History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 49

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138

USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 49
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 49

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).

416

- HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

In Memory of the Men of Derby and Huntington who fell in the service of their Country In the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, as Defenders of Liberty and Nationality.

On the tablet on the reverse side:

Erected by the People of Derby and Huntington, A. D. 1883, In honor of all who fought In the Service of their Country, That the Government of the people By the people and for the people Should not perish from the Earth.

On the north and the south side tablets are the names of the hon- ored soldiers; 29 killed in battle, 14 died of wounds, and 40 from other causes while in the service. Guarding the approaches to the monti- ment are four pieces of artillery, which were donated by the govern- ment on the request of surviving Union soldiers of this locality. The monument is a most attractive object, and gives ample evidence of money wisely appropriated.

CHAPTER X.

THE TOWN OF DERBY (Concluded).

Educational Interests .-- Early Religious Interests .- First Congregational Church in Derby .- Birmingham Congregational Church .- Young Men's Christian Association. -Episcopal Churches .- The Methodist Episcopal Denomination .- Union C'hapels .- African M. E. Church .- Roman Catholic Church. - Cemeteries. - Biographical Sketches.

N O reference to public schools is found in the meager records of the town, prior to the fall of 1701. But it is altogether prob- able that some kind of schools were kept in the town earlier than that date. In December of the year named the selectmen, Cap- tain Ebenezer Johnson, Ensign Samuel Riggs, Isaac Nichols and Ser- geant Samuel Brinsmade, being authorized to provide a school " ac- cording as the law in that matter requireth," secured thie services of the minister, Reverend John James, and so far as known he was, so to speak, the first public school teacher in the town. It was arranged that he should teach "reading and writing to such of the town as shall come to that end," during the winter months from December to the following April. His compensation appears to us a mere pittance, but that was " in the days of small things," and it required some sac- rifice to raise even those meager amounts. Yet the need of instruc- tion was great, especially in writing. Many of the men were deficient in that useful art, and it was quite the usual thing for the women to make their mark in signing deeds. The general court had long be- fore this time recognized the necessity for such instruction, and had passed laws commanding or encouraging the object. But the inhabi- tants of sparsely settled sections found it difficult to comply with them. Yet, now that schools were established, at public expense, they appear to have been regularly maintained, with apparent good results. As illustrating the advance in this matter, in the short space of a single decade, it was recorded in 1711 that the inhabitants were willing to further tax themselves, in addition to the expenditure of the money provided by law; it was also arranged that night schools should be taught for the benefit of those who could not attend in day time. These schools were usually kept at the houses of those who could provide the necessary room.

In the course of years the town was divided into nine districts, in which lived more than 1,000 people. These districts were in the cen-

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

ters of population, in which are now the towns of Derby, Ansonia, Sey- mour and Oxford, and some of them were divided about the time of the revolution. The first and the second districts were in what is now Derby and the lower part of Ansonia, on the east side of the river. In the latter a school house had been built in 1711, but no record of a school house in the former appears until 1781. It is probable that most schools were long taught in private houses. A part of the so- called town houses were also used for school purposes, and in 1745 mention is made of the Cankwood Plain school, in the town house at that place. The school house on Great hill also antedated the revolu- tion.

The rearrangement of the districts after the revolution necessitated the building of new houses in some localities. Hence when it was proposed, in 1785, to build a new school house in the old part of what is now Derby village, a proposition was made which resulted in the building of an academy in 1786. It was put up by a school house com- pany at a cost of a little more than £240, and was a two story building, the lower part being used for common schools, the upper part for a school of a higher grade. The house had an oblong appearance, and standing on an elevation, which is still called Academy hill, it was a conspicuous object in the early history of Derby. The building was supplied with a belfry, in which was placed a bell which was purchased, and for a long time jointly used by the Congregational and Episcopal societies. After the abandonment of the academy there was consider- able contention as to the ownership of the bell, and an interesting ac- count of the figure this harmless object cut in Derby's affairs is given in Beardsley's History of Derby .*

The usefulness of the academy was ended more than half a century ago, but in its day it served a most benign purpose. Doctor Beards- ley is also authority for the statement that the academy had but seven teachers, viz .: a Mr. Kerkson, Charles Whittlesey, Doctor Pearl Crafts, Shelden Curtis, Josiah Holbrook, Truman Coe and John D. Smith. Some of these were very successful teachers, and while they were at the head of the academy gave it a reputation which extended far be- yond the limits of the town. Many young men here received the rudiments of a classical education. After the academy was discon- tinned the building was devoted to private uses.

