History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 33

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: New York, Preston
Number of Pages: 1506

USA > Connecticut > Windham County > History of Windham County, Connecticut > Part 33

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY.

sure sufficient to cover any building in the place with a stream from a line of hose. The pressure is so great that in dealing with fires no engines are necessary ..

Willimantic has shown great liberality in the management of its schools. For this purpose the borough is divided into two districts known as No. 1 and No. 2. The grand lists of both amount to nearly four million dollars. The value of all school property in the borough is about fifty thousand dollars. The new school building in District No. 1 is commodious, cheerful and convenient. It is located in a large yard occu- pying the corner of Valley and another street, and in the yard are two other school buildings. The oldest one of these was erected in 1857, and has a seating capacity of 250; the second one was erected in 1865, and has a seating capacity of 150: and the third, a high-school building, was erected in 1884, and has seats for 200. This school, occupying the three buildings, has an average attendance of about five hundred. The divid- ing line between the two districts is at North street. District No. 2 covers that part of the borough lying east of that street. This is sometimes called the Natchaug district. The school building is situated on Jackson street, adjoining the Roman Catholic church. It was built in 1864, and it has a seating capacity of about six hundred, with an average attendance of about five hundred. The building is in excellent repair and is in an ample yard, ornamented with shade trees.

The furniture of the school buildings is nearly all modern and of an excellent model. The physical and chemical appa- ratus with which the high-school department in each district is provided is nearly all that could be desired for the special work to which it is adapted. The school libraries contain 1,000 or more volumes. Globes, maps and books are there in commendable numbers for the use of the primary and gram- mar grades. There are twenty-one teachers and seventeen school rooms, besides recitation and ante-rooms. In each dis- trict there is a high-school department where pupils have been and still are successfully fitted for college. From these high schools nearly one hundred have graduated.

St. Joseph's Parochial school is located at the corner of Jack- son and Valley streets. It is under the care of the sisters of charity connected with St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church. This school has twelve teachers and its attendance numbers

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about six hundred pupils. The buildings contain ten school rooms. The teachers are sisters of charity belonging to the local "Convent of our Lady of Lourdes." This school also has a high-school department, from which several pupils have graduated. A special advantage of the pupils of the parochial school is an opportunity of learning the French language in connection with the English.

In addition to the educational advantages of Willimantic already mentioned, we may name two public libraries, one con- ducted by the borough and the other by the Linen Company. The former is located in the bank building, corner of Main and Bank streets, and contains over 2,700 volumes. It is open cer- tain hours on specified days of the week. The Linen Company's library, in Dunham Hall, at the lower junction of Main and Union streets, contains about 2,500 volumes, and files of the lead- ing American and English periodicals. It is free to all, and is open from noon to nine o'clock at night daily. The books of these libraries comprise standard works of permanent value in the various departments of literature.

All that part of the town of Windham lying west of the junction of the Windham and South Windham roads leading out of Willimantic, and extending west as far as the cemetery, was early organized into two school districts. The first school house in the First district was a one-story structure about 20 by 30 feet, located about where the Windham Manufacturing Com- pany's east dwelling house now is, on Main street. The increase of scholars, however, soon demanded increased accommodations; and the school house was removed to the lot now occupied by the district for their several school houses. The building was enlarged, making two rooms and employing two teachers. This accommodated the district until 1847, when the district contract- ed with General Baldwin for the erection of a new school build- ing some 36 by 60 feet, two stories in height, with three rooms for the different departments. The first teacher employed by the district was John G. Clark, of Franklin, who became a prom- inent resident of Windham. The next teacher employed was Horace Hall, coming here from Sterling in 1825. The next teacher was that veteran in the ranks of schoolmasters, Leonard R. Dunham ; after him Doctor William A. Bennett, long a res- ident here ; William L. Weaver, a native of this place; Saxton B. Little, E. McCall Cushman, Jabez S. Lathrop and Perry Ben-

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nett successively filled the position of teacher in the First district in the early days of Willimantic.

