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 22
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 22
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 22
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Wethersfield, June 29th 1826.
Thomas Deming Nathaniel Dickenson, Daniel Steele, Samuel S. Goodrich, Linus Gilbert, Ralph Dickenson.
To Samuel S. Goodrich of Wethersfield in Hartford County, a member of the Episcopal Society of Wethersfield and Worth- ington, Greeting.
By authority of the State of Connecticut you are hereby re- quired to give legal notice or warning to all the members of the Episcopal Society of Wethersfield and Worthington to attend a Society meeting at the Church on Monday, the 10th day of July 1826 at 2 o'clock P. M. for the purpose of appointing the necessary officers for said Society, and doing any other business
266
THE CHURCH
which said meeting may find proper and necessary. And you are to make due returns of your doings to me according to law. Dated at Berlin this 30th day of June, 1826.
Luther Beckley Just. of the peace.
July 3, 1826.
We the undersigned, do hereby acknowledge legal service made by Samuel S. Goodrich.
Lotan Beckley
Solomon Squire
Moses W. Beckley,
Elizur Deming Jr.,
Elizur Deming, Elizur Andrus,
Sheldin Steele,
Russel Gilbert,
June 30th 1826.
I then made legal service of the within to Roger Deming, Joseph Wright, Andrew Norton, and Orrin Beckley, and on the 3d day of July 1826, I made legal warning to Joel Belden, David Steele, David Steele Jr., Linus Gilbert, Moses Gilbert, Thomas Deming, Nathaniel Dickenson, Daniel Steele and Ralph Dickenson.
Samuel S. Goodrich.
Hartford County, ss. Berlin, July 5th, 1826.
Personally appeared Samuel S. Goodrich and made oath that he has made service of this warrant agreeable to his endorsement thereon.
Before me, Luther Beckley, Just. of the Peace.
At a meeting of the Episcopal Society of Wethersfield and Worthington legally warned and convened at the church on the IOth day of July 1826, when I declared said meeting duly opened, and led them to the choice of a moderator and clerk,
267
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
and that said meeting might be fully organized, I administered to the clerk the oath prescribed by law.
Certified by Luther Beckley, Just. of the Peace.
The foregoing are true copies of the original.
Attest, Samuel S. Goodrich, Clerk.
Resolved that this petition and warrant be entered on our book of records. Voted, and to be recorded.
At a meeting held at the Episcopal church in Wethersfield and Worthington on the 10th day of July 1826, legally warned and convened.
Voted. That Thomas Deming be Moderator of said meeting. Voted. That Samuel S. Goodrich be Clerk of said society.
Voted. That Thomas Deming be Treasurer of said society. Voted. That Ralph Dickenson, Thomas Deming, and Linus Gilbert be a prudential committee of said Society.
Voted. Unanimous, that our prudential committee and society clerk enquire into and try to ascertain who has robbed and plundered our church building of the books, seats and other property belonging to said building, and to take all proper, prudent and necessary means to bring to justice all persons who have unlawfully taken away any thing from said church building.
Voted. That said meeting be adjourned to the 2nd. Teusday in August next at 2 oclock in the afternoon.
Samuel S. Goodrich, Clerk.
At an adjourned meeting of the Episcopalians in Wethers- field and Worthington, held at the Episcopal Church in said Wethersfield, on the 8th. day of August 1826.
Voted. That there be a committee appointed to sell the Epis- copal church building in Wethersfield, belonging to the Episcopalians in Wethersfield and Worthington.
Voted. That Thomas Deming, Ralph Dickenson and Linus Gil- bert, and Samuel S. Goodrich, Society Clerk, be a com- mittee to sell said church building.
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Voted. That the church building be sold at public auction on the first Monday in October next, if not sold at pri- vate sale before that time.
Voted. That this meeting be adjourned to the last Monday in September next, at 2 oclock, afternoon.
At an adjourned meeting by the Episcopalians in Wethers- field and Worthington, held at the Church in said Wethersfield, on the 25th. day of Sept. 1826.
This meeting was unanimously adjourned to the first Monday in Oct. next, at 2 oclock, afternoon.
