USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut, Volume II, 1760-1880 > Part 2
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But Putnam was not permitted to restriet his energies to his own farm and neighborhood. He returned at a great political crisis. The revolutionary conflict had opened. The Stamp Act had just been pro- mulgated, and all the Colonies were ablaze with indignation. No man was more imbued with the spirit of the times, more resolute in determination to resist farther eneroachment upon colonial liberties, and he had the art of infusing his spirit into others. As the avowed opponent of the Stamp Aet he was welcomed home with acclamation, and ardent patriots rallied around him as their champion and leader in resistance and aggression. He was called upon to preside at indignation meet- ings in various parts of Windham County. His pungent, pithy words had great effect upon his hearers. The foray upon Ingersoll and other demonstrations of popular feeling were said to have been instigated by Putnam, and the prominence of Windham County in the subsequent struggle was ascribed in great measure to his presence and influence.
Putnam's triumphant return was shadowed by a great domestic affliction-the death of his beloved wife -- in the autumn of 1765. She left seven living children-Israel, the oldest, now twenty-five years of age, and the youngest, Peter Schuyler, an infant of a few months. In 1767, Colonel Putnam was married to Madam Deborah Gardiner, a lady long known to him as the wife of Brooklyn's first minister, Rev. Ephraim Avery, and afterwards of John Gardiner, Esq., of Gardiner's
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
Island. This marriage gave new dignity to his social position, bring- ing him into connection with many prominent families, and with that ecclesiastic element so potent in Connectient at this period. Mrs. Put- nam had a large cirele of friends and much social experience. Her husband was the most popular man of the day. Their hospitable home drew throngs of visitants. Every soldier passing through Windham County would go out of his way to call upon his beloved colonel. Rela- tives, friends, traveling ministers, distinguished strangers and gush- ing patriots came in such numbers that their entertainment became very burdensome. A Virginian Jefferson would submit to such an invasion though it made him bankrupt ; a Yankee Putnam could con- trive to turn it into profit, or at least save himself from ruin. Finding that his estate could not support such an excessive outlay, Putnam met the emergency with one of his sudden strokes, removed his resi- denee to the Avery estate on Brooklyn Green, and opened his house for general public accommodation. A full-length representation of its proprietor as "General Wolf," in appropriate military costume, hung before the door, its ontstretched hand inviting all to enter. That Brooklyn tavern, with Putnam for its landlord and Mrs. Avery Gardi- ner Putnam as mistress, became one of the most noted gathering places in Eastern Connecticut, and witnessed many a thrilling scene of the great Revolutionary drama.
Putnam's return to Pomfret was nearly cotemporary with the advent of another distinguished personage of very different charcter and proelivities-Godfrey Malbone, of Newport. An aristocrat by birth and sympathies ; a loyalist, devoted to the Crown and Church of England-untoward fate brought him to finish his days amid the rude, rebel yeomanry of Pomfret, in the same neighborhood with the great champion of popular rights and liberties. Colonel Mal- bone was a man of varied experience and accomplishments. He was educated at King's College, Oxford, had traveled much and moved in the first circles of Europe and America. Inheriting a large estate from his father, he had lived in a style of prineely luxury and magnifi- cence. ITis country-house, a mile from Newport state-house, was called " the most splendid edifice in all the Colonies." Completed at great cost after long delay, it was destroyed by fire in the midst of house- warming festivities. Colonel Malbone's financial affairs had become seriously embarrassed. His commercial enterprises had been thwarted by the insubordination of the Colonies. His ships had been taken by privateers, and his property destroyed by Newport mobs, and now that his elegant edifice was consumed, he refused to battle longer with fate and opposing elements, and, early in 1766, buried himself in the wilds of Pomfret. Some three thousand acres of land, bought from Belcher,
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Williams and others, had been made over to him at the decease of his father, well stocked with eows, horses, sheep, swine, goats and negroes. These slaves according to common report were a part of a cargo brought from Holland who helped repel a piratical assault, and were retained for life and comfortably supported. Amid such rude, uncon- genial surroundings, Malbone made his home, exchanging his palatial residence for a common tenant-house, and renouncing all business interests but the cultivation of his land and the utilization of his negro forces. With the town's people he held as little intercourse as possible. They belonged to a class and world of which he had a very in- perfect conception. Such gentlemen as called upon him were received with politeness ; poor people asking aid were relieved; town and church rates were paid without demur or question, but all without the slightest personal interest. Of their schools and churches, their town government and projected improvements, he knew or eared nothing. Their political aspirations and declamations he looked upon with scorn beyond expression.
