USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Wethersfield > History of Saint Mark's Church, New Britain, Conn., and of its predecessor Christ Church, Wethersfield and Berlin : from the first Church of England service in America to nineteen hundred and seven > Part 18
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Berlin > History of Saint Mark's Church, New Britain, Conn., and of its predecessor Christ Church, Wethersfield and Berlin : from the first Church of England service in America to nineteen hundred and seven > Part 18
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > New Britain > History of Saint Mark's Church, New Britain, Conn., and of its predecessor Christ Church, Wethersfield and Berlin : from the first Church of England service in America to nineteen hundred and seven > Part 18
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
A meeting, called a convention, of such parishes as have been organized "by the Divine blessing on the pious zeal and active exertions of the Rev. Roger Searle, Rector of St. Peter's Church, Plymouth, Conn.," was held at the house of Solomon Griswold, Windsor, Ashtabula County, Ohio, April 2, 1817. Prayers were read by the Rev. Philander Chase and a sermon was preached by the Rev. Roger Searle. Here was arranged the plan for the Preliminary Convention to meet at Columbus, Jan. 5, 1818, for the formation of a Diocese and to arrange for the election of a Bishop. The meeting at Windsor unanimously passed the following resolution :-
That "It is our ardent desire to be known and respected in the General Convention of the P. E. C. to meet in the month of May next, in the city of New York, and that the Rev. Roger Searle, Rector of St. Peter's Church, Plymouth, State of Con- necticut, who under God has been so usefully instrumental in our formation, be and is hereby appointed and authorized to represent us, and to solicit from that right reverend and honor- able body, the fostering care and assistance which we greatly need."
213
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
Mr. Searle was also requested by this meeting to give the Convention "a statistical account of the parishes lately formed on the Reserve."
It was also resolved "That the Rev. Philander Chase, now present, most respectfully present to the Rev. Roger Searle, the thanks of this convention, for his pious and active exertions in establishing and promoting the welfare of our Primitive Church in this Western Country, and that he assure him of our affectionate regard and our ardent prayers for his temporal and eternal welfare."
The Journal of this first Preliminary Convention is in the handwriting of the Rev. Roger Searle, who was President of the Convention. [Bishop Perry's History of the Church.]
The General Convention of the Church in America was held at New York, May 20 to 27, inclusive, 1817, and Rev. Roger Searle was present as Deputy from Connecticut. One of the reasons he had given for his trip to Ohio was that he might study the needs of this missionary field "and report the same to the governing body of the Church." [The Church Cyclo- paedia under Ohio.] He reported a list of nineteen different parishes in Ohio, and he might have added that there was not at that time a single clergyman in full orders residing there, although Rev. James Kilbourne, Deacon, of Worthington had resided there for fourteen years, and two others, Mr. Chase and Mr. Searle, were about to establish their residence there. A motion was made for a Diocese to include for the present the Western Country. The House of Bishops recommended the organization of conventions according to States, and added "this Convention have received with much satisfac- tion, information of the measures which have been already adopted in the State of Ohio, for the organization of the Church in that State." The House of Bishops also recom- mended the authorities of the Church in "each State respec- tively to adopt measures for sending Missionaries to our destitute brethren in Western States."
But in his zeal for Ohio Mr. Searle did not forget the instruc- tions of the Convention in Connecticut, to solicit a resolution "recognizing some specific edition of the Old and New Testa- ment, to be considered as the authentic version or standard."
214
THE CHURCH
The Connecticut delegation placed the matter in Mr. Searle's hands and he presented such a resolution May 27, which was referred to the House of Bishops, who carried it over to the General Convention of 1820, and then reported that by reason of the patent "privileges enjoyed in England for the printing of the Bible, and the heavy fines which may be inflicted on the patentees for a falsifying of the text, the English editions may, in general be depended on." [Other facts concerning this matter are given in the history of "The Church in Connecti- cut."] At that Convention the canon was adopted which pro- vides for the appointment of a person or persons in each Diocese to compare all Bibles with the approved edition. Mr. Searle was honored by being placed on the committee "to enquire into the expediency of an additional number of hymns." During the year 1817, he also had the honorary degree of A.M. conferred on him by Middlebury College, of Middlebury, Vt.
