USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 82
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume I > Part 82
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86
Of the foregoing, Doctor Isaac Bartholomew was one of the earliest practitioners in the town, coming from Branford and living in Che- shire until his death, in 1750. After this Doctor Elnathan Beach and Doctor Gold Gift* Norton appear as the most prominent physicians before the close of the last century. The former was the father of Samuel Beach and grandfather of Esquire Burrage Beach, two of the most prominent men in the affairs of the town, whose worth is well remembered. He lived in the center of the village and once pre- sented the Congregational church with a bell.
Doctor Pierre E. Brandier, a native of the West Indies, born Sep- tember 18th, 1768, came to Cheshire some time about 1800, and skill- fully attended to a large practice until his death, August 26th, 1831. He is interred in St. Peter's cemetery. Doctor William Lambert Foote, a son of Parson Foote, was born in Cheshire in 1778, and on attaining manhood became a physician in the town, remaining until his death in 1849. His brother-in-law, Doctor Thomas Tryon Corn- wall, was a contemporary practitioner, and both were skilled in their profession. The latter was the father of Doctor John Cornwall, who practiced in Hamden, and grandfather of the present Doctor Edward T. Cornwall, a physician in Cheshire the past seven years.
The Hulls, from Doctor John Hull down, for five generations have furnished able practitioners, most of them in Wallingford. Doctor Amos Gould Hull was the inventor of the celebrated Hull Truss.
Doctor Charles Shelton was, in his day, eminent in his profession. He died in 1832, at the age of 50 years. Doctor Asa J. Driggs came * Also called Gould Gift.
702
HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
next in the order of old physicians, and remained in the place until his death, not many years since. He was generally esteemed as a good practitioner. Doctor Edward Woodward, after being in practice several years, removed to Bristol, and was succeeded by the present Doctor Myron N. Chamberlain. About the same time Doctor Charles R. Upson came, as also did Doctor Henry Way. The latter removed to Bristol.
Since 1855 Doctor William C. Williams has been in successful practice at Cheshire. He was the father of Doctor William Edward Williams, who died in 1872, aged 22 years; and Doctor George C. F. Williams, surgeon on Ward's Island, N. Y., and now of Hartford.
The first settlers of the present town were members of and tribu- tary to the church at Wallingford, at which place they attended divine worship many years. Naturally, in the course of time, and when their members had become greater, these "West Farmers," as they were called, sought to have these privileges more convenient to their homes. . Hence, as early as 1718, Homer Brooks, Stephen Hotchkiss and Mat- thew Bellamy, in their behalf, petitioned the general assembly, com- plaining that, " By reason of the distance from the town and the diffi- culty in the way we are under great disadvantage to appear on the public worship of God, and also for Edicating our Children," and asked to be constituted a parish. Naturally, too, Wallingford was not at first friendly to that purpose, as it would weaken its own society. But the assembly appointed a committee to examine into the matter, which reported that it had found the number of families on the "West Farms" to be about 45, "including in ye numb'r sum few new beginners that have not familys." As the value of the estates these families owned was but £2,000, the committee recommended that they' remain with the town of Wallingford, and they continued to worship there. A plan was perfected, however, by which the children of the "West Farmers" could be taught in their own neighborhood, the teacher going from one section to another in turn, forming a sort of an itinerancy, so that all could be accommodated.
A few years later it was deemed best to provide preaching at the' "West Farms," and December 11th, 1722, the town (Wallingford) by its vote, granted liberty "to ye farmers of the west side of the river, so many as shall subscribe, to have a minister to preach among them for three months this year, and voted to give them six pounds."
