USA > Connecticut > New London County > Stonington > History of the First Congregational church, Stonington, Conn., 1674-1874. With the report of bi-centennial proceedings, June 3, 1874. With appendix containing statistics of the church > Part 10
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The house was finished in 1829. The 29th day of October was fixed for its dedication, and Mr. Hart was requested to preach on the occasion, which proved to be the day of his death.
In December after the death of Mr. Hart, the Church and Society extended a call to the Rev. Joseph Whittlesey, who had been preaching here for a short time. The call was accepted by him on the 21st of January, 1830.1 He was settled upon the
1
STONINGTON Jan 21st 1830.
TO THE COMMITTEES OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
Gentleman. Your communication of the 30th Dec. has been attentively considered, and I now submit to you the following in reply.
I entered the ministry as I believe for the purpose of doing good. Wherever therefore a field of labour shall present itself in which it shall appear to me that I can accomplish the greatest amount of good, there I am ready to spend and be spent.
With these views I have surveyed the field here presented and I am happy to say that both my feelings and my judgment are at present in favor of an affirmative to your pro- posal. The kindness which has characterized the intercourse of your people with me has been such as I should be ungrateful not to feel and reciprocate.
Among the youth whom I am accustomed to view as the hope of every community, I find not a few of whose personal friendship and respect I am confident, and whose inter- ests for both worlds I may therefore hope to promote.
In your church and society so far as I have been able to learn unanimity extensively prevails, this point I have been solicitous to ascertain, and for this purpose have deferred till now an answer to your communication, for as to remaining in the face of anything like opposition my feelings are utterly adverse, the hope of usefulness forbids and my circumstances surely do not require.
Without giving therefore an unqualified pledge of acceding to the wishes you have ex- pressed permit me to assure you that if unanimity continues to prevail, and if such ar-
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same conditions that Mr. Hart was; preaching in this house in the morning and at the Borough in the afternoon and evening. He was ordained May 21, 1830, and remained with this people until December, 1832, when at his own request he was dis- missed.
The next minister invited to preach was the Rev. Abraham C. Baldwin, who gave general satisfaction. He was requested to preach for a given length of time as a candidate for settlement. But after a conference with the committees of the Church and societies, he declined the invitation.
Previous to the departure of Mr. Whittlesey, the Church and Society members residing at Long Point, then organized as a borough, began to agitate the division of the Society again. At a Society meeting, held May 4, 1833, a resolution was adopted, directing the committee to call a meeting of the Society on the 11th day of the same month, to take into consideration the ex- pediency and propriety of again dividing the Society.
The meeting was warned as directed, and when assembled ap- pointed a committee, to consider the expediency and suggest a mode of dividing the same, and report to the meeting after a recess of three quarters of an hour. After the meeting reas- sembled, the committee reported that the same be divided into two societies by metes and bounds, fixing the dividing line from the dwelling-house of Charles Grandison Chesebrough easterly to the house of Charles H. Phelps, and thence to the house of Abel Pendleton, and thence to Oxocosett brook and creek, and by and with the same to Wequetequoc Cove, including said dwell- ing-houses and their occupants, in the new or Second Society, leaving the residue of the old Society to be and remain the First Society of Stonington.
The committee recommended a division of the Society's fund as follows : three fifths of the same to the old Society with this meeting-house, and two fifths to the new Society with the meet- ing-house at the Borough. The old Society to retain the old
rangements be made for my support as shall leave me to the unembarrassed prosecution of my work, I shall be prepared to accept your invitation.
With sentiments of affection and respect,
I am yours,
JOSEPH WHITTLESEY.
THOMAS MINER committee of the church. WILLIAM WILLIAMS committee of the society. Society Records.
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books and records. The report of this committee was accepted and adopted by a vote of fifty-two in its favor, to twenty-five in opposition. Soon after this meeting an application was made to the committee to warn another meeting of the old Society, to make suitable arrangements to perfect the division of the funds, which was held July 6, 1833. At the opening of the meeting a motion was made to proceed no farther on the subject of the warning, which motion was adopted by a vote of forty-eight in the affirmative, to thirty in the negative. A motion was then made and passed, directing the committee to call another meet- ing, to reconsider the vote of May 11, 1833, dividing the old Society, and to instruct them as to supplying both pulpits with one or two preachers, and to pay them out of their available funds.