It was not till he discovered that these insignificant country people were concerting a project very detrimental to his own interests that Colonel Malbone was roused from his lofty indifference. Brooklyn Society was bent upon a new meeting house. Putnam's removal to the village had given a new impetus to the movement. With such a famous tavern and troops of fine company, how could the people con- descend to attend religious worship in an old shaky house, with patched roof and boarded windows. Again, in the autumn of 1768, a meeting was called to consider this important question. Great efforts were made to secure a full vote, and as an argument for a new building it was currently whispered that the Malbone estate, now rising in value, would pay a large percentage of the outlay. So ignorant was Colonel Malbone of neighborhood affairs that he did not even know that such a question was pending. "A strange sort of notification " affixed to the public sign-post had for him no significance. He paid no heed to town or society meetings, and the vote might have been carried with- out his participation or knowledge had not one of his tenants thought it his duty to apprize him on the very day preceding the meeting. Alarmed by the tidings he at once waited upon Mr. Whitney, whom he had ever treated with the respect due to his position and character, and represented to him the imprudence as well as inexpedieney of such a step at a juncture when every one complained of the great hardships of the time and extreme scarceness of money. To convince him of its necessity Mr. Whitney took him to the meeting-house, which he had never before deigned to enter, but though joined " by an Esquire, Col- onel and farmer," (probably Holland, Putnam and Williams), all their
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
arguments were ineffectual. The primitive meeting-house seemed to him quite good enough for the congregation, a few trifling repairs were all that was needed, and if really too small its enlargement was praeti- cable. So much uneasiness was manifested at the latter suggestion, and such determined resolution to build at all events that Colonel Malbone saw clearly that the measure was likely to be carried, and without returning home galloped over to Plainfield to consult with the only churchman of any note in the vicinity-John Aplin, Esq., a lawyer lately removed from Providence, a staunch loyalist, greatly embittered against the colonists. He assured Malbone that as the laws stood he could not possibly help himself; that if those people had a mind to erect a square building this year and pull it down and build a round one the next, he must submit to the expense unless they had a church of their own, or got relief from England. Convinced of the necessity of vigorous opposition, Colonel Malbone next day attended the society meeting, "debated the question with the Esquire in very regular fashion," and had the satisfaction of seeing it thoroughly defeated- " the odds against building being very great when put to vote."
Opposition only made the minority more determined. They con- tinued to agitate the matter both in public and private, and were "so extremely industrious and indefatigable, promising to pay the rates for those who could not afford it, " that they gained many adherents. In September, 1769, another society meeting was called, when Colonel Malbone again appeared with the following protest :-
"1. I deem the present house with a very few trifling repairs altogether sufficient and proper to answer the purpose designed, it being no way anti- quated, and with small expense may be made equal to when it was first fin- ished and full as decent as the situation of the parish will allow of, and cer- tainly much more suitable to our circumstances than the superb editiee pro- posed to be erected-God Almighty not being so much delighted with temples made with hands as with meek, humble and upright hearts.
2. If the building had been really necessary it would be prudent to post- pone it rather than to burden the inhabitants at this distressful season, when there is scarce a farthing of money cirenlated among us, and the most wealthy obliged to send the produce of their lands to markets for distress to raise a sufficiency for payment of taxes for the support of the ministry only, and the generality scarce able, though we pay no province tax, to live a poor, wretched, miserable life.
3. I was born and educated in the principles and profession of the Estab- lished National Church, and determine to persevere in those principles to the day of my death ; therefore, decline from entering into so great an expense- a full eighth of the whole charge-wherefore, in presence of this meeting, I do publicly repeat my dissent and absolutely protest."
