USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stamford > History of Stamford, Connecticut : from its settlement in 1641, to the present time, including Darien, which was one of its parishes until 1820 > Part 11
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support it, the rope which held it gave way and the bell fell to the floor, killing instantly Mr. John Holmes, the great-great grand- father of John Holmes, Esq., of New Hope district, recently deceased. This meeting honse was subject to a regulation, peculiar to that age, which would hardly be endured by the descendants of those who required it. We find the regulation, which in the language of that day was called the "orderly seating of the meeting house," provided for in the following enactment :
"The town order that the inhabitants shall be seated in the meeting house by the following rules, viz : dignity, agge and estate in this present list of estate ; and a committee shall be choseu to attend it forthwith ; the committee, Capt. Jonathan Selleck, Lieut. Fra. Bell, Lieut. Jona'th Bell, Joseph Theale and Joseph Garnsy, who have full power to seat the inbab- itants as above."
By special note, 25th, 2mo., 1673, " Mr. Law, lef. Senor. Bell and William Newman, are chosen committy to seat the women in the meeting house." I think this is the only time when the ladies were so signally honored. Certainly, I find no other similar records.
But the new meeting house required other changes. The pastor, Mr. Bishop, either from temporary failure of his health, or from the excessive burdens of his extensive parish, reaching as it did from Norwalk out to the borders of New York, found it necessary to secure a helper in his work. A Mr. Eliphalet Jones seems at this time to have been in Greenwich, engaged probably as a sort of evangelist, and his labors were within the jurisdiction of the Stamford church. He was, also, very accept- able to the Stamford people. Fearing, doubtless, that his acceptable services among the Greenwich settlers would even- tually lead to a new parish, and unwilling to have such a diver- sion, the TOWN pass a vote, May 3, 1672, to give Mr. Jones an invitation to be a minister of the gospel in this place, " if he remove from Greenwich."
In November of this year he is " accommodated with a piece of land in his own right," provided he settle here in the work of the ministry. At the same time Mr. Law, Mr. Holly and
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Jonathan Selleck, are chosen to treat with the Greenwich men " about their compliance with Stamford for the upholding of the ministry in this place." Mr. Jones evidently accepted the proposal from Stamford, and the next year a house is provided for him at the town charge. A vote is also passed that "the town doth agree to give one hundred pounds yearly unto the ministry in this place as long as there be two ministers in the place." Mr. Jones remained here probably until 1676, as at that time the town by vote return to the former ministerial rate, voting only the sum, sixty pounds, which Mr. Bishop was to have.
No other attempt seems to have been made to employ an assistant to Mr. Bishop during his life. No change of much importance took place in the parish. The Greenwich men were required to pay their rates for the support of the gospel here, and there was no serious resistance on their part to the neces- sity.
One of the votes of this period is so characteristic that we will record it. Its date is Dec. 2, 1680:
" The town doth grant uuto the ministry in this place sixty pounds for the present year ; one-third part in wheat, one-third part in porke, and one-third part in Indian corn; winter wheat 5s. per bush., summer wheat 4s. 6d., and porke at 34d. per pound, all good and merchantable, and In- dian corn 2s. 6d. per bushel."
Under sneh pay it would seem that the church and society continued to prosper. The congregation increased and again it became necessary to re-arrange the seating of the house or build a larger one. The former course was adopted, and in Novem- ber 1689, the seats of the house were by vote of the society turned round and the pulpit set at the north side of the house.
At this period the town meeting house had another office to subserve. It was evidently the theory of that carly day that the house of the Lord intended the temporal as well as the spiritual welfare and safety of the people. Our citizens drew from it the weapons and motives of the carnal as well as spirit- ual warfare, as the following record of June 7, 1681 will testify :
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"Pr vote, a convenient place should be made in the meeting house for receiving the town ammonision. Left. Jonathan Bell is chosen to take care of the ammonision."
In November, 1692, it appears that the ministers of the county had proposed to the Stamford men to join with the Greenwich men in "carrying on the works of God there; " but by vote the town declared that they cannot see canse to concur with their motion., And so for a while the matter was dropped.
A single congregation at the center was all that the town felt needful, excepting occasionally when extra religious ser- vices were held at private residences in other parts of the ex- tended parish. One pastor continued to keep watch over this large floek, and nothing appears to show that his ministrations and care were not acceptable to the people.