At an adjourned meeting by the Episcopalians in Wethers- field and Worthington, held at said church, on the 2nd. day of Oct. 1826.
Voted. That Nathaniel Dickenson be Moderator in said meet- ing.
Voted. That the church building should be sold at auction, on this day, at the highest bidder, for one week, if not overbid then the building to be his.
Voted. That the purchaser should have six months credit with good security.
Voted. That Samuel S. Goodrich be auctioneer. Said building was bid off by Ralph Dickenson at $85. for one week : if there be no higher bider then it is his. Carried to next page.
Voted. That this meeting be adjourned to next Monday at 2 o'clock afternoon.
At an adjourned meeting by the Episcopalians in Wethers- field and Worthington, held at the Church Meeting house in said Wethersfield, on the 9th. day of Oct. 1826.
Voted. That this meeting be adjourned two weeks from this day at 2 oclock afternoon, for the purpose of selling said church building at auction, if no other arrange- ments are made before that time in regard to Mr. Ralph Dickenson's bid on said building at auction at the last meeting. He agreed before the meeting to give up the bid in case the society should do better with the building at the next meeting or before.
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IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
At an adjourned meeting by the Episcopalians in Wethers- field and Worthington, held on the 23d. day of October 1826, at said church for the purpose of selling the church building at auction, Mr. Jabesh Dickenson bid one hundred and six dollars : as Mr. Dickenson was a by bidder it was not sold to him at this time at this price.
On the 17th. day of November 1826, the church building was sold to Jabesh Dickenson by the committee at one hundred and fifteen dollars. Said building was sold in this way,-for one note thirty nine dollars on demand, the remainder in a note to be paid in six months after date.
At an adjourned meeting held at Mr. Nathaniel Dickenson's on the 28th. day of December 1827.
Voted. That Mr. Nathaniel Dickenson be treasurer for the ensuing year.
Voted. That Linus Gilbert and Ralph Dickenson be the pru- dential committee of ths society for the ensuing year.
Voted. That our prudential committee are directed to require and demand of
Carried to next page.
the administrator on the estate of Thomas Deming the treasurer's book, money, and all the property belonging to said society, giving their receipts for the same.
At a meeting of the Episcopalians in Wethersfield and Worth- ington, legally warned and held at Mr. Nathaniel Dickenson's on the 21st. day of December 1827, Mr. Nathaniel Dickenson was chosen moderator and Samuel S. Goodrich was chosen clerk for the year ensuing.
Said meeting was adjourned to the 28th. day of this present month, at six o'clock P. M.
This last ought to be recorded before the above.
(At the end of the book.)
October 28, 1800. This is to certify that Mr. Allen Francis wishes to absent himself from the Episcopal church of Christ in Wethersfield, and join himself to the Presbyterian order.
Allen Francis.
17
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THE CHURCH
October 18, 1809. This is to certify that Blakesly Barnes wishes to absent himself from the Prt Epis church and join the Presbyterians in Worthington Parish.
Blakesly Barnes.
Berlin, April 23d. 1806. I desire to be esteemed not one of yours any more; a certificate of Daniel Luddington.
The above is a true copy of Daniel Luddington's certificate handed to me.
Oliver Sage, Parish Clerk.
Nov. 27, 1809. Samuel S. Goodrich's certficate.
Wethersfield, Nov. 27, 1809. This is to certify to the Epis- copal Society in Wethersfield and Worthington that I do pro- fess myself a Baptist, and do belong to the Baptist Society in Hartford, and that is my place to attend public worship.
Samuel S. Goodrich.
27I
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
LOCAL BAPTISMS
FROM THE REGISTER OF CHRIST CHURCH, NOW CHURCH OF THE HOLY TRINITY, MIDDLETOWN, CONN.
(By the kindness of Mr. Frank Farnsworth Starr, of Middletown.)
1770, May 20, dau. of Hubbard of Kensing-
ton. Sponsors, Parents and Wid. Abagail Shaler.
1772, July 5, Mercy Hubbard, dau. of Hubbard of Kensington. Sponsors, Parents and Wid. Cahill.
1773, Jan. 3, Ann, dau., and Samuel, son of Samuel Davis of Newington.