The committee called a meeting as directed on the 13th day of July, which voted to reconsider the vote of said Society dividing the same and the fund, and then instructed the Society's com- mittee to procure two respectable clergymen of the Congrega- tional order to officiate, the one at the Road and the other at the Borough, for the term of one year, the expense to be paid from the fund and by subscription.
The action of this meeting did not settle the matter, for in September following an application was made to the committee to call another meeting, to consider the matter of division on a different basis. The meeting was called and held on the 28th day of September, 1833, and after mature deliberation adopted a plan for organizing a new church and society at the Borough as follows : that whenever forty members of the Society should withdraw, and organize a new Congregational society at the Borough and elect society officers, and shall give notice to the old Society of their doings in the premises within thirty days from the day of the meeting, the new society should be regarded as organized and receive $1,825 of the fund. The conditions of this vote were complied with ; forty-five members withdrew and organized the Second Congregational Society of Stonington at the Borough on the 28th day of September, 1833. The first minister called and settled here after the organization of the Second Society, was the Rev. Peter H. Shaw, who was installed January 3, 1835,1 and continued with this people but a short time, and was
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STONINGTON Nov 13th 1834. Gentleman, - Having taken into deliberate and prayerful consideration your communi-
la
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dismissed by a mutual council regularly convened in May, 1837, and afterwards assumed the pastorate of the Congregational Church in North Stonington.
After the Second Church was formed at the Borough, our min- ister, Mr. Shaw, preached in the Road Meeting-house every Sabbath morning, and in the Mariner's Church at Mystic River, in the afternoon and evening. After the departure of Mr. Shaw, a call to settle was given to the Rev. Nehemiah B. Cook, who had been supplying the pulpit for some time. He accepted the same formally, December 19, 1837, and was ordained March 7, 1838.1 Mr. Cook preached in the Mariner's Church until 1847, when a Proprietor's Meeting-house was erected at Mystic Bridge, which was occupied by Mr. Cook and his congregation every Sabbath afternoon and evening.
During his pastorate six members of this Church with sixteen
cation bearing date Oct. 13tlı 1834, inviting me to take the pastoral charge and oversight of your Church and society, I am free to say that thus far it would seem to me as if the providence of God would indicate that I should do it.
Your entire unanimity and earnestness as made known to me is, I feel, a circumstance that ought justly to have much influence in bringing me to this decision. Provided there- fore, you can make arrangements for the comfortable support for myself and family and whereon I can place such dependence as to leave me wholly free from any embarrassment in the prosecution of my ministerial labors, and provided the arrangements necessarily connected with my location here can be effected with entire or great unanimity, I see no reason why it will not be my duty to accept of your invitation.
I am gentleman with individual respect and esteem,
Yours in the service of the Gospel,
PETER H. SHAW.
To Messrs. JOSEPH NOYES, Esq., Dr. MASON MANNING.
Society Records. 1
STONINGTON Dec 19th 1837.
TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, AND SOCIETY OF STONINGTON.
Gentleman, - Your communication, containing the very important information that you have invited me to undertake the pastoral office in the first Congregational church and society of Stonington, is before me.
I cherish with much delight the thought that I have been put into the ministry by the Great Head of the Church ; hence, if I am not deceived I desire to be placed where I can exert an influence in promoting his spiritual kingdom. - And the strong expression which I now have of your kindness and confidence encourages me to hope that this is a field in which I may be useful.
I am therefore prepared to say, that having earnestly sought the Divine direction, my sense of duty leads me most cheerfully to become your Pastor.
With sentiments of personal respect and esteem I remain Gentleman,
Yours in the hope of the Gospel.
NEHEMIAH B. COOK.
Messrs. JEREMIAH HOLMES, SAMUEL COPP, OLIVER DENISON, NOYES PALMER, RANDALL BROWN,
Society Records.
Committee of church & society.
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members of the Second Church at the Borough, residing in the vicinity of Pawcatuc Bridge, united, with the advice and consent of a council of neighboring churches with them assembled, and formed a new church there, February 14, 1843, under the name and title of the Pawcatuc Congregational Church. Their public religious services were held at the old Union Meeting-house, and in the hall of the Academy until 1849, when they erected their new meeting-house, which, to accommodate their increasing con- gregation, has since been enlarged.
In 1851, thirty-seven members of this Church withdrew and formed the Mystic Bridge Congregational Church, which was or- ganized by the advice and consent of a council of ministers and delegates, convened from the Consociation of New London County, January 20, 1852. The corner stone for their new house of wor- ship was laid in 1847.
