USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 22
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 22
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In 1748 a stated preacher was secured in the Reverend John Curtiss, but he was not installed as pastor. The first to serve in that capacity was Reverend Samuel Bird, who was installed October, 1751. He was a man of much ability, a popular preacher, " whose form and manner were commanding, his voice powerful, his elocution handsome and impressive, his sentiments evangelical." The church rapidly increased in numbers and influence under his preaching, in spite of all oppressive measures, so that, in 1757, there were more members of the First Ecclesiastical Society (still the only one in the town) who favored Mr. Bird than those who favored Mr. Noyes, and they proceeded to vote the minister's salary to Mr. Bird. At this time the "Old Lights " had 111 votes, and " New Lights " 212. The old society was now very willing to consent to a division of the parish interests and to consent to the formation of a new society. Accord- ingly, in October, 1759, the " New Lights " were incorporated by the name of the " White Haven Society." For some time the feeling between the two societies was not of the most friendly nature, but at the end of fifty years the societies were altogether harmonious.
Mr. Bird's health failing, he was dismissed in 1767, and Reverend Jonathan Edwards was called as pastor. He agreed to accept upon condition that the Half Way Covenant, which the new church had adopted, and to which he was strongly opposed, should be repealed. A major part agreed to do this, but 68 persons declined and protested against Mr. Edwards' settlement. He was ordained January 5th, 1769, and at once, by his evangelical preaching, convinced those who had opposed him that their opinions were very diverse. Before the end of the year they withdrew and set up their own worship in the state *Henry Howe.
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house. They secured permission to build a meeting house north of the First church and put up one, which was ready for use in Decem- ber, 1770. In this building, June 20th, 1771, was organized, in due form, a society with the name of the "Church of Christ in Fair Haven," which, as a matter of course, adopted the half way covenant.
From the tinie of secession from the White Haven church, Scptem- ber, 1769, until a regular pastor was secured, in 1773, Mr. Bird fre- quently preached to them, and his connection gave the new church a standing which it might not otherwise have had. In February, 1773, Allyn Mather was ordained as the first pastor, and was dismissed in 1784 on account of sickness. In November, 1786, Samuel Austin was ordained as the second pastor, and the feeling between the two new societies had so far subsided that Doctor Edwards preached the ordi- nation sermon. He resigned in June, 1790, and was the last settled minister.
In the White Haven parish Doctor Edwards continued until May, 1795, when he was dismissed, and that church was now also without a pastor. This made the way for a union possible, and November 27th, 1796, that object was accomplished, the merged bodies taking the name of the "Church of Christ in the United Societies of White Haven and Fair Haven." In 1815 the legislature passed an act abbre- viating the name to " United Society," and since that time the church is known by the name at the head of this article.
The United Society now having two houses of worship held meet- ings in each of them in alternate months, continuing this custom about 16 years, until the Fair Haven house was taken down to make room for the present North church. This was erected in 1813-14 by twenty members of the United Society who engaged to build it, receiving as their pay the old property of the society. This house is larger and cost about $33,000. It has been kept in good repair.
Since the above union the pastors have been: Reverends John Gemmill, D.D., 1798-1801; Samuel Merwin, 1805-31; Leicester A. Sawyer, 1835-7; Samuel W. S. Dutton, 1838-66;# Edward L. Clark, 1867-72; Edward Hawes, 1873-84; Theodore T. Munger, 1885.
Early in 1884 the church was strengthened by the absorbtion of the Third Congregational church, there being now nearly 700 mem- bers.
The growth of Yale College and the difficulty in finding services adapted to the desires of many students induced the formation of Yale College Church, June 30th, 1757. President Clap encouraged the movement, and the church was inclined to the " New Light " doctrine. The pastors have been as follows: Reverends Naphtali Daggett, Samuel Wales, Timothy Dwight, Eleazer Thompson Fitch, George Park Fisher. At present there is no pastor. Forty-five families belong to the church, and there are several hundred members.
