USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut. Volume I, 1600-1760 > Part 34
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IV.
CHANGES IN CANTERBURY. NEW MINISTERS AND MEETING- HOUSE. CONTROVERSY WITH WINDHAM. DISMISSAL OF MR. WADSWORTH.
THE remarkable freedom from disease and losses enjoyed by Can- terbury till 1726 was followed by a very great mortality. Joseph Woodward and Jonathan Hide died in 1726 ; Major James Fitch, the
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Rev. Mr. Estabrook and his wife, Tixhall Ensworth, Samuel Adams, Samuel Cleveland, Jun., and David Carver, in 1727 ; Stephen Frost, in 1728. Major Fitch retired from public life some years before his decease, and little is known of the latter days of this noted personage. His large landed estate had passed mainly ont of his hands, and no record of its final settlement has been discovered. His son, Daniel, kept possession of the Peagscomsuck homesteadl. Jabez lived for a time in Newent, and then returned to Canterbury. The survivors of the remaining seven sons settled in other towns. His daughter, Jerusha, married Daniel Bissel, and died early. Lucy Fitch married Henry Cleveland of Canterbury. A tomb-stone in the old burial ground bears the subjoined inscription :-
" Here lies ye body of Major James Fitch, Esq., son of y Reverend Mr. James Fitch, pastor, first of Saybrook, then of Norwich. He was born in Saybrook, 1647. He was very useful in his military and in his magistracy, to which he was chosen, served successively to ye great acceptation and advan- tage of his country, being a gentleman of good parts and very forward to promote ye civil and religious interests of it. Died November 10, 1727, aged 80 years."
Another stone in the same ancient ground commemorates "ye Reverend and Pious and Learned Mr. Samuel Estabrook, ye 3d son of ye Reverend Mr. Joseph Estabrook, late pastor of ye church in Con- cord, who was ye first pastor of ye church in Canterbury, who departed this life to ye everlasting mercy of God, June 23d, 1727, in the 53d year of his age." Mrs. Rebecca Estabrook, that " worthy, virtuous and pious gentlewoman," died the December following. Mr. Estabrook left land with buildings, valued at £1,000, a library of over two hundred volumes, comprising many elaborate Latin works, and a bountiful supply of household furniture and wearing apparel. His son, Nehemiah, was bequeathed the " housing and estate." Hobart was " to be brought up to college," and have £50 and ye books and papers. To his daughter Mary was left £2) and the movable goods.
The venerable Elisha Paine and Obadiah Johnson were still surviv- ing of the older settlers. Deliverance Brown, Samuel Butts, Timothy Backus, Joseph, Josiah, Henry and Moses Cleveland, Elisha and Solo- mon Paine, and other sons of the first settlers, were now in active life. Elisha Paine, Jun., was practicing as an attorney. Captain Joseph Adams and Colonel John Dyer were among the most active and influential citizens.
The first minister procured after the death of Mr. Estabrook was Mr. Samuel Jenison. September 12, 1727, the town empowered Deacon Thomas Brown and Mr. John Dyer, " to go or send to ye Rev. Mr. Jenison, who lately preached among us, to see whether they can pre- val with him to come and help us in ye work of ye ministry, and to invite him to said work for two or three months if they can, and in
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case they cannot prevail with him, then to apply themselves to Mr. Buckley, and in case they cannot prevail with him, then to look else- where, and to do word to such other ministers neighboring to us as are willing to help us, so as, if possible, we may not be destitute of the means of the gospel." Also, voted, "That ye selectmen make a rate for ye paying of Rev. Mr. Estabrooks, deceased, his salary, for ye whole year last past."
Mr. Jenison being prevailed upon, the town proceeded, January 30, 1728, to offer him " the sum of one hundred pounds-as it now passes among us in true bills of credit of either of said Colonies of Connecti- cut, boston, Rhoad Island or New hamshair-sallary yearly ; he settling himself and continuing in town in ye work of the ministry "-to which ten pounds would be added " when Mr. Jenison comes to be settled amongst us and hath a family of his own." Before completing their arrangements, the question of discipline was debated. The Canter- bury church had never formally accepted Saybrook Platform, and some of its members were extremely opposed to it, and now stated to Mr. Jenison their objections, and insisted that he should sign with the church an explicit agreement to follow Cambridge and not Saybrook form of discipline. Mr. Jenison consenting, a formal call was given and accepted, and the first Wednesday of September appointed for ordination. A committee was appointed, "to provide for ye ministers and messengers that may be employed in ye management of said affair at ye proper charge of ye town "-when, for some unassigned cause, the agreement lapsed, and Mr. Jenison disappears suddenly and forever from town and record.
