History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 78

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 78
USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II > Part 78

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).

In 1689 the planters of Mattatuck extended a call to Reverend Jeremiah Peck, at that time settled over the Greenwich church. He was a man of learning and experience, which would make him a de-

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sirable member of their community, and they not only offered him the generous allotments provided, but also held out inducements to members of his family, giving them lands and other privileges. Aside from this his salary was to be £60 per year, £50 to be paid in provi- sions and the balance, £10, in wood. He accepted the call, and the same year or early the next became the first settled minister in Water- bury. He continued his official duties until disabled by apoplexy, from the effects of which he died not long after, June 7th, 1699, aged 77 years. According to Cotton Mather, Jeremiah Peck had graduated from Harvard some time about 1653. After this he was the master of the colony school at New Haven, later was the pastor of the church at Saybrook, removed thence to New Jersey, and from that state to Greenwich. His son, Jeremiah, who came with him to Water- bury, was one of the pioneer schoolmasters of this town.

About a year after the settlement of Mr. Peck, a movement was made to organize the inhabitants of the town who were religiously inclined, into a church. Accordingly in May, 1691, the general court was petitioned for the desired liberty, which was granted, and on the 26th of August, 1691, the present First Congregational Church was duly formed. At the same time Mr. Peck was installed as the pastor.

At this time the members were few and poor, so that it required much self-denial to carry on the work they had assumed. In all the town there were but 30 families, and all the male members of the church were embraced in the seven required, after the manner of those times, to act as "pillars." Even as late as 1705 there were only twelve male members. Among them, undoubtedly, were: Thomas Judd, Sr., Isaac Bronson, John Stanley, Obadiah Richards, Abraham Andruss, Joseph Gaylord, Thomas Judd, Jr., Benjamin Barnes and probably John Hopkins and Thomas Judd, son of William, who had, with a few exceptions, belonged to the church at Far- mington.

The first place of worship was probably the house of Mr. Peck, which had been built for him before he came to Waterbury. A small meeting house was begun in 1694, which was occupied before it was completed. There were no glazed windows until 1716, when the town voted £15 to complete the house, and in the condition it was then placed it was used until 1729. It stood on the east side of the green, near where is now the public fountain.

In the latter part of 1699 Mr. John Southmayd, of Middletown, was called as the successor of Mr. Peck. Owing to the financial straits of the settlers from their losses by floods and the expense to which they had been put to protect themselves against Indian attack, he was not installed until June 20th, 1705. Mr. Southmayd had grad- uated from Harvard in 1697. After serving here 40 years he was dismissed at his own request, in 1739, but remained a resident of

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the town until his death, November 14th, 1755, in the 80th year of his age. At this time he was reputed to be the wealthiest man in the town. His son, Daniel, who died in 1754, was one of the most brilliant young men the town ever produced. After graduating from Yale College he became a business man at Waterbury, where he was so universally beloved that his death cast a gloom over the entire community. Mr. Leavenworth preached an eloquent funeral sermon, in which he spoke of him as "the pride of Waterbury." In the pastorate of Mr. Southmayd the second meeting house was built, from 1727 to 1729. This house was 50 by 40 feet, and as the entire population of the town was only 300 souls, much effort was required to complete it. In 1730 a gallery was added. This house was used about 65 years,

Until the latter part of 1738 the town managed the temporalities of the church, which, having the support of all the inhabitants, was now quite prosperous. The division of the broad area of the town's ter- ritory into other parishes soon after began, and as the First church from time to time furnished most of the members for the organiza- tion of these new churches, it naturally remained weak many years. The ecclesiastical society of the First church held its first meeting November 16th, 1738. The other churches formed within the limits of the ancient parish, and with material or membership contributed by it were as follows: Westbury (Watertown), 1739; Northbury (Ply- mouth), 1740; Oxford (in part), 1745; Wolcott (in part), 1773; Salem (Naugatuck), 1781; Middlebury (in part), 1796; Prospect (in part), 1798; Terryville (in part), 1838; Waterbury, Second, 1852.

In addition, there were formed within the parish limits in the city, besides the above Congregational bodies in the old town, the Episcopal church, in 1742; the Baptist church, in 1803; and the Methodist church soon after. Since its last generous offering to the Second Waterbury church the growth of the First society has been remarkably steadfast. It now has about 400 members.