Sponsors, Mother, Wm. Johnson, Wm. Joyce, Mrs. Wm. Banks
1774, Nov. 6, Nathaniel, Ashbel and Lucy, children of Joseph Forbes of Wethersfield.
Sponsors, Mother, Mrs. Abigail Shaler, Philip Mortimer, Mrs. Jeremiah Wetmore.
1776, Aug. 16, David, son of Jonathan Gilbert of Worth- ington. Sponsors, Parents, and Dr. Steele.
1778, May 8, Siba, Hannah, Sarah, Abigail and James, children of Stephen DeWolf of Worthington. Sponsors not mentioned.
1778, May 8, Lois, child of Selah Hubbard of Worthington. Sponsors not mentioned.
1779, Nov. 25, Martin, child of Thomas Powers of Worth- ington. Sponsors not mentioned.
1781, Mar. II, Thomas, child of Thomas and Martha Denny of Wethersfield.
Sponsors, Parents and Dr. John Osborn.
1786, Aug. 22, George Carter, an adult from Wethersfield. Witnesses not mentioned.
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1786, Sept. 21, Ataresta, John and Sarah, children of Roger and Mehitable Brown of Rocky Hill. Sponsors not mentioned.
1787, Oct. 16, Julia, child of David and Eunice Beckley of Rocky Hill.
Sponsors, Parents, Solomon Bulkley and Wife. 1787, Oct. 16, Sarah, James, Annie, Oliver, Brizilla and George, children of Solomon and Martha Bulkley of Rocky Hill.
Sponsors, Parents, David Beckley and Wife.
1788, Feb. 2, Henry, child of Elizur and Marcy Andrews of Southington. Sponsors, Parents.
1788, Feb. 3, John, son of Henry and Abagail Barbora of Wethersfield Sponsors, Parents and Wm. Joyce.
1790, Jan. 2, Henry, child of Elnathan and Lucy Bronson of Kensington. Sponsors, Parents.
1791, Jan. 20, Honour, child of David and Eunice Beckley of Rocky Hill.
Sponsors, Parents and Carolina Beckley.
1791, Jan. 20, Hepsibah, child of Selah and Carolina Beckley of Berlin. Sponsors, Parents and Carolina Beckley.
1791, Jan. 20, Martha, child of Solomon and Martha Bulkley of Rocky Hill.
Sponsors, Mother and David Beckley and Wife.
1792, Feb. 15, Eleanor, Samuel Steele, Jamon and Chauncey Smith, children of David and Clarinda Good- rich of Newington.
Sponsors, Parents.
1792, Feb. 15, Leonard and Esther, children of David and Sybil Dickinson of Berlin.
Sponsors, Parents.
1792, Feb. 15, Noel, child of Selah and Carolina Beckley of Berlin.
Sponsors, Parents.
273
IN WETHERSFIELD AND BERLIN.
1801, Jan. 17, at Wethersfield, Thomas Steadman, an adult William, Absolam, Daniel, Zuba, Martin Lyman and Elizabeth Atkins, children of Thomas and Hannah Steadman. Sponsors, Parents.
1801, Jan. 17, At Wethersfield, John Bartlett, child of Elisha and Sarah Whaples. Sponsors, Parents.
1801, Jan. 17, At Wethersfield, Dolly Bartlett, child of Wm. Barnes. Sponsors, Parents.
1801, Jan. 17, At Wethersfield, Wells, child of E. A. Steadman. Sponsors, Parents.
1801, Feb. 15, David Miller and Abagail Miller, "The Parents, viz. Mr. Sam1 Clark and Mrs. Dorthy, his Wife. At Berlin." Sponsors not mentioned.
1805, July 4, Pitkin Seth, Fanny White and Samuel Gris- wold, children of Samuel and Fanny Bull of Wethersfield.
Sponsors, Parents.
1805, July 4, Nancy Bill.
IV. THE CHURCH IN NEW BRITAIN
ST. MARK'S CHURCH, 1906.