Two of the foregoing teachers, Josiah Holbrook and Truman Coe, established another school in Derby which here deserves mention, for, most likely, it was the first of its kind in the Union. In 1824 they founded, at the old Holbrook farm on Sentinel hill, an agricultural seminary, which aimed to afford the youth of those times a system of education, on a practical basis, like that on which many of our modern institutions so successfully rest. The course of study was not only practical, but comprehensive, and these enterprising educators were

* See account of Academy Bell.

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undoubtedly well qualified for that kind of work; but insufficient pa- tronage compelled the abandonment of the project in the fall of 1825. A11 old citizen of the town said of this school, "that it was an attract- ive and a pleasant one, and those who were so disposed made good progress in useful learning. There were in the summer of 1824 about sixty pupils of both sexes, to whom Mr. Coe gave especial instruction in practical or applied mathematics; and Mr. Holbrook taught natural history and the allied subjects, leading his boys over hills and through forests in the course of their study, seeking the object treated in their text books." Several boys earned a part of their expenses by working on the farm. Of these teachers, it may be said that Truman Coe, born on Sentinel liill, December 9th, 1788, obtained his education under great difficulties, and mostly in a shoe shop, where he always kept a book before him while working on the bench, and mastered a single subject at a time. Becoming a school teacher, he was successful in that profession, but about 1828 entered the ministry of the Congre- gational church. He was ahead of his time in classical learning, and became a logical and entertaining preacher, in the state of Ohio.

Josiah Holbrook, also a native of Derby, was born the same year, but received a regular college education, graduating from Yale in 1810. After teaching in the old academy he engaged in other lines of educational work, in many of which he was the pioneer. He may thus be credited with attempting the first agricultural college, the lyceum system of popular education, and the manufacture of philo- sophical apparatus for common schools, in Boston, in 1826. His active and useful life was terminated by his accidental drowning at Lynch- burg, Va., May 24th, 1854.

Since the discontinuance of this academy the public schools of the town have been advanced to a very high standard, three of the four districts having graded systems of instruction. In each of the dis- tricts a public school library is maintained, the aggregate number of books in 1890 being more than 1,200, and the value about $1,500. The expenditures on account of the schools the past year approxi- mates $18,000. In all, 27 teachers are employed, 15 being connected with the Birmingham school, which, under the principalship of John W. Peck, is enjoying a most excellent reputation. Large classes are graduated annually, and the interest of the public in the schools of the town is highly commended. For a number of years George L. Beardsley has been the acting school visitor.

In nearly every district excellent school buildings have been pro- vided, the one at Birmingham being especially a fine edifice. It was erected in 1869, under the direction of Joseph Arnold, Royal M. Bas- sett and Father O'Dwyer as a building committee, and cost about $40,000. It is a noble looking structure, of brick, stone and slate, four stories high with the basement, and contains twelve separate di- visions.

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

The early inhabitants of Derby were long deprived of church privileges in the midst of their new homes. More than twenty years had passed after the coming of the first settler before a church organi- zation was effected. So discouraging were the circumstances attending the settlement of the town that in 1659 the general court ordered that the place " should be deserted with reference to settled habitation " within one year, unless its prospects improved. One of the reasons given for this order was that the court could see no likelihood that the inhabitants would attend to their duty in regard to the Sabbath, being at such a distance from the means. They were at this time obliged to attend meetings at Milford, which required a long journey through a roadless region: and thus being cut off from what was deemed most essential in a new plantation, their numbers increased very slowly. For a number of years they were practically without either church or state privileges. Desiring the enjoyment of both of these privileges an effort was made in 1671, in spite of the manifest poverty, to demon- strate the ability, or at least to show the willingness, to conform to the existing conditions. Hence, in that year, Reverend John Bowers, a Congregational minister of Guilford, was invited to settle among them and twelve acres of land were set aside for his use. After preaching in Branford in 1672, he decided to cast his lot among this people, and November 18th, 1673, they agreed to build a house for him, and he, on his part, agreed to preach the following year and "to take what the inhabitants would voluntarily give as they are at great expense in building." This house stood near where the first meeting house was afterward built and his lot adjoined the lands of the pioneer settlers, Francis French, Samuel Riggs and Jeremiah Johnson, who were nat- urally anxious to have the first minister reside in their locality.