*Died January 26th, 1866, much lamented.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
The Third Congregational Church was organized September 6th, 1826, and first worshipped in a lecture room of the First Society, on Orange street. In 1829 a meeting house in the eastern part of the city, on Chapel and Union streets, was occupied and used until 1839. Saund- er's Hall, on Chapel and Orange streets, was the next place of worship for two years. In 1841 and until 1846 a meeting house on Court street, now a Jewish synagogue, was used. The third meeting house was on Church street, opposite the east end of the green, which has been remodelled for the use of the New Haven Free Library. The congre- gation vacated it in 1884, when it was merged with the United or North church, on the green. This change was brought about by the movement of population toward the outskirts of the city and the too close proximity of three Congregational churches in the center of the city.
The Dixwell Avenue Church was organized in September, 1829, and was long known as the Temple Street church. The members are colored people, numbering 140. The present meeting house has only been occupied half a dozen years, since the house on Temple street was sold. Prior to this church inany of the members were in full communion with the members of the First and Second churches.
The College Street Church was formed August 31st, 1831, but did not have its own meeting house on this street until 1848. From 1836 until the removal the church occupied a meeting house on Church street. It has 368 members.
The Church of the Redeemer was organized November 4th, 1838, as the Chapel Street church, the old building of the Third church, on Union street, being occupied. A new meeting house was afterward erected on Orange and Wall streets, when the present name' was taken by the church. The Reverend John E. Todd has been the pastor since 1869. The church has more than 500 members. Mission ser- vices on Oak street are maintained by this church.
The Davenport Church began as a mission of the First church, the first chapel being on Franklin street. The church was organized April 22d, 1862. The chapel occupied was destroyed May 1st, 1864. In the course of ten years the new chapel on Greene street was given up and the present edifice occupied. The pastor since 1874 has been Reverend I. C. Meserve, and the church has nearly 600 members.
The Howard Avenue Church was organized December 27th, 1865, and had as its first pastor the Reverend Orlando H. White. In his ministry the church edifice was erccted. The membership, at first not large, has increased to more than 300. A number of the constituent members were formerly connected with the South Congregational church on Columbus avenue. The house occupied was completed in 1852, mainly by Gerard Hallock of New York, and for a time the church prospered. During the war the congregation was disrupted and as a consequence the Howard Avenue church was formed. The
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building, after being occupied some time, was sold to the Roman Catholics in 1875, and is now their Church of the Sacred Heart.
The Humphrey Street Church had its beginning in a mission of the First church, which built a chapel in a section of the city not before supplied with church privileges. The church was organized June 23d, 1869, and has greatly prospered. There are nearly 350 mem- bers. The present fine church edifice was erected in 1882 and dedi- cated January 18th, 1883.
The Taylor Church was also fostered as a mission of the First church. It was organized February 6th, 1871. The membership is small but increasing.
The Dwight Place Church was organized with this name Decem- ber 5th, 1872. It is the successor of the Howe Street Church, and the latter properly followed as the successor of the Park Street Church, gathered about 1840. The church edifice at Dwight place was com- pleted in 1870, and is the third one occupied by the above bodies. The church is large and prosperous, the members numbering more than 600.
The Ferry Street Church, in the eastern part of the city, was organized April 28th, 1887. Two years later 58 members were reported.
The Emanuel Church was organized of Swedish members Decem- ber 13th, 1888. The following year there were 44 members.
The organization of a congregation of Danes, as a free church, was still more recent.
In addition to these some of the above churches are active in the work of extension and support missions in various parts of the town.
There are also two flourishing Congregational churches at Fair Haven“ and one at Westville.
During the war for the Union, when the South Congregational church divided in consequence of political affiliations of the members, an effort was made to form a Presbyterian church out of some of the discordant elements and others. The attempt did not succeed. In 1885, however, another opportunity was offered to form such a society after the dissolution of the Third Congregational church, and the First Presbyterian church was organized. The lecture room of the Third church was first used as a place of worship, but recently a church building was erected on Elm street, west of State, which is now occupied. The church has a small membership, but is a growing body.
