USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut, Volume II, 1760-1880 > Part 37
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30S
HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
Canterbury, in 1790, and soon received into its brotherhood most of the active, leading men of the County. Its first grand master was Colonel Ebenezer Grav. Moses Cleveland. Evan Malbone, Thomas and Lemuel Grosvenor, Samnel and John MeClellan, Daniel Larned, Daniel Putnam, William Danielson, Lemnel Ingalls, Albigence Waldo, John Brewster, Jared Warner, were among the many who were actively interested in this Lodge. Its annual commemoration of St. John's day in June was one of the great festivals of the year, exceeded only by Fourth of July and General Training. The Masonic brethren from all the surrounding towns in full regalia, marched through the street with banners, music and open Bible. to be enter- tained in hall or grove with a grand oration and fine dinner. The young men of Canterbury were enthusiastic in devotion to this order, and maintained its appointed services with much spirit and fidelity. An elaborate oration delivered by Asa Bacon, Jun .. June 27, 1799, in which the youthful orator presumed to deviate " from the flowery field of friendship," into "the wilderness of polities," excited mnch attention and praise, and was deemed worthy of publication in The Windham Herald.
. The "young blood " in the town was manifested in many public enterprises and improvements. An elaborate code of laws, adopted in 1796 for the better regulation of town meetings, shows the hand of the young lawyers, and hints at previous informalities, now to be remedied :-
" 1. No motion shall be objected to, or considered within the possession of the meeting, except it be for reconsideration, without it be seconded by some other member than him who first made the same.
2. No member shall speak more than twice to one and the same question or motion before the meeting without leave of said meeting, nor more than once before each member desiring to speak has had his turn.
3. No motion shall be made for reconsideration of any choice, vote or act of said meeting, but by some member who acted the affirmative in passing the same, which shall all be done in the same meeting in which said vore was passed.
4. No member shall speak, or ask liberty to speak, when any other member is speaking, except to call the member speaking to order, and the member called to order shall sit down, and he may appeal to the meeting to decide the question of order, but if he refuse to make such appeal the moderator shall determine the same, and in either case it shall be done withont debate, and the moderator shall, and any member of said meeting may call any person to order transgressing the foregoing rules.
5. That for the future we will choose our selectmen, listers and grand- jurors so as to place them in the different quarters of the town, and before we proceed to choose either of the above class of officers the moderator shall mention which quarter of the town to begin at. And the foregoing rules shall by the clerk or moderator be publicly read at the opening of our annual town meeting."
By-laws were passed the following year regulating the impounding of cattle, and geese were denied the liberty of the road unless " well
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TURNPIKE PROJECTS, ETC.
yoked and one wing cropt." The selectmen were authorized to pur- chase or hire a home for the poor, and Colonel Benjamin Bacon offered to provide for them for one-fifth per week less than the year preceding. Town meetings were held alternately in the meeting- honses of the two societies. Schools were cared for by each society, though "squadrons " had given place to modern districts. The cen- tral district of the First Society had liberty to erect a convenient school-house on the green north of the meeting-house in 1795. In the following year a school society was organized-Luther Paine, clerk and treasurer. Colonel Benjamin Bacon, John Felch and Luther Paine were authorized to take care of the loan money. Timothy Backns, Rufus Baldwin, Walter Hongh, Thomas Coit, Lot Morgan, Waldo Brown, Daniel Frost, Jesse Ensworth, school committee. Josiah Robinson, Elisha Paine, John Felch, Thomas Coit, Moses Cleveland, John Adams, Daniel Frost and Jesse Ensworth, were empowered to locate and bound school districts. Committees were thenceforward appointed by the several districts, with nine overseers to superintend them.