At the adjournment of the Convention, Mr. Searle returned to his home in Plymouth and arranged for his removal to Ohio. Mr. Frank Farnsworth Starr of Middletown, Conn., has kindly given us access to a file of Mr. Searle's letters. In a letter dated Plymouth, Aug. 4, 1817, to his wife's nephew, Mr. Nathan Starr of Middletown, Conn., Mr. Searle says, "Having had much conversation with the good people of my parish on the subject, a special meeting was warned, and held last Wednesday, in which was read my communication resigning my rela- tionship of this parish, and asking their acceptance of the same to take effect on the 16th. day of Sept. next."
"Thus a dissolution of my pastoral connection is effected in the most friendly and amicable manner. And by the most rapid disposition of all my concerns, consistently with system and safety if it please God, I intend to be on the road with my loved family for Chillicothe, at the fartherest by the first of October." He officiated at St. Peter's, Plymouth, Conn., for the last time Aug. 31, and at St. Matthew's, Sept. 7, 1817. He started for Ohio with his family about the 20th of Sept. with letters of dismission, credence and recommendation, from the Standing Committee of this Diocese, and located at Medina, as the center of the extensive field in which he determined to labor. At the second Preliminary Convention at Columbus,
215
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
Jan. 5, 1818, "The two missionary priests, Messrs. Searle and Chase, the only clergymen in full orders resident in the State, were present, and representatives from eight parishes." The formal Convention met at Worthington, Ohio, June 3 to 5, 1818, and by the votes of three clergymen, the Rev. Messrs. Roger Searle, Samuel Johnson priests, and James Kilbourne, deacon, together with the suffrages of ten parishes, the Rev. Philander Chase was elected Bishop.
In another letter to his nephew Starr, of Middletown, Conn., dated Canfield, Ohio, May 27, 1818, Mr. Searle writes: "My family are growing very happy in this country. .
. . My services are vastly extensive and laborious, my salary is cal- culated at 1000 per annum, but hardly a dollar in circulation, nor has there been since we reached this country." His note book records receiving at one place 3 gallons of whiskey, and a hand twist of tobacco towards his salary. In addition to his clerical labors he was something of a farmer and cattle raiser, as is shown by his note book and by the record at Medina under date of July 10, 1820, of the ear mark for his cattle. The dif- ficulty of travel in the early days is shown by minute directions which he wrote Oct. 16, 1818, for his son "for finding the best road from Medina to Canfield." He calls particular attention to one blind place in the forest where there is no house from four to six miles from the Franklin Mills, and adds "It was here I was lost in March and in December 1817."
Bishop Chase says that Mr. Searle "was fixed in the northern part of the diocese, embracing a circumference of more than a hundred miles." At one time he had Ashtabula, Boardman, Canfield, Cleveland, Columbia, Jefferson, Liverpool, Ravenna, Rome and Medina, to minister to. According to Swords' "Almanac" he was also Rector of Trinity Church, Brooklyn, 1821 to 1826, with the addition in 1825 of Christ Church, Wind- sor. The Protestant Episcopal Missionary Society within and for the Diocese of Ohio is reported in Swords' "Almanac" for 1822, with Roger Searle Vice President and Chairman of the Board of Managers, which office Mr. Searle held until his death. With such multitudinous duties it is not strange that there should have been some little dissatisfaction and complaint of inatten- tion. There was also at one time some slight friction between
216
THE CHURCH
him and Bishop Chase. In his "Reminiscences," Bishop Chase says that Messrs. Searle and Hall alone refused to put their names to the paper of commendation drawn up to be signed by the clergy of Ohio, preparatory to the Bishop's departure for England to raise funds for the building of Ken- yon College. Just at this time the Bishop was called upon to settle some difficulties between Mr. Searle and the people of Medina, which the Bishop readily composed, after which Mr. Searle thought it his duty to sign the paper and Mr. Hall fol- lowed his example. The Rev. John Hall was brought into the Church through Mr. Searle. Later the Bishop and Mr. Searle were excellent friends and he was taken into the Bishop's confi- dence regarding the organization of Kenyon College. The Methodists and Congregationalists had followed the Episcopa- lians to Medina and when it was reported that "a split was among the Episcopals," a wag of the day said "The devil has come to Medina, gotten the Episcopals by the ears, forced the Methodists to special prayer meetin', while the Congregation- alists look on and sing :-
