USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Seymour > History of Seymour, Connecticut, with biographies and genealogies > Part 21
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In 1792, Middletown was made the head of the circuit, which embraced a large part of Middlesex and New Haven counties. This section was no ex- ception to the general persecution of the new denomination, and from pulpit and fireside warnings were given against the innovators, but Lee and his co- laborers, like brave men of God as they were, continued to sow broadcast the seeds of truth. John and Ruth Coe, and Mr. and Mrs. Hinman, were the first fruits of their labors here, and soon brought their infant sons for baptism at the hands of Rev. JJesse Lee. Mr. Coe's son was baptised John Allyn, and Mr. Hinman's son Jesse Lee. John A. Coe grew to manhood as an earnest, efficient Christian, and settled in what is now Beacon Falls, where one of his grandsons still resides, and is one of the most honored residents of that place, having been repeatedly elected to the legislature and various offi- ces of trust in the town.
The first society in Derby was formed in 1793, with Jolin Coe as leader, and was visited by the venerable Bishop Asbury. Those of the members who lived in Chiusetown were first organized as a separate society in 1797. The members were Jesse Johnson, Isaac Baldwin, Esther Baldwin, Sarah Baldwin and Eunice Baldwin. Daniel Rowe of Derby was the leader. The follow- ing names were soon added : George Clark, Eney Hitchcock, Silas Johnson
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and Olive Johnson. The ministers preached where they found open doors, once or more in Mrs. Dayton's tavern, the house now owned by William Hull, at the corner of Main and Pearl streets, also in the house of Mr. Stiles, now the residence of Dr. Stoddard. Some years later they preached in the ball- room of the Moulthroup tavern on the northeast of Hill and Pearl streets. The preachers upon the circuit from 1791 to 1800 were,-
1792, Rev. Richard Swain and Rev. Aaron Hunt.
1793, Rev. Joshua Taylor and Rev. Benjamin Fisler.
1794, Rev. Menzies Raynor and Rev. Daniel Ostrander.
1795, Rev. Evan Rogers and Rev. Joel Ketchum.
1796, Rev. Joshua Taylor and Rev. Lawrence McCombs.
1797, Rev. Michael Coate and Rev. Peter Jayne.
1798, Rev. Augustus Jocelyn.
1799, Rev. Ebenezer Stevens.
1800, Rev. James Coleman Rev. Roger Searle.
Rev. Jacob Brush, Rev. George Roberts, Rev. Jesse Lee, Rev. Freeborn Garrettson and Rev. Sylvester Hutchinson served as elders.
These itinerants were generally stalwart men, strengthened by daily horse- back rides and hardened by exposure to all extremes of the weather. Most of them were men of fair culture, of great mental strength, of ready wit and glowing oratory, of fervid piety, and of marked success as evangelists. Many of them attained a good old age, and the churches which they organized have grown into large and powerful congregations.
For a long time the society continued small, and encountered much preju- dice and some persecution. At one time while a meeting was being held in the house of Isaac Baldwin, which stood on the flat east of H. B. Beecher's augur factory, the persecutors went up on a ladder and stopped the top of the chimney in time of preaching, so that the smoke drove the people out of the house. Squibs of powder were often thrown into the fire in time of worship, to the great annoyance of the people. One who was acquainted with the sub- quent life of many of these disturbers of worship, relates that a curse seemed to follow them, and that most of them died in the prime of life. The preach- ers on the circuit from 1801 to 1810 were,-
1801, Rev. Abijah Bachelor and Rev. Luman Andrus.
1802, Rev. Abner Wood and Rev. James Annis.
1803, Rev. Abner Wood and Rev. Nathan Emory.
1804, Rev. Ebenezer Washburn and Nathan Emory.
1805, Rev. Ebenezer Wasburn and Rev. Luman Andrus. 1806, Rev. Luman Andrus and Rev. Zalmon Lyon.
1807, Rev. Wm. Thatcher, Rev. R. Harris and Rev. O. Sykes.
1808, Rev. James M. Smith and Rev. Phineas Rice.
1809, Rev. Noble W. Thomas and Rev. Coles Carpenter.
1810, Rev. Oliver Sykes and Rev. Jonathan Lyon.
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The elders of the district were, Rev. F. Garrettson in 1801-2; D. Ostran- der in 1803-5; William Thatcher in 1806; and Joseph Crawford from 1807 to 1810.
Among the early Methodists living on Great Hill were Anson Gillette and wife, with five sons and two daughters : Mrs. David Tomlinson, with one son and three daughters; Capt. Isaac Bassett and wife, with one son and six daughters ; and James Tomlinson and wife.