Turnpike projects called out the usual discussion and opposition. The town wholly " disapproved of any turnpike gate being erected at or near Mr. Samnel Barstow's blacksmith shop, on the great road from Plainfield to Windham, judging it unjust and impolitic." The pro- posed " Norwich and Woodstock turnpike," excited much opposition. General Cleveland at this date was usually moderator at town meet- ings, but now Colonel Benjamin Bacon was placed in the chair, and with Elisha Paine and David Baldwin, made a committee to confer with committees from other towns, and oppose the laying out of this turnpike. John Francis and Nathan Adams, representatives to General Assembly, were also instructed to oppose the same, and use their influence to procure the rejection of the committee's report. As usual in such cases their opposition was unavailing and in May, 1801, Moses Cleveland, William Adams, Asa Bacon, Luther Paine and Jedidiah Johnson of Canterbury, were incorporated with gentlemen of other towns as "The Norwich and Woodstock Turnpike Company." Its first meeting was held the following September at the tavern of Jedidiah Johnson : a committee was chosen to assess damages and the road speedily constructed. The great road leading to Windham was also made a turnpike in 1799, and a gate erected near the centre of the town. Upon petition of the Windham Turnpike Company a change was made in 1804, the central gate removed to near the dividing line between Canterbury and Windham, and a new gate placed near the line between Canterbury and Plainfield. The high- way running north and south through Westminster Society was a
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
public thoroughfare from time immemorial. accommodating travel from Norwich town to the Massachusetts line. The earliest laying out of this road has not been recovered. but it was improved from time to time and made more passable. Rough fieldl stones were used to mark off the miles. It is said that in the original survey the road was marked ont to run a due north and south line over Westminster Plain, but that the occupant of the old Parks tavern nearly half a mile eastward, fearing to lose custom lay in wait for the engineers, and so plied them with liquor and courtesies that they consented to lay out the road to accommodate the tavern, intersecting the original survey about one-and-a-fourth miles from the point of deviation. A highway was laid ont in 1785, from Ephraim Lyon's Potash works to Parker Adams' mill. crossing the south part of the town. Stephen Butts and Phinehas Carter were also manufacturers of potash. Mr. Carter afterwards carried on coopering, on quite a large scale in Westminster village, employing from four to six hands in the winter season. Tanneries were now established in several parts of the town. The extreme west of Canterbury was first settled by one or more families of Downings, who gave their name to the brook in their vicinity, ran mills and set ont orchards. A somewhat isolated com munity, they had little to do with the general affairs of the town ; were fond of frolic and dancing and enjoyed the repute of having plenty of money. Saw and grist-mills were carried on successfully by the Morses and Bradfords in the North Society, a dam being allowed on Rowland's Brook in 1804.
President Dwight in his "Travels " reported Canterbury as suffering much from lack of clergymen, want of harmony and declension of morals. Standing and Separate churches were alike affected. Nathaniel Niles, Samuel Hopkins, Job Swift, supplied the pulpit in the First society at irregular intervals. The Separate church enjoyed the occasional ministrations of some wandering Separate or "Lyon, the Baptist." In 1784, attempts were made to unite both congrega- tions under the ministry of Rev. Solomon Morgan, the standing church voting, "That there is a willingness and freedom that the members of the Separate church should meet with us in hearing the preaching of the Gospel, and have equal privileges with us if they desire it." Capt. Cobb, Asa Bacon, Dr. Gideon Welles, Samuel Adams, Jun. and Samuel Ensworth were appointed a committee to confer with one appointed by the Separates. A Confession of Faith, Heads of Agreement and Covenant, were accordingly drawn up and signed by a number of the members of both churches, and it seemed likely that they would unite and go on in peace and good agreement, but on calling a meeting to confer respecting the settlement of a
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CHURCH DISAGREEMENT, ETC.
minister it appeared that the adopted articles were not understood alike by both parties, and they were not disposed to practice alike on them, " whereby the good ends and mneh-wished-for happy union between the aforesaid churches were likely to prove abortive, and come to an end." Each church was then requested to state in writing the matter of dispute and difference between them. John Bacon, David Kinne, Daniel Frost, John B. Adams and Esther Fish, in behalf of the Standing church, therefore gave it as their opinion, "That the real canse of disagreement was the question, ' Who shall be the Council to ordain our minister in case we are happy enough to agree in one, and who shall administer ordinances to us occasionally when destitute of a settled minister?'"-to which they answered, " That although they were willing that any of their brethren should occasionally partake and commune with those churches and ministers that are called Separate and practice lay ordination, and that those ministers should preach amongst us occasionally, yet they did not judge it proper or expedient that any of the above-mentioned ministers should assist as council in the ordination of our minister, or admin- ister ordinances to us as a body ; and on their part, they did not judge it expedient or proper to have those ministers officiate that were offensive to their Separate brethren, especially those that practise upon the Stodard-ean Plan, but did mean to have full fellowship with such churches as are settled upon and practise according to what is called the Edward-ean Plan."