'Sweet is the work, my God and King !' "
The Church however still prospered and when Mr. Searle resigned the charge of St. Paul's Parish in 1824, the people of Medina requested him to keep an oversight of the Church there. which he did for nearly a year. He removed from Medina to Ashtabula, where he remained till his death. In the Bishop's address to the Convention in June, 1826, he says, "The Rev. Mr. Searle has been for the greater part of the year absent from the diocese, I am told for the recovery of his health." In the fall of 1825, we find him writing letters to his nephew Starr, from Albany, Rochester and Buffalo, N. Y. The letter from Rochester, dated Sept. 7, shows that he was on his way to Mid- dletown, Conn., the former home of his wife, to bring his family "for a visit to our native part of the states," where he says he will visit Middletown "before visiting my aged mother and sisters." He was a great letter writer. In 1800 he wrote to Lorenzo Dow, who was then at Dublin, Ireland. The Church at Ashtabula have a large number of his letters, a num- ber of his letters are in the Bishop Hobart papers and besides the letters to Middletown from which we have quoted, other
217
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
letters of his are with the Secretary of the Commission of the Diocese of Connecticut for the preservation of ancient docu- ments.
There was one thing Mr. Searle did not know how to do. He could not rest. The little relaxation he received from a journey through New York and Connecticut came too late. He was worn out, the inevitable came, and his labor in estab- lishing "a witness of the Gospel" was at an end. Brief notices of his death appear in the "Connecticut Observer," the "Gos- pel Advocate" for December, in the "Church Register" for September, and the Ashtabula "Journal" and "Churchman's Magazine," (Middletown, Conn.) for November, 1826, the latter being reprinted in the "Christian Journal" for Novem- ber, while a further notice of him in that paper appeared in January, 1827. After seven days of painful sickness he died at Ashtabula in the house of his friend, the Rev. John Hall, herein before referred to, and was buried with Masonic honors. A large number of clerical brethren were present at his funeral. Few clergymen of the Church below the order of Bishop were more extensively known and respected, not only in the Diocese of Ohio, but by the clergy and laity in various States.
His widow was left to struggle with her legal thirds in the log cabin and land where they had lived. One of his daughters in a letter to Mr. Starr, July 9, 1830, says: "Since my father's death our family has been very much broken up. It would be impossible for you without experience to know all the trials and fatigues which he endured and after all, yes dear cousin, even his life a sacrifice."
"If people where my father labored and toiled had paid him his just and reasonable dues, the widow and fatherless would have been comfortable."
The widow is buried at Ogdensburg, N. Y., where a memorial stone marks her grave. About twenty years ago, when a new church was built at Medina, a memorial window to Mr. Searle was placed in it by contributions from the people. The year- book of Trinity Cathedral Parish, Cleveland, Ohio, 1899-1900, pays a tribute to Mr. Searle their founder, who made that parish the object of his watchful care, visiting it almost every year for nine years. He is again mentioned in the year-book
218
THE CHURCH
for 1901-1902. The Rev. Francis E. McManus in a recent letter says, "God blessed his labors and those Ohio Churches which he established are monuments to his indefatigable labors." The "Churchman's Magazine" says, "For several years his labors were arduous and his privations great. He was amiable and affectionate in his disposition. The remem- brance of his good qualities will be long cherished in the domes- tic circle. He closed a life of much vicissitude at the place where he first preached after he crossed the Alleghany, and among the friends who first embraced him on his mission to the west."
Bishop Chase says, "God's blessing, evident upon the minis- tration of the pious and zealous pastor of his flock in Ashta- bula, leaves no room for human commendation. If such were multiplied, the Church would flourish even in the woods."