In the order of time the Episcopalians rank second as a religious body in the town of New Haven. As early as the latter part of the Seventeenth century there were some churchmen here, and later much attention was directed to that belief, when, in 1722, the rector of Yale College and others declared in its favor. Nevertheless, thirty more
*See account of Fair Haven.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
years elapsed before a church society was successfully established. Earlier efforts in this direction proved futile on account of the deter- mined opposition to any other organization than those of the Puritan church. Hence, the purpose of Reverend Jonathan Arnold, in 1736-8, to form a society and build a church upon a tract of land devised for that object by a churchman in London, proved unsuccessful. Nothing effective was done until 1752, when Enos Alling and Isaac Doolittle purchased a lot for a church, which was properly the beginning of Trinity Parish, which is the oldest Episcopal organization in the town. In 1753 Reverend Ebenezer Punderson, a missionary of the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts." took up his resi- dence here as the first settled minister. He was succeeded by Rever- end Solomon Palmer, and the latter in turn by Reverend Bela Hub- bard, whose ministry here began in 1767. Both were missionaries of the London Society, but after 1785 the parish solely supported Mr. Hubbard. Like his predecessors, he was a native of this county, and had also graduated from Yale. His record of parish work reveals the fact that in 1772, " the souls, white and black, belonging to the church in New Haven are 503, and in my church in West Haven there are 220." This was an increase of about one-third over the number belonging when he became the minister.
In 1970 the officers of Trinity parish were, as recorded in Mr. Hub- bard's "Notitia ": " Mr. Isaac Doolittle and Capt. Stephen Mansfield, Church Wardens; Mr. Enos Alling, Clerk; Capt. Christopher Kilby, Capt. Abiathar Camp and Mr. John Miles, Vestrymen; James Powers, Sexton."
The small church built in 1733 was enlarged in 1788, and a bell hung in the belfry in 1793. The following year the building was painted. Side galleries were projected in 1797, and a stove was sup- plied in 1806.
On the 6th of December, 1812, Doctor Hubbard died, after having been for nearly 45 years the minister of the parish, as missionary and rector. He was an able man and much beloved by the entire com- munity.
In 1812 the parish received the consent of the town to erect a new church on the green, and a site on the south central part was set aside for its use. The corner stone was laid May 17th, 1814, and when the church was consecrated, February 22d. 1816, it was claimed for it to have been the finest Gothic church building in New England. In 1884 it was much enlarged and improved, and now has 1.400 sittings. The first minister in this new Trinity church was Reverend Harry Crosswell, who was the rector of the parish from January 1st, 1815. until his death, March 13th, 1858. The following year the Reverend Edwin Harwood was elected rector and still so serves. The parish has been very active in the extension of church work, and the rectors have had the service of many colleague ministers. In 1890 there were
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in the parish 470 families, 639 registered communicants, and a total expenditure of $18,000 for church and charitable purposes.
St. Paul's Church had its origin as a chapel for Trinity parish. The chapel was occupied in 1830, and the services were maintained by Trinity until the spring of 1845, when St. Paul's parish was created, with Rever- end Samuel Cooke as the rector. The church was improved in 1845, and enlarged and renovated in 1873. This parish is also very prosperous. having 500 families, 1,600 individual members and more than 7,000 communicants. Since October, 1879, the rector has been Reverend Edward S. Lines. In 1889 a parish house was built, at an outlay of $27,000, and more than $28,000 was raised to carry on the church work.
St. John's Church had its origin in 1851 as a mission of St. Paul's parish. It prospered so much that it became a separate parish in 1857. It has 115 families and 205 registered communicants.
The Church of the Ascension also originated as a mission chapel of St. Paul's, and in the same year as the above. It became a, separate parish on Ascension day, 1868, hence the name. For its use a new edifice of stone was consecrated July 12th, 1883. The families in the parish number 229 and the communicants 28S.
St. Thomas' Church was organized in 1848. A temporary brick chapel was occupied in Angust, 1849, and the present stone edifice was built in 1854, and was consecrated on Easter, 1855. Reverend E. E. Beardsley, D.D., LL.D., has been the only rector of the parish, which has 162 families and 256 communicants. The work of the church is carried on at a yearly outlay of about $10,000.
Christ Church was organized in 1856, in a chapel at the corner of Elm and Park streets. A new edifice was occupied in 1860, which has 600 sittings. There are 280 communicant members.
Grace Church was organized in 1871 in the Fair Haven section of the city. The church building has 460 sittings. In the parish are 145 families and 222 registered communicants.