The Separates apparently received this as a clear and satisfactory statement of the cause of difference, but declined to accept the situation. The Standing church and society proceeded to call Mr. Morgan to settlement. Farther attempts were made to compound the difference. The Reverends Paul Park, John Palmer, Levi Hunt and Micaiah Porter, convened at their summons, tenderly urged their Separate brethren to labor to agree on some churches and ministers with whom they could all hold fellowship in gospel ordinances and institutions, reserving to each individual the liberty of personal communion with such churches and ministers as they might judge to be for their edification. Before the installation of Mr. Morgan another effort was made by both churches. The Reverends Joseph Snow of Providence, John Cleveland of Ipswich (expelled from college forty years before for attending worship with this same Separate church), Timothy Stone of Lebanon, Paul Park of Preston, John Staples and Micaiah Porter, met in council, and unanimously agreed :-
" 1. As to the case of Capt. Shepherd and his wife, the church from which they withdrew should take off the censure from those persons.
2. The Council was persuaded that there was a difference between the two churches, which in their view appeared so important that they saw no
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
prospect of a happy union, and could only advise them for the present to maintain a spirit of Christian forbearance until God should open the way for them to be of one mind and one judgment.
3. But whereas there was a prospect in the view of some that a door might by-and-by be opened for the removal of those things that made the difference between these churches and others under similar circumstances, the Couneil advised that both churches and congregations should unite together in the public worship of God, attending on the ministry of the Word as at present dispensed and cultivate harmony, if this may be consistent with their views and feelings-but, if they cannot thus agree, advised each church and congregation to set up and maintain that worship and order which appears to them most agreeable to the mind of God, without giving any disturbance or molestation to each other."
The Separates therefore called a meeting September 29, and with a gleam of their former spirit, voted :-
" 1. Respecting advice of Council, concerning Capt. Shepherd and his wife, as the Council has given no reasons why this church should take off their censure, nor offered any light upon the matter, they cannot consistently take off their censure till proper repentance is manifested to the church by the persons aforesaid.
2. With respect to the advice of Council that both churches and congre- gations unite together in public worship, attending upon the Word as at present dispensed here, if this is understood to mean the ministry of Mr. Morgan, we can by no means comply therewith. Or if this advice should be construed to mean that we meet together as we have done for three months past by having equal privileges in carrying on the publie worship, we cannot conscientiously comply with advice in this respect.
Therefore, in the third place, we are willing to comply, and do hereby comply with that part of the advice of Council, which advises each church and congregation to set up and maintain that worship and order which to them appears most agreeable to the mind of God. And we think it our duty at present to set up and maintain public worship as a distinct body from the people under the charge of Mr. Morgan."
On the following day, September 30, Mr. Morgan was installed over the Standing church. Eliashib Adams and Daniel Frost now served as its deacons : Joseph Moore was afterwards added. Walter Hough succeeded John Felch as clerk of the society. The Separates endeavored to carry out their resolutions but were unable to find a pastor, and became in time more reconciled to Mr. Morgan, who took great pains to conciliate them and unite the churches. He was so far successful that in 1788 about thirty of the more prominent Separates-including Moses, Timothy, Traey and Eliphaz Cleveland, Benjamin, Jacob and Samuel Bacon, John and James Adams. William and JJacob Johnson, Luther Paine, Thomas Boswell and others-gave in their names and returned to the First Society. The remaining members of the Separate church persisted in separation, and now removed their meeting-house to the north part of the town, where they gathered a small congregation. William, son of William and Mary (Cleveland) Bradford, was graduated from New Jersey College in 1774 and ordained to the ministry, and after teaching and preaching in various fields, returned to his old home in the north part of Canterbury, and assumed the charge of this Separate flock. Ifis
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GENERAL CHURCH AND TOWN AFFAIRS, ETC.
brothers, Moses and Ebenezer Bradford, both entered the ministry, the latter settling in Rowley.
