USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Granby > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 6
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Simsbury > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 6
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Canton > History of Simsbury, Granby, and Canton : from 1642 to 1845 > Part 6
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North Association of the County of Hartford, March 31, 1730 :-
" Upon viewing the state of the brethren in Simsbury in respect to their present contention :- Question, whether they ought, without some antece- dent reconciliation, to join in the communion of the Lord's supper :- Voted by the Association, that they ought not. Teste,
BENJAMIN COLTON, Scribe."
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meeting, the committee were " desired to be present and endeavor to persuade the people of said town to surcease their contentions, and join, as brethren, lovingly to go on with this good work. And his Honor is desired to report to this Assembly, in October next, in what manner they have succeeded in this affair ; and if the inhabitants of said town shall not agree, by their greater vote, to the building one or more meeting-houses, then to report to the Assembly, if it be best, in their opinion, whether there should be one, or more societies; and if two, whether the places, where the committee have last ordered their meeting-houses to be, are not most commodious for them."
The town meeting was held on the 28th day of July, at which Gov. Talcott was present, and used his great influ- ence to effect a reconciliation between the contending par- ties, and apparently with success, for the town voted to remain one society, and to build the meeting-house at Bis- sell's landing place. Upon the report of the committec, embracing this result, the Assembly, Oct. 1730, approved thereof, and ordered the town " to proceed to build accord- ingly."
But, at a succeeding town meeting, held but a few months afterwards, to wit, January 1, 1731, it was voted, by a great majority, that the town would not "do any thing about building a meeting-house at Bissell's landing place." And, at the same meeting, a large committee was appointed, from the different sections of the town, to enquire and report at a future meeting, what measures could be adopted to bring the controversy "to a general and peacible accommodation." The committee, by a large majority, reported, among other things, that the west side of the river from Farmington bounds, to extend north so as to include the Higley settle- ment, should be the first society, and the portion of the town easterly of the river, should be the second society. This report was accepted " by a very full vote ;"-and the new designated first society attempted an organization, by elect- ing its committee, and voting to raise the annual salary of
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the clergyman. But their application to the legislature, for a confirmation of these proceedings, was rejected.
At this period, there had been so many contradictory decisions relating to this subject, that great uncertainty pre- vailed in respect to the rights and duties of the parish. It is doubtful whether any legal society existed at this time. The Rev. Mr. Woodbridge continued to officiate in the ministry, to such as chose to hear him, but no taxes were imposed to pay his salary ; and it was strongly doubted, by many persons, whether he was the legally settled pastor. Notwithstanding all these contentions, into some of which he was reluctantly drawn,-for it was well known that he was in favor of the location of the meeting-house, at Hop meadow, where he dwelt,-yet he was very generally esteemed, and possessed, to a large extent, the confidence and affection of his people.
The Assembly, at the two next sessions, in May, and October 1731, was again importuned, by sundry memorials from the people of Simsbury, to do something to relieve the " distracted condition, both of the church and town." Among these, was one from Mr. Woodbridge, complaining that his salary had remained unpaid, for a period of one year and seven months, and asking for some process to enforce its collection .* None of these petitions were granted.
* " At a meeting of the inhabitants of Simsbury town, regularly convened in said town on thursday the 16th of Dec. 1731, and continued by adjourn- ment to ye 17th of said month ; it being proposed to this meeting whether they would vote and order a rate, and thereby raise a salary for Mr. Timothy Woodbridge for ye year last past. This meeting doth resolve in ye negative, that we will not raise any such a rate to pay him for ye year past, for sundry reasons which to us seem sufficient.