The third minister was the Reverend Mark Leavenworth. He was the sixth child of Deacon Thomas Leavenworth, of Stratford, and was born on the Housatonic, about two miles north of the village of Shel- ton. He graduated from Yale in 1737, and was ordained at Waterbury in 1740. He died as the pastor of the church, August 20th, 1797, aged 86 years, but his last public official act was in his 84th year, when, in 1795, he laid the corner stone for the third meeting house. In the same year Reverend Edward Porter was installed as a colleague pastor, and was dismissed by the church January 10th, 1798. At the time Mr. Leaven- worth began his pastorate this parish shared with other localities a fear that the Church of England would absorb its minister. Hence, he was required to give bonds to the amount of £500, forfeitable "if he should within 20 years become a 'Churchman, or by immorality or heresy render himself unfit for a Gospel minister, to be decided by a

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Council." He remained faithful to his church, but attached himself to the progressive elements of it, thus making himself subject to ec- clesiastical censure as a " new light."

Near the close of Mr. Leavenworth's pastorate the third meeting house was built on the east side of the green, a little north of the old one. It was occupied in 1796, and was erected for the society by Will- iam Leavenworth, for the sum of £850. It was 42 by 60 feet, and had a steeple in which was placed the first church bell in the town. A new steeple was built in 1811, and a new bell was placed in it in 1813. In 1825 J. M. L. Scovill removed the house to the site now occupied by the Second Congregational church. After being used about 15 more years it was sold and removed to a lot in the rear of the old one, where some time after 1840 it was fitted up as Gothic Hall-a place for gen- eral meetings and public gatherings. It is still (1892) standing, and is now one of the oldest buildings in the city.

A fourth church edifice was erected in 1840 on a beautiful site, north of the center of the green, where now stands the fifth house-a very handsome and commodious structure, whose corner stone was laid in 1873. The auditorium of this building was dedicated March 25th, 1875. It has 1,000 sittings, and its appointments are elegant and comfortable. In the rear of the main edifice are a spacious chapel and other rooms for the use of the parish. All the buildings are of brick, trimmed with sandstone, in the Gothic style of architecture.

Since the death of Mr. Leavenworth the ministers of the First Church have been the following:

Reverend Holland Weeks, ordained November 20th, 1799, dis- missed December 10th, 1806, for want of support. He was an able man, but there was a low ebb in the affairs of the church, which pre- vented the proper support of a pastor. There was no settled minister for two years, when Luke Wood was ordained November 30th, 1808, and assumed the pastorate, which relation was sustained until Novem- ber 19th, 1817. Most of the time he was in poor health and, in 1816, his place was filled by Reverend Nettleton, an evangelist of unusual power. A great revival attended his labors and up to June, 1817, more than 100 persons were added to the church. The pulpit was now supplied several years, after which the successive pastors were: Rev- erend Daniel Crane, installed July 3d, 1821, dismissed April 25th, 1825; Joel R. Arnold, installed January 26th, 1831, dismissed June 7th, 1836; Henry N. Day, ordained November 8th, 1836, dismissed October 13th, 1810; David Root, installed July 7th, 1841, dismissed in 1844; Henry B. Elliott, installed December 10th, 1845, dismissed April, 1851; W. W. Woodworth, installed September 29th, 1852, served until 1858; George Bushnell, from 1859 until 1864.

The ministry of the present efficient pastor, Reverend Joseph An- derson, D. D., began here February 12th, 1865, and has been among the longest, as well as one of the most successful, in the history of the

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church. He was born in the Highlands of Scotland December 16th, 1836, and was the only child in his father's family. When six years old he came with his parents to America, living with them in various parts of the state of New York. At the opening of the College of the City of New York he entered that institution, from which he gradu- ated as the valedictorian in 1856. He at once entered the Union The- ological Seminary, in the same city. He was ordained in 1858 by the Third Presbytery of New York, after having been elected pastor of First Congregational church of Stamford. In April, 1861, he was called to the pastorate of the First Congregational church in Norwalk, and during his ministry there he visited his native land and spent sev- eral months in England.