It is believed that these meetings and those subsequently held, be- fore a house of worship was provided, were at the houses of Captain John Hotchkiss and Thomas Brooks; and it is probable that Samuel Hall was the minister who first preached in what is now Cheshire. The evident success of the three months' preaching rendered this people still more anxious to have a society of their own, and they per- sisted in their petitions until Wallingford granted it to them, by a vote April 30th, 1723, when it was ordered " that a village be estab-
703
HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
lished on the west side of the river," and thus, about 25 years after its settlement, was called into existence the first religious society, which formed "The Congregational Church in Cheshire." Upon this action of Wallingford, the seal of legislative approval was set at the May ses- sion following; but the people did not hold their meeting for organiz- ing until July 25th, 1723, when they formed themselves into the " West Society in Wallingford." This name was changed, in 1724, to the "Society of New Cheshire," and still later the word New was dropped. Timothy Tuttle moderated at the meeting. Joseph Thompson was chosen clerk of the society and served until 1747. Thomas Brooks, Nathaniel Bunnell and John Hitchcock were the first society commit- tee and upon them devolved the work of establishing regular worship. Samuel Hall was secured to preach for them six months; and in No- vember Stephen Hotchkiss was appointed to "set the Psalms." Decem- ber 4th, 1723, it was decided to build a meeting house, 30 by 40 feet, and 18 feet posts. The selection of a site caused much trouble and the committeemen were obliged to petition the legislature to settle the matter for them. That body appointed a committee of three who chose a site, one-fourth of a mile south of the present meeting house, upon which was built the first house of worship in 1724. The money was raised by a levy of four pence upon every pound, and Joseph Thompson was appointed to "gather the rait." Caleb Matthews, Tim- othy Tuttle, Josiah Hotchkiss, Nathaniel Bunnell and Thomas Curtis acted as the building committee. The meeting house was very plain and was probably designed for temporary use, or until the society should be able to provide a better one. It was ready for occupancy in the fall of 1724 and in October of that year arrangements were made to form a church. Meantime the society had not been inactive in re- gard to schools. January 10th, 1724, they appointed a committee to see to their school, and chose Elnathan Beach to collect the rateslevied for their support.
The preliminaries for organizing a church having been performed, the second Wednesday of December was set for the completion of the work and the ordination of their first pastor, who had continued to preach for the society. Accordingly on December 9th, 1724, eleven male and fifteen female members were constituted the church in New Cheshire, which was declared " to be according to ye establishment of ye Gov't. 1676." The Reverends Nathaniel Chauncey, of Durham, and Samuel Whittlesey, of Wallingford, assisted, and Samuel Hall was or- dained pastor. Joseph Ives and Stephen Hotchkiss were chosen as the first deacons. At this time, "Voted ye Holy Scriptures should be publickly read on ye Sabbath in God's House, as part of ye publick worship." But five persons dissented from that purpose.
In 1725 a burial ground was opened, the pastor donating the land, and plans were made to build a school house. This could not be done at once, as the inhabitants living on what became known as Cheshire
704
HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
Street were unwilling and wanted a school in their own locality; and in 1726 they were given permission to have a school of their own. In 1728 the society compromised the matter by building two school houses, one in the northeastern part of the parish and the other near the meeting house. It had also been found necessary to increase the capacity of the meeting house, and in 1727 a gallery was added. After this was done, February 27th, 1728, " Voted to seat the church and first to have respect to Thomas Beach, John Cook and Thomas Twist," so that they could better hear the preacher.
In 1727 Ebenezer Johnson was chosen as the grave digger, to have five shillings for every grave dug, and seven years later the burial ground was fenced. Two years before, in 1732, the society was scourged by the smallpox, which broke out in a family living near the meeting house, and before the nature of the disease had become known, many persons were afflicted by it. Of the 300 persons com- posing the village, 124 were sick with the dreaded complaint and serv- ices in the church were for several months suspended. Notwithstand- ing so many were sick and the service of medical men so rare, but 17 persons died. Yet among them were several who had been active in the affairs of the society, viz .: Captain John Hotchkiss, Captain Thomas Brooks, Ensign Nathaniel Bunnell, Eliphalet Johnson, Ebenezer John- son, Robert Hotchkiss, Ebenezer Johnson, Jr., Josiah Hotchkiss, Na- thaniel Hitchcock, Elizabeth Hotchkiss, the wives of Daniel Andrews, Ephraim Tuttle and Josiah Hotchkiss. The cemetery was thus early consecrated as the resting place of the loved ones of many homes, in- cluding also the infant son of Reverend Samuel Hall. The pastor himself had been very sick and after the plague was over he preached an appropriate sermon, which was printed. In the first forty years of the use of the cemetery by Pastor Hall, he officiated at the burial of 626 persons. In 1890 a fine archway entrance to the cemetery was built, mostly by means furnished by Mrs. March, and tablets were placed in the wall to her honor and to that of Reverend Hall.