A committee was chosen in November, "to supply the pulpit for three months at the charge of ye town." Various sums of money were allowed, for going to New Haven and Farmington after ministers. The next candidate secured was Mr. John Wadsworth of Milton, a graduate of Harvard in 1723. January 25, 1729, it was agreed, "that they would not make any farther tryall of any other persons in ye work of ye ministry, but would call Mr. John Wadsworth, offering him one hundred pounds a year, and one hundred and fifty pounds settlement, to be paid fifty pounds a year-adding ten pounds yearly to the salary after the first three years." Mr. Wadsworth, after due consideration, thus replied :-
" To the town of Canterbury :-
God having, in his own unsearchable Providence, bereaved you of your pious pastor (whose memory be blessed), and graciously disposed you, with unwearied endeavors, to seek after a setelment (notwithstanding your frus- trations), so that you might enjoy God in all ways of his appointment, and your hearts being disposed to invite me (however unworthy of so saered an office) to be your shepherd under Christ, I, with most strong convictions of my natural inability to perform ye arduous duties of so high a station, with
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entire reliance on Christ's promised presence and the Spirit's gracious assist- ance, accept ye vocation, I trust, with a suitable resolution to walk worthy of it. Under these considerations, I accept, that while I shall be your gospel minister I have a gospel maintenance, not only in youth but also in old age, if spared thereto ; in sickness as well as in health, that I may have physic as well as food, which I think is not so clearly exprest in ye town vote. As touching the annual salary, I look upon an hundred and ten pounds as ye stated sun, but not unalterable. Times are changeable, and we in them. If for my comfortable maintenace, £150, £200 or £300 per annum is necessary, as is requisite in Carolina. I shall expect it be freely offered; on the con- trary, if ten be sufficient, I remit ye hundred. As for ye settlement, I am persuaded you are all sensible what an inconsiderable sum £150 is to procure one withal. I desire it may be paid ye first year, but if that be too burthen- some, ye hundred ye first year and ye fifty ye next."
The town was somewhat perplexed by these ambiguous requirements, and was obliged to ask an explanation of the answer, and insist upon having terms more " fixedly stated." This point being settled, another difficulty arose. Mr. Wadsworth, like Mr. Jenison, was asked to enter into a written covenant to govern the church according to Cambridge Platform. In taking his degree, he had signed his name to the thesis, " That the Congregational Church was most agreeable to the institutions of Christ of any human composures of that nature," but declined "to tie himself absolutely to govern according to any human composure whatever new light he might have." This refusal " put the church into agreeable surprise." There were consultations in this and that part of the room. Mr. John Bacon-afterwards deacon-with " great affection and concern," begged them not to break in pieces. He believed the published opinion of the candidate would suffice, and upon this ground they finally consented unanimously to confirm the call. One of the brethren afterwards wrote him, that had he not signed the specified thesis, "he would as soon have trusted a Papish Jesuit." All obstacles being removed, Mr. Wadsworth was ordained, September 3, 1729- £15 6s. 11d. being allowed for ordination expenses.