The first school house erected in the Second district occupied the location on the south side of the river near the residence of Dennis McCarthy. It was a small one-story building, and was soon replaced by a larger structure located on the north side of ' the river, between the Linen Company's spool shop and what is now their thread mill No. 1. The site being wanted for the second cotton mill erected by the Messrs. Jillson, a new location was provided by the district. From opposite of the store now occupied by Edward F. Casey the roads diverged, the north one about on the present line of travel, the south one extending al- most to the bridge, being a part of the old Windham and Cov- entry turnpike, thence eastward along the north side of the river past Shackel dam, uniting with the main road near the Linen Company's store. On this triangular piece of ground between the roads on the river side, the Second district located their school house. It was a wooden structure with two rooms. It was, after a few years replaced by a two-story stone building afford- ing additional accommodations required by the growth of the district. Of the early teachers a few are the following : Roger Southworth, some three terms; Samuel L. Hill, one term ; Doc- tor Calvin Bromley, Doctor Eleazer Bentley, William Kingsley, Robert Stewart, Leander Richardson, William L. Weaver and Frederick F. Barrows.

The religious sentiment of Willimantic is now represented by six churches, viz., Congregational, Methodist, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Protestant Episcopal and Spiritualist. These have all been built up here since the year 1827. Up to the close of that year there was no church nearer than Windham Centre, nor any stated meetings except such as were held in a school house or in private houses. In the year mentioned a few persons here applied to the directors of the Connecticut Domestic Missionary Society for a minister. In response, Dennis Platt, who was just completing his theological course at New Haven, was sent to them. Mr. Platt states that this was designed as an experiment " to test the question whether an Evangelical church could be established in a manufacturing village." Mr. Platt's first ap- pointment was extended to twelve weeks. Then a society of ladies in Tolland county agreed to sustain Mr. Platt three months longer. So, it appears, a ministry was sustained for six months

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with no charge to the people, except that a few individuals gave him his board.

January 22d, 1828, an ecclesiastical council was called, of which Doctor Samuel Nott, of Franklin, was chosen moderator, and this council organized the First Congregational church of Wil- limantic. The sixteen persons who were thus formed into a church were Deacon Charles Lee, John Brown, Eliphalet Brown, Azariah Balcam, Nathaniel Robinson, Sr., Sybil Brown, Olive Brown, Phebe Robinson, Anniss Brown, Lucy. Howes, Lydia Balcam, Alathea Littlefield, Beulah Littlefield, Anna Robinson, Seth Jillson and Joseph H. Brown. Of these, twelve were former members of the church of Windham, two of the church of Scot- land, and two others were not previously connected anywhere. By additions the membership of the church was increased in 1829 to forty-five. The first four or five years were very prosperous in spiritual things to the infant church; four years from its organ- ization it numbered about one hundred members. A church edifice was immediately erected, and was dedicated October 17th, 1828, Doctor Joel Hawes preaching the sermon. This was the first house of worship in the place. The expense of building it wasa burden from which those who undertook it delivered them- selves only after a determined struggle. The present society was formed soon after the church was built. During its first ten years the church received an average amount of one hundred dollars annually from the Connecticut Domestic Missionary So- ciety toward meeting its running expenses. The church was at first consociated with Tolland county churches, but in 1831, for greater convenience, it united with the consociation of Windham county. In 1843 the house of worship was considerably enlarged. In May, 1857, the congregation began to use the Congregational Hymn and Tune Book in its musical services.

Reverend Dennis Platt remained as a stated supply from Aug- ust, 1827, to the autumn of 1829. He was followed by Reverend Ralph S. Campton, who served as stated supply from May, 1830, to April, 1832. Nearly three years followed with no regular minister, when Reverend Philo Judson was installed pastor, De- cember 18th, 1834. He was dismissed March 21st, 1839. His successor was Reverend Andrew Sharpe, who was ordained here September 23d, 1840. His pastorate continued for a longer term than any that had preceded him. He was dismissed June 12th, 1849. Samuel G. Willard was ordained as pastor November 8th

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of the same year. He enjoyed a long pastorate, closing his la- bors with his dismission, which took effect September 2d, 1868. His successor was Reverend Horace Winslow, who was installed April 28th, 1869.