The society having outgrown the meeting house, it was voted, in 1736, to build a new one, 45 by 64 feet, and 24 feet between the joints. John Parker, Caleb Matthews, John Hull, Benjamin Dutton and Joshua Hotchkiss were selected as a committee to build it. A new site, more central and nearer to the cemetery, was presented by the Reverend Samuel Hall, upon which the house was built in 1738. This house stood a little east of where the soldiers' monument now is. reaching into the present highway and fronted to the south. At the north end was the steeple. The pulpit was on the west side and over it was a sounding board. Directly in front, on the east side of the church, was the main entrance. Below the pulpit were seats for the deacons and the communion table. North of the pulpit were seats for old ladies; south were seats for old men, and in front of these the boys of the village were seated. Amasa Hitchcock recollected counting.
705
HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
about 1753, as many as sixty boys occupying these seats on a single Sabbath. In 1765 the meeting house was repaired by putting cedar shingles on its foreside. A well was dug before the meeting house in 1778.
In 1737 the society agreed to warn the meetings by having the "drum beat from Abraham Barne's to Capt. Joseph Thompson, on every Tuesday eve." In March, 1773, a bell weighing 450 pounds was procured, and the use of the drum was given up. In 1797 it was voted that the church bell should be rung every day, at noon and at 9 o'clock P. M.
After the old meeting house had been used the greater part of a century, a new one, the present house of worship, was begun in 1826. To give it a better location more land was purchased in the rear of the old lot, and the house was set upon this new ground, thus per- mitting the beautiful "green" which now graces the approach to the house. It is also a wooden building, and when the frame was raised Jesse Brooks, who was assisting in the work, was killed by being crushed between two heavy posts. The house cost $7,000, and was dedicated August 1st, 1827, the sermon being preached by Reverend David S. Ogden, of Southington. On that occasion a large and well- trained choir, led by Thomas A. Cornwall, furnished the music. This was an innovation upon the singing of the olden times. In 1731 the society "voted to sing that which is regular singing." In 1735, "voted to sing in ye public assembly ye Psalms of David in ye language of ye New Testament and applied to ye Christian State and worship by ye Watts."
About 1847 the meeting house was so much damaged by a thunder storm that it required extensive repairs. At this time the pulpit was changed from the front of the audience room to the rear, and other alterations made. In 1863 the walls of the house were frescoed. A lecture room and ladies' parlor were built on the rear of the house a few years later. Since 1884 they have been put in attractive order and supplied with a piano. The audience room has also been thor- oughly renovated, and a fine organ was presented to the church by Frank Gaylord. In the fall of 1889 a good Seth Thomas striking clock was placed in the tower of the meeting house, and at this time the property of the church appeared to be in good condition. Among the adornments of the audience room are tablets placed in memory of the first and the second pastors of the church.
The first pastor, Reverend Samuel Hall, was born at Wallingford, October 4th, 1695, and was the second son of Hon. John Hall, and grandson of Captain Samuel Hall. The latter was one of the founders of Wallingford, and the Hon. John Hall was, in his day, one of the most influential men of Connecticut, and being wealthy and public spirited, he gave all of his children a liberal education. His first son, John, was also very prominent, and was the father of the Hon. Lyman
44
706
HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
Hall, governor of Georgia, who was one of the signers of the declara- tion of independence. Other members of the Hall family became illustrious.
Samuel Hall was prepared for college by Reverend Samuel Whittlesey, and in 1716, graduated from Yale, in the last year it was at Saybrook. After serving as a tutor for that institution three years at Wethersfield (where were a body of students who had seceded during the controversy as to permanent location), he studied theology with Reverend Samuel Stoddard, of Northampton. Thence, after preaching some time before ordination, he became the first pastor of Cheshire church in October, 1724. The following Jan- uary he was married to Anne Law, daughter of Governor Jonathan Law, and settled in a homestead which stood on the site of the Edward A. Cornwall residence. Of his thirteen children a number grew to maturity, and daughters married into the Whittlesey, Williams, Beach and Foote families; the sons, who became well known, were Brenton (father of Doctor William Brenton Hall, noted for his heroism in the yellow fever outbreak along the Connecticut river), Elisha and Jona- than Hall. From these have descended many distinguished men, and their names are, in many instances, still honorably perpetuated in Cheshire.
Mr. Hall was a vigorous "Old Light," and took an active part in the great controversy attending the settlement of Reverend James Dana over the Wallingford church. He was an active thinker and also an eloquent speaker, having power to hold his members together and greatly attached them to him. He preached his last sermon in October, 1775, when he urged the minute men of Cheshire to patriotic action in driving the British foe from Boston, and when they responded he followed them, although in his 81st year, and inspired them with his presence. In the last ten years of his life the burden of the min- istry had passed to his son-in-law, John Foote, but he occasionally preached and maintained his interest in the church to the end.