The few Baptists in Canterbury were extremely irregular in faith and practice, as well as in mode and place of worship. They held to what was called " mixed communion," and with a small number of similar churches, formed Groton Conference. Capt. Ephraim Lyon was one of the pillars of this clique, as ready to fight for religious as for civil freedom, but after a time he is reported to have become a Methodist, and his associates lost coherence and visibility. Some had been led away by the eloquence of Elhanan Winchester, baptized in Canterbury by Elder Ebenezer Lyon, who after a brilliant career as a Baptist popular preacher, had embraced the doctrine of Universal Salvation. Dr. Cogswell reports many Universalists in Canterbury, who despised and flouted Mr. Morgan and seemed likely to do much damage. Several united with the Universalist Society of Oxford, then under the pastoral charge of Rev. Thomas Barnes, who frequently held service in Canterbury and other Windham towns. So much interest was excited that meetings were advertised in school-houses, "to discuss whether the doctrine of universal salvation could be proved from Scripture."
So widely had free opinions leavened the town that in 1791, the First Society voted to admit occasionally to preach in the meeting- house on Lord's Day, preachers of the Gospel of different persuasions from the present established sentiments, provided those men should be persons of good moral character and professors of the christian religion, which shall be at the option of the present society committee, and their successors. This vote, opening the pulpit to " Friend Barnes," as he was called, and other heterodox preachers, occasioned much disturbance, and after some years of controversy the church prevailed upon the society to reconsider and revoke, and grant the control of the pulpit to the pastor. This decision gave great offence to Canterbury's spirited young men who were fully imbued with the revolutionary spirit of the day, averse to orthodox principles and preaching, and eager for a new meeting-house and minister, better music and other modern improvements. A movement was instantly set on foot to organize as an " Independent Catholic Christian society," after the pattern of one just formed in Pomfret, and met with great favor. Fifty of the leading men of Canterbury signified their dissent " from the doctrine preached and hekl by minister, church and society," and pledged their names to the new organization. This great defection filled church and society with consternation. A com- mittee was at once appointed to confer with those who have lately separated from us, and also with Mr. Morgan, to see if they can devise 40
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
ways to accommodate matters and prevent division. The members of the Independent Catholie Society were most earnestly besought to unite themselves with the old society, "so that we may unitedly support the social and public worship in a more decent and respectable man- ner, and better promote our spiritual edification." In response to their entreaties, a council was held, viz. :- the Rev. Messrs. Hart. Benedict, Whitney, Staples, Lee and Porter, with Asa Bacon, John Felch and Thomas Coit to wait upon them. Through their mediation accom- modation was effected. Mr. Morgan was dismissed from his charge, and old and new societies united-signing the following Articles of Agreement :-
" ARTICLE I. Charity, which is so strongly inculcated in Divine Revelation, and declared to be an essential christian duty, teaches us at all times to con- cede towards each other in our religious associations. We will therefore never withhold from each other a convenient and proper opportunity of receiving such different christian instructors as may be agreeable to their consciences-paying at all times a decent regard to engagements and priority of appointments.
ART. II. Whenever it shall be judged prudent and best to build a meeting- house, or procure instruments of music that will render the worship of God decent, orderly and graceful, the same shall be done by free and voluntary donations and used for the purposes assigned by the donors.
December 26, 1797."
This breach being healed, some improvements were effected. Five choristers were appointed, and a committee " to promote psalmnody." A bell was procured by voluntary subscription, its ringing regulated by the society committee. In 1799, it was voted to build a meeting- house with a steeple. Asa Bacon, Jun., and Rufus Adams, committee to procure subscriptions, failed to secure sufficient encouragement. The proposal to unite with Westminster Society in building a new house of worship in the centre of the town was equally unsuccessful. The liberty granted by the Assembly of raising fifteen hundred dollars by a lottery encouraged the society to continue its efforts. Other sums were procured by private subscription, and in 1805 a new meeting- house was completed to the satisfaction of all parties. Daniel C. Banks and Thaddeus Fairbanks had supplied the pulpit during this interim.