On the acceptance of the call of Reverend Horace Winslow, the question of a new house of worship was earnestly advocated, and on February 24th, 1869, the society resolved to proceed to the work, and accordingly appointed a building committee com- posed of John Tracy, Allen Lincoln, William C. Jillson and the pastor elect. In July of that year the corner stone was laid, and in one year from that time the main edifice was dedicated to the worship of God. The expenses of this enterprise were provided for in various ways. To begin with, the society had from sub- scriptions and the sale of the old house $19,578. This fund was steadily increased by special efforts, so that when the main por- tion of the building was completed the debt was only a little over $9,000. In May, 1871, the chapel was completed and ded- icated to the service of God. In about a year from that time it was proposed to pay off the whole debt of the society, which amounted then to $12,600. This amount was raised by the 1st of October, 1872. The whole cost of church, grounds, chapel, furniture, organ and all, amounted to $46,700, and it had all been paid, so that the society was free from debt. A service of praise and gratulation was held in view of the auspicious financial con- dition. Since then money has been raised and the chapel and adjoining rooms have been painted, carpeted and seated. The size of the main edifice on the ground is one hundred by sixty- three feet, and the chapel addition and adjoining room is ninety by thirty-six feet.

Reverend Horace Winslow was dismissed April 28th, 1881. He was succeeded by Reverend Samuel R. Free, who served the church as a stated supply from November 6th, 1881, to May, 1888. He was followed by Reverend Andrew J. Sullivan, who was installed as pastor in September, 1888.

The first Baptist church of Willimantic was organized in the house of Reverend Chester Tilden, the first pastor, and under whose labors it was gathered. Its constituent members were Mr. W. M. Barrows, Miss Esther Smith, Charles Thompson, Samuel Barrows, William Barrows, Elisha Whiting, Eliphalet Martin, Rescome Coggshall, George Byrne, Mahelable F. Barrows, Bet- sey Barrows, Dura Whiting, Armina Martin, Susan Coggshall,

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Lydia Smith, Esther Smith, Hannah White, Laura Balcam, Clar- inda Parker and Mary Lawrence. The church was organized October 20th, 1827. At first the school houses were used for meetings, but a spirit of opposition arose and they were debarred this privilege. With aid from abroad they succeeded in build- ing a meeting house on the site at present occupied. The site was purchased of Alfred Howes, and Messrs. Reed, Hardin and Fenton, of Mansfield, were contracted with to erect the church. The building, being completed, was dedicated May 27th, 1829. A Sabbath school was immediately organized. Samuel Barrows, Jr., and Eliphalet Martin were elected deacons. The following ministers have served the church from the beginning to the pres- ent time: Chester Tilden, 1827-31; Alfred Gates, January to April, 1831; Alva Gregory, 1831-34; Benajah Cook, 1834-40 ; John B. Guild, 1840-45 ; L. W. Wheeler, 1845-47; Thomas Dowl- ing, 1847-49; Henry Bromley, 1850-51; Cyrus Miner, 1851-52 ; Henry R. Knapp, 1853-54; Edward Bell, 1854-57; Jabez S. Swan, 1857-59; E. D. Bentley, 1859-66 ; E. S. Wheeler, 1866-67 ; G. R. Darrow, 1868-69; P. S. Evans, 1869-73; W. A. Fenn, 1873-78; George W. Holman, 1879-87; M. G. Coker, 1888 to the present time. The following are the present officers : A. H. Fuller, Wil- liam B. Hawkins, J. Ellison, E. S. Sumner, deacons ; William N. Potter, secretary ; J. Hawkins, treasurer. The membership has reached about four hundred. The church is a neat and com- modious building, which, with the lot it stands upon, is valued at twenty-five thousand dollars. Connected with the church is a vigorous Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor and a large and flourishing Sunday school.

At an obscure date-probably about 1825-a Methodist family, Jonathan Fuller, his wife and two daughters, lived in a house then standing near the present stone bridge over the Wil- limantic, they being the only family of that denomination in the place. They held family class meetings for some time before anyone else joined them. Mr. Fuller was formerly a Congrega- tionalist, but had become a Methodist and was appointed the first class leader in 1828. He brought the first minister of the Methodist Episcopal church intoWillimantic. This was the Rev- erend Gardner, who, about 1826, came and preached in the West school house. From this time forward preaching was had in the school houses with some approach to regularity, by ministers of some of the neighboring circuits. The first Methodist meeting

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house was finished in September, 1829, and it stood on the spot now occupied by the Atwood Block on Main street, opposite Railroad street. About the same time the church was organized with between thirty and forty members, mostly females, and Reverend Horace Moulton became its pastor. The site of the house of worship was purchased for $125, and the building cost $700. This building was afterward removed to Church street, and is now (1889) standing near the new Methodist church on that street.