Reverend John Foote was born in Branford, in 1742. After grad- uating from Yale, in 1765, he studied theology under Reverend Samuel Hall, and married his daughter, November 19th, 1767. He was called to the ministry in Cheshire, December 2d, 1766, and was installed in March, 1767. Like his predecessor, he was possessed of more than ordinary ability to control a large congregation, but soon had to con- tend with many trying circumstances. The war of the revolution had not only crippled the resources of the people, but it had also cultivated the spirit of religious freedom and given an impetus to the Epis- copal and other churches; and in 1782 a few began to petition for exemption from taxation to support the Congregational church. October 30th, 1789, Abner Doolittle " signed off " to Episcopacy, and was soon followed by Edward Tuttle, John Benham, Epaphrus Hall,
707
HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
William Clark, Jr., Horace Hitchcock, Jesse Humiston and others. " Some to avoid paying taxes for the Cheshire Church secured certifi- cates from some Baptist or other minister that they were attending and helping support these other enterprises."*
In 1778 several members withdrew to form the church and society of Columbia (now Prospect), where a meeting house was erected and Reverend John Lewis was installed as the pastor. A short time after- ward a serious division of the church was threatened by a number of members, most of whom lived on Cheshire Street, although the disaf- fection extended to other parts of the parish. They were disinclined to accept the teachings of the new pastor as tacitly as they did those of the old one, and dissented from them. Of these Timothy Hall, Cap- tain Robert Rice and Job Yale were men of influence, and in 1780 they succeeded in having charges preferred against Mr. Foote. In a specified form some appear grave and others frivolous, but they re- ceived the attention of the Consociation of New Haven county, at meetings held in January, June and November, 1780, some of which were so largely attended that an adjournment from the house of Tim- othy Hall to the school house was necessary. The Consociation did not seem able to settle the matter and a new society was projected which liad, besides those named above, as members: David Brooks, William Law, Josiah Smith, Enos Atwater, Gad Pond and Ephraim Cook. A new meeting house was begun on the site of the Episcopal parsonage at the Center, but it was never completed and was after- ward sold and was removed to a place near where Bunnell lane now runs, where it was used as a tannery. Mr. Foote, having been admon- ished by the Consociation, profited by the advice and so harmonized the discordant elements that the longer he continued as pastor the greater the respect and confidence of his people, and his ministry was as successful as that of his predecessor, extending over a period of 46 years. He had received 549 persons into the church in the most try- ing times of the country's history. Being ill he asked for a colleague, in September, 1811, which was granted and an annuity of about two years' salary voted him; but he died before that time, universally esteemed.
Mr. Foote built a house directly opposite the one occupied by his father-in-law, which in 1889 was still standing as the home of Setli Calhoun. Here he reared a large and talented family, whose fame has extended to all parts of the Union.
The Reverend Humphrey H. Perrine, who followed Mr. Foote in the pastoral office, was ordained August 25th, 1813, and dismissed April 22d, 1816.
The pulpit was now supplied for several years by Reverend Jere- miah Atwater, from April, 1816, until July, 1817; and Reverend N. Kellogg, for one year, from November, 1818.
*Reverend E. C. Baldwin.
708
HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
In September, 1820, the church ordained one of its own members as pastor-the Reverend Roger Hitchcock, who served acceptably until his death, January 31st, 1823. He was a son of Valentine Hitchcock and a brother of the Hon. Peter Hitchcock, of Ohio.
After an interval, Reverend Luke Wood next supplied the pul- pit, from December, 1824, until 1826, and it was in this period that the new meeting house was begun and completed in 1827.
The Reverend Joseph Whiting was the next regular pastor, being ordained October 24th, 1827, and after a ministry of nine years was dismissed December 29th, 1836. In his pastorate many were added to the church, which now entered upon a new era of prosperity. He built a new parsonage near the church, which embarrassed him, and as his salary was only $600 per year, he was constrained to move to the West, and at Ann Arbor, Michigan, had much to do with the founding of the State University, where a monument to his memory stands in its campus.
The Reverend Erastus Colton was the next minister, serving from his ordination, January 17th, 1838, until July 21st, 1843.