Freeborn Garrettson held the first quarterly meeting in this place in the old Congregational meeting-house in 1803. Moses Osborn, a zealous local preach- er residing in Southbury, by his faithful labors in Derby and vicinity during four or five years, prepared the way for a great revival in 1809, when seventy persons were converted in the Neck school-house. Most of these joined the Congregational church, but several families joined the M. E. church, and add- ed to its influence in the town. For several years the work went on ; now in Stratford, then at Humphreysville, and then at Nymphs, and in other places. In 1811 the preachers were Rev. Zalmon Lyon and Rev. Jesse Hunt ; in 1812, Rev. Aaron Hunt and Rev. Arnold Scholefield. In 1813 Middletown circuit was divided, and Stratford was made the head of the new circuit, and Rev. Ebenezer Washburn and Rev. James Coleman were the preachers. Stratford, Milford, Derby, Humphreysville, Nyumphs, Great Hill, Quaker's Farms, George's Hill, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Newtown, East Village, Stepney and Trumbull, were included in the circuit.
In 1814, Rev. Nathan Bangs was presiding elder of the New Haven Dis- trict, and Rey. Elijah Woolsey and Rev. Henry Ames were the preachers on this circuit. This year, preaching was divided-half a day at Humphreysville, half a day at Nyumphs, and once a fortnight at Derby Neck. It was a re- vival year at the Neck and on Great Hill. The two brothers, Samuel and David Durand, and their wives, were added to the little church in the little red school-house which stood a Ittle north of where the Great Hill church now stands. Samuel was a good singer. In 1815, Rev. Elijah Hebard and Rev. Benoni English were the preachers on this cirenit-but Mr. English soon lo- cated at Humphreysville and went into business. This year Walter French, a resident of Humphreysville, received license to exhort, and afterwards a license to preach, and was very useful here and in other parts of the circuit. He had a good memory, a ready utterance, and often spoke with great pow- er and success. He died in 1865, aged over eighty years.
When Rev. Nathan Bangs was presiding elder, in 1816, he came and preached in the Bell school-house, and made his home with Stiles Johnson, on the Skokorat road, opposite Thomas Gilyard's place. After some cantions from careful brother Johnson against doctrinal preaching, the elder went down in the evening and preached a free salvation to a crowded house, giving Calvin- ism its portion in due season, as was the custom, and such was the power of his words on the congregation, that when the preacher, in closing, inquired
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" Who will have this salvation ? Let those who will seek it arise," the whole congregation stood up with one accord and a revival ensued. In 1817 the so- ciety numbered fifty-six members.
The legislature of the state authorized the division of the shares of its sur- plus war tax of 1812 among the religions denominations of the state; but the Methodists refused their portion of the money. At a quarterly conference held at East Village, January 9, 1818, Rev. O. Sykes was appointed to com- municate with the trustees of the state on the subject, but no person had been authorized to receive rejected funds. The afflicted brother returned, still burdened with unwelcome charity. At the quarterly conference of August in the same year, held at Humphreysville, Rev. Aaron Pierce and two others were appointed a committee to write to the treasurer of the state, and if he could not receive the Methodist portion of the money, to draw up a petition in behalf of this circuit, to the General Assembly, for liberty to return their proportion of said money. Liberty was granted and the funds returned to the state. The rising church, though struggling with crushing difficulties, would not sacrifice her honest independence of the state. The fathers were fully committed to the voluntary principle for the support of the Gospel.
An extensive revival commenced at a watch meeting in the old meeting- house, on New Year's eve of 1818. In this year the Congregational Society conveyed the "meeting-house " to the Methodist Society. (See page 66.) Jesse and Stiles Johnson, sons of Isaac Johnson, who died in 1813, with their wives and many of their relations had joined the Methodist society. Jesse Johnson was afterwards a local preacher, and a close student of the Bible, but became insane, and after a long confinement died in 1829. The two brothers were buried in the cemetery in the rear of the church. Stiles, who died Oct. 4, 1818, by his will gave the land on which the church stands to the Methodist society, and also $334 in money. (See page 68.) The old meet- ing-house was soon after made a two-story building, but no paint was used inside or outside. In 1819 the members of the church constituted three classes. The leaders were Robert Lee, Timothy Hitchcock and Orrin Peck, the latter class being in Woodbridge. The members of the class of Timothy Hitchcock were, Cynthia Johnson, widow of Stiles Johnson, Thomas and Lois Gilyard, Jared and Sally B. Bassett, (daughter of Stiles Johnson, ) Tim- othy and Urania Hitchcock, Anna Davis, widow of Reuben Davis, Bezaleel and Martha Peck, Alva Davis, and his wife Polly, daughter of Capt. Daniel Holbrook, Hepzibah Johnson, daughter of Jesse Johnson, and Sheldon Hitch- cock, son of Timothy Hitchcock. The circuit preachers from 1816 to 1820 were Rev. Nathan Emory, Rev. Arnold Scholefield, Rev. Reuben Harris, Rev. Ezekiel Canfield, Rev. Samuel Bushnell, Rev. Aaron Pierce, Rev. Beardsley Northrop, Rev. David Miller and Rev. Bela Smith. The circuits were large, and two preachers were usually appointed to each circuit each year, to alternate at the different stations.