In 1878 Doctor Anderson received the degree of S. T. D. from Yale College and in 1884 was elected a member of the corporation of the university, being the only graduate of another college than Yale who is now a "fellow" of that institution. He has a ripe scholarship and is a member of many learned societies, and has contributed valuable pa- pers upon various subjects. His contributions to the newspaper press have also been numerous. A large number of his books and pam- phlets have been published, a list of titles alone filling three pages of the catalogue of the American Historical Association.

Doctor Anderson has become recognized as one of the leading champions of broad culture in the Congregational ministry and has been much honored in various eclesiastical bodies of which he was a member. He was twice the moderator of the General Association of Connecticut and once moderator of the General Conference. In August, 1891, he was one of the American delegates to the interna- tional council of Congregational churches, held in London. In the summer of this year he also made a European continental tour.

Thomas Judd was chosen a deacon when the church was organized and was the only one in that office more than 30 years. He died Jan- uary 4th, 1747, at the age of 79 years, after having served the town in many civil capacities and also as the captain of its militia. Thirty- seven more deacons were ordained and served as follows:

Thomas Hickox, 1726-8; Thomas Clark, 1728-65; Joseph Lewis, 1738-49; Thomas Bronson, 1750-77; Thomas Bronson, Jr., 1756-9; An- drew Bronson, 1795 -; Joseph Hopkins, 1795- -; Stephen Bronson, 1797-1809; Daniel Bronson, 1801-24; Joseph Bartholomew, 1801-4; Gid- eon Platt, 1809-18; Stephen Hotchkiss, 1809 -: Lemuel Porter, 1811- 18; Elijah Hotchkiss, 1818-33; James Brown, 1818-48; Daniel Upson, 1818-32; Aaron Benedict, 1832-73; Horace Hotchkiss, 1832-8; Bennett Bronson, 1838-43; Nelson Hall, 1846-52; Preserve W. Carter, 1849-60; Josiah A. Blake, 1852-7; Edward L. Bronson, 1857-90; Robert Crane, M. D., 1859 61; John M. Stocking, 1859-73; Jonathan R. Crampton, 1867-74; Gershom C. H. Gilbert, M. D., 1867-71; Anson G. Stocking, 1873-80; Eben Hoadley, 1873-92; George WV. Beach, 1873-92; William

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H. Bush, 1883-92; Silas B. Terry, 1883-9; Edward O. Hovey, Ph. D., 1889-92: Alexander C. Mintie, 1890-2.

The First church has produced many ministers, some of whom at- tained eminent places in their profession, and one, Samuel Hopkins, D. D., became one of the most celebrated divines in his time of life. He was a son of Timothy Hopkins, Esq., who lived where is now the southeast corner of Main and Brooks streets, and was born September 17th, 1721. Twenty years later he graduated from Yale, and soon after commenced to study theology under Jonathan Edwards. In May, 1742, he was licensed to preach, and was ordained as pastor of the Great Barrington, Mass., church December 28th, 1743. He became not only a forcible preacher and expounder of the Gospel, but also at- tained distinction as an author. He lived last at Newport, R. I., where he died December 20th, 1803.

The bi-centennial of the First church was appropriately celebrated at Waterbury November 4th and 5th, 1891. Interesting exercises and attendance of delegates from the churches formed out of the First parish, who also participated, made the occasion memorable. At this time a memorial hymn, composed by Reverend Joseph Anderson, D. D., was sung.

The Sunday school of the church has long been noted for its use- fulness, and the many other auxiliaries of the parish are not only pros- perous in their own spheres, but exert a beneficial influence upon this community.

The Second Congregational Church of Waterbury was organized April 4th, 1852, with 50 members, who had been dismissed from the First church to form this society, there being a feeling that two churches were needed to accommodate the increasing population of the town. This opinion was well sustained by the success which at- tended the new church, without apparently crippling the usefulness of the old old one. In 1857 the church had 170 members. In 1891 there were 825 members.

On the 19th of May, 1852, Reverend S. W. Magill, D. D., was in- stalled as the first pastor, and remained until November 29th, 1864, when Reverend Elisha Whittlesey became his successor. The latter's pastorate was terminated July 7th, 1870, when he was dismissed. Rev- erend E. G. Beckwith, D. D., was installed as the third pastor July 12th, 1871, and was dismissed May 23d, 1881. The present pastor, Reverend John G. Davenport, was installed November 9th, 1881, and since May, 1890, he has been assisted by Reverend A. C. Baker.