THE CHURCH IN NEW BRITAIN
HISTORY
There were three Churchmen living in New Britain, in 1772, according to Andrews' History of the First Church, (Congre- gational,) but who they were is not stated. We have no prior record of any Churchmen living within the limits of present New Britain. Daniel Luddington married in New Britain, April 16, 1773, and resided here until his death in 1820. He was active in the parish of Christ Church, Worthington, for the first four years of its existence, and had probably been a Churchman at Wallingford, where he lived before coming to New Britain. We are inclined to think that he was one of the three Churchmen mentioned by Andrews, but whether he resided here before 1773 or not, the latter date makes him the first Churchman to reside in New Britain that we can mention by name.
Our next record is that of the temporary residence here of the Rev. John Sayre, of Fairfield, as before noted.
Benjamin Slater who formerly owned the Slater woods, where we still frequently go for Christmas greens, was pre- haps the next Churchman to come to New Britain. Some of his children were baptized at St. Andrew's Church in Bloom- field and he was living there as late as April, 1786, but removed to New Britain before 1798.
Between 1797 and 1826, sixteen persons, who were heads of families residing in New Britain, are identified by the records of Christ Church, as members of that parish. Their names are as follows :
Moses W. Beckley.
Joseph Sage.
Joel Belden.
Benjamin Slater.
Allen Francis.
Thomas Steadman.
David Gilbert. David Steele Jr.
Jonathan Gilbert Jr.
John Watson.
Linus Gilbert.
Luther Weldon.
Russell Gilbert.
Elisha Whaples.
Daniel Luddington.
Joseph Wright.
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In addition to the above :-
Hezekiah Atkins. Asahel Deming.
Roger Francis and Elijah Whaples.
all residents of New Britain, each subscribed something in 1797, towards building the church, but we do not know whether they ever belonged to the society or not.
Six of the sixteen persons identified with the parish of Christ Church were residing in New Britain in the year 1800. Every one of these six either died, removed, or withdrew, before 1826, so that not one of them remained in the Church on that date. The other ten were not members until after 1800. One of these later members died before 1826, leaving nine persons belonging to the parish who were residing in New Britain in 1826. At no one time prior to the organization of St. Mark's, 1836, can we count more than nine Church families in New Britain, although probably others resided here of whom we have no record. In 1836, the remnant of the old Church residing in New Britain consisted of David Steele (formerly David Jr.), Luther Weldon and Joseph Wright. In Newing- ton there were Elizur Deming Jr., Roger Deming and Oliver Richards. In Worthington, Nathaniel Dickinson, Ralph Dick- inson, Andrew Norton and Sheldon Steele; and in Kensington Theodore Ellsworth. Of these remnants, David Steele of New Britain, Ralph Dickinson of Worthington, and Theodore Ells- worth of Kensington, are the only persons whose names can be found in the early records of St. Mark's Church. Mrs. Nathaniel Dickinson is in the first list of communicants and we may presume that her aged husband was a member of the parish of St. Mark's, although he died about seven months after its organization.
On Dec. 5, 1824, Mr. George Francis of New Britain married Elizabeth Parker of Lenox, Mass., an ardent Episco- palian, through whose efforts, more than those of any other one person, the Church people of this section were reorganized into the present St. Mark's Church. Cyrus Booth of New Britain married his second wife, Myrta Loper, July 1, 1825. The baptism in private of a child of Cyrus Booth, of New Britain, May 14, 1826, is given in Dr. Russell's history of Christ Church,
IN NEW BRITAIN. 279
Hartford. From this record we infer that Mrs. Booth No. 2 was an Episcopalian. About two years later, Nov. 3, 1828, Mr. Lorenzo P. Lee, of New Britain, married Jennette Todd Hills, of Hartford. She was baptized at Christ Church, Hart- ford, by the Rev. N. S. Wheaton, Feb. 24, 1828, and upon her marriage and removal to New Britain another Church woman was added to the few already here.