" And more especially, for that ye Association have given it as their opin- ion, on March 31, 1730, that Mr. Woodbridge was not obliged to continue his ministry in ye former place of publique meeting, or in any other separate part of ye town ;- therefore, he not being obliged to us, we cannot be obliged to him .- And ye abovesaid Association did at their meeting on Feb. 4, 1730 advise, that if Mr. Woodbridge see sufficient encouragment from a number that seems to be agreed in ye west society, that he would continue with them ; but the inhabitants of our town have maintained ve publique worship
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But at the May session, 1732, the Assembly appointed an- other committee to visit Simsbury, and see what could be done to " promote the peace and reconciliation of the peo- ple ;"-and upon their report, which was made during the same session, a resolution was passed, directing that public worship should be held in the old meeting-house for the term of three years thereafter ;- that the inhabitants of Turkey hills be allowed the privilege of maintaining public worship, in their village, during six months in each year ;- that the inhabitants living on the east side of the river, have the same privilege, during four months ;- that the old meet- ing-house might be repaired by voluntary subscriptions, and contributions ;- and that, if the town should not, within twenty days after the rising of the Assembly, lay a tax, sufficient to pay the salary due to Mr. Woodbridge, or should neglect to collect and pay it in full by the first day of the ensuing October, the Secretary of the colony was directed to issue an execution therefor, to be levied upon the estates of any of the inhabitants of the town, and collected, " by distress and sale of their goods."
The town having voted, March 29, 1733, that Turkey hills, and Salmon brook, might each be set off into a sep- arate society, the inhabitants of those places, respectively, memorialized the General Assembly, held in May 1733, for parish privileges ; but their applications were both rejected. This town meeting was convened expressly for the purpose of deciding the question, whether the inhabitants would agree to form themselves into one, two, or more, ministerial societies. The result was, the formation of three societies, and the line which was agreed upon, running between the south and Salmon brook societies, was the same, or nearly the same, as that which at the present time divides Sims- bury and Granby. At this time, there were in Turkey hills, forty-six families, including five who lived a few rods
in separate parts of ye town according to ye town act, and advice of ye Asso- ciation thereon. Therefore, not reasonable that a rate should be made on ye whole town to pay Mr. Woodbridge. The above written was voted in ye affirmative, and voted to be entered on record."
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easterly of the town line, within the bounds of Windsor ; and in Salmon brook, including the Falls and Higley's set- tlement, forty-eight families. *
At the May Session 1734, the inhabitants of Salmon brook again petitioned for parish powers and privileges ; the soci- ety to embrace the same territorial limits, as was expressed in their former petition. Among the reasons stated for this request, is the following :- "Seventhly-the great hopes we have of obtaining a young candidate for the ministry to be our minister, whom we have hired for near fifteen months past upon our own charge, being obliged, all the while, to pay our proportionable part to our minister at town." This petition was also negatived, probably for the reason that the three years, before spoken of, had not yet expired.
In May 1735, upon several memorials from different parts of the town, praying that it might be divided into several Ecclesiastical societies, the General Assembly passed a reso- lution, in which, it is stated, that " considering the divided state of Simsbury, and how often the inhabitants of that place have, in their town meetings, altered and changed their votes," the Assembly " do not think it proper to con- firm the lines, prayed for, in order to divide the town into
* It would seem, from- the following proceedings, that at this time Mr. Woodbridge had removed his family from the town.
" At a town meeting held in June 1733, a committee was appointed to enquire of Mr. Woodbridge whether he intended to continue with the people in the work of the ministry as formerly, and whether he would return with his family into the town again. The committee reported as follows :---
1st. " Whether he intends to continue with us in the work of the ministry. Answer :- in that matter I intend to follow my duty as I shall learn it from the word of God, with the best help I can obtain from the wisest and best of men I can.
2d. Whether I shall return with my family .- I have not determined that I will not, but if the difficulties of the town, in what they can remove, be not removed, it looks as if I should not, but am willing to refer myself to proper judges for advice.
TIMOTHY WOODBRIDGE."
The next year, 1734, the town voted to pay Mr. Woodbridge's salary for the preceding year. In 1755, an action was commenced by Mr. Woodbridge against the town for arrears of his salary unpaid.
HISTORY OF SIMSBURY. 69
separate societies, without further enquiry ;"' and therefore they appointed another committee "to repair to the town, at the charge thereof, and to hear the parties in reference to the question of forming separate societies." The committee were directed to " order the inhabitants, in reference to the place, or places, where they shall attend public worship, until the rising of this Assembly in October next, to which order the said inhabitants shall conform, during said time ;"' and, if deemed needful to divide the town into distinct soci- eties, the committee were directed to describe and set forth the bounds of such societies, and to make their report to the next session.
