USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut, Volume II, 1760-1880 > Part 4
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The western inhabitants objected to the report, in that-
" 1. The doings of said committee were not equal. The land in northwest section is not one-third of the town by more than a thousand acres, and some thousands of it are utterly unfit for settlement and destitute of inhabitants.
2. Said northwest society not equal as to list.
3. We think the addition from Willington prayed for will not make it equal to the other societies, nor to the necessary charges of an ecclesiastic society, by reason of the badness of the land and smallness of the list of the inhabit- ants. Choose rather to enjoy our privileges in one ecclesiastic society but are willing to have a committee sent as prayed for.
Elijah Whiton. Benjamin Chaffee.
Jedidiah Blanchard.
Abijah Brooks.
Ebenezer Walker.
Joseph Whiton.
Timothy Dimock.
Benjamin Walker.
James Whiton.
Simeon Smith. John Ware.
Zeph. Davison.
Josiah Rogers.
Ezra Smith.
Christopher Davison.
Samuel Blanchard.
Edmond Drummer. John Smith.
Samuel Mosely. Samuel Eastinan.
William Preston.
Medinah Preston.
Peter Eastman.
James Atwell.
Oct. 5, 1764."
The " addition from Willington " referred to a petition just presented by some twenty subscribers, inhabitants of the eastern part of that town formerly taken from Ashford, who being very remote from the public worship of God, desired to be joined with the northwest of Ashford in a society. This request was refused and consideration of the other memorials deferred till the following spring, when, upon farther petition from Elijah Whiton and others, Zebulon West, Erastus Wolcott and William Pitkin were appointed a committee to repair to Ashford, view and report. In this task they were aided
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ASHFORD, GENERAL TOWN AFFAIRS, ETC.
by the subjoined paper, submitted to them by two clear-headed and public-spirited women, residents of northwest Ashford, who, impatient of the long delay, felt moved to state succinctly the " Reasons to be set off'" as follows :-
" 1. Our great distance from meeting-house.
2. Large number of inhabitence.
3. Meeting-house too small.
4. No settled minister.
5. Broken and divided sureurmstances which it is not likely can be settled till the town is divided.
6. The town's refusing to do anything about dividing or to let the inhabit- ences in the northwest part have any preaching as they have done heretofore.
7. Our not taking but one-third of the land and about one-fourth of list.
8. That every person in our place will be considerably nearer to meeting.
9. The town has manifested a necessity for division for eleven years past, as appears by their votes.
10. They have not opposed the new part being set off by anything they have done this spring, they have been warned with the plan and memorial and not opposed it. [Note .- We don't know that any person is against a society being set off' in the northwest of the town, but only that some don't like this shape, and some another, and those that oppose this plan yet allow that the new part must be a society, even Captain Fay himself and Mr. Walker, the most active opposers of this plan, and the difficult sureurm- stances of the town require a division, in which all parties seem to agree."]
These reasons were effectual. The committee after dne survey reported that they found the town to contain 40,000 acres of land ; list £13,700. The west society limits would include 13,300 acres, 80 families, £3,500. Families live five, six and seven miles from the town meeting-house, and all very remote from any place of worship, and roads generally bad, and considered it reasonable and expedient that a new society be formed. The report was accepted and a bill granted in October, 1765, erecting Westford Society according to the bounds prescribed by the town's committee, although an attempt was made by Robert Knowlton to include the strip of land "left out on the south."