The settlement of a new minister was soon followed by the erection of a new meeting-house. January 5, 1731, the town voted, "That a new meeting-house should be built, fifty feet long, forty-five wide, twenty-two between joynts, and sett on ye town's land, where, or near where, the old meeting-house now stands." This site was very objec- tionable to a part of the inhabitants, being but half a mile from Plain- field and four miles from the west bounds of Canterbury. A movement was now in progress for including the north end of Canterbury in a society about to be formed from parts of Pomfret and Mortlake, and thus the town was unsettled and divided. In the fall of 1731, sixty- seven inhabitants petitioned for liberty to build on the old meeting- house spot, and thirty three protested against it. Decision was deferred. Meanwhile a new society was erected, including the north part of Canterbury. In May, 1732, William Throope, Experience Porter and
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Joseph Kingsbury were appointed to view the town of Canterbury and settle the site for its projected meeting-house. The question of a further division into east and west societies was seriously agitated. The committee called the inhabitants together, "heard reasons and called a vote, and there were forty-six against building, and twenty for dividing." They next called upon the inhabitants of the new soci- ety to vote, and "twenty desired the old parish might be divided, and nineteen were against it, and five inhabitants of Mortlake, making twenty-four." After thoroughly viewing old and new parishes, they " thought it best not to divide," and then proceeded to hear the peti- tioners respecting the place for a meeting-house, and finding them much divided in opinion, called them to pass one by one and declare where they would have it set, and there were twenty-nine for the old place, and twenty-nine for Wm. Baker's, and fourteen for Tryall Baker's, and two for Solomon Paine's. They then put the vote, and there were thirty-one for the old place, and thirty-three for William Baker's, half a mile westward. Again they called for a vote, whether the site should be at William or Tryall Baker's, and there were eleven for Tryall, and fourteen for William Baker's. Then, after thoroughly viewing the land, north and south, to know how it might be accommodated with a way, the committee agreed, " That the place shall be by ye country road leading from ye old meeting-house to Windham town, not exceed- ing eight or ten rods from said Baker's house, half a mile west from ye old meeting-house." The Assembly, in October, approved and con- firmed the spot, and ordered the inhabitants to proceed with building.
This order was not obeyed. Descendants of old settlers settled in the east of the town could not be reconciled to this change of location. In May, 1733, John Dyer and Elisha Paine presented the Assembly with a memorial, showing the great difficulty they labored under respecting building their meeting-house, that the vote taken by the committee was scattered and broken by reason of the recent change in society and not a fair expression of opinion, and gave the following reasons for not proceeding with the work :-
" I. The committee did not understand the circumstances.
II. Laid too much weight on the broken vote.
III. Place selected held by owners at unreasonable terms.
IV. So uneven that when one sill is on the ground, the other is eleven foot high.
V. Roads must cross private lots.
VI. Society so settled that more than two-thirds of persons and estates must travel from ye old place to ye new, and think it beyond our duty that we, who have borne ye brunt and heat of the day, and still bear the greatest part of ye charges, should be obliged to travel out of ye main street, that is become a fenced lane almost from one end to ye other, and go into the woods about three-fourths of a mile, where there is nothing but trees except one house to comfort any in distress, no land suitable to build on as the roads to the stated place are not only very bad but very difficult to be obtained, while at ye
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old place, all ye roads meet and with much labor have been made fit for travel. Also, it is not so at one end as it looks, people being mostly settled on ye east side ; west side not likely to be settled in this generation-land being poor and rough and held by non-residents in large tracts. For all these reasons, beg to be excused from building on assigned spot. The committee had relations living west and were connected with Norwich proprietors. Hope we may not be obliged to build our meeting-house on land not ours, when we have pre- pared a very commodious green for the purpose, and have taken pains for roads, &c."
Daniel Brewster, John Brown and Captain John Bulkley were accordingly appointed, who reported in favor of the old green, "as the roads best lead to it, six feet southward of place where old meet- ing-house stands." This site was confirmed by the Assembly, and the inhabitants again ordered "to proceed to set up and finish meeting- house at the above described place." The more westerly residents remonstrated in vain. The society committee, in May, 1735, reported progress ; house raised and workmen agreed to finish, and in time the house was made ready for occupation, but from the loss of the first book of society records no details are attainable.
The boundary controversy with Windham was revived in 1731, by attempting to levy taxes, perhaps in preparation for the new meeting- house, from Samuel Cook and Caleb Woodward, residents of the disputed territory. Cook, who was a member of the Scotland church, and had hitherto paid taxes in Windham, petitioned the Assembly in October, 1731, in behalf of himself and Woodward, declaring that they had always supposed themselves inhabitants of Windham and had paid taxes there, but were now assessed by Canterbury and doomed for their head and stocks. The Assembly ordered, "That no distress shall be levied on the proprietors by any officer of Canterbury until the Jine be settled, and petitioners shall pay rates to Windam," whereupon Woodward appeared with a counter memorial, showing that Cook had petitioned falsely ; that his house and the improvement of his land fell within Canterbury, according to the settlement of the line made by the General Assembly in 1714, and confirmed by the surveyor of Windham County in 1731 ; that after he had given in his list and paid rates to Canterbury, listers from Windham had presumed to assess him four- fold. Memorialist was " greatly distressed and uncertain what to do, for when the list is given to Windham, Canterbury four-folds it, and when given to Canterbury, Windham dooms it." The difficulty was increased by a false representation made to the Assembly in October, 1731, by Cook, " who, for a long time before said prayer was exhibited was in Canterbury train-band, and very constantly trained there and came to meeting on Sabbath days, till a very short time before petition he drew his house, as he supposed, within Wind- ham bounds-(but happened to be mistaken)-and obtained an act that they should not be forced to do duty to Canterbury till line was settled,
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which memorialist supposed was well done long before obtaining said act, so that is very dark. Please tell me," concludes the distressed memorialist, " what to do that I may be safe, and not devoured by two when I ought to satisfy but one. Wales and Skiff and Isaac Burnap have warned and doomed me four-fold. Line between Canterbury and Windham was found and refreshed May 17, 1713, and acknowledged by the Assembly-a southwest line from Appaquage to an oak tree west of Nipmuck Path. Josiah Conant was desired by Captain Adams and John Dyer, town agents, to run the line as formerly agreed on in 1713, and had performed the service." Jonathan Stevens and William Thompson, who helped carry the chain on this occasion, also declared, " that Woodward's house and orchard were east of the line so run some considerable way."