The church was in 1829 made a Sabbath appointment on the Tolland circuit, which was then known as a " six weeks' circuit." Some of the difficulties which met the church in its early strug- gles are suggested by the following passage from the records : " Judge Hurlburt lent the means to pay the debts of the church, and at times one or two men were required to keep off rowdies, who whistled, stamped and hallooed and put cayenne pepper on the stove." The present church edifice was begun in the sum- mer of 1850, during the ministry of Reverend Jonathan Cady. It was dedicated in March, 1851, with a sermon by Reverend Doctor Stephen Olin. Its cost was about $7,000. The pew rents were applied to liquidate the debt, and the ministry was sup- ported by subscription. The debt was further reduced by keep- ing boarders at the Willimantic camp meeting, which began in 1860, and the indebtedness was finally removed under the pas- torate of George W. Brewster in 1864. The church was remod- eled and very much improved, and a parsonage was built on Prospect street, under the pastorate of Edgar F. Clark, in 1868 and 1869. It was enlarged in 1882 at a cost of $7,000. In 1886 a handsome pipe organ was placed in it. The membership of the church in 1889 is 360. The successive pastors of this church have been : Horace Moulton and Daniel Fletcher, 1828; H. Moul- ton, H. Ramsdell and P. Townsend, 1829; E. Beebe and George May, 1830 ; J. E. Raisley, 1831 ; Hebron Vincent, 1832 ; K. Ward, 1833; Mosely Dwight, 1834; Philetus Green, 1836; S. Leonard, 1837; H. Horbush, 1837 ; K. Ward, 1838; Reuben Ransom, 1839; Pardon T. Kenney, 1840; A. C. Wheat, 1842; F. W. Bill, 1843; Charles Noble, 1844; John Cooper, 1845; Daniel Dorchester, 1847; A. Robinson, 1848; Jonathan Cady, 1850; N. P. Alder- man, 1852; George W. Rogers, 1854; Charles Morse, 1855 ; Wil- liam Purington, 1857 ; John Levesy, 1859,; William Kellen, 1860 ; E. B. Bradford, 1862; George W. Brewster, 1864; Edgar F.

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Clark, 1867 ; George E. Reed, 1870 ; Charles S. McReading, 1872 ; Shadrach Leader, 1873; George W. Miller, 1874; S. J. Carroll, 1875 ; William T. Worth, 1878 ; A. S. Church, 1879 ; S. McBurney, 1881; D. P. Leavitt, 1883; Eben Tirrell, 1886; C. W. Holden, 1887. The dates given in the foregoing list denote the begin- ning of each pastorate.

The first colony of Irish Catholics came to locate in Willi- mantic in the summer of 1847. But few representatives of that nation were then living here, and the little band of twenty for- eigners, with but little of this world's goods to encumber them, was visited with much curiosity, and their coming was the sub- ject of considerable excitement. They came at the instance of the Windham Manufacturing Company, who sent for five per- sons, but their call was responded to by four times that number. The greater part of them, however, were employed by the com- pany, while the balance readily found work at the other factories in the village. This was the opening wedge of Irish labor, which has grown by frequent accessions to be one of the most powerful elements in the industry of this community.

The first mass celebrated in this village was in the kitchen in the basement of the Lathrop house, on the corner of Washington and Main streets, at which Reverend Father Brady, of Middle- town, officiated. The first public Catholic service was held in Franklin Hall, in the fall of 1849, by the same pastor, and was witnessed by a large number of our citizens. Services in this hall, and at Brainerd Hall, were kept up at intervals of one or two months, Reverend Father McCab, of Danielsonville, having charge during a part of the time up to 1858, when the Baptist society, being about to build a new church, sold their old edifice to the Catholics, and it was moved to Jackson street. At that time there were eight families of communicants residing in the village, and to show the pecuniary circumstances of the society it is only necessary to state that an attachment, for a debt of only a few dollars, was served on their building before the mov- er's blocks were taken from it. The first pastor was Reverend H. I. Riley ; the second, Reverend Daniel Mullen, later of St. Mary's church, Norwich. In May, 1863, the present much be- loved pastor, Reverend Florimonde De Bruycker, assumed the charge of this society, and under his ministrations the church has been most signally prospered. For the first few years but one service was held each Sunday, the pastor's charge embracing

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Baltic, Stafford and Coventry ; but with the building of churches and the settlement of resident pastors in the two first named vil- lages, he has been enabled for many years to devote his time principally to this people.