St. Luke's Church and parish were organized under the direction of Trinity parish, in 1844, for persons of color. For a considerable time Trinity chapel was used as a place of worship. The parish reports 86 families, 106 registered communicants and a house of worship hav- ing 197 sittings.
All Saints' Chapel has the support of 120 families, and there are 68 persons enrolled as communicant members.
To Trinity Chapel belong 61 families and 80 registered communi- cants. In addition there are in the town St. James' parishes, at both Westville and Fair Haven East, noted in the accounts of these villages.
Methodism was established in New Haven in the latter part of the last century, in spite of much indifference and strong opposition. In 1789 Reverend Jesse Lee visited this part of New England, and
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preaching in the various towns several classes were formed. These were eonstituted the Middletown Circuit, of which Reverend John Lee was the preacher in charge in 1790. The class in New Haven county numbered nine members. In 1792 Samuel Pool and his wife Martha removed to the city from Farmington, and were the first resident Methodists, and their house became the preaching place. Later preaching was held at the house of William Thatcher, on York street, who came to New Haven in 1793. His wife, Anna Munson, became the first convert to Methodism in 1794. The following year the above four and Anna Mix were constituted the first Methodist class in New Haven by Reverend Daniel Ostrander, the circuit preacher. In 1795 the class bought the old Sandemanian meeting house, on Gregson street, which was their first publie preaching place. Here they were much annoyed by the rowdy element of the city and their meetings were often broken up. They even attempted to destroy the meeting house, and on one occasion hewed the pulpit to pieces. Yet the church increased in numbers and a new house of worship was required to accommodate those who wished to attend. In 1807 a frame building was put up, which was used fifteen years. In July, 1820, the society received liberty to build a meeting house on the northwest corner of the green. The corner stone for such a house was laid May 15th, 1821, and by September it was nearly completed when, on the 3d day of that month, a great gale demolished it. By proper effort the house was rebuilt at once, so that it was ready for dedication May 23d. 1822. It was erected largely by the means collected by Reverend William Thatcher, one of the original members of the church, who had, in the meantime, become a minister. The house was very large, but plain, and in its locality unsightly, hence in 1848 a successful effort was made to secure its removal from the green. A fine and cen trally located lot, on the opposite side of Elm street. was secured, upon which was erected in 1849, the present First Methodist church. The property is valued at $50.000, and the members belonging number more than 500. Methodism has secured a strong foothold in the town, there being now a dozen churches, more than 8300,000 worth of property and over 3,000 members.
The East Pearl or Fair Haven Church was organized about 1830. It is very prosperous.
The St. John Street Church was organized in 1840. Its church edifice was erected in 1845. It is valued at $30,000. The membership is large and increasing.
The George Street Church worships in a house erected in 1853 and since enlarged. There are more than 200 members. It has lately become known as Grace church.
The Dixwell Avenue or Summerfield Church had its origin as a mission started in a carriage shop in 1871. Its church edifice was erected in 1875.
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IHISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
The Howard Avenue Church was organized in 1872, and the Haven Memorial Church later.
The Trinity Church was formed in 1882, when several societies united to constitute this body. On a fine lot on the corner of Dwight place and George street a large edifice was erected at a cost of $50,000, which was dedicated February 18th, 1883. It has been remarkably prosperous, having nearly 900 members.
There are also a German Methodist Episcopal church on George street, and three societies of persons of color, entertaining Methodistic belief. These are the Bethel A. M. E. church, on Sperry street: the Zion A. M. E. church, on Foote street; and the Union American church, on Webster street. In none of these is the membership large, but is slowly increasing.
The Baptists have in the city the following organizations: The First Baptist Church was formed in October, 1816, with twelve mem- bers. In 1889 about 700 members were reported. Their first house of worship was dedicated July 27th, 1824. In the course of ten years it was enlarged and subsequently improved.
In 1842 a number of members left to form the Second Baptist church, whose organization was kept up a score of years. In 1865 its members and interests were united with the First church, and soon after a larger edifice was provided. It was dedicated in November, 1871. In March, 1882, it was damaged by fire to the amount of $25,- 000, but was thoroughly repaired. It is now valued at $60,000. It is generally called the Wooster Place churcli.