The rejoicing inhabitants hastened to improve their new privileges. Their first society meeting was held Nov. 23, 1765, at the house of Captain Ichabod Ward, a distant relative of the William Ward so prominent in the early history of Ashford. Benjamin Walker was chosen moderator; Ezra Smith, Manasseh Farnum and Samuel East- man, committee ; Ezekiel Tiffany, collector. It was agreed to hold society meetings at different private houses, warnings for meetings "to be set up at Solomon Mason's mills and Zephaniah Davison's shop." Dec. 9, it was voted to build a meeting-house, and hire preaching ; to raise a tax of twopence to pay for preaching ; that the meetings should begin the first Sabbath of April; that Esquire Whiton should procure a minister, and Ebenezer Dimmock, Christo- pher Davison, Manasseh Farnum and Joseph Barney be a committee to count the cost. A minister was procured according to vote-the
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
society further voting to meet at Captain Ward's for divine worship during his pleasure. June 9, it was voted " to choose a committee of three able and judicious men to fix a place for the meeting-house, also five more, i. e., Ezra Smith, Samuel Eastman, Benjamin Walker, Christopher Davison and Samuel Knox, to notify the first and get them out." By their efforts the Court appointed Nehemiah Lyon of Woodstock, Prince Traey of Windham, and John Curtis of Canter- bury, who selected a spot near the centre of the society on land offered by Captain Ward, north of his residence, west side of the highway leading to Union, "for the public benefit and use of Westford Society for a meeting-house green, so long as said society should want it for said use." Negotiations were then opened with certain proprie- tors in Brimfield, and a convenient meeting-house frame purchased for thirty pounds, provided the same could be taken down without damage. Esquire .Whiton was now chosen treasurer, a committee appointed to receive a deed of the meeting-house green from Capt. Ward, and another to take oversight of the building. Very particular instructions were given as to the number, size, price and quality of nails, shingles and clapboards. March 13, 1767, voted that said society would dig in the ground a suitable depth and fill the same with stone for laying the foundation of the meeting-house thereon; June 2, that the meeting-house frame purchased in Brimfield should be brought to Westford by June 13. This being safely accomplished, its re-raising was next in order. The character of the liquor deemed needful on this important occasion called out as much discussion as the fitness of a ministerial candidate. It was first voted " to have gin to raise the frame with-meeting-house committee to provide gin," but considering quantity of more consequence than quality, it was after- wards decided to provide one barrel of rum, and one quarter of a barrel of sugar for the raising said frame-Ensign Walker to provide the same, and money taken out of the treasury to buy said rum and sugar. It was further stipulated, that West India rum be proenred. Under this potent stimulant the meeting-house was raised without apparent accident, and hurried on to completion, workmen being allowed two shillings and sixpence per day, they victualing themselves, and two shillings during the winter.
After hearing several " supplies," Ebenezer Martin of Canada Parish, was invited to preach for the winter. A committee was now chosen to inquire into his character and temporal circumstances, and take advice of the Reverend Association as to the propriety of giving him a call. Reports proving favorable, February 11, 1768, was set apart as a day of solemn fasting and prayer in order to the gathering of a church and calling of a minister. Rev. Gideon Noble of Willington,
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conducted the service, assisted by Deacon Nathaniel Loomis, and Deacons Wright and Dana from the old Ashford church. A suitable covenant was presented and subscribed in the following order :- James Ould, Ezekiel Tiffany, Ezekiel Holt, Elijah Whiton, Joseph Barney, Ezra Smith, James Whiton, Joseph Whiton, Benjamin Walker, Thomas Chapman, Manasseh Farnum, John Smith, Jonathan Abbe, Josiah Chaffee. At a church meeting four days later it was voted to call the Rev. Mr. Ebenezer Martin to settle in the gospel ministry in this place, at which time the covenant was probably signed by the pastor-elect and the following brethren, viz. : Joseph Whiton, David Chaffee, Ebenezer Walker, Christopher Davison and Jonathan Chaffee. The wives of many of these brethren-together with Stephen Nott, Daniel Eldredge, Hezekiah Eldredge, Ichabod Ward, David Kendall and Jacob Fuller were ere long added, making a membership of fifty- five.
The society concurred in the call to Mr. Martin, offering sixty pounds salary, rising to seventy, paid half in money, half in produce, viz., wheat, Indian corn, oats, pork and beef. Twenty pounds in land and sixty pounds towards building a dwelling-house secured acceptance of the call, and, on June 15, he was ordained with the usual solemnities. Work on the meeting-house was slowly carried forward. The floor was laid during the year, and twenty pews were ordered, "as like the pews in the meeting house at Union, as conveniently may be." Capt. Abijah Larned of Union, John Phelps and John Blygt of Staf- ford were chosen as a disinterested committee "to dignify and price the places for said pews." A large number of the inhabitants received liberty to build stables for their horses on the meeting-house green, provided they were "set so as not to encroach on any road." June 14, 1770, a meeting was held in the meeting house, to hear the report of the pew committee. Each pew was to be occupied by two families. Forty inhabitants, highest on the list, were to draw said pews accord- ing to their list ; build the pews and ceil up to the gallery girths. This report was accepted, and the pew-spots thus distributed :-