The Westminster Society shared in the general growth and pros- perity of the town, alloyed by occasional providential visitations and local differences. Dr. Cogswell in his diary, July 2, 1788, reports the devastations of a terrific thunder-storm-a black cloud seemed to settle down upon Westminster Parish : hail nineteen inches deep ; glass much fractured ; grain and grass lodged : gardens destroyed, so that people in neighboring towns sent relief to the sufferers-and also irreconcilable feuds between prominent church members that seemed likely to lead to the dismissal of Mr. Staples, but which like the hail-
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WESTMINSTER SOCIETY, ETC.
storm left no lasting impress. To outward appearance there was more than usual harmony in the society. Deacon Eliashib Adams often presided in society meetings. Deacon Herrick and Captains William Hlebard and Joseph Burgess served as committee; Stephen Butts, clerk ; Nathaniel Butts, collector. Joseph Hebard and Elijah Her- riek filled the useful office of chorister. Committees were appointed from time to time to seat the meeting-house. John Park had liberty in 1787, to take up four of the lower seats and replace them by four decent pews after the construction of those called pillar-pews, provided he gave up the same when built to the society. George Williamson, Captain Hebard, Sherebiah and Stephen Butt and Rufus Darbe, were authorized " to confer respecting the heavy tax that now lies on the society for the payment of the minister's salary." An abatement of thirty pounds was accepted by Mr. Staples. To prevent a recurrence of such difficulty a movement was instituted for "a perpetual fund for the purpose of supporting a preached Gospel, performed by men of zeal, practical piety, Calvinistic principles, and approved by Windham County Association," which resulted in the subscription of more than six hundred pounds .* Thus well established with fund and convenient house of worship, the society was little inclined to favor the proposed reunion with the First Society, but considered the ques- tion so far as to affix for a central site, a spot "within twenty rods of turnpike road, between the houses of Dr. Gideon Welles and Mr. Samuel Barstow." Mr. Staples continued to discharge his ministerial duties with fidelity and acceptance till 'he died and rested from his labors, February 15, 1804, in the 61st year of his age and 32d of his ministry-ministers not being suffered to continue by reason of death." Called up in the night to pray with a dying mother of the church, he neglected to put on his accustomed wig, and either taking cold in consequence, or taking the fever from the aged lady, he followed her to the grave in a few days. His death made a great impression upon all his flock, and especially upon the young people who had ever regarded " Priest Staples " with the most reverential affection. The funeral was conducted with the usual elaborate for- mality. The bereaved church continued faithfully to observe the usual
* SUBSCRIBERS TO FUND : - Mary Davis, Joseph Safford, Thomas Jewett, Simeon Park, Reuben Park, David Monro, Joseph Butts, Phinehas Carter, Asa Burgess, Jonathan Kingsbury, Jonas Cary, Abner Robinson, William Howard, Jolin Munro, David Munro, Rufus Darbe, John Barstow, James Iloward, Gideon Butts, William Ripley, William D. Foster, Jabez Fox, Josiah, David, Asa, and John Butts, John Staples, Charles Justin, Samnel Barstow, John Smith, Sherebiah and Stephen Butts, Ebenezer Park, Jonas Bond, William Carew, Hezekiah Barstow, Peter Woodward, Robert Herrick, Ephraim Safford, Joseph Adams, Joshua Raymond, Joseph Raynsford, Rufus Johnson, James Bornap, Benjamin Raynsford, Bethuel Bond. December 19, 1798.
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
seasons of worship, and also instituted a special meeting for religious exercises on the first Wednesday of every month. In November, a call was extended to Rev. Erastus Larned of Charlton, with a salary of $333.34. Mr. Larned accepting, Dr. Whitney, Messrs. Lee and Weld were invited to carry forward a preparatory service of fasting. A committee was then appointed to prepare the meeting-house for installation, and preserve order and regularity during the exercises. Mr. John Barstow's generous offer to make provision for the council was accepted with thankfulness. Eleven ministers and probably an equal number of delegates, partook of the proffered hospitality, and the installation was effected to general satisfaction. Mr. Larned won like his predecessor the affection of his people, and reared like him a large family of children who shared the friendly regard of the parish. A bequest from his father, Mr. James Larned of Killingly, enabled him to build a convenient house opposite the meeting house. The widow of Mr. Staples occupied the house built by her husband, and her sons and daughters grew up to fill honorable positions in New York and New Haven. Seth P. Staples, long remembered in West- minster for boyish pranks and subsequent benefactions, attained to mueh eminence.
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