Immanuel Baptist Church was organized in 1856, and is composed of persons of color. The congregation secured its building on Day street in 1882. There are 160 members.
The German Baptist Church was organized in 1868. of 24 persons. who withdrew from the First church for that purpose. Its house of worship on George street is valued at 816,000. There are about 150 members.
The Calvary Baptist Church, organized in 1871, has become a very prosperous body. The church edifice has 1,500 sittings, and is valued at $110,000. In the neighborhood of 700 members belong to this active body.
The Grand Avenue Baptist Church, organized in 1872, has over 200 members. Hope Baptist church was recently organized in a chapel where Sunday schools had previously been maintained.
A Swedish Baptist church was organized in 1882, and a Danish one in 1886. Both are small.
German Lutheran congregations were organized in 1865 and in 1885. The Swedish Bethesda Lutheran church was more recently organized.
Congregations of members professing the faith of the Second Aventists have been organized, one, on Beers street, being at present in existence.
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
The Universalists have had several societies, the Church of the Messiah, on Orange street, continuing its existence. It dates from 1850. The Second Universalist church was organized more recently.
In the city are four congregations of Hebrews, and this sect has been steadily increasing. They became a fixed part of the population about 1840. Two years later their place of burial at Westville was opened. The first Hebrews here were Germans, and in 1849 a rabbi was secured. In 1856 the first regular synagogue was opened. In 1881 a congregation of Russian Jews was gathered, and one of other nationalities later.
The introduction of Catholicism was comparatively recent. But few members of that faith lived in the state before the beginning of the present century. and the church in the county has had its principal growth in the past fifty years. The first general account of this denomination appeared in the Connecticut Journal, January 28th, 1796, and is as follows:
"The Roman Catholics of Connecticut are informed that a priest is now in New Haven, where he will reside for some time. Those who wish to make use of his ministry will find him by inquiring at Mr. Azel Kimberley's, Chapel street."
The Catholics of that period were most of them French refugees, and for their especial benefit this ministry was provided. But not until the advent of the Irishmen as laborers upon the public works was it deemed advisable to set up the forms of the church and to administer its rites regularly. Reverend James Fitton is accredited with being the first permanent priest, and a parish in the diocese of Boston was organized. In May, 1834, the first Catholic edifice was consecrated as Christ church. The congregation in attendance on that occasion crowded the church so that the organ gallery fell down, killing two persons. In 1848 the church was burned, when a new edifice was purchased and consecrated as St. Mary's church, which was used until the commodious and elegant St. Mary's church, on Hill- house avenue, was occupied. It was erected in 1875, at a cost of $150,- 000, and is the finest and most valuable church property in the city. It is a fit evidence of the vigor and zeal of the congregation which occupies it. The parish has aided in planting a number of churches of its faith in the city and the suburban towns.
St. Patrick's parish was organized in 1850, and the church build- ing occupied, on Grand street, was consecrated in 1853.
Where stood the first Catholic church (Christ's) St. John's church was built and consecrated in 1858. Its church and school property is extensive and valuable, and the membership is very large.
St. Francis' Church, in Fair Haven, was occupied in 1868.
The Church of the Sacred Heart was occupied as a Catholic place of worship in 1875.
Prior to this time, in 1868, a German Catholic church was organ-
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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
ized as St. Boniface. Worship was held in a hall until 1873, when the church edifice was consecrated.
St. Michael's Church was the last organized. Its membership is composed mainly of Italians.
The aggregate membership of the Catholic church in this city is very large, and at the rate it has been increasing in the past score of years, will soon equal that of all the Protestant churches combined.
The cemeteries of New Haven are, as a rule, well kept and attractive. We learn from an inscribed marble slab affixed to the west end of the Center church, on New Haven green, that: " From the set- tlement of New Haven, 1638, to 1796, the adjoining ground was occupied as a common place of burial. Then a new burying ground was opened and divided into family lots and city squares. In 1813 this church was placed over the monuments of several whose names are engraved on tablets in the vestibule. In 1821 the remaining monuments were, by the consent of survivors, and under the direction of the city, removed to the new ground." On that occasion appropriate ceremonies were observed, the Reverend Mr. Hill, the Baptist pastor, delivering an address.
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