But the newly seated meeting house soon became too strait- ened, as the first had been, and the congregation needed more room. The first step towards this result seems to have been taken May 13, 1691, when the town voted "to alter the seats so as to make them seat more persons." The only restriction put upon the action of the committee was to leave the pulpit where it had stood before, and to make no breach in the wall. This change was probably made, and the congregation was duly reseated by the usual committee.
And now, the good bishop, who so long had kept spiritual watch over this widely scattered people began to feel the infirm- ities of age pressing upon him. At the town meeting held Sept. 12, 1692, he expresses an earnest desire that they would find some one to relieve him. It is equally due to Mr. Bishop and to the history of the times to record the action of that meeting. It will be borne in mind that it was the action not of a mere ecclesiastical society, nor of a church, but of the town of Stamford.
"The town desire iu compliance with his motion, being also sensible of their own necessity, do therefore think it their duty, first, to settle a maiu- tenance upon Mr. Bishop, that may he to him yearly paid, during his life time, in case we have a supply of another minister.
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They then vote the annuity of forty pounds, to be paid in rate and specie, that is in such products as had been customary before.
"Furthermore, iu pursuance of this work, for a supply of another minis- ter it is the desire and mind of the town to endeavor by advice and endeavor necessary otherwise, to procure an able, faithful, orthodox minister, in judgment to comply with and act, so far at least, according to the synod in New England, in the year 1662."
They next vote fifty pounds to be paid annually to another minister during Mr. Bishop's life ; and appoint Captain Selleck and Lieutenant Bell to advise with the ministers of the county respecting a suitable man for settlement here.
The only other votes recorded which testify to the continued acceptability of Mr. Bishop here, are occasional gifts of land to him in his own right. In December, 1667, they vote to free his estate from the annual minister's rate or tax. In 1681 they donate to him by vote the fortification wood about the meeting house, and during the same year make his salary seventy pounds.
They then add as a guide to their committee, " that the min- ister who shall be brought into the town shall be called to office in convenient time; and such ministers as shall come, shall promise to the church and town to take office charge upon him."
In November, 1692, the town by vote manifest their desire to have Mr. John Davenport, of New Haven, for their minister; and appoint Abraham Ambler, Daniel Weed and Joseph Tur- ney to treat with him and report to the town. In December of the same year they again express their confidence in him as the man for the place, and are glad that he does not discourage their hopes. They commission their committee to engage him to come among them for trial and promise to furnish him with "suitable maintenance and satisfaction."
On the 16th March, 1692-3, the town "at a full meeting, being duly warned, and also more fully by warrant from au- thority added, do now further order and appoint a
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committee to manage this affair, to treat with Mr. Davenport in order to a settlement in this place as a minister of the Gospel amongst ns ; * * and they have power to agree with him and provide for his comfortable settlement in respect of house and lands, and what else is needful for his encouragement the committee have full power to do according to their best discre- tion and the town's ability; and that the matter be forthwith attended."
The committee were: Capt. Selleck, Left. Bell, Mr. Ambler, Mr. Jonat. Selleck, Serj. Samuel Hait, Daniel Weed, Serj. David Waterbury, Jonas Weed, sen., and Mr. John Selleck.
In April they also vote, " the town doth ingage to finish the pasinedge house, fence in the lott, digg a well, plant an orchard and give it to Mr. John Davenport when he is a settled minis- ter in Stamford."
In July, 1693, the town vote to Mr. Davenport, when he shall be a settled minister, one hundred pounds a year. They vote further to give him "ten pounds a year during Mr. Bishop's life," that is to say, ten pounds to be added to the sixty pounds if Mr. Davenport doth settle in a family before Mr. Bishop's deatlı. They then vote to send for Mr. Davenport, whenever and however will best suit him. The last vote of this date is characteristic.
" The town by vote doth give and grant to Mr. John Daven- port, when he is settled here in a family, his firewood, which is to be done in a general way and not by rate upon the town, and to be done when the townsmen do order a day or two in the year for it ; further it is to be understood that it is to be done by the people of the town, all male persons from sixteen years and upwards."
On the 18th of December following, they vote to Mr. Daven- port " forty pounds for the time he has been here in Stamford and until the next March." They vote also to Mr. Bishop fifty pounds for the year. They renew their desire that Mr. Daven-
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port be called to take office, and this desire was answered by his settlement by ordination here in the following year.