In May, 1735, another town meeting was held, when a vote was passed, by a majority exceeding two-thirds of the voters present, requesting that the town might be divided into two societies, the division line to be at Hoskins' hill, the " dug way" before described, and appointing James Case, and John Humphrey, a committee to apply, in behalf of the town, to the legislature, for the incorporation of two societies, in conformity with the vote of the town.
A committee was appointed on this application, and upon their report, the General Assembly, at the next session, October, 1735, ordered that the town " be divided into two distinct ecclesiastical societies, with powers and privileges of societies," and that the division line between them be established at the "dug way."
But this decision, like all former ones, gave great dissat- isfaction to a large portion of the inhabitants. Instead of allaying the spirit of discord, it served only to increase it still higher. The people of the north society, being sepa- rated into distinct and remote settlements, and having no common center, desired to be incorporated into two societies; and the south society were strongly opposed to the divis- ional line being established at the dug way,-contending, that it ought to be fixed at Saxton's brook.
A meeting of the south society was held, which was very fully attended,-eighty-two voters being present. On the question " whether they wanted a meeting-house, or not," the
7
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vote stood, forty-one in the affirmative, and the same num- ber in the negative. The society also refused to make any provision for the support of the ministry. The north society voted, by a large majority, that they too did not want a meet- ing-house.
The next session of the General Assembly, held in May, 1736, was troubled more than usual with petitions, from every section of the town, all complaining of injustice, of some kind or other, and asking for relief. Mr. Woodbridge, too, found it necessary to make another application for the interposition of the Assembly, to enable him to obtain his salary ; in which petition, alluding to their difficulties gen- erally, he speaks of a class as entertaining "a secret design of injustice, or hope of holding themselves up, as the head of a party, to perpetuate our present miseries."
By reason of these petitions, the Assembly appointed another committee, consisting of Roger Wolcott, James Wadsworth, and Thomas Wells, Esqrs., who, after hearing the parties, and considering the various subjects in contro- versy, were directed " to make their report how they find the true state of the matters, laid in said memorials, with their opinion thereupon, to this Assembly, in October next."
Upon report of this committee, made at the next session, October, 1736, Wintonbury society was formed, to which was annexed the inhabitants residing in the south-east sec- tion of the town', and three other societies, the South, Sal- mon brook, and Turkey hills, by boundaries as they at present exist, excepting the last named society, to which at a subsequent period, was annexed a small part of Windsor and Suffield.
The question, so far as it regarded the formation of sepa- rate societies, was thus settled, but the one not less impor- tant, to wit, the location of the respective meeting-houses was left undecided. Nor does it appear that any movement was made, for some considerable time, in either of the socie- ties, in reference to a settlement of this matter. Probably, all parties felt disposed to drop the contest for a while. But, in none of them, was the question settled in society
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meetings. In May, 1738, the Assembly, on report of a committee previously appointed, fixed the site of the meet- ing-house in Turkey hills society ;- and, in October, 1739, they did the same in respect to the other two societies. The site of the house for Salmon brook society, (then called the north-west society,) was established at the north end of Salmon brook street, on the hill near the burying ground. The place where the first society were ordered to build their meeting-house, was on Drake's hill on the west side of the road, being near the location of the present meeting-house.
Thus was terminated a controversy which, for the bitter feelings it engendered, and the length of time it continued, has no parallel, in this State, upon any similar subject. The quarrel was general, if not universal ; few, if any, being able to avoid its influence. It destroyed social intercourse, broke up the church, and in a great measure prevented public worship. During three years, from 1731 to 1733 inclusive, owing to this excited state of feeling, the legisla- ture deemed it inexpedient to appoint any Justices of the Peace in the town.