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The quarterly meetings of those times were largely attended and exceed- ingly interesting, the people going from all parts of the circuit on Saturday, and putting up with the people in the vicinity of the place where the meetings were to be held, so as to be ready for the services of the Sabbath. In the afternoon they heard a sermon, after which came the quarterly conference, composed of all the stewards, class leaders, exhorters and preachers on the circuit. The presiding elders were present on such occasions and drew large congregations, the people usually expecting to hear strong doctrinal sermons, which were usually very effective. At one of these meetings on Great Hill, in 1820, Rev. E. Washburn, presiding elder, fifteen persons were converted in one afternoon.
From 1821 to 1830, the membership on the circuit was much increased as the fruit of revival in different places. The preachers were Rev. James Colman, Rev. Laban Clark, Rev. E. Barnett, Rev. John Nixon, Rev. Eli Denniston, Rev. William F. Pease, Rev. Julius Field, Rev. Samuel D. Fer- guson, Rev. Valentine Buck, Rev. John Luckey, Rev. Nathaniel Kellogg, Rev. Reuben Harris, Rev. John Lovejoy and Rev. Laban C. Cheney. The presiding elders were Rev. Samuel Merwin, Rev. Samuel Luckey, Rev. D. Ostrander and Rev. Laban Clark.
In 1828 this part of the circuit was separated and called Humphreysville and Hamden. Samnel R. Hickox, a local preacher from Southbury, moved into Humphreysville in 1828, and had charge of a grist mill on the falls, keep- ing boarders from the cotton mill. He was a good preacher and was a great help to the church in this place. In 1829 Thomas Ellis, a Welshman and a spinner in the cotton mill, was converted and joined the church here, of which his wife was already a member. He had been a wild young man and a great singer. It was said that he could sing all night without repeating a song. But in two years after his conversion he had forgotten them all. He was an important addition to the church on account of his musical ability.
In 1831 Daniel Smith was appointed to the circuit, and was assisted by William Bates, a local preacher residing in Humphreysville. In that year a camp meeting was held in a woods west of where the Catholic church of Birmingham now stands, and continued eight days. On the Sabbath ten thou- sand people were supposed to be present, and the fruit of the meeting was about one hundred converts. Rev. Sylvester Smith, afterwards long identi- fied with the interests of the church, was present during the whole of that re- markable meeting. In this year the churches in South Britain and Middle- bury were built, and the foundation of one at Waterbury laid, and the build- ing of a parsonage in Humphreysville commenced. Three hundred dollars worth of books were sold on the circuit, a large amount of missionary money raised, and the preachers' salaries paid in full. In April, 1832, Sylvester Smith, a local preacher from Hotchkisstown, now Westville, where he was first licensed in March, 1830, moved into this village. Rev. Daniel Smith
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was continued on the circuit, and Rev. Robert Travis was preacher in charge. The parsonage was not quite ready for Mr. T., but in a few days after his arrival in town he moved into it. It was built by the two brothers Lane, from Monroe. After this time the church was an ecclesiastical society under the statute and known as the Methodist society of Humphreysville.
In 1833, Rev. Thomas Bainbridge and Rev. Chester W. Turner were the preachers on the circuit-Mr. B. occupying the parsonage. Turner was a single man, who afterwards married the sister of Rev. J. D. Smith, of the Episcopal church. Mr. B. was a good preacher and a sweet singer. The next year Rev. Humphrey Humphries and Rev. John Crawford were the preachers, Mr. H. moving into the parsonage. Rev. Josiah Bowen had charge of the cir- cuit in 1834-5. In the middle of 1836 he moved out of the parsonage into a house at Derby Neck, where he remained until he died not long since. On the first of October, 1836, Rev. Sylvester Smith moved into the parsonage and occupied it four years at an annual rent of fifty dollars. Rev. David Miller was preacher in charge two years, residing at Great Hill, and closing his term of service in May, 1839. Rev. Owen Sykes had been an assistant preacher for several years. Thomas Ellis received license to preach in 1833, and did good service on the circuit until 1838, when he joined the conference and be- came a successful itinerant. He died in triumph, in May, 1873, aged sixty- eiglıt.