In conformity to the vote of July 17, 1693, respecting fire- wood, we find the following vote of Oct. 23, 1696, in which " the town do now further order that every inhabitant of this town shall ent and carry to Mr. Davenport for his use a good ox load of good wood to be done by the last of November an- nually, upon the penalty of the forfeiture of four shillings to be paid to the town by the person neglecting his duty herein." Mr. Ambler was appointed to take account of the wood and report to the town. These votes were repeated almost annually during Mr. Davenport's ministry.
That this duty was not always promptly discharged the sub- sequent record shows. Under date of Mar. 25. 1696, we find this record: "per vote, John Slason, senior, and Increase Holly are impowered to appoint a day and to call forth those men yt are behind to attend ye work of getting and bringing wood to Mr. Davenport, and to doe it as soon as may be."
And that the town were jealous lest their minister should be wronged, we find proof on the records, of the same date, in this vote: "the town impower Daniel Scofield, sen., and Jonas Weed, jun., to order those men that are behind in the fence of Mr. Davenport's pasture, to make up the posts, and if they shall neglect to do it up, then to hire men to set it up and to strain for the pay according to law."
In the year 1698, an incident occurred here illustrating so clearly the religious and ecclesiastical character of the times, and also the position and character of Mr. Davenport as a min- ister in the county, that we will let the record speak for itself. For the record I am indebted to the kindness of Rev. Joseph Anderson, one of Mr. Davenport's successors in the pastorate. It was found in a manuscript volume detailing the journeys of Roger Gill and Thomas Story between Rhode Island and Caro- lina in 1698. They were members of the proscribed sect of Quakers, and were bent on propagating their religious tenets.
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After describing their journey from Philadelphia to Westches- ter, in the State of New York, the journal continues as follows:
"Ye next day we sat forward, ye land way, for new Ingland-2 friends to bear us Compn'y. Came yt Evneing to a tovn Caled Stamford in Conack- tecok Colony-it being a prity larg bvt a very dark tovn ; not a frind liv- ing in all yt provenc, as we had hard of, nather would they sofer the testy- mony of truth to be declared amonght them, nor had it ever hin declared -they being Riged prespetrions or independents, I know not whither, but one thing I am shure of, they had one father. so we went to an Inn. I asked ye woman of ye hows if yt shee would be willing to sufer a meting to be in her hovs. She said yes, she would not deny no sivel Company from coming to her hovs. now I felt a Grat power and wight of darkness, so yt I Could not be Clear in my spearet to peas thorow ye town of Stamford, and thar for I sent those frinds yt war with us to go and invite ye peopel to com to our inn, for we ware of those peopel Caled qoekers, and we had som- thing to say to them. and whilst our frinds went to invite the peopel, we went to aqvint ye Jvstes of ye town of our intencons, and to open ovr minds to him, for he was a independent, and seemed to be somwhot mod- erated before we parted with him-who answered us thvs, I will not spek much to you, for we heve a low yt no qvaker shal prach; so I will not tol- erate yov. then he aded ye word. bvt. imploying as much as he would wink at ye meeting. So we appoynted a meeting to be next day at ye 9 ovr. So when ye tim Came, saveral of ye peopel cam acording to ye time : a Con- stabel Cam with them, with a warant to Comand us to go ovt of ye town, being filed with surallvs words and bed names, Cemanding ye peopel to depert, and Comending ye women of ye hovs not to sufer us to prech in her hovs. so thomas stod vp to shov ye vnresnapelnes of ye werant, and with all disered a Copy, but it Covld not be granted. then when thomas had spak a few words to yt pvrpvs, I was moved to stand vp and to spek to ye peopel. then Came ye Constable, Comanded me in ye governer's name to to be silent, and pvshed me ovt of ye hovs by my arm. but ye pover of yo Lord yt wos vpon me would not be silesent by him. so when he had haled me ovt of ye hovs, ye sperit and pover of ye Lord Cam vpon me, and I lift vp my vovs in ye streets, cryed ovt, wo. wo. wo. vnto all ye inhabetene of ye tovn of Stamfort, who hold a profeshon of Christ ovt of ye Life of Christ. this Chry, with some other words to ye same pvrpos so alarmed ye peopel yt ye hovl hody of ye tovn hard; and meny of them being gathered to- gether, I had time to easey my speret a monght them. then after I was easey, we Returned to ovr inn, when saverall of their dispvtants Came to disspote, who wos very fvrvs at first, pvt war so handeled by thomas vpon saveral poynts, bvt espesaly vpon Election and repprobation, yt svm Con- fesed svm truths and departed very calm-ye Lords trvth yt day wos over them. So being both Clear of ye town, we Cam yt night to farefeeld. Lodged at philiph Lewies."