1. Benjamin Walker, Elijah Whiton.
2. Ebenezer Dimmock, Ichabod Ward.
3. Thomas Chapman, Ebenezer Walker.
4. Joseph Woodward, Zaccheus Hill.
5. Ezra Smith, Ebenezer Walker.
6. David Chaffee, William Thompson.
7. David Robbins, George Smith.
8. Adonijah Baker, Josiah Chaffee.
9. John Warren, Josiah Rogers.
10. Ezekiel Tiffany, Benjamin Chaffee.
11. Jedidiah Blanchard, Benjamin Walker, Jun.
12. William Henfield, James Whiton.
13. Samuel Eastman, Henry Works.
4
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
14. James Averill, Job Tyler.
15. Ezekiel Holt, David Chaffee.
16. James Ould, Stephen Coye.
17. Abijah Brooks, Simon Smith.
18. Ephraim Walker, Jonathan Abbe.
19. Jacob Fuller, William Preston.
The committee was now ordered to lay the gallery floor, and build a breastwork around the gallery and the fore seat, which being accom- plished during another year, David Kendall was employed to sweep the meeting-house "twelve times the year ensuing for six shillings." The society would gladly have enlarged its borders by reannexing the strip ceded years before to Willington, but though many petitions were preferred by its residents, showing that the meeting house in Westford would much more greatly commode them, they were unable to obtain a hearing. Among newly arrived citizens bringing them additional strength was Stephen Nott, the father of sons of great promise, and Dr. Thomas Huntington of Lebanon, who proved a most valuable acquisi- tion to society and town.
The inhabitants of the eastern section preferred to delay separation for a season, and shared in the numerous trials and difficulties that be- set the first society, in consequence of the increasing number of Bap- tists and sectarians, and the great unpopularity of Mr. Allen. Many of his own people declined to hear him preach or to pay for his support, and in attempting to supply the deficit by trading in land he became so involved that his creditors sent him to jail. This unfortunate affair brought matters to a crisis. A council was called which dismissed Mr. Allen from his pastorate, though clearing him from every serious charge. Deacons Jedidiah Dana and John Wright were appointed a committee to supply the pulpit, and it was voted, "To settle a minis- ter as soon as may be," but several years passed before such settlement was effected. During this interval the church was greatly weakened and scattered, but still continued its efforts to seeure a minister and preserve order. Baptisms were administered from time to time by the neighboring ministers. Days of fasting and prayer were held in 1766 and '68, "for direction and assistance in the affair of choosing a minister," and church and society at length happily united in choice of Rev. James Messinger of Wrentham, a graduate of Harvard College, who was installed into the pastorate Feb. 15, 1769. Tanght by painful experience the fallibility of ministers and councils the church had previously voted :-
" That this church do believe that the minister of a church has not power from Christ to negative the votes of his church, and we mean not to be sub- jected to any such power of a minister of the church, any former vote notwith- standing.
That in all cases hereafter we will not be holden to any council of other churches, but such as we shall choose ourselves mutually."
-
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ASHFORD, GENERAL TOWN AFFAIRS, ETC.
Fortunately in this instance these precautions proved superfluous. Mr. Messinger made no attempt to exercise undue anthority, and by his wisdom and piety soon won the confidence of his people and was held in high repute as "a much beloved spiritual guide." Despite the political distractions of the times the church increased in numbers and regained something of its primitive standing. The venerable Isaac Kendall, elected deacon of the church with so much formality at its first organization, continued in office through all the changes and pas- torates, and died Oct. 8, 1773, in the 88th year of his age, and fifty- second of his deaconship. Benjamin Sumner, one of the fathers of the town, Jedidiah Dana and John Wright also served as deacons. Deacon Elijah Whiton was dismissed to the church in Westford society.