The old church was enlarged, refitted and repaired, but the ad- dition of a large number of French Canadian Catholics to the population, and steady increase from other sources, rendered the old building wholly inadequate for the needs of the congre- gation, and in 1872 steps were taken toward the erection of a new building. The work was pushed vigorously forward, and in May, 1873, the old church was removed to Valley street al.d on its site the foundation walls for the new were commenced. On Sunday, August 17th, the corner stone was laid amid impos- ing ceremonies, Bishop McFarland being present, and Reverend Father Walsh, of St. Peter's church, Hartford, delivering an elo- quent sermon. The contributions received on that day amount- ed to $3,000. The church, having been completed, was dedicated November 26th, 1874. The style is Gothic, with nave and aisles, and a clear story supported by clustered columns and arcade arches. From the basement walls, which are formed of very handsome granite, the church is built of brick. The size on the ground is 156 by 64 feet ; the height of side walls, 24 feet, and height from floor to peak of roof, 66 feet. A graceful. tower on the northwest corner is surmounted with a spire, the cross on the top of which is 172 feet above the curbstone. The audience room has fourteen double gothic memorial windows of cathedral stained glass, and other parts of the edifice have thirty-five smaller windows. The building is an elegant one in all its de- tails of finish and furnishing, and has a seating capacity of one thousand five hundred. The church is known as St. Joseph's church.

The first Episcopalian service in Willimantic of which we have any knowledge was held a little over twenty-five years ago. A mission was started soon after by the late Dr. Hallam, and by him conducted for several years. The mission was held in sev- eral different halls and its work was prosperous. The last hall occupied was Dunham Hall, belonging to the Linen Company. Reverend Lemuel H. Wells, now of Tacoma, Washington, was the first permanent missionary rector. During his incumbency effort was made to obtain a building, and under his leadership it was carried to a successful termination. A building which

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was no longer required by the parish at Central Village was donated to this locality and the people here bore the cost of tak- ing it down and removing it to this place. Here it was rebuilt and improved and ornamented. This was done in the year 1883. Previous to this time services were sustained by different rec- tors of the archdeaconry located at contiguous points. The resi- dent rectors have been : Lemuel H. Wells from December, 1882, to May, 1883; R. C. Searing from June, 1883, to March, 1886, and H. B. Jefferson from May 1st, 1886, to the present time. The lot on which the church stands was donated by the late Mrs. Eunice R. Heap. The part of the lot on which the parsonage stands was obtained of the same estate. The parsonage, built and owned by the diocese, was completed in the fall of 1887, on the church lot corner of Valley and Walnut streets, and sufficient land remains on the plot for a site for a larger edifice at some future time.

The number of baptisms under the auspices of this church has reached one hundred and seventy-four. The present number of communicants is sixty-eight. A Sunday school has been main- tained since the mission was established. The present number in it is about seventy, with an average attendance of forty to fifty. The church building is valued at $2,000, the lot at $2,000 and the parsonage at $3,200. With reference to the benefactress of this church, whose name has been mentioned, a local paper has the following tribute :

" Mrs. Eunice R., relict of the late Geo. P. Heap, and an old resident of this village, died at her home on Main street Satur- day morning at the advanced age of 86 years. Mrs. Heap was born in East Hampton, the youngest of a family of nine chil- dren, all of whom are now dead, and was the daughter of Dr. John Richmond. Early in life she married Dr. Smith, a student in her father's office, by whom she had one child, Prudence, who be- came the wife of the late Daniel Lord. After the death of Dr. Smith she wedded David Kellogg and subsequently was united to the late George R. Heap. She was a woman of strong indi- viduality, sterling integrity, always just and of unalterable de- cision. She was not illiberal and gave where she was inclined. The Episcopal church is indebted to her for the free gift of the lot on which the parsonage is to stand."

Spiritualists have been organized and actively at work here for something like thirty years. A building was erected on Bank

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History of Windham County, Connecticut, Part 33

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: New York, Preston Number of Pages: 1506

Author: Bayles, Richard M. (Richard Mather)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: New York, Preston
Number of Pages: 1506