The excitement did not immediately subside. But, in- process of time, when bridges were built across the river- roads improved-and settlements had extended westerly in the town, all parties, if not exactly suited, cheerfully acqui- esced in the final decision of the controversy.
Each society took measures to erect its house for public worship. The first society, in December, 1739, voted to build their house of the dimensions of fifty by forty feet, and to place it on Drake's hill. The building was not so far completed as to be fit for occupation until 1743, and was not plastered until 1752. It was repaired and materially im- proved in 1777, and painted, it is believed for the first time, in 1786.
The construction of the meeting-houses, belonging to the other two societies, will be mentioned in the Chapter relating to the history of Granby.
After the division of the town into three societies, in 1737, all ecclesiastical affairs, instead of being managed as up to
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that time they had been by the town, were conducted by the several societies. The old society was thereafter known by the name of the south society.
Soon after the death of Mr. Woodbridge, the society voted to apply to Mr. Samuel Hopkins to supply the pulpit. This was the distinguished divine who subsequently became the celebrated founder of the Hopkinsonian system of Divin- ity. He preached in Simsbury about six months. At this time, he was quite young, and had but recently been licens- ed to preach.
At the close of the year 1743, the Rev. Gideon Mills was employed as preacher. He was invited to settle, and accepted the invitation, April, 1744. He was ordained in the following September, and dismissed in September, 1754 ; but continued to supply the pulpit until March, 1755.
The next minister was Mr. John Searl, who remained here but a few months. He afterwards removed to Sharon, where he was settled.
In the fall of 1756, the Rev. Benajah Roots was employ- ed on probation. He was ordained Angust 10, 1757, and, dismissed in the summer of 1772. During the last three or four years of his ministry, he had much difficulty with the church and congregation. He removed to Vermont, where after preaching some years, he died.
After Mr. Roots, Mr. Jonathan Murdock, Mr. Patten, of Hartford, and Mr. David Parsons, Jr., of Amherst, were severally employed, the two first named for short terms only. In 1775, the society gave Mr. Parsons a call to settle, but the invitation was declined.
In 1776, the Rev. Samuel Stebbins commenced his min- isterial labors in this society. He was ordained December 10, 1777, and continued in the pastoral office twenty-nine years. He was dismissed at his own request, Nov. 17, 1806.
The pulpit was supplied for about two years thereafter, by several clergymen, among whom was the Rev. Thomas Robbins, D. D., the present Librarian of the Connecticut Historical Society, who officiated about seven months.
The present pastor, Rev. Allen McLean, was ordained
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in August, 1809. During his long ministry, his faithful and efficient services have given great satisfaction, and the church and congregation, under his watchful care, have enjoyed a large share of prosperity and harmony.
In 1830, the old meeting house, which had stood nearly ninety years, was taken down, and a new one erected in its place. The new edifice is a spacious, handsonie and well- constructed building, having a tower and bell. It is beau- tifully situated on ground slightly elevated, and commands a fine view of the Massacoe meadows. When this house was built, several stately oaks, bearing the marks of great age, and adding beauty and comfort to the place, were cut down. It is a pity that the progress of modern improvements lias advanced so far as to require the destruction of such useful and ornamental appendages to public as well as pri- vate buildings. The new house was dedicated Dec. 1830.
St. Andrew's parish of Episcopalians is one of the oldest in the State. It owes its establishment to the unhappy controversy before mentioned, relating to ecclesiastical affairs in the town. In 1740, six persons, and in 1743, twenty-seven others, nearly all of whom resided at the settlement called Scotland, separated from the old society, and connected themselves with the Episcopal church, then called the " Church of England." Timber for a church edifice was procured in 1740, and the building was erected soon afterwards. It stood at the northerly side of the bury- ing ground in Scotland-was a small, plain structure, never painted, and never wholly finished inside. The Rev. Will- iam Gibbs was the first preacher to this congregation. He was a missionary, sent out by a society instituted in England for the "Propagation of the Gospel," and officiated as Rec- tor of the parish many years. Towards the close of his life, ill health prevented his preaching, but it did not in the least diminish his ardor in the cause of Episcopacy, or his affec- tion for his parishioners. Few clergymen have lived more beloved, or died more lamented. His good name yet sur- vives, though nearly seventy years have passed since his decease. He died a bachelor.