The first deacons of the church, Nelson Hall and Charles Bene- dict, were ordained April 9th, 1852. Subsequently deacons were or- dained: E. W. Keeler and George W. Cooke, in 1855; D. H. Maltby* and E. A. Lum, in 1869; Homer W. Keeler,* John Woodward, Jona- than Highmore and Augustus M. Blakesley,* in 1878; L. S. Davis*

* Serving as deacons in 1891.

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and W. P. Abernethy, in 1882; Franklin Warren and Stephen W. Kellogg,* in 1887.

The first church edifice was completed in April, 1855, and afforded accommodations for 1,000 people. Originally its steeple was the tall- est in the state, but in February, 1857, a severe storm blew it down and damaged the church walls. The house was properly repaired, but the steeple was not rebuilt, and the edifice has, in consequence. ever since had an unfinished appearance. A chapel was afterward built in the rear of this house. Although so spacious, larger accommodations are required, and a new church edifice will soon be built on the south- west corner of West Main and Holmes street, for which $12,000 has been paid. All the church auxiliaries are prosperous, and large Sun- day schools are maintained in the church and at Oakdale.

Among the early settlers were several Churchmen, but for many years they were content to pay the rates imposed for the support of the established church and to worship in the meeting house provided for that body. It was not until 1737 that the half dozen families in- clined to Episcopacy had services in accordance with the usages of the Church of England. In that year they were visited by Jonathan Arnold, a missionary of the London Society, who preached in Water- bury and baptized two infants. Other missionaries from the same society followed, and the Churchmen increased in numbers. In 1742 they applied to the town for permission to build their own church, and asked for a share of the public funds. They received a grant of £12, and were given the desired liberty, provided they would set their house on lands purchased from one of the settlers, and not place it on public grounds. The town was less generous in 1744, when it refused to grant them parish privileges, as it was opposed to the division into different societies.

Many of the adherents of the Church of England, at that time in Waterbury, were such as had left the Congregational church on account of the agitation consequent upon the discussion of the doctrines of the " old lights " and the "new lights." There was a heated controversy, and but little charity was exercised toward those who dissented from old usages. Even the minister, Reverend Mark Leavenworth, was not exempt from unjust aspersions. He was a man of liberal views, and his ideas of justice were clearly defined. They would not permit him to use the rates levied upon the Churchmen for his support, and his convictions also led him to become a "new light." In conse- quence of this profession he was censured and suspended from the "Consociated Communion." Thus strengthened by these local cir- cumstances, the Episcopalians commenced the work of building their church. The house was set on the corner of West Main and North Willow streets, but it was not completed until 1747. It had galleries above and pews below, and was used until 1795, as St. James' church.

* Serving as deacon in 1891.

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Soon after it was occupied a regular minister was secured. In 1749 Reverend Richard Mansfield, who had just returned from England, where he had gone to take holy orders, was, as missionary of the Lon- don Society, placed over the churches at West Haven, Derby and Waterbury, to each of which he ministered one-third of the time. He was an active and faithful servant, and the church was fully established and flourished under his ministry. In 1758 Waterbury was reported as a separate mission, and the minister was the Reverend James Scovill.

The troublous times of the revolution soon after came on and alienated the fraternal feelings which had existed between the two societies at Waterbury and interrupted the prosperity of St. James' church. Many Churchmen were patriots, but others, mainly on account of their loyalty to the London Society, which provided them spiritual comforts, adhered to the British crown. The numerical strength of the two societies was about the same, and in order to prevent a clash- ing of interests the town voted, in 1775, to establish two school dis- tricts, one for the Presbyterians and the other for the Church of Eng- land. This preserved for a time the amicable relations, but later oc- curred acts of violence in which the property of the Churchmen was made to suffer. Interest in church work was now abated, but was re- vived after the war. In October, 1786, the Episcopal bishop visited Waterbury and confirmed a large number of persons.