The Reverend Daniel March, whose instruction books upon Bible topics have given him a wide reputation, was ordained April 22d, 1845, and dismissed November 9th, 1848. Then came Reverend Daniel S. Rodman, from October 16th, 1849, to December 27th, 1854; Clement W. Clapp, from May 22d, 1855, until May 11th, 1857; Charles Little, from January 8th, 1862, until June 13th, 1865; John M. Wolcott, from November 11th, 1869, until September 20th, 1876; Joseph H. Isham, from January 23d, 1878, till April 25th, 1882.
The acting pastors of the church have been: Reverend David Root, from October, 1857, until April, 1859; John S. C. Abbott, from 1860, for about two years. He was followed in 1882 by Reverend E. C. Baldwin, who became the acting pastor and so continued until his death, April 27th, 1890. He was an able, honest and fearless man, having many qualities which made him an excellent minister. He was born in Milford in 1833, graduated from Union Theological Semi- nary in 1860, and was ordained to the ministry in the fall of that year as the pastor of the Bethlehem church. From 1865 until 1878 he served in a pastoral relation the church at Branford. Subsequently he was the editor of the Home World.
Since August, 1890, the acting pastor of the Cheshire church has been Reverend J. P. Hoyt.
In seasons when the church had no pastor the Yale College men frequently preached here, among those thus coming being Reverend N. W. Taylor and Reverend N. Porter, D.D., afterward the honored president of Yale.
The Congregational ministers raised up in Cheshire have been: Abraham Beach, D.D., Joseph Bellamy, D.D., Herbert Bristol, Aaron Hall, Lyman Hall, Reuben Hitchcock, Roger Hitchcock, Reuben
709
HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.
Moss, Frederick William March, Asahel Stevens, George Edward Street, Jesse W. Brooks; and among those who attended the church and became ministers of other denominations were Aaron Beach, John Parker, David Brooks, Waitsell Munson, David Bristol, Allen Hough, Ransom Johnson and Reuben Ives.
The deacons of the church and the years in which they were elected have been as follows: Joseph Ives and Stephen Hotchkiss, 1724; Timothy Tuttle, 1739; Edward Parker, 1755; Samuel Beach and Benjamin Hotchkiss, 1766; Benoni Plum and Isaac Bunnell, 1787; John Peck, 1809; Andrew Hull, Jr., 1813; Jared Moss and Roger Hitchcock, 1815; Cyrus Baldwin, 1820; Reuben W. Roys and William A. Brown, 1827: Irad Bronson, 1836; Merriam L. Hotchkiss, 1841; Jesse R. Brooks, 1859: Jared S. Baldwin, 1869: George Keeler, Edwin R. Brown and Norman S. Platt, 1870; William L. Baldwin and Charles H. Hall, 1882; Frank N. Hall, 1888.
In 1889 the church had 283 meinbers, and the officers of the society were: Clerk. E. R. Brown; treasurer, George Keeler; committee, Henry Gaylord, E. P. Atwater and Titus B. Ives.
St. Peter's Church (Protestant Episcopal) dates from about the middle of the eighteenth century. Among the early settlers of Chesh- ire were a number of churchmen who felt the influence of the minis- try of the rector of the church at Stratford-Doctor Johnson-and who were thus moved to have the forms of the church set up in their own midst. Joseph Moss was one of the readiest to espouse that idea, and gathering his neighbors together in the house of Zachariah Ives, he acted as lay reader of the "service." In 1751 Reverend Ichabod Camp visited the community and formed the persons thus accustomed to meet into an Episcopal society. It is probable that they were now visited at intervals by Doctor Johnson, Doctor Ichabod Camp and by other ministers, as missionaries of the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," of London. As such Reverend Sam- uel Andrews came in 1761 and preached at stated periods, until his zeal as a loyalist in the revolution made him obnoxious to the patriots of this section, and after the war he moved to Nova Scotia.
In 1760 Joseph Moss bought the property on which the place of worship stood, and aided by Henry Brooks, Sr., Zachariah Ives, Ben- jamin Lewis, Amos Matthews, Ebenezer Tuttle, Moses Tuttle and Isaac Tyler, built a small church, which better accommodated the in- creased membership of the society. In May, 1767, he deeded that ground and a part of the present cemetery to Amos Matthews and Henry Brooks, Sr., as the wardens of "St. Peter's Church," the con- sideration being £7 10s. "and love and good will to the church of the ever blessed Redeemer." He acted as parish clerk many years, and when no minister was in attendance continued to serve as lay reader. Thus he remained one of the principal members until his death, July 10th, 1775, at the age of 62 years.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.