Upon putting the question to vote a majority of one declared against building; but as three of the prominent advocates were absent at a funeral the point was virtually carried. Elated with the pros- peet of success, the friends of the new house now indulged in some natural expressions of triumph. That Malbone's opposition had in-
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creased their spirit and determination is quite probable. While he esteemed his country neighbors as boors and clowns, characterized by " cant, cunning, hypocrisy and lowness of manners, " they had sufficient acuteness to detect and reciprocate his ill opinion, and resent his attempt to thwart them in their dearest legal and local privilege. His scornful contempt was now repaid by downright insolence, and these canting clowns did not hesitate to say in the most public manner, "that as churchmen had made them pay in other places, they had the right and would make use of it to make churchmen pay here, " and " that by sell- ing off'a few of his negroes to pay his building rate, the damage would not be very great. " These "insults " added to the "intended oppres- sion " roused the high spirited Malbone to immediate resolution and action. For nearly thirty years his estate had paid for the support of religious worship in this society. Although as non-resident Episco- palians they might have obtained exemption from government, yet as the tax was comparatively light, the value of the property enhanced by the maintenance of this worship, and father and son exceedingly liberal and open handed, they had paid it without protesting. Removing to Brooklyn, Malbone still disdained to question it till confronted by this large impost. As a resident of the parish he would be compelled by law to pay it unless he could attend public worship elsewhere. To help those who had thus insulted him, to yield the point to his opponents, to be instrumental in erecting " what some called a schism- shop, " was wholly repugnant to him. The church at Norwich was practically inaccessible. Relief might be obtained by appealing to the King, but this implied negotiation and delay. A more instant and effectual remedy was needed and devised. Malbone was an ardent royalist, devoted heart and soul to the interests of the British Govern- ment. The English Church was one with the Crown. By establishing Episcopal worship in his own neighborhood, he could not only secure himself from taxation and discomfit his opponents, but strengthen the hands of his King and country, and bring new adherents to their cause. These considerations were too weighty to be rejected. They appealed to the strongest and deepest sympathies of his nature, and with characteristic impulsiveness he emerged from his retirement and devoted himself with all his energies and resources to the establish- ment of the Church of England on the very land purchased by Black- well for a Puritan Colony.
Followers soon rallied around him. The few Tories in the neigh- borhood were eager to join him. Dr. Walton, who had made himself obnoxious by his political course and was now " debarred from church privileges for rongh speaking," came out boldly for Episcopacy and Malbone. Aplin of Plainfield, was ready with aid and counsel. Brook- 2
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lyn, like other parishes, had its malcontents, its aggrieved rate-payers, ready to avenge old wrongs and forestall future assessments by uniting with a new organization. A paper circulated by Dr. Walton procured the signatures of nineteen persons, heads of families, agreeing to become members of the Church of England when church edifice and missionary should be provided. To provide these essentials was a matter of great difficulty. Every argument urged by Malbone against the building of the Brooklyn meeting-house applied with greater force to his own project. Times were hard, money scarce, his own pecuni- ary affairs embarrassed, his proselytes mainly of the poorer classes. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts, indig nant at the growing insubordination of the colonies, had " determined not to make any new missions in New England." But Malbone had friends and influence abroad, and a ready wit and pen of his own- "himself a host," able to overcome all opposing obstacles. In grace- ful letters admirably adapted to the various recipients he told his story. To former boon companions, who might "reasonably be surprized that he had undertaken to make proselytes and build churches," he would not pretend that he was induced to this by religious motives merely. That would "border very near upon that damnable sin of hypocrisy and falsehood, from the schools of which he was endeavoring to bring over as many as he should be able by the utmost pains and assidnity." To them he dwelt mainly upon the unpleasantness of his personal position, and the folly of this ridiculous vain people " of Brooklyn, who, from a ridiculous spirit of pride and emulation, were about to demolish a structure as sound and good as when first finished, that they might build one newer, larger, and probably yellower than a monstrous great unformed new one that looked like a barn, painted all over a very bright yellow, recently erected in Pomfret." To clerical friends he expressed his repugnance to saddling his estate already too much encumbered with an expense of perhaps two hundred pounds- and for what-to build an Independent meeting-house ! to furnish money for what could only be a considerable prejudice to the cause of their religion, and begged their ntmost assistance from principle. Presbyterianism, he averred, so abhorrent to the true principles of the English Constitution that he considered the man who endeavored by every mild and moderate method to propagate the worship of the Church of England, as aiming at a very great national service. In a very able letter addressed to the Bishop of Bangor-his former class- mate at Oxford-he declared that "the ministry could not take a more effectual step to humble the overgrown pride of the Independ- ents in these Colonies (who, notwithstanding their much vaunted loyalty, would very gladly exchange monarchy for a republic, so very
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compatible with their religious system), than to encourage the growth of the church," and he adjured all having any influence with Bishops or dignitaries to endeavor to procure an order from his Majesty, exempting all churchmen "from the shameful necessity of contribut- ing to the support of dissenting worship." These pleas and representa- tions secured from the Venerable Society the promise of aid in the support of a minister, and various sums of money for the church edifice. A hundred pounds was given by Malbone, ten pounds by Dr. Walton and smaller sums by others. An eligible building site on the Adams tract, south of Malbone's land, was given by Azariah Adams. So expeditious were the movements of the churchmen, that before the middle of November, Malbone had already executed a plan for a building, and made arrangements for providing materials.
