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 9
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This committee having authority given them to inquire into the merits of both petitions and thereon to report to the October session, carried the further consideration of them by the Assembly over to that session.
A meeting of the Society was held July 14, 1774, for the pur- pose of calling out the committee appointed by the Assembly, but a majority did not think best, and the meeting was dissolved. Another Society meeting was held August 30, 1774, which re- scinded the action of the meeting of July 14, and then voted to call out said committee, and a committee of the Society was ap- pointed to assist the Society's agent, Mr. Elnathan Rosseter, in laying the matter before said Assembly's committee.
1 At a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of the English Colony of Con- necticut in New England in America holden at Hartford in said Colony on the second Thursday of May, 1774. Upon the memorial of Daniel Fish and others against the first society of Stonington a committee have been appointed and have made report and it ap- pearing that the authority and power given said committee was not sufficiently extensive to enable them in the best manner to answer the ends of said appointment, and on motion of the petitioners said report is set aside, and it is thereupon
Resolved by this Assembly, That William Hillhouse, Robert Crary and Samuel Stewart Esqrs the former committee be and they are hereby reappointed a committee, and are hereby fully impowered to enquire into all the matters alledg'd in said petition, and to take into consideration the present state of said society and whether a division of said so- ciety be proper and if so found in what manner, also the state of the inhabitants at the point and harbour and consider whether it be proper for them to have a place allowed for divine service, and to assign a place for building if thought necessary and to take into consideration the whole state and circumstances of said society since and before the union, and the several votes and agreements of said society and the parts thereof before and since the union and the several votes of said society since the union and the two former societies before the union so far as regards the Revd Mr. Eells their pastor the conduct and votes of said society since the union so far as regards the peace and welfare of said society, and to call before them any person or persons which said committee shall find necessary for the purposes aforesaid and in general to enquire into and report make of every thing they shall find for the best good of the society or any part thereof and of what they find with their opinion to report to the next Assembly. - Conn. Archives, by C. J. Hoadley.
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Another Society meeting was convened September 22, 1774, at which a committee was appointed to treat with their minister, Mr. Eells, relative to said Assembly's committee's report. The troubles of the Society were not always confined to the location of meeting-houses and society limits, but soon extended to other matters. Some members of the Society became so exasperated at the course pursued by the Society in refusing to carry out the terms of the union, that they refused to pay their minister's rates, and others who had borrowed the ministry land money, refused to pay either principal or interest.
Legal proceedings were instituted to recover the ministry land money, and to collect the rates. But such proceedings only in- tensified the opposition which at one time assumed a serious as- pect. Society meetings were held almost every month for several years, and sometimes oftener. Collectors of rates refused to serve, and were prosecuted and fined for their neglect, and it became next to impossible to levy and collect the rates for the support of the ministry. The natural result of which was that the Society became in debt to their minister for his salary, which embarrassed him and led his creditors to resort to legal proceedings to secure their claims. This involved Mr. Eells to such an extent that he was advised to, and commenced a suit against the Society in 1772, which by a rule of court was submitted to arbitrators, who, after a full hearing made their report, which was accepted by the court and an execution was issued against said Society. At first the Society refused to lay a tax to pay Mr. Eells what they actually owed him, not on account of any animosity that they held against him, but merely to express their dissatisfaction at the way and manner that the affairs of the Society had been conducted. But upon taking the sober second thought, they reconsidered their determination and laid a tax to pay him.
The Assembly's committee visited Stonington in September, 1774, and among other matters, took notice of and considered the matters that had led to the deficiencies in Mr. Eells' salary, and recommended a plan to obviate them in the future, and the so- ciety appointed a committee to treat with Mr. Eells relative to the report of the Assembly's committee. No record having been made of this conference, its precise character and objects are not certainly known, but the presumption is that it referred to the abandonment of the Centre Meeting-house by Mr. Eells and the
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Society, and the establishment of religious services at the Acad- emy at Long Point, etc.
At all events the result was most happy. For it seems that his litigation with the Society did not alienate the people from him, nor weaken his attachment for them, for during the re- mainder of his pastorate a most friendly intercourse existed be- tween them.
When the Assembly convened in October, 1774, the committee, as reappointed, made their report, which has not been preserved, so we cannot tell what all their findings in the premises were.
They doubtless gave to the matters involved due examination and deliberation. We only know that they recommended a lot- tery scheme for building a meeting-house at Long Point as prayed for, and fixed a site for the same.1
This appears by the preamble of an act passed by said Assem- bly, granting a lottery for building a meeting-house at Long Point, costing not to exceed £400.