Previous to this Mr. Cook had preached in the afternoon at the Mystic Bridge Meeting-house ; subsequently, the afternoon ser- vices were held at the Proprietor's Meeting-house at the village of Mystic, until 1859, when Mr. Cook resigned his charge and united with the Church and Society in calling a mutual council, which assembled May 31, 1859, and dissolved the relation that he sustained to this Church and Society.
The pulpit was then supplied by Rev. Dr. Peters and others, until the next year, when Mr. Pliny F. Warner was called and ordained October 31, 1861,1 which relation he sustained until
1
STONINGTON, Aug. 27th, 1860.
J. W. HULL, NOYES PALMER, WM. C. Moss, and others, Committees of the 1st Congre- gational Church and Society, Stonington, Conn :-
Dear Sirs, - Your letter inviting me to become the pastor of your church has been re- ceived. Having duly considered the subject I accept your invitation but not without mis- givings on account of the responsibilities which the office of Pastor of a church, the teacher of a people in Divine things, having the watch and care of souls, I am aware re- quires that one should be largely taught of God, and have the Divine grace dwelling richly in his heart, that he may be able rightly to apprehend the word of God and clearly impart it unto others, and his walk and conversation should ever be such as becometh a minister of the Gospel of the Son of God ; and furthermore that he should have great prudence and discretion in the performance of trying duties that may devolve upon him, that he be not a stumbling block to any under his care, but be able to encourage and strengthen and lead them on to holiness ; and also that he should have a thorough ac- quaintance with the human heart that he may know how to meet all its wants. In view of these things and conscious of my own weaknesses and imperfections I cannot but hesi- tate to incur the responsibilities of the Pastor's office.
Yet trusting to your charity which will cover a multitude of sins, and to your hearty cooperation, and the assistance of Almighty God, I accept your invitation, praying that the Lord will bless the relationship, that my labors among you may not be in vain, and
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February 24, 1863, when a council, which had been mutually convened, dissolved the relation that he sustained to this Church. He was succeeded in the ministry by the Rev. Paul Couch of Jewett City, a native of Newbury, Mass., which was the birth- place of Mr. Noyes, our first settled minister. Mr. Couch was educated at Dartmouth College, and graduated in 1823.
FUND.
It will be remembered that the town, in 1668, set apart five hundred acres of land, the rents and income of which was to be annually applied to the support of the Gospel Ministry in said town. Two hundred acres of the same were laid out around the place where the Road Meeting-house now stands, and the remain- ing three hundred acres was laid out in North Stonington, a short distance westerly and northwesterly of the village of Milltown. Mr. Noyes had the benefit of this land as long as he lived, but after his death and the division of the Society, a question arose as to which society the land belonged, or whether it belonged to either.
There was no church existing here when the land was granted. It was simply set apart by the town for the support of the min- istry, and the settled minister was supposed to have a lien upon the same.
It was claimed that the town had not by its previous vote con- veyed the fee of the land to any one, they had only given to the settled minister an official life-interest in the same. Finally, in 1741, the town ordered the land to be sold and the avails thereof to be divided equally between the three societies then existing, with the understanding that neither society should settle a minister unless he would first relinquish his claim to said lands by a quit- claim deed, and the societies passed votes to that effect, and every clergyman settled here, down to Mr. Hart, made and executed such a deed. Since then it has been abandoned.
The town appointed agents to sell and divide the avails there- of. The land was sold March 27, 1744, and the money invested before it was divided. The sum realized was £6,406 in old
that it may be seen that your call is also the call of God. I ask you to bear with me in my infirmities, while I shall endeavor to fulfill the duties of the office as God shall give me strength.
Very truly your servant.
Society Records.
P. F. WARNER.
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tenor bills. How much their currency was inflated, or how much it would have amounted to on a specie basis, no one can tell. When the societies were reunited in 1765, two thirds of the ministry land money was rated at £636 38. 6d. In 1786 it slid down to about £400, and at that amount was subsequently merged with other funds received by the Society.
The next donation that this Church and Society received was given them by Captain Daniel Fish, a member of this Church, who died in 1788, leaving a will, by which he gave to his wife his homestead place at Wequetequoc, but in case she married again, the estate should vest in this Society in trust, to be man- aged and controlled by their committee forever ; and one half of the rents and profits were by them to be applied for the edu- cation of poor children east of Stony Brook in this town, and the other half for the support of the Gospel ministry in this Church and Society.