This unexpected departure and revolt, and the prospect of an Episcopal house of worship, only stimulated the zeal of the friends of the parish meeting-house. Great efforts were made to bring the neutral and wavering to a decision, the leaders of each party offering to pay the building-rate of such poor persons as should declare in its favor. The decisive vote was taken Feb. 6, 1770, "and there were seventy-two voted to build and twenty-one lawful voters against it." It was also voted at a subsequent meeting, that the meeting-house should be built by a rate upon the previous tax-list. The injustice of this attempt to extort a building-rate from the churchmen enlisted public sympathy in their favor, and some of the leading men in the society joined with Malbone in protesting against it. From neighbor- ing towns he received aid and support. Residents of Plainfield and Canterbury, alienated from their own churches by bitter religious dissensions gave him their names and influence, so that with a strong party to uphold him he thus appealed to the General Court for relief and exemption :--
"Your petitioners, desirons of worshipping God in public according to their own sentiments and the direction of their consciences, in the beginning of October, 1769, did assemble themselves together, and enter into engage- ments for building within said parish of Brooklyn, a house of worship according to the model of the Church of England, and for supplying the same with a minister duly qualified, and have carried the same into execution, so that public worship will be performed therein in a few months. Public meeting-house is of sufficient dimensions and with some few repairs would make a good and decent house; that soon after their purpose was known the inhabitants of Brooklyn, at a society meeting, held Feb. 6, 1770, did vote that said meeting-house should be pulled down and a new one erected, the expense to be paid by an assessment of the parish ; and to precipitate the transaction the society voted on March 9, That the assessment should be com- pleted according to the list of ratable estates given in the September pre- vious, although the said tax by said vote is not made payable till the first of Dec., 1770, by which illegal and unprecedented aet, it is manifest that the whole was passed with a design to include such of your petitioners as belonged to Brooklyn in the taxation, although the church should before that
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
time be erected in Brooklyn, and themselves exeused by colony statute. Whereupon your memorialists pray, that on condition the church intended to be built shall be by them built, so that public worship be performed at or before the said first day of Dec., they may stand acquitted and discharged from said tax.
Godfrey Malbone. John Allyn.
Jonathan Wheeler.
Joseph Hubbard. John Wheeler.
Jacob Geer.
Jerre Cleveland.
Leonard Cady.
William Walton.
Timothy Lowe.
Noah Adams.
Jonas Cleveland.
Jedidiah Asheroft, Sen.
Henry Cady.
Jabez Allyn.
Ahaziah Adams.
Thomas Adams.
Nehemiah Adams.
Jacob Staple.
Isaac Adams.
Benjamin Cady.
Daniel MeCloud.
Samuel Adams.
John Ashcraft.
Caleb Spalding.
Elisha Adams.
Seth Sabin.
Benjamin Jewett.
James Darbe, Jun.
James Eldridge.
Subscribers adjacent to Brooklyn, united in building a church, recommend the petition as reasonable and fit to be granted.
John Pellet. William Pellet.