In the list of communicants of Christ Church, Hartford, pre- pared by the Rev. Philander Chase before he left there in 1817, is the name of Hezekiah Seymour. Mr. Seymour was brought up as a Congregationalist, but walking up Main Street one Sunday when the doors of Christ Church were wide open, he was attracted by hearing the Commandments read and so tarried through the service. The reading of the Command- ments in public service was a novelty to him and he was so surprised to find it to be a regular custom that he afterwards frequented the Church until he became an ardent Churchman. On Aug. 24, 1829, he married Elizabeth Hinsdale Burritt of New Britain, who was at one time a member of the Congrega- tional Church but afterwards became a communicant in the Episcopal Church. A son of theirs was baptized at Christ Church, Hartford, Sept. 2, 1832, their residence being given in Dr. Russell's History as Little Britain. We presume this was intended for New Britain, and that Mr. Seymour removed from Hartford to New Britain before 1832, thus adding two more persons to the Church people of this place. After the abandon- ment of the old church at Worthington about 1820, to the organization of St. Mark's, 1836, Christ Church of Hartford was the Church Home for the Churchmen of New Britain, although the distance was such that we could not expect them to regularly attend service there. But Hezekiah Seymour was such a devout and zealous Churchmen that he regularly walked to Hartford to attend service on Sundays when the weather would permit. In later years, the fact that Mr. Seymour con- sidered the services of the Church worth walking to Hartford for, led Dr. S. W. Hart to believe that there must be some- thing unusually attractive in the services of the Church, and he decided to study the matter. The result was that Dr. Hart also became an ardent Churchman.
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THE CHURCH
The reorganization of the Church in 1836 was mainly due to the combined efforts and example of Mr. and Mrs. Seymour, Mrs. Francis and Mrs. Lee, but according to all accounts, to Mrs. George Francis more than to any other one person the Church is indebted for its existence. Our Parish Register says "Church service was first celebrated in New Britain, at the earnest and frequent solicitations of Mrs. George Francis, at one time the only communicant of the Church residing in the town." She could not have been the only communicant after November, 1828, when Mrs. L. P. Lee came here to reside. There were at least nine parishioners of the old Church resid- ing in New Britain before 1828, and while several of them may not have been communicants, it is hardly probable that there were not a few communicants among them or their families. A newspaper clipping dated June 8, 1896, (probably from the Morning Dispatch, New Britain,) says that "When the (old) Church was sold a Mrs. Francis of Stanley Quarter invited all the Episcopalians of this vicinity to her house, where services were conducted every Sunday until 1836." A report of a historical address delivered by the Rev. Henry N. Wayne, March 21, 1897, in a clipping from the "Morning Dis- patch" of March twenty-second, says, "When the (old) Church became split a portion of the people went to Meriden to St. Andrew's, and a part did not go anywhere. There was living in what is now commonly known as Stanley Quarter, a very zealous Church woman named Mrs. George Francis. She went around among the people who had given up Church attendance and secured promises from them to meet at her house. She next went to see Totten, then president of Trinity college of Hartford, and he promised to take charge of the services at regular intervals." This account as reported is partly errone- ous. If any went to St. Andrew's it must have been from Worthington and Kensington, and not from New Britain. We have been unable to confirm the report of the meetings at the Francis house. There never was any known split in Christ Church, Worthington. Bishop Brownell, and not Dr. Totten, was President of the College until 1831, and the Rev. Nathaniel S. Wheaton until Feb. 28, 1837, although Dr. Totten was elected President to succeed Dr. Wheaton. Mrs. Francis could not have invited the people to meet at her house when the
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281
1
IN NEW BRITAIN.
use of the old church was first discontinued, because it was aban- doned as early as 1821, about three years before Mrs. Francis moved to New Britain. Mrs. Henry Baxter, a daughter of Mrs. Francis, and others who would be likely to know of such meetings, have no knowledge or tradition of them. Mrs. Francis left a brief record of the Church up to Dec. 23, 1848, which says "The first Episcopal preaching in New Britain was on the 17th. of January 1836, by the Rev. Silas Totten at the old Conference," meaning the old Academy near the Strickland School House, but she makes no mention of any service other than preaching. If there had been services regu- larly at her house every Sunday for ten years, it is strange that she did not record it. Professor Russell during his Rec- torship of St. Mark's prepared a historical sketch of the Church from various records and manuscripts, probably includ- ing that of Mrs. Francis, and recorded the same in the Parish Register. This says: "The Bishop was finally induced to send from Hartford . . . the Rev. Silas Totten, who held the first service in the Academy building on the 17th. of January, 1836." Dea. Alfred Andrews, in his History of the First Church, (Congregational), gives a sketch of St. Mark's taken from Professor Russell's papers and says: "The first service according to the usages of the Protestant Episcopal Church was held in New Britain, in the old Academy building on the 17th. of Jan. 1836."