The managers of the lottery did not at once proceed to inau- gurate their scheme to raise money to build their meeting-house, nor did they accomplish it until 1777. And even then the man- agers did not think it advisable to build during the Revolutionary
1 Anno Regni Regis Georgii tertii 14to. - At a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of the English Colony of Connecticut in New England in America holden at New Haven in said Colony on the second Thursday of October being the 13th day of said month, and continued by several adjournments to the fourth day of November next following, annoq ; Domni. 1774. Upon the memorial of Nathaniel Minor, Esqr. William Morgan & others, inhabitants of the first society in Stonington, shewing that they live at Long Point in said society & are far remote from the place of publick worship there, that said place has greatly increased in numbers within a few years past, that the inhabitants of said point & thereabout are generally poor & unable to build a house to meet for public wor- ship, that if they had a house to meet in for that purpose they apprehend the growth of irreligion & impiety would be prevented, &c., praying for a Lottery to build a meeting house &c. on which a committee have been appointed who have reported in favour of said memorial & affixed a place for building &c. which report is accepted & thereupon Resolved by this Assembly that the memorialists have liberty & they are hereby authorized to raise by way of lottery the sum of £400 .. 0 .. 0 lawfull money to be applied for the purpose mentioned in said memorial & also the further sum of £30 .. 0 .. 0 lawfull money, to defray the expence of such lottery, & Nathaniel Minor, Esqr. Joseph Denison 2d, John Denison 4th, Peleg Cheesebrough & John Brown junr, all of said Stonington, or any three of them ac- cepting said trust, are hereby appointed managers & directors of said lotteries who shall be jointly holden to make good all benefit tickets drawn in such lotteries & shall be sworn to a faithfull discharge of their said trust & the adventurers in said lotteries, shall have their remedy against said managers for the benefit tickets by them drawn in manner afore- said & the monies so raised by said lotteries shall be laid out & applied to the purposes aforesaid & an account thereof be rendered to the General Assembly when demanded. - Conn. Archives, by C. J. Hoadley.
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War. The place was once bombarded by the British, who had taken Newport, Long Island, and New York. So they invested their funds in Continental bills, and held them until the close of the war, when they had depreciated to almost nothing, and all was lost except a small part of the lottery fund, which had been invested in public securities.
The act of the Assembly confirming and establishing the union of the East and West societies gave them until the first of De- cember then next, to transact and complete all their affairs, some of which were neglected until after that date. Among them were certain notes for the ministry money that were still standing in the name of the Society committees before the union. These notes the payers refused to pay, and the Society committee in 1781, by way of a memorial, asked authority of the General Assembly to enable them to collect said notes. The prayer of their memorial was granted, and the necessary authority was given, and the notes were collected.
The delay in building the meeting-house at Long Point re- vived the controversy about building one according to the terms of the union, and a Society meeting was held May 23, 1782, when " it was put to vote whether the society will at this time build the third meeting-house according to the terms of the union. Voted in the negative." "The same day it was put to vote whether the Society will sell either of the meeting-houses belonging to said Society. Voted in the negative." "The same day it was put to vote whether the West Meeting-House in said Society shall be the place for public worship until the third house is built. Voted in the affirmative," and then the meeting adjourned to June 6, 1782. When the meeting reassembled, a vote was passed repealing the vote of May 23, 1782, refusing to build the third meeting-house according to the terms of the union, and then ad- journed to the 20th day of June, instant, when "it was put to vote whether the Society will at present build the third meeting- house according to the terms of the union." " Voted in the neg- ative, thirty for not building, and twenty-one for building." "The same day it was put to vote, whether the Society will agree that the West Meeting-house in said Society shall be re- paired, provided it can be done by subscription. Voted in the af- firmative," " and Mr. Gilbert Fanning, Mr. George Denison, and Capt. Elisha Denison were appointed to see said repairs done."
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" The same day it was voted that the subscribers on the east part of said Society, for the repairs of the West Meeting-house in said Society - supposing a separation hereinafter shall take place- shall be refunded the money they subscribe at the value thereof at the time of the division."
The meeting then further adjourned to July 4, 1782, when it was again adjourned to July 11, when it was voted that the money subscribed for repairing said house be paid into the hands of Mr. Gilbert Fanning and by him applied for said repairs. Acting for the Society Mr. Fanning gave the old meeting-house a thorough repairing inside and out, with new doors and windows, but no part of the house was ever painted, nor was it customary to paint meeting-houses in those days unless they were located in some very thickly settled place.
Neither of the two meeting-houses on Agreement Hill was adorned with a steeple, nor was the one at the Centre.
After the close of the Revolutionary War in 1785, Nathan- iel Miner, Esq., and others, renewed their memorial to the Gen- eral Assembly, stating their reasons for not building a new meeting-house at Long Point with their lottery money, and what use they had made with the funds they raised for that pur- pose and asking to have authority granted them to continue their scheme until they could obtain money enough, to make up £400.