The support of a minister at this time was no easy matter for the 12 resident and 11 non-resident planters, for none of them were in affluent circumstances. But in addition to the above considerations, which encouraged them to persevere, they were actuated by a pious zeal and their faith sustained them. In a few years both a town and a church were secured. In 1675 the general court established the Plan- tation of Derby, and the act carried with it the powers and privileges of an ecclesiastical society without the order of a separate organiza- tion. But the unsettled state of affairs, in consequence of the Indian troubles, prevented the immediate realization of their hopes. A fur- ther hindrance was found in the unwillingness of Milford to release the planters from the payment of their rates, so that for a few years a double tax was imposed upon these planters for the support of the Gospel.

In the early part of 1677 the town of Derby with great unanimity determined upon the organization of a church, and the general court was petitioned May 6th, 1678, by John Bowers, John Hulls and Joseph Hawkins for the sanction of the colony upon this measure. This was granted May 9th, 1678.

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

The accounts of that period are somewhat vague, but there is rea- son to think that the First church in Derby (Congregational) was organized in 1678, and that for several years its meetings were held in private houses. But a meeting house must be built, and November 22d, 1680, the town voted on the question of a site, with the following result: Those favoring the locality which afterward became known as "Squabble Hole " were John Bowers, Edward Wooster, Joseph Haw- kins, William Tomlinson, Samuel Riggs, Ephraim Smith. Abel Gunn, Francis French, Samuel Nichols, Thomas Wooster, John Beach-11. Opposed were Jeremiah Johnson, Philip Denman, Stephen Pierson, John Tibbals-4. Absent from the meeting were John Hulls, Jabez Harger, George Beaman, David Wooster, Ebenezer Johnson, Abel Holbrook, Isaac Nichols, Samuel Brinsmade, Jonathan Nichols and Jonas Tomlinson-10. It will be seen that of the 25 planters but 11 were committed to a definite site. The matter was now allowed to rest a year, when the former site, about a mile north of the present meeting house, was confirmed, the point being " near the tree where the town met and sat down, shall be the place where the meeting house shall stand, without any more trouble." Sergeant John Hull, Joseph Hawkins, Abel Gunn and Philip Denman were appointed a committee to carry out the wishes of the town. The house was a plain frame, 20 by 28 feet, with four windows in the sides and one at each end, and was mainly built by the labor of the inhabitants, each man according to the value of his estate. In 1707 it was seated after the manner of those times, having first been enlarged and repaired, and was used until about 1722 in that condition.

The town in 1681 voted that the minister, John Bowers, should have 88 loads of wood, and in 1683 voted him a salary of £50 in " good, merchantable pay." This sum was assessed upon 26 persons, com- prising, at that time, the inhabitants of Derby. In 1684 he was very ill, and it is thought that he ceased preaching here in 1686. He died in 1687, and is buried in the old cemetery. From 1690 to 1693 Joseph Webb was the minister, and in the former year a parsonage was built, under the direction of Captain Ebenezer Johnson, Isaac Nichols and Philip Denman. In the spring of 1694 Reverend John James was set- tled as the pastor, and remained until 1706, being also, after 1700, the schoolmaster, and, like Mr. Webb, serving as town clerk part of the time.

Reverend Joseph Moss having preached here in 1706, was, in the spring of 1707, installed as the pastor of the "Church of Christ in Derby," as it was for many years called. He was a popular preacher, and appears to have been better liked than his predecessor. He spent his entire ministerial life here, dying in his 53d year, in 1731, and was buried in the Uptown cemetery.

One of the most important events of the pastorate of Mr. Moss was the building of the new meeting house in 1721-2. This was ordered

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

at a town meeting held in December, 1719, when it was voted "that the town will build a new meeting house, and that it shall be set in some convenient place, near where the old meeting house now stands, and that the dimensions shall be as followeth, viz .: Forty feet long and thirty-two wide, and twenty feet posts." A six-penny rate was laid, and every man was given the privilege of working out his tax, provided he could labor in any way to advantage on the building. Colonel Ebenezer Johnson, Captain Joseph Hull and Lieutenant John Riggs were the building committee. The house was raised in the spring of 1721, and was what was called in those times a two-story church edifice, having galleries on all but the pulpit side. Mr. Moss was given liberty to build a pew six feet square, joining to the pulpit stairs, for his wife and family; and the rest of the meeting house was seated " by such rules as followeth: Col. Ebenezer Johnson, Ens. Sam- uel Riggs, John Tibbals, Stephen Pierson, Ens. Nichols shall sit on the first seat next to the pulpit; Doctor Durand, Mr. Samuel Bowers and Jeremiah Johnson shall sit in the second seat of the square next the pulpit; John Pringle, Sergeant Brinsmade, John Chatfield, Senr., shall sit in a short seat by Mr. Moss' pew." The remainder of the in- habitants were seated according to the list.