These somewhat varied statements raise the question of when the first service of the Church was performed in New Britain. Jonathan Gilbert, Jr., one of the Wardens of Christ Church, died in New Britain, May 17, 1809. Benjamin Slater, who held several offices in the Church, died at New Britain, March 28, 1811. The Church was active on both of these dates and Prayers must have been said at the house of each, even if the funeral sermon was preached at the church, and thus Episcopal service must have been performed here as early as 1809. Lucy, wife of David Gilbert, died at New Britain, Aug. 12, 1815, and the Rev. Asa Cornwall of Southington preached her funeral sermon on the next day, but we do not know where it was delivered. The baptism "in private" of Cyrus Booth's child by the Rev. N. S. Wheaton, May 14, 1826, was undoubtedly at Mr. Booth's house in New Britain,
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1
and was perhaps the first Episcopal baptism within the present town. The Rev. Thomas J. Davis died at Philadelphia, July 2, 1886. Two obituary notices of him say that "his first parish was New Britain, Conn." As a matter of fact his first cure, after being ordained Deacon, was Bethany and Salem Bridge, (Naugatuck,) Conn. In the precise language of these notices this statement of Mr. Davis' first parish is incorrect, but a statement made by Mr. Davis in the year 1876 explains how such a mistake could have occurred. Mr. Davis told his first wife's niece, (now Mrs. Samuel Ordway of Puyallup, Wash- ington,) that his first service was in New Britain, when he was a student at Washington, (Trinity,) College. He was sent here by the officers of the College and performed service as a lay reader and probably read sermons. Mr. Davis entered the college 1829 and left Nov. 1, 1830, and therefore his reading service here must have been prior to the latter date. One of the clippings before noted says that Mrs. Francis applied to the President of Trinity College, and Prof. Russell's sketch implies that she asked the Bishop to establish services here. If Mr. Davis was sent here in response to the solicita- tions of Mrs. Francis, both of these accounts in the particu- lars last named would be correct, for at the time Mr. Davis was sent here by the college authority, Bishop Brownell was its President as well as Bishop. Mr. Davis' letter concerning the consecration of the church in 1837, (hereinafter given in full,) refers to the few Episcopalians in this village and its vicinity, who for years "have looked forward to the organization of a Church." It does not seem probable that they could have had such expectation before any services of the Church had been held here, and who could better know of their looking forward "for years" towards an organized Church, than one who had led them in service as a humble lay reader six years before such organization? The obituary notices of Mr. Davis appear to confirm the statement he made to Mrs. Ordway in 1876, and undoubtedly any seeming discrepancy was due to the compiler, who assumed that Mr. Davis' first service was in his first parish.
It seems strange that Mrs. Francis did not mention the ser- vice here by Mr. Davis prior to 1830, but at the same time it is not inconsistent with her precise language that. "The first
1
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IN NEW BRITAIN.
Episcopal preaching" was Jan. 17, 1836. Service by a lay reader, who also read a sermon, was not "Episcopal preaching," and she may have used the word "preaching" advisedly, know- ing that services without preaching had been held here before. Professor Russell's sketch does not specifically say that Dr. Totten's service was the first in New Britain. It is impossible to say with any certainty when the first Episcopal service was held in the limits of present New Britain, but we are warranted in assuming that funeral services, if nothing more, were held here as early as 1809, and occasional service of various kinds up to 1836, when we had both services and preaching by the Rev. Silas Totten on the 17th. of January. It seems utterly impossible that this could have been, strictly speaking, the first services of the Church in New Britain. At the first service held here by Dr. Totten, only three communicants of the Church residing in New Britain were present, viz: Hezekiah Seymour, Mrs. L. P. Lee and Mrs. George Francis. Bishop Brownell performed Divine Service and preached here April 17, 1836.
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