219
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES
OF ALL PERSONS WHOSE NAMES APPEAR OF RECORD, AND A FEW WHO ARE OTHERWISE SHOWN TO HAVE BEEN CONNECTED WITH CHRIST CHURCH
As our only record of Christ Church is that of the parish meetings, it is evident that these notices do not include all members of the parish. This is shown by the fact that one of the seven founders of the Church does not appear of record, neither is there any mention of the names of two persons who are known to have been officers of the Church. Two of the several persons that withdrew from the Congregational Society of Kensington in favor of Christ Church do not appear of record. The only mention we have of some members is their withdrawal, or the abatement of their taxes, and thus if a per- son was faithful to the end, paid his taxes promptly, and was not appointed to any office or on any committee, we would not have his name. The subscription for the building of the church is a part of the record, and probably some of those whose names appear on this subscription belonged to some other denom- ination. In all cases, the connection of each person with the Church is stated at the beginning of each notice, so that the readers can draw their own conclusions as to whether or not any particular person is identified as an Episcopalian.
Andrews, Arthur. Elected one of the choristers March 25, 1799.
Son of Elizur and Anna (Clark,) Andrews, b. Sept. 15, 1778, at Richmond, Mass .; d. at Bridgeport Centre, Mich., Aug. 19, 1847; m. Jan. 20, 1805, Mary Ingraham of Wethersfield. Was a carpenter and joiner by trade. Like his father, had con- siderable musical talent and was at one time leader of the sing- ing at the Congregational Church at Newington. He was a magistrate, a deacon, and an ardent temperance man. Lived first at Newington, then in Hartford and Springfield for a time, and finally removed to Michigan.
220
THE CHURCH
Andrews, Elisha. His rate bill abated May 30, 1803.
Son of Joseph, Jr., and Asenath (Whaples,) Andrews, b. Oct. II, 1773, at Newington ; d. March 4, 1810, at Berlin; m. Mary Wolcott of Newington. His widow m. March 9, 1812, Warner Dunham.
Andrews, Elizur. Subscribed $20.00 for building the church. Elected chorister March 25, 1799, April 15, 1803 and May 22, 1840. Clerk pro tem. Dec. 16, 1799. Committee to settle build- ing account Jan. 8, 1800. Rate bill of 1804 abated April 15, 1805. Acknowledged service of call for the meeting of July IO, 1826.
Son of Benajah and Anne (Clark,) Andrews, b. Dec. 13, 1747, at Newington; d. Dec. 4, 1829; m. November, 1769, his cousin Anna Clark, b. Jan. 26, 1755, at Woodbury, Conn., d. Feb. 16, 1836. She was admitted to the Congregational Church, Newington, 1804. He was a carpenter and joiner. Committee to consider school petition in 1782 and to procure materials for building the Congregational meeting-house at Newington, April 27, 1795. Sold his homestead in 1802 to Uzziel Lattimer.
Atkins, Hezekiah. Subscribed $5.00 for building the church.
Son of Benjamin and Hannah (Watts,) Atkins, b. May 16, 1765; m. 1783, Judith, daughter of Elisha Lewis, b. Aug. 22, 1765. Lived in New Britain near the Luther Mills at Clayton, and sold land there to Joseph Churchill, April 4, 1799.
Barnes, Blakesley. Withdrew Oct. 18, 1809, to join the "Presbyterians" in Worthington.
Son of Moses and Phebe (Blakesley,) Barnes of Walling- ford, b. 1781 ; d. Aug. 1, 1823, gravestone in North cemetery, Berlin; m. Aug. II, 1807, Almira, daughter of Samuel and Mindwell (Griswold,) Porter, b. March 2, 1786, d. 1835. From a poor boy without a penny he became a man of wealth. Had a tin shop and a store in Berlin. Was a mem- ber of Harmony Lodge of Masons. Estate probated at Middle- town, 1825, when $34,701.66 was distributed to his heirs.
Barnes, William. His rate abated April 2, 1804; m. Mar- garey Bartlett. Had a child, "Dolly Bartlett," bapt. by Rev.
221
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
Mr. Warren of Middletown, Jan. 17, 1801, probably at Christ Church, Worthington. He lived at Newington and signed an agreement June 2, 1800, to pay his share per scholar for a summer school at the center there that year.
Beckley, David. Moderator of meeting April 14, 1800. Collector for Worthington June 11, 1800. Business Committee April 6, 1801, and signed Mr. James Kilbourne's recommenda- tion to the Bishop, Dec. 7, 1801 as Societies' committee. His expenses of $5.34 for going to Hartford to induce the Legisla- ture to give permission to hold a lottery for the benefit of the Church was voted paid April 19, 1802.