Jonathan Downing.
John Tyler.
David Hide.
Caleb Faulkner.
Zebulon Tyler.
Asa Stevens.
Abijah Cady.
Samuel Adams.
Robert Durkee.
Edward Cleveland.
John Aplin.
Richard Smith.
Richard Butts.
Timothy Adams.
Thomas Pellet.
Dudley Wade.
Philemon Ilolt.
David Pellet.
Samuel Cleveland.
Phineas Tyler.
Joseph Pellet.
Jedidiah Ashcroft, Jun.
Peter Lort.
Morgan Carmans.
April 10, 1770."
Consideration of this memorial was deferred until October, when it was opposed by Thomas Williams in behalf of the society. Relief was granted to Malbone, as an acknowledged churchman, but denied to his associates, from lack of confidence in the sincerity of their motives.
Meanwhile the rival edifices were in progress. A committee from the County Court, summoned by Joseph Scarborough, and waited upon by Daniel Tyler and Seth Paine, affixed for the society a build- ing spot on the Green, a few rods southeast of the old meeting house -" its front foreside facing the road." Mr. Daniel Tyler, the super- visor of the first house, again served as master-builder. His experi- ence and judgment, aided perhaps by the pungent strictures of Colonel Malbone, enabled him to construct an edifice far less amenable to criticism than the Pomfret model-pronounced by common consent "a very genteel meeting-house." It was of ample size and graceful proportions, with a convenient porch and handsome steeple, built at their own expense by Daniel Tyler and others. A special vote pro- vided " that our new meeting-house be colored white." Five seats eleven feet long were ranged each side the broad alley. The remain- der of the floor was occupied by capacious pews. "Forty-three persons that pay the greatest rates that are on that list, which contains no man's poll and ratable estate than what was under their immediate care and occupancy," were allowed the floor to build pews on. The
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top of the floor of the wall pews was to be nine inches above the top of the floor of the house, that of the body pews to be four-and a-half inches above the same ; all to be neatly finished with banisters. A competent committee was appointed to decide upon the builders of these pews-viz. : Thomas Williams, Daniel Tyler, Seth Paine, Colonel Putnam, Deacon Scarborough, Captain Pierce, Joseph Holland, Samuel Williams, Sen. and Junior. These gentlemen with the society's committee and the pastor were to determine " where each pew as well as the minister's and pulpit should be." By a bequest from Mr. Joseph Searborough, who died before the house was completed, a bell was provided and hung-the second in the county. Private enterprise placed a convenient elock in the steeple. The progressive spirit of the Brooklyn people was further manifested by their voting, " That an Eleclarick Rod may be set up at the new meeting-house, provided it be done without cost to the society." This house was probably occupied in the summer of 1771, but there is no record of any especial observance of its opening. The formal dedication of church edifices was one of the Papal practices long eschewed by Dissenting churches. The society showed its regard for the meeting- house so hardly obtained by entrusting its care to its most honored public citizen, voting-
" That Colonel Putnam take care of the new meeting-house and ring the bell at three pounds a year."
When the Colonel went to the war, his minister took his place as bell ringer. Only the first men in the society were deemed worthy of such an honor. It was ordered " that the bell should be rung on Sabbaths, Fasts, Thanksgivings and lectures, as was customary in other places where they have bells, also at twelve at noon and nine at night."
The Malbone Church, as it was commonly called, was completed in advance of its rival. It was a neat, unpretentious structure, closely copying its namesake-Trinity Church, of Newport-in its interior ar- rangement. To prepare his proselytes for participation in the church service, of which he avowed " they were as ignorant as so many of the Iroquois," Malbone himself invaded "the sacred office of priesthood," conducting worship in his own house till the church was ready. The novelty of the service attracted many hearers. The Rev. John Tyler, church missionary at Norwich, ever ready to forward the work of church extension in Eastern Connecticut, preached in Ashcroft's house, in February, to a number of most attentive hearers. April 12, 1771, he officiated at the public opening of the new church edifice. The oc- casion was felt to be one of unusual interest and importance, confirm- ing and establishing the worship of the Episcopal Church in a section of country long given over to Dissenters. It was also memorable as
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