neces- sary meetings of various kinds so greatly multiplied, and the grate dis- tance of many of the Inhabitants from the place of meeting, especially the Society of Kensington and grate part of this Parish, whereby Grate Inconveniences and Imbarisments attend the Administration of our Publick afairs, for the Remedy and Relief of which it was Unanimously voted that it is the Desier of this Society that one Intier new Township may be Constituted and Made, containing the Societies of Kensington, New Britain and Worthington, with the same Immunities and Privileges as other Towns in this State are by law Invested. And to affect the same Colonel Gad Stanly, Isaac Lee Jr. and Elnathan Smith are apointed a Comtt. or agents in behalf of this society, in conjunction with the com- mittee of Kensington and Worthington, to take all Necessary and Legal Methods for accomplishing the same as soon as may be."
Similar committees for the same purpose were appointed in the Kensington and Worthington societies. The commit- tees met and prepared petitions to the General Assembly. These were considered by that body, and by committees appointed for the purpose ; but final action was not taken until 1785, when the town of Berlin, embracing the three societies, viz .: Kensington, New Britain, and Worthington, was incorporated.
" Act incorporating the town of Berlin.
General Assembly, May Session 1785.
Upon the memorial of the inhabitants of the societies of Kensington, New Britain and Worthington, shewing to this Assembly the many diffi- culties and inconveniences they are subject to for want of being incorpo- rated into a separate and distinct Town by themselves, and the great necessity thereof, praying that the same may be done, accordingly as per memorial on file,
Resolved by this Assembly, that all the lands lying within the limits hereafter described, with the inhabitants residing thereon, be and the same are hereby constituted a separate distinct town by themselves & entitled to have and enjoy all the rights,' privileges and immunities that other towns in this State have and do enjoy, & shall have liberty to
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HISTORY OF NEW BRITAIN, ETC.
elect & appoint all officers necessary and proper for a town; to levy and collect taxes in the same manner as other towns in the State are allowed by law to do ; and to transact all other matters proper and necessary for a town; that the limits and bounds of said Town shall be as followeth; viz. - to begin at the northwest corner of the Society of New Britain, thence westerly and southerly in the line of sd. society until it comes to the northeast corner of the town of Southington; thence in the line of Southington to Wallingford north line; thence easterly in Wallingford north line until it comes to the town of Middletown, thence northerly in . Middletown west line until it comes to the south east corner of John Kirby's home lot to the west side of the highway that leads to Samuel Galpin's dwelling house, thence northerly on the west side of the sd high- way to the road running east & west; thence easterly on the south side of the sd highway to the middle of Kirby's bridge so called; thence northerly . as the river runs to Wethersfield; thence easterly and northerly on the lines of that part of the society of Worthington lying in said Weth- ersfield until they come to the east line of the town of Farmington at the first mentioned bounds; and shall be called and known by the name of Berlin. And the sd town of Berlin shall be entitled to have and receive from the several towns from which the same is taken their due proportion of the town stocks of such respective towns; and be held to pay their proportion of all the debts of sd towns already incurred according to the list of the sd town of Berlin; and shall also take upon them the support of their part of the town poor in each of sd towns by the rule aforesaid."
A true copy of record, examined by
GEORGE WYLLYS, Secretary."
The portion of the act omitted was temporary in its pro- visions, referring to the first meeting and to highways.
When Berlin was incorporated, and for many years after, the principal places of business in the town were in Worth- ington Society. At that time Middletown was the most populous city, or town, in the State, and being nearer Worth- ington than either Kensington or New Britain, business with the city centered in the former. The first post-office in the town, the town clerk's office, the principal tavern and stores, and the chief place of popular assemblies, were all in Berlin Street.
In accordance with the act incorporating the town, the first town meeting was held at Kensington, June 13, 1785. Gen. Selah Hart was moderator, and the following officers were chosen : Sylvester Wells, town clerk ; Selah
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CIVIL AND POLITICAL HISTORY.
Hart, treasurer ; Jonathan Belden, collector of State taxes ; and Gen. Selah Hart, David Mather, and Elias Beckley, selectmen. At this meeting Gen. Selah Hart, Elijah Hooker, Gad Stanley, David Mather, and' Jonathan Belden, were appointed a committee to settle accounts with Farmington and adjust all matters between the towns of Farmington and Berlin. Similar committees for Middletown and Wethers- field were also appointed. A committee consisting of Gen. Selah Hart, Jonathan . Belden, Jonathan Hubbard, Gad Stanley, and Elisha Hooker, was also appointed to ascertain the boundaries of the town and erect suitable monuments. The selectmen were authorized "to erect a sign-post and stocks between Mrs. Percival's and Steep Hill Lane." A tax of half a penny on the pound was laid at this meeting.
The first annual meeting of the new town was held at the old meeting-house in New Britain, Dec. 5, 1785. Col. Gad Stanley was the moderator. The clerk, treasurer, and collector appointed were the same as appointed at the first meeting. The next year the annual meeting was held in the Worthington Society, and thereafter the town meetings continued to be held in rotation in the three societies, usually in the meeting-houses. At the first annual town meeting it was voted that the selectmen should "do the business of the town without any reward, except it be for more extraordi- nary service." The highways were to be kept in repair under the direction of surveyors appointed for this purpose, by a tax of one and a half pence on the pound, to be paid in labor, and a half penny in money for plank .or timber for bridges. It was voted that the clergy be appointed to visit schools in conjunction with the committee appointed by law.
In 1788 the selectmen were authorized to erect a pound in New Britain and another in Worthington Society, for impounding animals. The pound in New Britain was placed on the east side of Main Street, near the present terminus of Church Street .* There was a public whipping post near
* In 1768, by vote of the town of Farmington, a pound was erected on East Street, near the residence of Elnathan Smith, who was appointed keeper.
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it. After the old meeting-house on the north ledge was torn down in 1822, the pound in New Britain was changed to that locality and placed near the foundations of the meeting- house.
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