A new church edifice was begun in 1795, and was consecrated No- vember 1st, 1797, by Bishop Jarvis, as St. John's church. This house was used until 1847, when it was sold to the Catholics, who moved it to East Main street, where, on the site of St. Patrick's Hall, it served as their first church and stood many years. Meantime the Episco- palians had increased in numbers and wealth, and a fine new church edifice was built in 1846-7 on a more central site west of the green. It was of stone, and at that time ranked as one of the finest churches in the state. On the 12th of January, 1848, this second St. John's church was properly dedicated. It was, however, doomed to misfortune. A storm in February, 1857, blew down the steeple, and on the 24th of December, 1868, it was destroyed by fire. The loss was heavy, but the parish was not discouraged. A temporary chapel was provided on State and West Main streets, and the work of rebuilding St. John's church on the same foundations was begun in 1870. This edifice was consecrated June 24th, 1873. It is a handsome building, in the English Gothic style, of Quincy and Westerly granite, trimmed with Ohio free- stone. A fine stone tower relieves the building and contains a chime of bells. The interior of the church is very commodious and hand- somely finished. A fine chapel was added to the rear of the main edifice. In 1890 a two-story parish house was built on the same lot. It is of brick, trimmed with sandstone. Another chapel in the parish

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has been built at Waterville. On a lot southeast of St. John's a roomy and attractive new rectory was built in 1885.

The parish when created had very generous bounds. These have been curtailed by the formation of new parishes in the adjoining towns, and by the creation of Trinity parish in Waterbury. The en- tire beginning of the latter was within this church. Nevertheless, St. John's still has in its own parish more than 400 families and nearly 700 registered communicants. It yearly raises nearly $10,000 for all purposes of church work, and maintains an excellent Sunday school, which has 450 members.

From 1805 to 1814 Reverend Virgil H. Barber was the rector of St. John's. Later Reverend Allen C. Morgan filled that position, re- signing in 1836 to become the principal of the Episcopal Academy of Connecticut. Then came as the rector the beloved Reverend Jacob L. Clark, whose service of more than 40 years developed the present fine condition of the parish. In the latter years of his service he was assisted by other ministers, among them being Reverends Francis T. Russell, M. K. Bailey and Joel F. Bingham. The latter succeeded Doctor Clark as rector, and served the parish until 1880. From 1881 to 1883 Reverend R. R. Converse was the rector, and since 1884 Rev- erend Edmund Rowland, D. D., has ably presided over the affairs of the parish.

.Scovill M. Buckingham was senior warden of the church many years until his death in April, 1889, when Nelson J. Welton, who had long been junior warden, was advanced to that office, the latter's place being filled by E. R. Lampson. The parish has had a number of lib- eral patrons: Oliver Welton, Samuel W. Hall and others being grate- fully remembered in that connection.

Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church is a young but very prosper- ous body. The meeting to form a new parish was held April 4th, 1877, and on May 22d following the organization was legally effected by electing Edward T. Root, clerk; R. E. Hitchcock, senior warden; and John W. Smith, junior warden. At this meeting it was also voted that the sittings in the church should be free to all. A house of worship on Grand street, which had formerly been used by a society of Uni- versalists, was leased for five years and refitted at an outlay of $3,000, and in it the first services were held, May 27th, 1877. Until a regular minister could be secured, Reverend Francis T. Russell was requested to take charge of the parish. On the 15th of July, 1877, Reverend Richard W. Micou, of Kitanning, Pa., was called to the rectorship, and accepted. His devoted service since that time has greatly built up the parish. In 1890 it contained 440 families and about 1,700 individual members. There were 465 registered communicants.

On the 27th of December, 1881, the parish voted to build a church on a lot bought on Prospect street, near the north side of the green. A week later a building committee, composed of R. E. Hitchcock, E. D.

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Steele, E. C. Lewis, E. L. Frisbie and the rector, was appointed, and under their direction the handsome edifice now occupied was erected. The foundation was laid in the fall of 1882 and the corner stone was placed in position May 21st, 1883. The following year the church was com- pleted, and the first service in it was held May 18th, 1884. The entire cost of the property-site, building and furniture-was $71,829. Generous amounts were contributed by many friends, and several memorial funds were also available to defray this cost. On the death of Samuel W. Hall, March 5th, 1877, he left a fund of $15,000, to be used in a memorial to his wife, Nancy M. Hall, which was thus ap- plied, as was also the gift of $10,000 by Gordon W. Burnham, in mem- ory of Mrs. Burnham. In 1886 the parish was freed from all debt, and May 27th, 1887, the church was formally consecrated. It has 600 sit- tings, and few churches in the county surpass it in beauty and comfort.

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History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume II, Part 78

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