Since 1839 Birmingham was a station separate from us, so it was with Waterbury. Middlebury and South Britain sustained a pastor ; so that only Humphreysville, Great Hill, Pleasant Vale and Pinesbridge remained in the Derby circuit.
In 1840 and 1841 Rev. Thomas Sparks was the preacher in charge, resi- ding at South Britain, and Rev. Ezra Jagger in 1842 and 1843, residing at Great Hill and assisted in his second year by Rev. M. Blydenburgh. L. At- water, a student at Yale, was also a very effective assistant.
On Saturday, March 19, 1842, a quarterly meeting commenced at South- ford. Presiding Elder Carpenter being absent, Sylvester Smith preached. Sunday morning was very pleasant, and after love feast, it was found impos- sible for more than half the people to get into the chapel. Sparks occupied the pulpit, and Smith went below and took his stand in the school-room and preached with half his congregation outdoors. It was a memorable time. These were prosperous years for the church at Humphreysville, after a period of de- pression. Rev. Moses Blydenburgh was pastor in charge in 1844, and lived on Great Hill. Mr. B. died in 1848, aged 31 years, leaving a wife, and one son, now a lawyer in New Haven. The next two years Rev. George L. Fuller had charge of the circuit, residing on Great Hill. Three of his children were buried there. In the fall of 1846 a subscription was opened for a new church edifice, and Sylvester Smith led with the sum of six hundred dollars. The burning of the paper mill of which he was half owner, involving a heavy loss,
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did not abate his zeal; for, during the year he increased his subscription to eight hundred dollars. One brother who did not at first set down his name, gave one hundred dollars ; another man changed from twenty to one hundred dollars, and a good woman changed her subscription from ten to eighty dol- lars.
Rev. Charles Stearns moved into the parsonage in May, 1847, and remain- ed two years in charge of this circuit. He found the society commencing the new church. The old meeting-house was sold for one hundred dollars, and torn down, and the new one built in the same place. Jared Bassett, as- sisted by Isaac Bassett, built the stone work, and all labored to the extent of their ability, giving what they could in money and then turning out and labor- ing with a zeal and ardor worthy of the cause. The corner stone was laid on Saturday, June 19, 1847. Rev. E. W. Smith, of Birmingham, was the speak- er. Sylvester Smith deposited the case under the stone after announcing its contents. Rev. Charles Stearns, pastor, conducted the services, and was assisted by Rev. Wm. B. Curtiss, of the Congregational church. Amos Hine, of Woodbridge, was the contractor for the building, except the stonework. (See p. 74.) The bell, from Meneely's foundry in Troy, was raised to its place in November. Its weight was eleven hundred and fifty pounds. In this year a board of trustees was first appointed by the pastor in charge, and vacancies were afterwards filled by the official board.
The church was dedicated on Tuesday, January 18, 1848, by Bishop Janes, who preached from Ezra vi, 16. In the evening he preached again. The collections amounted to $292.83. The whole cost of the house, bell, and furniture, was $5,800, and of this the society owed 8800. On the day of dedication, the ships rented for $580, and the average amount of annual rents in the first ten years was abont $550.
All the elm trees near the church were obtained and set within a year after the dedication, under the direction of Rev. Sylvester Smith, by his son Wil- liam E. Smith, who was killed in the war, Sept. 1, 1864. The first two in front nearest the house of Mr. Tucker, were set on the day of the presidential election in 1848.
In May, 1849, Rer. Seneca Howland was in charge of what in the next year was set off from Derby as the town of Seymour. He remained two years, and some additions were made to the church. Twenty-three came for- word as seekers at his first watch meeting. Rev. David Osborn was pastor of Seymour and Ansonia one year, from April 1851 to April 1852, and it was a prosperous year in both places ; over one hundred conversions reported. The second year the Great Hill church was in a separate charge. His successor for two years was Rufus K. Reynolds, an energetic and useful man.
Rev. William T. Hill was the pastor in 1855-6 for the two churches- Seymour and Great Hill. In his first year, (this being his first appoint- ment,) there were sixty-seven conversions and fifty additions to the church.
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Fifteen adults were baptized at one time. Twenty-four of the converts were from the Sunday school.
Rev. Thomas Stevenson was pastor in 1857-8. He was a good and suc- cessful preacher. Rev. L. P. Perry was the pastor in 1859-60, confining his labors to this village, and was a faithful and nseful minister. Albert Booth was the pastor in the conference year commencing in April, 1861.