"Sabba-day houses " were first built in 1725, and a rather better · building of that nature was permitted to be built on the common in

1728 by Jonathan Lum, Gideon Johnson and John Smith. This, when not used by them as a "Sabba-day house," was used as a school house. It was the first building of the kind in the town, and its site was after- ward tised for a building wholly devoted to school purposes. “ Sabba- day houses " and " horse houses," on both sides of the highways, were authorized in 1764.

The meeting house, though roomy, appears to have been devoid of all comforts, and is remembered as a musty, huge, barn-like structure. It was occupied nearly a hundred years, but before its abandonment, in 1821, it became totally unfitted for its purpose.

The building of the third meeting house was not accomplished un- til there had been much controversy in regard to the site, which caused some of the members to withdraw permanently from the so- ciety. But the more rapid growth of the south part of the town de- manded that the new house should be built southward, and in March, 1820, the present site was selected. In July of the same year the con- tract for building was awarded, and the present meeting house was in due time built. But this entailed such a heavy burden upon the society that its usefulness in other spheres was crippled a number of years. In 1873 a lecture room was built, and the meeting liouse re- inodelled and refurnished. Since that time the church property has been kept in good repair, and both the church and the parsonage pre- sented a substantial appearance, in the fall of 1890.

After the death of Mr. Moss, in 1731, the church was without a

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

settled pastor several years, when Reverend Daniel Humphreys was, on March 6th, 1733, ordained. He had graduated from Yale the pre- vious year and was a bold and spirited man in religious opinions, and his views were not accepted by all his parishioners, who seemed to be divided on the then prevailing questions, some favoring the " old light " and others the " new light " doctrines. Mr. Humphreys was inclined to the " new light " theories, and had made himself liable to the censure of the Consociation several times in the early years of his ministry. But after the lapse of 20 years he practiced church discip- line in consonance with the Saybrook principles.

This inharmonious feeling in the town, on matters of such vital in- terest, conduced to the easy establishment of the Episcopal church in Derby. It was also an incentive to the formation of other ecclesiasti- cal societies of the established church in the town. Of these the So- ciety of Oxford, formed after 1733, made the first demand upon the membership of the First church; Great Hill, in 1775, the second; Bladen's Brook (called Humphreysville and Seymour later), in 1789, the third, when 26 members withdrew. Later the church contributed to the formation of the Methodist church, and January 4th, 1846, 60 persons left in a body to form the Birmingham Congregational church. In 1850 four members left to aid in the formation of the Ansonia church.

In 1787 the church had 43 male and 53 female members, which was probably the maximum strength in the last century. In later periods in the main the church has prospered, and has been a most beneficent moral agent in the community. In 1890 there were about 180 members, and the following official board: Pastor and clerk, Rev- erend Dorrall Lee; deacons, George T. Bushnell, N. J. Bailey and T. B. Minor; society's committee, F. N. Bradley, E. Hallock, W. N. Sperry; superintendent of Sabbath school, E. W. Parmalee. The school has a membership of about 200.

The pastorate of Reverend Daniel Humphreys was long continued, extending through the troublous times of the revolution. He died September 2d, 1787, just about 100 years after the death of John Bowers, the first minister. He was a stately, cultured gentleman, and his wife, Sarah Riggs, who had been the former wife of John Bowers, and whom as a widow he married in 1739, had such an elegant personal appearance, and was so refined in education and manners, that she became widely known as "Lady Humphreys." She was greatly beloved, and thoroughly dignified the title so long bestowed upon her. They were the parents of General David Humphreys, who was born in Derby, July 10th, 1752. His distinguished service in the revolution, and his connection with the manufacturing interests of Seymour are elsewhere noted. In the last four years of Mr. Humph- rey's pastorate he had as a colleague Reverend Martin Tuller, who was

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HISTORY OF NEW HAVEN COUNTY.

ordained July 1st, 1783. From 1787 until December 29th, 1795, he was the pastor of the church. He died in 1813.