"Ye next day ther wos a Lectver held at faerfeld, by 7 preests, and to it wos gathered abundance of peopel: and finding a Consarn to Com vpon my sperit to visit yt people at their lectver-for I wos mvch boved vnder ye Consern-tovld thomas, who wos wiling to go with mee. So up to their meeting wee went, but went not in vntil ye singing of their song was over: then in we went, and vp towards ye pulpit I want, thomas fovlling of me. I looked stidfastly vp to ye pulpit, wher wer 5 preests sitting; and to sat below. then ye ovld preest took his text ovt of ye profet Isaiah. Iv.
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first, second. ye words wer Com, bye wine and milk, without money and without priser, fovlloing with these three beads-first, wherefore spend ye yovr mony for ytt which jis not bred, and your labor for yt which satisfieth not? harken diligently vnto me, and eat ye yt which is good, and let yovr sovl delight itself in fatnes: Secondly, incline yovr ear and come vnto me, hear and yovr sovl shall Live: thirdly, Christ sends ovt his sarvents by his Sperit, with a free invitation to ye peope [1], but ye make excuses. So wee stood still to bere him make ovt his sarment: and poore man, to give him his dew, he mad it with no small labor, as wel as no Litel terer; for he drove it on like Pharoah Charats whilees very heavily. so when he had mad an end, I being moved of ye Lord stood vpon a form wher I might both be seen and hard both of preests and peopel. then I spake as follveth to ye peopel: freinds, yov heve all seen this day yt I heve hard yovr mines- ter with peachenc, neither heve I interopted him nor mad any disturbance: therefore I disire ye same Christian Liberty of you: for I heve somthing from the Lord to deliver a mounght yov. then were ye peopel very still. so then I began with thos words yt ye preest took for his text. but befor I. had spoken them, down Came ye preests ovt of ye pvlpet, Like disstracted men, oue Cried ovt, wher ye povers of ye Church ? wher are ye magis- trates? what, is ther no Constabels here to take him away? another of them Iuterrapting me sad, Sur, yov are not called to be a minister to this peopel. whereupon I asked him by whot he was fited, prepered and called to ye worke of ye ministry. he sad, by ye voice of ye peopel. then I spek with a loud vice to ye peopel, bad them take notes yt their minister sad yt he wos fited, prepered and Called to ye work of ye ministre by their voyces. wherevpon the preest wovld heve denied it, saying, yov cat[c]h me. then ovld preest yt preched the sarmant Caught me by my hand, saying, dear sor Come dovn. who strooking my hand aded, dear sor, I prey come down, ye peopel are well satisfied. bvt abovt this a Constabel Came to me and would heve pvled me down bacward. then np steps one of the hearers, as thomas told me, and pulled him from me. So by this time the first preest, whos name is John devenport had mvstered vp one Jvstes & to Constabels, who by vilence pvled me down, halling ovt of ye meeting. I spak thes words to the peopel. O veopel, fear and dread ye Lord God, and mind ye Light of Christ in your Consencenes yt will show yov your state & will let yov see what sperit yovr ministers are of. So when I wos ovt of their meet- ing I demended my liberty. but they sad no. then ye Jvstes Comending ye peopel to depert, some of them did, but others would not. allso he Comended ye Constabels to take me into a back lane wher my voyce should not be hard: for I speke to ye peopel as he haled me a longe and several fovled ns into ye lane . . then thomas desered to know by what Low ye proseeded against vs. they sad they had a Low yt no quakers shovld prech a movnght them. then I demanded to see their warant. they sad they had none. So I comended my liberty, as they would answer it, Caled to ye peopel 'to know their nams, who wer very Redy to tell vs their names. then they leet me goo. so vp to ye meeting hovs green I went, where wer sevrall hondreds standing. then a peesebel & a Good time I had amonght. ye Lords pover Came over them. saverall were soled, some tendered. So when I had Clered my sperit amovnght them, Greet pees I witnesed whith ye Lord.