7*
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The Rev. Roger Viets was his successor. He was a native of the town, and officiated as Rector but a few years. His residence was in a secluded spot, near the top of the mountain, on the old road leading from Scotland to Tariff- ville. He was uncle of the late Bishop Griswold. Mr. Viets removed to Nova Scotia during the war, where he died.
The next Rector was the Rev. Ambrose Todd. After preaching a number of years in the parish, he removed into Fairfield County, where he died. The Rev. Mr. Cornwall officiated also a number of years, dividing his services between this parish and another one at Salmon brook. The present incumbent is the Rev. Mr. Warner. Besides these, a number of other gentlemen have been employed, each for a short time.
A new church was erected in 1806. It was placed nearly two miles in a southerly direction from the old one. This location, however, operating against the interests of the parish, as it was supposed, was afterwards changed, and the building was taken down, and removed back to the old site, where the present church was rebuilt in 1830. The church now stands within the limits of Bloomfield, the east- ern part of Simsbury, within which the church was situated, having been annexed to that town in 1843.
The Methodists commenced holding religious meetings in the town, more than forty years ago. Until within a few years, these meetings were held in school houses and private dwellings. In 1840, they erected a neat church which stands on Hop meadow street, about one third of a mile north of the Congregational church. The building has a portico, tower and bell, and was dedicated in Sep- tember of that year, on which occasion, the Rev. Professor Holdich, of the Wesleyan University, preached the sermon. The present officiating minister is the Rev. Mr. Scofield.
The Baptists have a small congregation at 'Tariffville, which meets at present for divine service in the second story of a large building, erected in part for this purpose. The Congregationalists hold meetings also in the same village, where they are taking measures to erect a meeting-house.
CHAPTER VI.
General History continued from Chapter II. Mills. Common Fields. Distribution of unlocated Lands. Fishery. Miscellaneous. 1679-1725.
IT has already been stated in Chapter II, that the inhab- itants returned to Simsbury in the spring of 1677, and com- menced rebuilding the town which had been destroyed by the Indians in the preceding year.
The process, however, of repairing the injury sustained, and of restoring the condition of the settlement to its former prosperity, was slow, and, at times, extremely discouraging. Some of the former inhabitants did not return, and but few new ones were found to take their places. The perils of the times, with the danger to which the town from its posi- tion was exposed, offered but few inducements to any but the most daring, or the most destitute in circumstances, to exchange places of security for one encompassed with so many dangers, and containing, withall, so few comforts.
Owing to these adverse circumstances, with others which will be hereafter mentioned, the town remained in a de- pressed condition, increasing, it is supposed, but little in wealth or population, for a period of about ten years after the war in 1676. The inhabitants, if not poor, were gen- erally in moderate circumstances. They could make but few public improvements. And although several attempts were made to advance the growth of the settlement, it was not until about 1689 that its prospects assumed a more cheering aspect.
The dwellings of the first settlers consisted of log huts, covered with thatch or bark, without windows, and often without floorings. Subsequently, when saw mills had been erected, and better building materials could be obtained, some improvement in these edifices took place, though the best of them would, at the present day, be deemed almost
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untenantable. The inventories of estates administered upon at this period, show that but a few plain and cheap articles of furniture were then in use. Stools and forms were substituted for chairs, of which latter article but few families could afford the expense of procuring. The appa- rel of both sexes was generally of domestic manufacture, and for the most part such as each family made for its own use-the winter garments of the men being made chiefly of undressed home-made cloth. For lights, candlewood was used very generally. * The inhabitants were a plain, indus- trious and economical people, increasing in wealth only in proportion as their respective farms were cleared for culti- vation, and stocked with cattle ;- for they derived but little if any benefit from any market for their surplus produce. But a few sheep were kept in town at this period, for the reason, that they could not be protected from the ravages of wolves and other beasts of prey with which the forests then abounded.+
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