No answer was granted to this request, and the petitioner left to wait the re-settlement of the boundary-line, which was delayed from session to session. In 1737, Richard Abbe and Jabez Huntington appeared before the General Assembly in behalf of Windham, declaring, " That they did not regard the settlement of 1713, but have proceeded to lay out, settle, and improve lands according to their patent of 1703, that Canterbury claimed a line two hundred and twenty rods west of Windham's, and asking that Canterbury's doings might be set aside : 1. Because they proceeded according to Windham patent of 1686, which had been before vacated. 2. Because Bushnell's tree, mentioned by Canterbury, was marked by Bushnell and Huntington without any rule, only as they measured eight miles south from Appaquage. Both houses refused to grant this request, but but again, two years later, they returned to the charge. A committee was then appointed, which reported, "That the deed of Clark and Buck- ingham lay west of Nipmuck Path-that Plainfield (then includ- ing Canterbury) was granted east of Windham ; that the second grant of Windham, including Clark and Buckingham's purchase, was bounded ea'st by Nipmuck Path, and they therefore concluded that the dividing line between the towns should run " south about ten degrees east," to a black oak by Nipmuck Path, according to the line originally marked out by Bushnell. Windham still refused to accept this decision, and continued to maintain possession of the disputed land till the prospect of one of its inhabitants becoming a public charge gave the matter a new aspect. Edward Colburn, or Coburn, with William Shaw, Robert Moulton and David Canada, bought land and settled near Little River in 1709. Part of Colburn's land was in the disputed gore, but his house was in Windham, and he was numbered among its inhabitants. His son Robert, as he grew up, was subject to intervals of " distraction," but had sense enough to marry his neighbor, Hannah Canada, and was
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
"crowded out" by his father, "onto that end of his farm that lay between the controverted lines," and there lived with his wife, paying rates to Windham as ordered by the General Assembly, and accounted one of its inhabitants till, in 1738, his distemper returned, and he became wholly incapable of taking care of himself. Edward Colburn, who was then possessed of a plentiful estate, took his son home and for a time maintained him, but then sold his land in Windham, removed to Massachusetts and soon afterwards deceased, leaving his helpless son to the mercy of the public. Windham, who preferred her land free from incumbrance, sent him over to Canterbury; Canterbury, declining to support paupers when debarred from receiving taxes, instantly returned him. The unfortunate lunatic was tossed to and fro between the contending townships-a process little calculated to lessen his "distraction." At a town-meeting in 1741, Windham voted :-
" Whereas, one Robert Colburn, that is now residing in this town, is under such influence of distraction that he is not able to take care of himself, and has been supported by ye town of Windham at great cost and charge, and of right belongs to Canterbury; Voted,-That Captain Fitch be agent for Windham to appear at Court to recover the charge."
The battle-field was thus transferred to Windham Court-house. John Dyer and Joseph Adams acted as agents for Canterbury ; Isaac Burnap-after the decease of Capt. Fitch-for Windham. After long delay, the support of Colburn was assigned to Canterbury on the ground that the decision of the General Court's committee had adjudged the disputed tract to that township. This decision hastened the final settlement of that vexatious controversy. The worth of the disputed land was doubtless much less than the cost of supporting its afflicted incumbent, and Windham consented to relinquish her claim and acknowledge the original boundary line, which she had so per- sistently repudiated. " An act establishing Windham Line " terminated this half-century controversy in 1752.