Baptists had been numerous in Ashford for many years, but suffered greatly for lack of a local church organization. A few were connected with the Baptist Church of South Brimfield, others united with the church at West Woodstock. Amos Babcock and Abraham, son of Robert Knowlton, were among the most prominent of these early Bap- tists. A notable accession to the Baptist strength was David Bolles, a man of great religious fervor, belonging to a family long distinguished for devotion to Baptist principles and opposition to the church estab- lishment of Connecticut. Other Baptists might obtain release from rate-paying by lodging certificates of their attendance upon some place of public worship, but he, like Backus and the more advanced of his brethren, " had been brought to a stop about paying so much regard to the laws as to give in certificates," and was soon involved in contro- versy with the town authorities. Two of his cows were seized and sold to pay rates for the minister, and then his household treasures were invaded. The shining array of pewter so dear to the heart of the housewife, was thrust into bags and carried off to the town-post in spite of the tears and remonstrances of Mrs. Bolles, but when put up for sale not a man had the face to bid for it, and the discomfited col- lector was forced to take it back to its owners with the insulting expla- nation, " that the pewter was such poor stuff nobody wanted it." His fellow sufferer, Abraham Knowlton, after paying rates for many years, freed himself from further extortions by turning ont to the collector a new pair of buckskin breeches. The public notification that a pair of breeches were to be sold for a priest-tax, and their actual presentation at the town post on the day appointed, called out such volleys of indig- nation and ridicule that no one dared thereafter to approach Mr. Knowl- ton with a rate-bill, and the buckskins served the purpose of a life-time certificate. It was probably during this period of sectarian strife and bitterness that some incident occurred which gave rise to the famous
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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
" whipping story," thus reported by Barber in his Connecticut Histori- cal Collections :-
" A concourse of people were assembled on the hill, in front of the meeting- house, to witness the punishment of a man who had been convicted of neglect- ing to go to meeting on the Sabbath for a period of three months. According to the existing law for such delinquency, the culprit was to be publicly whipped at the post. Just as the whip was about to be applied, a stranger on horseback appeared, rode up to the crowd of spectators, and inquired for what purpose they were assembled. Being informed of the state of the case, the strange gentleman rose upright in his stirrups, and with emphasis, ad- dressed the astonished multitude as follows :
'You men of Ashford serve God as if the Deril was in you ! Do you think you can whip the grace of God into men? Christ will have none but volun- teers.'
The people stared, while the speaker, probably not caring to be arraigned for contempt of court, put spurs to his horse, and was soon out of sight; nor was he ever more seen or heard of by the good people of Ashford."
This story like many other popular traditions cannot be authenti- cated. No law then or ever existed in Connecticut, prescribing the penalty of a public whipping for even total abstinence from meeting- going, and it may be doubted if any justice would dare enforce an illegal punishment. Details of the affair are conflicting and irrecon- cilable. Tiro men were arraigned, according to one version, one of whom evaded his share of the blows by means of a cloak dexterously thrown over him by Amos Babcock. A report of the whole transac- tion quickly traveled to Boston, and upon his next trip to the city, Mr. Babcock found himself quite a hero. His fellow-merchants greatly applauded his chivalrous interposition, and declaring that he should not wear " a whipped cloak," made up a purse and presented him with a new one. Another version gives but a single culprit and ascribes his relief to no less a person than Thomas Knowlton, who, observing in the warrant the omission of the usnal clause requiring the stripes to be applied to the bare back, " threw his own overcoat over the shoulders of the victim whereby the torture was greatly mitigated." The mysterious visitant of Barber's narrative appearing and vanishing like the " phantom horseman " of romance is transformed upon closer inquiry into an eccentric citizen of Ashford, distinguished for bitter opposition to the standing order, while the party or parties receiving the whipping have become extremely mythical. These various reports are wholly traditional. No allusion to the circumstance has been found in ancient document or newspaper, and thus it is impossible to ascertain the real truth. That some opponent of the established church was whipped under aggravating circumstances, perhaps for resisting or reviling a rate collector, is highly probable. The inven- tion of this story with its minutiæ of detail, and its universal accept- ance in the community, would be almost as great a marvel as the
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ASHFORD, GENERAL TOWN AFFAIRS, ETC.
whipping, but the bottom facts of the case will probaby never be recovered.