At the Conference of 1862 George Lansing Taylor was appointed to Sey- mour, this being his first itinerant work. In his first year the missionary collection was increased from $28 to over $100. In his second year the Society raised $1,200 dollars towards paying off the church debt, and there were a number of conversions. He was an earnest and fearless defender of the "stars and stripes," and in those troublons days spoke boldly for "the Union, one and inseparable."
In the summer of 1864, in the pastorate of Rev. A. B. Pulling, a festival was held in a car shop on the flat, and later in the season, another in the Messrs. Day's new brick factory above the paper mill. The net proceeds of the two were $800, and the church was out of debt. Mr. P. remained until the spring of 1866, when Sylvester Smith was appointed to the charge for one year, and the church edifice was painted outside. It being the centen- nial year of American Methodism, Mr. Smith preached eight sermons on the subject. Nineteen persons who had on the previous year joined on pro- bation were received into full membership. Rev. Joseph Pullman was pastor in 1867-8, and was eminently successful, receiving sixty-five probationers at one time near the close of the first year. Rev. Bennett T. Abbott was pastor in 1869-70.
Rev. Joseph Smith was pastor the next three years, 1871-3, and proved himself an able minister of the New Testament. Previous to 1864 two years was the limit of the pastoral term in the M. E. Church. In 1864 the Gen- eral Conference extended the limit to three years. Rev. Joseph Smith was the first pastor who preached in the Seymour M. E. Church three consecu- tive years, and when his time expired by limitation, he was generally beloved and esteemed by the members of the society for which he had labored faith- fully, earnestly and impartially. In former years Mr. Smith, as a local preacher, residing in Waterbury, had done much good service here in con- nection with our pastors. E. H. Frisbie and James Wiswel, local preachers in New Haven, also rendered much good service. Sylvester Smith, during his forty years residence here was a most active laborer and liberal giver in the church.
Rev. William R. Webster officiated as pastor of the church from April, 1874, to April, 1875, laboring with much zeal wherever there seemed to be a prospect of doing good. The lot east of the church was purchased of Edwin Smith for $500 in 1870, with the intention of building a parsonage thereon as soon as should seem practicable. Mrs. M. A. Sackett canvassed
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the society for funds to pay for it, and by her zealons perseverance succeeded in collecting the larger portion of the amount. The balance was paid sub- sequently from funds received from the legacy of Mrs. Kirtland. In the spring of 1875 the subject of building a parsonage adjoining the church was agitated and finally at an official meeting, consisting of the stewards, class- leaders, trustees and superintendent, held at the parsonage, April 26tlı, 1875, the pastor presiding, it was voted to offer the "Kirtland Place" and the old parsonage for sale, preparatory to building a new parsonage. An offer being received the board of trustees met and appointed Warren French an agent to sell the old parsonage for $2,000, and Lugrand Sharpe, Warren French and W. C. Sharpe were appointed a building committee. Plans and estimates were obtained and the contract was awarded to Thomas Sharpe for $2,300. A large and commodious parsonage was erected, the total cost for the build- ing, fence, well, &c., being 82,630, of which $2,000 was met by the sale of the old parsonage. The parsonage, with the handsome shade trees around it, is said to be the pleasantest in the Naugatuck valley.
In April, 1875, Rev. E. H. Dutcher was sent by the conference for the ensuing year. The dissensions which seemed at the time of his coming to be ended, rapidly revived during his pastorate, and had a disastrous effect upon the interests of the society. Under his influence the annual meetings of the society, which had for so many years been held under the sanction of the laws of the commonwealth, were discontinued, and a ruling was made by him and sustained by the presiding elder that there was under the law of the church no such thing as a Methodist society, and that the separate organiza- tions could only be known as Methodist churches. During his pastorate the amount contributed by the membership for the missionary cause dwindled to 813, including $3 interest on the Gilyard legacy. During the eight years previous, when Lugrand Sharpe was collector, the amounts contributed were -year commencing in April of 1867, 865.75; 1868, $107.33 ; 1869, $91.95 ; 1870, $158.73; 1871, 864.50; 1872, $68.22; 1873, $67.00; 1874, 861.00; as shown by the published minutes of the New York East Conference.
In April, 1876, the conference appointed Rev. Charles A. Tibbals, for the ensuing conference year. In December he very abruptly resigned to join the Protestant Episcopal communion. Rev. A. B. Pulling, who was pastor of the society in 1864-5, was appointed by the presiding elder to fill the vacancy until the next session of the conference, and-notwithstanding his failing health-labored earnestly and efficiently for the good of the society.
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