Mrs. Fish did not long tread the winepress alone, but yielding to duty and affection, she married again, thereby vesting the estate in the Society.
The next donation, if such it can be called, was from the State of Connecticut. During the last war with England, Connecti- cut had furnished more than her quota of men and munitions of war for general defense, for which the Government paid her back $50,000. At the October session of the General Assembly of 1816, an act was passed, entitled, " An Act for the support of literature and religion." By this act one seventh of this amount was given to Yale College, one third thereof was appropriated for the use and benefit of the Presbyterian or Congregational denominations of Christians, to be by them applied for the sup- port of the Gospel in their respective societies, in proportion to the amount of their lists which should then have been last re- turned ; one seventh thereof was given to the Episcopalians to be paid to the trustees for receiving donations for the support of a bishop ; one eighth thereof was given to the Baptists and trustees appointed to receive it for them ; one twelfth was given to the Methodists and trustees appointed to receive it for them. The balance to remain in the State treasury.
This society received $700 from this source, with which they purchased in 1818 seven shares of the capital stock of the old Hartford Bank and held them until 1826, when the money was withdrawn and invested here on bond and mortgage.
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The Baptists and Methodists refused to accept of their share, and the same remained in the treasury, and was used for the ordinary expenditures of the State.
The next donation was a gift from Frederic Chesebrough, a member of this Church. He gave a contingent interest in his home place to said Society, from which $200 was finally received.
The next donation was given by William Woodbridge, Esq., a member of this Church, who by his will in 1825 bequeathed to the Church and Society the sum of one thousand dollars, on con- dition that they would raise a like sum to meet and invest with it for the support of the Gospel ministry in said place. The Society raised the sum of $2,400,1 and all was invested as di- rected.
When the Second Church and Society at the Borough was or- ganized, $1,825 of the fund was aparted to them.
In 1835 Captain George Haley, a member of this Church, gave them $500 for the support of the Gospel.
In 1871 Mr. Joseph Warren Stanton, a former member of this church and a descendant of the Rev. Mr. Rosseter and of many of its founders, actuated by love of the old mother Church, and governed by the spirit of true Christian benevolence, tend- ered to this Church and Society the munificent sum of $10,000, on condition that they would raise and put with it a like sum of $10,000, the whole to be securely invested and the annual income to be applied in support of the Gospel, and in supporting a Sab- bath-school as a nursery of the Church.
1 Subscription to meet Mr. William Woodbridge's Gift of $1,000, in 1827.
W. W. Rodman $300 W. H. Woodbridge $300
Amos Denison .
200
Giles R. Hallam 100
David C. Smith 100
Benj. F. Babcock 100
Wm. S. & Joseph S. Williams 100
William Williams 250
Charles Phelps . 100
Alexander G. Smith
50
James P. Sheffield 50
Ephraim Williams 50
Simon Carew
50
Thomas Miner 50
Peleg Denison 50
Coddington Billings 50
Nathan Smith . 50
Female Benevolent Society 25
Charles P. Williams 30
Ebenezer Denison 25
25
Zebulon Hancox .
15
Jesse D. Noyes 20
Reuben Chesebrough
25
Alexander Palmer
25
Benj. F. Palmer 25
Oliver Denison
25
Joseph Noyes
21 John Denison, Jr.
25
Henry Smith
Giles C. Smith 25
25
Elies Brown
Park Williams 25
25
Azariah Stanton, Jr.
25 Charles H. Smith
25
Heirs of Capt. Amos Palmer . 60
George Hubbard . 35
Azariah Stanton .
10
Noyes Palmer
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The donation was gratefully accepted and the corresponding amount was raised by subscription, the donation received, and the whole securely invested.1
1 BRETHEREN AND SISTERS IN CHRIST : - Feeling my great obligation to the Saviour, who had done so much for me, - who in bringing life, and immortallity to light, has also relieved all from the condemnation and curse of sin, - and especially, being moved by a sacred love for the fold, where my deceased wife and myself united with the visible church, - (our united hearts " believing unto righteousness," and " confessing unto salva- tion "). Where my parents are buried, and where are the honored graves of our Ances- tors, and former pastors - the Reverend's Rosseter and Noyes, - moreover, desiring to co- work in the cause of human salvation to be useful to you, and through you, to be useful to the master ; I tender to the trustees, and through them to your members and pew hol- ders, the following.