These troublesome contests, and the building the new meeting-house, so absorbed the public interest and energies that little else was accom- plished. A new school-house was, however, built on the Green, and a writing school occasionally allowed. In 1734, it was agreed, " That all ye male persons that are born in this town shall, at the age of twenty-one years, be vested with all the privileges that those persons are that were admitted town inhabitants by vote of said town." A town stock of ammunition was procured.
Canterbury, with adjoining towns, suffered in a sad accident occurring at the raising of a bridge over the Shetucket River, in 1728. One end of. the bridge, with forty men upon it, gave way, and was precipitated into the stream below. Only one person was killed instantly-Jonathan Gale of Canterbury, a youth nineteen years of age, the only son of a
CHANGES IN CANTERBURY, ETC.
297 . widowed mother, " a very hopeful youth, the darling of the family." Many were seriously wounded, and at first, taken out and laid by for dead. Lieutenant Samuel Butts, Samuel Parish and Ebenezer Harris are reported among "the men most considerably wounded."
A bridge over the formidable and troublesome Quinebaug was built in 1728, by two gentlemen of Plainfield, but was soon carried away. Another was built at the same place by Samuel Butts in 1733, and maintained a few years by private subscription, till carried away by ice. Jabez Fitch-son of Major James Fitch-having returned to Canter- bury after a few years' residence in Newent, next achieved a bridge over the rebellious stream-the only one he asserted south of Sabin's, in Pomfret, ice having carried away all the others-and was allowed the privilege of collecting toll by the General Assembly in 1740. In the same year, the military company was reorganized-Obadiah John- son chosen its captain, Stephen Frost, lieutenant, and Solomon Paine, ensign.
The church gained in numbers during Mr. Wadsworth's ministry, but was somewhat weakened by the long meeting house controversy. A few of its early members were dismissed to help form the Second Church of Pomfret. Elisha Paine, Sen , and Samuel Cleveland died in 1736; Deacon Thomas Brown in 1733; Deacon John Bacon in 1741. In 1741, the Canterbury church was greatly perplexed and distressed by a criminal charge alleged against the pastor by a female resident. The Windham County Consociation was called together, May 27th ; the grievous difficulty laid before them and their judgment asked upon the following points, viz .:-
"I. Whether the said pastor ought not to be dismissed from the pastoral charge of us.
II. Whether, if he be dismissed as aforesaid, we ought to hold in charity with him as a brother."
The complainant herself then appeared before the council, and solemnly re-affirmed the charge against the pastor. The council, having maturely considered the first question, and that the Rev. Mr. Wadsworth had not attempted to disprove or remove the suspicion of the imputation brought against him, was of opinion :-
" I. That his usefulness and serviceableness in the ministry were cut off and taken away by the scandal he lyeth under, and that he should be released, and they did declare him released from his pastoral office.
II. That there are so strong suspicions of his guilt that the church ought not to hold in charity with him as a brother as the matter now stands; and we think Mr. Wadsworth is bound to clear up his reputation if he be capable of it, or else make a public confession, or else submit to a public admonition for the said crime charged upon him."
Mr. . Wadsworth submitted silently to his sentence, gave up his charge, and returned to his home in Milton without attempting to clear up his reputation or make the prescribed confession. The Canterbury
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people, with rare leniency and forbearance, refrained from further prose- cution of this affair, deeming loss of ministerial standing and the reproaches of conscience a sufficient punishment for the alleged crime. However this may have been, it was in striking contrast with the penalty inflicted upon poor Elizabeth Shaw in the adjoining parish.
V.
PLAINFIELD AFFAIRS. GROWTH IN VOLUNTOWN.
PLAINFIELD, after the settlement of its early quarrels and diffi- culties, enjoyed many years of remarkable peace and tranquillity, with little to do but to manage its perambulatory schools, look after its General Field, and fill up vacancies in its meeting-house. In 1727, two shillings a week were allowed for keeping the schoolmaster's horse, and the lower vacancy in the meeting house filled up with pews- persons to build in the upper part as they thought best-and in the following year, the house was seated according to age and rates. In 1728, a very great work wa: accomplished-the completion of a sub- stantial bridge over the " tedious Quinebogus" by Joseph Williams and Timothy Pierce, Jun., who thus memorialized upon this achievement :-
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