These collisions and extortions greatly weakened the old church of Ashford, and furnished a powerful argument for the Baptists, who, with increasing strength and numbers, were able to establish religious worship within the town borders. A Baptist Society was organized, July 15, 1774, and David Bolles, Josiah Rogers and William Whipple appointed committee "to receive and pay all money that shall be generously given towards maintaining and supporting a Baptist gospel minister." Another committee was chosen in February follow- ing, to select "the most proper place to build a meeting-house on." Land in the southwest part of the town was selected, and a committee "to be under the immediate direction of the Baptist Society," was authorized to receive all money and specie that should be given towards building a Baptist meeting-house. Abraham Knowlton, chairman of the committee, and clerk and treasurer of the society, made a liberal offering. His example was quickly followed by others, and soon an ample sum had been subscribed. Materials were pro- enred, a frame raised and covered, so that by the first of June the honse was ready for service. The leaders of the society, flushed with their success, had applied to President Manning, of Brown University, for a minister, who thus represented the field to Mr. Thomas Ustick, a young graduate of Brown, then teaching school in New York :-
" This start for a Baptist minister is a new thing, but they subscribed last week near five hundred pounds lawful money, towards building a new meeting-house. Town large and rich, am told that full one-third have declared for the Baptists, and should they get a man of abilities probably much above half the town will attend their meetings. The richest men are on our side, and say they believe in supporting a minister handsomely."
Mr. Ustiek was unable to accept at once, and Mr. Ebenezer Lamson of Charlton, was apparently the first minister employed by the society. Arrangements for the transferrence of the church to Ashford, were now in progress. The ancient church in Sonth Brim- field, after many trials and vicissitudes, had reorganized a few years previous upon a basis distasteful to its non-resident members, who now held a council, and in their turn enacted a new departure, viz :-
" STAFFORD, May ye 29th, 1775.
At a meeting of the First Baptist Church of Christ in South Brimfield, legally warned and met and opened by prayer-whereas there is a second church of the same Denomination lately built up in South Brimfield and a minister settled over them, and whereas many of this church consists of inhabitants in the towns of Ashford, Mansfield, and Willington, and for the conveniancy of meeting for worship on the Sabbath, and the question was put whether for the future the place for public meeting for worship should be at Ashford in general, where the new meeting-house now is, and that the
30
HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.
church for the future shall be known by the name of the Baptist Church of Christ in Ashford-voted in the affirmative.
John Wesson and Amos Babcock added to the committee. John Wesson chose church clerk."
How many members were transferred with the church is not recorded but probably not a large number. A part of its membership and both its deacons were non-residents. Public worship was instituted and carried on with a great deal of spirit and enjoyment, but it is doubtful if anything like " half the town " could attend their meetings. David Bolles and many of the Eastern Baptists still found it more conveni- ent to resort to Woodstock. Mr. Ustick sneceeded Mr. Lamson as soon as he was at liberty, and was welcomed as a young man of education and promise. At the second recorded "church meeting in the Baptist meeting-house in Ashford," Nov. 26, 1776, their former pastor, Elder Moulton, was present and served as moderator. It was voted to have Mr. Thomas Ustick supply our pulpit for six months, and an unsuccessful attempt was made to choose a deacon. The action of the church in changing its local habitation and name had been entirely independent in accordance with Baptist polity and practice, but now they felt desirous to receive fellowship and recognition from sister churches. Invitations to a conference were accordingly sent out, and, Feb. 19, 1777, a number of Baptist elders and delegates met with the Ashford church to confer as to its state, standing and regularity :-
" And after prayers for Divine direction, proceeded to choose Elder Elijah Codding, moderator, and brother Thomas Ustick, clerk. After mutual con- ference upon the original and present state and standing of the church, the delegates from the churches of Brimfield, Woodstock and Abington, upon the question whether the body of people that meet now at Ashford under the appellation of the Baptist church there, be a visible church of Christ -- deter- mined unanimously in the affirmative, viz : That in our opinion the said body are a visible church of Christ.
The delegates then proceeded in order to gain fellowship with the aforesaid church to query as followeth :--
1. Whether the church believed that it is their duty to search up such members as have absented from church duties for a considerable time, and mean as soon as may be to treat with such? To which the church consented.
2. Whether the church believe that the majority ought to be submitted to by the minority in all matters of rule and determination, yea or nay ? Answered in the affirmative.
3. Whether or not the sisters of the church take hold of the sword of dis- cipline, or have any weight in matters of rule and determination with the male members? Answered in the negative, that they may not.
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