I will donate ($10,000) ten thousand dollars, as a permanent fund, provided the church organization will put with it, an equal sum to be securely invested the annual income, to be applied in support of the gospel, and supporting a Sabbath-school as a nursery of the church.
This proposal to remain open for six months.
Very respectfully
Your obedient servant, J. W. STANTON.
STONINGTON, April 10th, 1871.
Whereas Mr. Joseph Warren Stanton a member of the First Congregational Church of Stonington has made a proposition to that church and society, that he will give them as much money for a permanent fund, as they can raise for that purpose the same to be safely invested, and the interest thereof only to be applied yearly by said church and so- ciety for the support of the Gospel Ministry therein and the Sabbath-school connected therewith.
Now therefore, Know ye that we the subscribers hereby promise and agree to pay the several sums set opposite our respective names to the Committee of said First Congrega- tional Society, who are to receive the same, and all the same, and safely invest it, with the amount received from said J. W. Stanton, and collect and apply the net interest yearly for the purposes aforesaid, and it is fully understood and agreed that unless the sum of six thousand dollars at least shall be raised for this fund no subscriber hereto shall be held liable to pay his subscription.
Dated Aug. 14th, 1871.
SUBSCRIBER'S NAMES.
Nathan S. Noyes
$300 Alden Palmer
$200
Thomas W. Palmer
300
Mrs. Mary K. Denman 50
Alexander Palmer .
200
Ladies Sewing Society
290
Emma A. Smith
750 Henry Hobart
100
Emeline Palmer
1,000 Mrs. Gen. Wm. Williams 100
Joseph Smith
150
Noyes S. Palmer 1,000
J. D. Fish
200
Richard A. Wheeler
300
Eleazer Williams
200
Abbie J. Williams 500
Noyes P. Brown
100
Maria Stanton 150
Joseph Noyes
100 Henry M. Palmer 500
Charles P. Noyes
25 Benjamin F. Williams
100
James S. Noyes
200
Mrs. J. S. Schoonover
200
Seth N. Williams
100 100 Eugene Palmer
100
Mrs. Maria Noyes and family
100
Charles S. Noyes
25
Mrs. Elizabeth S. Williams
100
Dolly Palmer
75
L
John W. Hull
200
Daniel E. Stanton, aged 8 years
25
B. F. Stanton 2d and Brothers .
500
Asa Fish 2d
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John Dean Gallup, Esq., a descendant of several of the founders of this church, prompted by a filial regard for the
Edmund S. Noyes $25 Mrs. Elam Williams (Deborah) $200
John S. Palmer 50 Sunday School 510
Miss A. G. Williams
100 Maj. T. W. Williams . 100
Eugene Edwards .
100 John Dean Gallup's Legacy 250
Latham H. Miner
25 Joseph Warren Stanton's Donation 10,000
$20,000
Contributions of the Sabbath-school connected with the First Congregational Church of Stonington towards the Stanton Fund.
We the subscribers, present and former members of the First Congregational Sabbath- school of Stonington, desirous of cooperating with the members of said Church and So- ciety in the attempt to raise ten thousand dollars to meet a like sum donated by Mr. J. W. Stanton, do hereby agree to give one dollar, or the amount set against our respective names, the same to be a part of said Fund subject to the same rules and regulations.
Dated Sept. 23d, 1871.
SUBSCRIBER'S NAMES.
Rev. Paul Couch $50 00 Maria M. Noyes . $1 00
James Norman 3 00 Fannie Noyes 1 00
Maria Stanton 1 00 Mary A. Noyes 1 00
Franklin P. Merrill, seventeen years . 1 00 Francis Noyes 1 00
Dennis Shea, adult . 5 00
Benjamin Franklin Williams 1 00
Emeline Crandall 1 00
Mrs. Louise Williams . 1 00 Harriet Crandall 1 00
Nathan Noyes Williams, seven years 1 00 John Coast 1 00
Frank Lincoln Williams, five years .
1 00
Mary Keeney 2 00
Annie Louise Williams, three years . 1 00
Mary Abby Noyes . 1 00
Mary Elizabeth Rhodes 25
George Noyes Williams, one and a half years . 1 00 Noyes S. Palmer 1 00
Harriet Eliza Noyes 1 00 Joseph Noyes 2d, three months 5 00
Henry Clay Noyes 1 00
Eliza Leeds Gallup, four years . 1 00
Agnes Gallup, one and a half years 1 00
Richard Anson Wheeler 1 00
Mrs. Lucy A. Wheeler 1 00-
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