"So when I was Clere, thomas felt somthing vpon his mind, to speek to ye preests. so we tovld ye peopel of it, asking into what hovs they wer gon they into ye percons. so we fovlloed them; & I do beleve an hondred
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of ye heds of ye seven perishes fowlloed us. So Coming to ye hovs we went in. ye preests wer in a Larg room, seeing vs met vs, taking vs by ye hand invited kindly to dine wh them, tovld vs we should be as welcome as any of them yt wer ther yt day. but we refvesing, they sad, why would wee not ? why should ther be any diference in society alltho ther might be some in princebles. then I sad, had wee met with a Christian sperit amonght yov, we might have dined with yov: but inasmuch as we did not mett with a sperit of humanity, how could we heve any society ? & as we had not interopted them in their worship nother would we; so we would withdraw to ovr inn, tel ther diner wos ended, and Come up to them ageyn. So weegcame to them; ye peopel stil remened abovt ye hovs, went unto ye hovs with vs. So then after a few bantering words we receved from preest devenport, thomas fell into a dispute with devenport abovt babtisem, which hald more than on over: and had not thomas binn interupted by ye rest of ye prests, devenport had confesed babtisem as they held it, to be a Rellik of popery. whervpon, I being much greeved to see ther unfar delings with us-for I had mad an agreement with them yt ther should be no inter- option between them on either side, before all ye peopel-then I spake to ye peopel, saying, let ye evidence of gods sperit in all your harts bear wit- ness between vs & them this day. moreover I sad we wer here to vindicate ye thruth agenst all vnthrvth, ading with a lovd vovice befor them all sad, sene they had bin so vnfar, if yt they would call vp ye Congregation to- gether, wee would tary to days in town, & wovld prove yt babtisem as yt hald it not to be [neither?] instituted by Christ nor eny of his ahostels, nor practised. hvt not one man mad one word of an answer, all being silent. so after a litel pawes, they sad they had a select meting; therefor they dis- iered vs to withdrow-their time was spent. So then, after a few words wee parted with them, ye peopel wer Loveing to vs and one Justes of ye peece fulloed vs, & sad, frinds, yov hsve incovnted with a body of divinity to-day. So we took hors & a way we Came yt night to Stratford: & had greet peece with ye Lord."
No noticeable changes occur in the next few years. Mr. Da- venport seems to have won the esteem and confidence of the people, and to have stood high among his brethren in the county. The congregation increased to the full capacity of the house and at length beyond the possibility of being seated.
Resort is now had to "galeries," for which provision was made in Mar. 1700. When the galleries were done a committee were to reseat the people. But the old meeting house was not to be made roomy enough for the growing congregation. A vote is passed, July 8, 1702, to build a new meeting house next fall, fifty feet square, of customary hight, where the pound stands. Major Selleck, Capt. Selleck, Dea. Hait, Left. Waterbury, Dan- iel Scofield, sen., Sergt. Webb, Sergt. Knap, Mr. Stephen Bishop and Ensign Holly, are made the building committee, with in- structions to get the shingles at home and have them of cedar.
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In May, 1703, they vote to raise the meeting house as soon as conveniently it may be; and as late as Nov. 14, 1705, we find this vote: that when the floor is laid and fitted to meet in, the pulpit and seats shall be removed to the new, for the present. But a far different use was to be assigned to the old floor of that hallowed honse. The town had just voted to repair their mill-dam ; and as mill-dam and churches were equally the care of the town, the good economy is practiced of voting to use the "pauke flore " of the old meeting house, on the dam.
It would seem that this third house of worship had no bell as provision was made in 1707 for beating the drum in the "ferrate" (turret) of the new meeting house for one year, and to begin the first of March next.
The "orderly " seating of the congregation in this meeting house was still deemed of so much importance that the follow- ing provision was made for it, in full town meeting, July 4, 1710.
"The town by vote do agree for the more orderly seating of the meeting house that these rules be observed in the seating thereof: first, that it be done in proportion to the whole of its charge by which the house was built, and finished, as may appear by those lists of Eastates by which the several rates or levyes were raised for the defraying the charge of the same ; also that a christian due regard be had unto, and suitable respect given unto civil authority, age and military commission office, commissioned by the court."
To do this delicate work the same town meeting duly ap- pointed Major Jonathan Selleck, Deacon Samuel Hoyt, Mr. Daniel Scofield, sen., Mr. Elisha Holly and Mr. Joseph Bishop. In another vote the meeting provided that " the major part of the committee agreeing," shall have power to order the seating, and they are to do it as soon as convenient.
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