He was son of David and Hephzibah (Wilcox,) Beckley, b. March 31, 1765; d. Oct. 16, 1822, buried at Beckley Quarter ; m. March 31, 1785, Eunice, daughter of Moses and Martha (Robbins,) Williams, of Rocky Hill. The baptism of his daughters Julia Oct. 6, 1787 and Honour Jan. 20, 1791, is recorded at Christ Church, Middletown. He and his wife were sponsors there at the baptism of six children of Solomon and Martha Bulkley, Oct. 16, 1787, and for another child of same parents, Jan. 20, 1791.
Beckley, Loton. Acknowledged service of call for the meet- ing of July 10, 1826.
He was son of Selah and Caroline (Beckley,) Beckley, b. Nov. 3, 1793; d. Huntington, Ohio, Sept. 25, 1847; m. Oct. 16, 1820, Lucy Kirby, daughter of Seth and Huldah (Rich- ardson,) Beckley, b. Wethersfield, Aug. 28, 1800, d. Ohio, 1875 or 6.
Beckley, Luther. He issued the warrant in the capacity of a Justice of the Peace, and authorized Samuel S. Goodrich to warn all members of the society to attend a meeting July 10, 1826. Opened and organized the meeting and administered the oath of office to the clerk.
He was son of David and Hephzibah (Wilcox,) Beckley, b. Oct. 11, 1778; d. Jan. 11, 1841 ; m. Sarah, daughter of Solo- mon and Olive (Hart,) Flagg, b. Aug. 10, 1785; d. Feb. 21, 1861, age 75. Both buried in Beckley Quarter.
14
-
222
THE CHURCH
Beckley, Moses W. Acknowledged service of the call for the meeting of July 10, 1826.
He was son of David and Eunice (Williams,) Beckley, b. Oct. 7, 1791, at Rocky Hill; d. Sept. 27, 1868, at Southington, Conn .; m. April 4, 1816, Mary, daughter of Robert and Sarah (Hart,) Cornwall, b. July 12, 1798; d. Sept. 7, 1885. He was a member of Harmony Lodge of Masons, kept a tavern in New Britain, corner Middletown turnpike and Shuttle Meadow road. Gave $10.00 towards building the Methodist church.
Beckley, Orrin. Warned by Goodrich to attend the meeting of July 10, 1826.
He was son of Elias and Rachel (Savage,) Beckley, b. 1784; d. March 9, 1846; his estate was probated Dec. 15, 1846; m. Oct. 20, 1805, Julia, daughter of David and Eunice (Williams,) Beckley, bapt. at Middletown, Oct. 16, 1787, d. Oct. 16, 1808. He m. (2), Harriet, daughter Shubael and Sarah (Hart,) Pat- terson, b. Oct. 3, 1788, d. Sept. 11, 1847.
Beckley, Selah. One of the seven founders. Subscribed $40.00 for building the church. Elected clerk, Nov. 13, 1797, June 25, 1798, March 25, 1799 and April 14, 1800. Clerk pro tem. Dec. 2, 1801. Appointed Nov. 26, 1798, Committee to hire Rev. Seth Hart. Oct. 21, 1799, Committee to settle with subscribers to the building fund, and Jan. 8, 1800 to settle the building accounts. Committee on land for a glebe and cemetery April 19, 1802, Committee to apply to the Assembly for a lottery April 8, 1808 and is then called "Captain." Elected one of the choristers March 25, 1799, April 15, 1803 and May 22, 1804. Elected delegate to the Diocesan Conven- tion April 6, 1801, April 19, 1802, May 30, 1803 and April 3, 1809, but 1802 is the only time that he is reported as present in the Journal of Convention. Was moderator of the meeting Dec. 29, 1801 and April 3, 1809. Elected tax collector for Worthington, April 15, 1803. On Dec. 7, 1801 he signed Mr. James Kilbourne's recommendation to the Bishop.