The subsequent pastors were the following: Reverend Amasa Por- ter, graduated at Yale College in 1793, settled in Derby in 1797, dis- missed March 20th, 1805 (He was a man of rare piety, and was long remembered with affection by his people); Thomas Ruggles, 1809-12; Zephaniah Swift, settled 1813 (His pastorate was a long and successful one; in fact, it was the most eventful pastorate in the history of the church. Mr. Swift remained senior pastor until his death, which took place February 7th, 1848); Lewis D. Howell, installed April, 1836. dis- missed May 19th, 1838; Hollis Reed, installed November 21st, 1838, dismissed in 1843; George Thatcher, installed November 20th, 1843, dismissed October 10th, 1848; J. Guernsey, called October 8th, 1849, dismissed August 22d, 1853; R. P. Stanton, settled November 2d, 1853, dismissed January, 1856; C. C. Tiffany, called July 15th, 1857, dis- missed January 20th, 1864; W. E. Brooks was engaged as supply in 1865, and remained until 1867; Thomas M. Gray, installed December, 1867, dismissed in 1871; C. B. Whitcomb, called January, 1872, re- mained with the church one year from the 1st of April following; H. T. Staats, 1873, until the autumn of 1874; J. H. Vorce, called in April, 1875, resigned in 1879; J. B. Thrall, called in January, 1880, resigned · in 1884; O. G. McIntire, supplied the pulpit from January 1st, 1885, to April 1st, 1886; Dorrall Lee, called October 1st, 1886, the present pas- tor of the church.

The church, during its history, has sent out the following minis- ters: Reverends Amos Bassett, D.D., Daniel Thompson, Charles Nichols, Isaac Jennings, Daniel S. Dickinson, Archibald Bassett, John L. Tom- linson, Truman Coe, Wales Coe, William E. Bassett, George F. Prentiss.

The Birmingham Congregational church was formally recognized by a council called for that purpose, February 25th, 1846. The con- stituent members were mainly the 60 persons who had withdrawn from the First Derby church, January 4th, 1846, and who had organ- ized with the above name February 13th, 1846. The Congregational or Ecclesiastical society had been formed the previous year, when the following persons thus associated themselves July 30th, 1845: David Bassett, George WV. Shelton, Josiah Smith, 2d, Asa Bassett, G. Smith, David Nathans. F. T. Frost, Edward Kirby, Samuel P. Tomlinson and Ephraim Birdseye. The latter was the first clerk and treasurer of the society and the three first named its first committee.

The same year the society began the erection of a church on the lot donated by Anson G. Phelps, on the west side of the green. It originally cost about 86,000 and was dedicated January 28th, 1846, Reverend Joel Parker, D.D., of New York, preaching the sermon. In the summer of 1859 the building was extended in the rear 17 feet and otherwise improved at a cost of $2,500. In 1871 the interior of the church was changed, and since that time repairs and improvements

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have made the church quite comfortable. The parsonage was built in 1866.

On the 9th of March, 1846, Reverend E. W. Cook became the first minister of the church, serving for six months. But Reverend Charles Dickinson was installed as the first pastor in September, 1846, and served until his death in 1854.

Reverend Zachary Eddy was next installed, December 19th, 1855, and at his own request was dismissed February 11th, 1858. The pul- pit was now supplied about three years, but February 13th, 1861, Rev- erend C. C. Carpenter was ordained to the pastorate, in which he served until his resignation, June 27th, 1865. After an interval of more than a year, Reverend Stephen S. Mershon was installed pastor, and at his own request was relieved March 17th, 1869. Again there was a va- ·cancy of several years, Reverend John Willard acting pastor, when Reverend Charles F. Bradley was inducted to the pastoral office De- cember 30th, 1873, in which he continued until January 25th, 1885. The services of Reverend Charles Ware Park, the present pastor, be- gan April 1st, 1885. He was ordained to the ministry in 1870 and has here served very acceptably. In 1890 the parish contained 160 fam- ilies and the members numbered 225. Connected with the church is a Sunday school of nearly 200 members, whose first superintendent, George W. Shelton, was appointed February 13th, 1846. This position was held in 1890 by D. H. Bacon.

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History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 49

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.) Publication date: 1892 Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Rockey, J. L. (John L.)
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: New York : W. W. Preston
Number of Pages: 1138