He was son of Elias and Lois (Parsons,) Beckley, b. March 31, 1767; m. Nov. 10, 1787, Caroline, daughter David and Hephzibah (Wilcox,) Beckley, b. Sept. 8, 1768, d. at Stow, O., Oct. 8, 1820. Residence Beckley Quarter, Berlin. Was a
223
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
member of Harmony Lodge of Masons. His daughter Hephzi- bah was baptized at Christ Church, Middletown, Conn., Jan. 20, 1791, and son Noel bapt. same place, Feb. 15, 1792.
Beckley, Sylvester. Tax collector March 30, 1807.
Son of Elias and Lois (Parsons,) Beckley, b. April 14, 1771; d. Dec. 17, 1821, buried at Beckley Quarter; m. at Kennebunk, Me., Hannah, daughter Samuel Moody, b. 1770, d. March 18, 1838. He was a member of Harmony Lodge of Masons. He and his wife were witnesses at the baptism of Mr. John Dun- ham, Oct. 8, 1815. His wife Hannah M. d. March 18, 1838, aged 58.
Belden, Joel. Warned by Goodrich to attend the meeting of July 10, 1826. Lived in New Britain, near the present Town Home. His estate was probated in 1833, when his son Hiram and widow Abigail agreed on the distribution.
Blinn, David. Subscribed $10.00 for building the church. Son of Peter and Martha (Collins,) Blinn, b. Oct. 10, 1735; m. May 13, 1766, Deborah White of Cromwell. He lived at Rocky Hill.
Blinn, Jonathan. Subscribed $20.00 for building the church. Only son of Jonathan and Sarah Blinn, bapt. at Newington, Oct. 3, 1762; d. June 8, 1803; m. Oct. 25, 1789, Honor, daughter Jonathan and Sabre (Andrus,) Stoddard, b. July 16, 1770. She was admitted to the Congregational Church, New- ington, July 2, 1797. He was school committee Newington, Oct. 3, 1796. He probably lived in New Britain before this date, as the baptism of four of his children by Rev. Mr. Smal- ley of New Britain, is recorded in the Congregational Church records of Newington.
Bramann, Paul. His rate abated April 2, 1804.
Churchill, Joseph. Subscribed $15.00 for building the church. His taxes abated March 30, 1807 for the years 1803- 4-5 & 6, and again on April 20, 1807. He died at Newington, April 26, 1812, age 62; m. Sept. 11, 1777, Rhoda, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Dewey,) Goodrich, b. March 25, 1750. She d. Feb. 24, 1817, age 76. He owned the mill at Clayton recently known as the Luther mills.
-
224
THE CHURCH
Coslet, Francis. Subscribed $3.00 for building the church. His rate abated April 2, 1804, and April 20, 1807. He died Dec. 31, 1826, age 77; m. (I), Sept. I, 1784, Rachel Atkins, (2), April 21, 1791, Sarah, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Goodrich,) Smith, b. April 5, 1761, d. Oct. 8, 1838. He was a British soldier, taken prisoner with John Watson, (in the capture of Burgoyne,) while in the act of firing at their captors. He was a shoemaker. He joined the Congregational Church at Newington, May 3, 1801 and had his children baptized there.
Crofoot, Ephraim, Jr. Subscribed $10.00 for building the church. Lived in the Worthington parish.
Was son of Ephraim and Mary (Williams,) Crofoot, b. 1757; was soldier in Revolutionary war. His widow Lois was a pen- sioner at Middletown, Conn., 1837, age 79.
Crofoot, Joseph. His taxes were abated April 19, 1802.
He was son of Ephraim and Mary (Williams,) Crofoot; m. Hannah, daughter of Benjamin and Eunice (Williams,) Beck- ley, b. July 13, 1768. His estate was probated at Middletown, Conn., Nov. 6, 1829, when he is described as late of Leyden, N. Y. They lived at Berlin.
Deming, Asahel. Subscribed $6.00 for building the church.
He was son of Giles and Hannah (Wright,) Deming, bapt. at Rocky Hill, July 7, 1765; d. about 1840; m. Feb. 14, 1792, Lucy Moreton, daughter of John. She d. Dec. 6, 1816, age 41. He was a sea captain, lived for a time in Wethersfield, and removed to New Britain about 1794. Lived northwest of the Shipman school house. Was a member of Harmony Lodge of Masons. Died at West Hartford, but was buried at New Britain.
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.