The prayer of their petition was granted 1 and the requisite 1 At a General Assembly of the State of Connecticut holden at Hartford in said State on the second Thursday of May, being the 12th day of said month, and continued by adjourn- ments untill the ninth day of June next following. Anno Dom 1785. Upon the memorial of Nathaniel Minor John Denison 3d & Joseph Denison 2d all of Long Point in Stoning- ton, setting forth that they with others of the first Society in said Stonington were on the second Thursday of October 1774, appointed Managers of a Lottery granted by the . Honble General Assembly to your Memorialists William Morgan and others of the estab- lished Religion of the then Colony of Connecticut for the purpose of raising the Sum of £400, to build a Meeting House at said Point. That said Managers proceeded by way of Lot- tery to raise said Sum in Continental Bills toward the Close of the Summer 1777, when your Memorialists for whom the Grant was made, not being apprehensive of the deprecia- tion that would attend said Bills and considering the great scarcity and dearness of Mate- rials for Building said House and the danger they were then exposed to from the Enemy who were then at New York, Newport and Long Island, thought best for the Grantees not then to proceed in Building said House, since which the Bills in the Hands of your Memorialists have depreciated to almost nothing except a part which has been turned into Public Securities. Praying that a Judicious Committee may be appointed to examine into the Matters of said Memorial and the true State and Circumstances of the Money which they hold in trust, put a Just value thereon, and that said Committee be enabled to direct said Managers, to raise on said Grant such Sums with what they already have as to make up the £400, Granted by Your Honors as pr Memorial &c.
Resolved, by this Assembly that said Nathaniel Minor John Denison 3d & Joseph Deni-
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authority was given them, but the managers did not at once pro- ceed with the lottery, nor was all the money raised until 1792-3. In 1785 the society had again ordered the Centre Meeting-house to be sold, and appointed a committee to sell and convey the same. The same year a subscription was drawn up and signed by parties at Long Point for the purpose of buying the Centre Meeting-house and taking it down and rebuilding it there.
The house was sold, taken down and rebuilt at the Borough, not as the property of the Society, but belonging jointly to the managers of the lottery, and to the parties to said subscription. The articles of agreement upon which the union of the societies had been consummated, was almost entirely abandoned by all par- ties, and new modes of raising the minister's salary were adopted.
The people at Long Point usually raised their proportion by subscription and by renting their pews, and when that failed, by taxation. The old Society used the interest of the ministry land money which by this time was reduced to four hundred pounds, the balance by subscriptions and by renting their pews, and as a last resort by taxation.
When the minister's salary became due and was not paid, a Society meeting would be called and held and a tax voted to go forth on a given day unless the delinquents paid up.
After the death of Mr. Eells, the Society procured a supply for their pulpit. Rev. Thomas Andrus and Rev. Timothy Wood- bridge occupied the same until 1789, when the Rev. Hezekiah N. Woodruff was called and ordained July 2d. He was settled on condition that he preached one half of the time at the old meet- ing-house, and the other half at the new meeting-house at Long Point. His salary was to be one hundred pounds with firewood cut and delivered annually. 1
son 2d be continued as Managers of said Lottery with the Addition of James Rhodes and Elijah Palmer of said Stonington and that the Honorable William Hillhouse and Benja- min Huntington Esqrs, & Elisha Lathrop Esq be and they are hereby appointed a Com- mittee to enquire into the true State and Circumstances of said Lottery and liquidate and settle the Accounts thereof, and ascertain the value of the Avails thereof in the Hands of said Managers and in Case said Committee shall Judge it to be reasonable, they may and they are hereby Authorized and Impowered to direct that said Managers proceed to Issue and draw such further numbers of Tickets in said Lottery as to raise such Sum of Money for the purpose of Building a Meeting House at said Point as shall be thought by said Committee to be proper, not exceeding £400, including what is already on hand as aforesaid and exclusive of the Cost of said Lottery, said Managers to be accountable to the General Assembly when requested for their Doings in the Premises. - Conn. Archives, by D. W. Edgecomb. 1
STONINGTON May 11th 1789.
Bretheren & Friends of the first church & society in Stonington. - Whereas the Church
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Mr. Woodruff continued to labor with the people very accept- ably for several years and was dismissed by a mutual council in June, 1803. After his departure, Rev. Mr. Jonathan Nigh preached for some time; after him the Rev. Andrew Rawson sup- plied the pulpit for a year or more ; then the Rev. Roswell R. Swan, a member of the church, preached as a candidate and re-
of Christ of said society, at a meeting held at Mistick Meeting house, in said society, on the 9th of April last, by their legal vote, unanimously elected me to the pastoral office and work of the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in and over said Church, as ap- pears by the record of s'd church - And whereas said society by their legal vote of the 19th of March last, appointed a special Committee, viz., The Honorable Charles Phelps Esq., Deacons Joseph Denison and Thomas Miner, Doctor Dudley Woodbridge, John Williams and Nathaniel Miner Esquires, - Doctor Jonathan Gray, Capt. Elisha Denison & Mr. William Chesebrough 2nd which Committee have since the aforesaid Church meeting (at time & place appointed) presented to me, a Copy of the votes of said Society, of the 19th of March, in which the Society were pleased unanimously to vote, to give me a call to settle in the work of the Gospel ministry in said Society and said Society on the same day having unanimously voted, to give me One hundred pounds, annually for my salary, so long as I shall be their Gospel preacher, on condition that I preach one half the time at Mistick Meeting house, the other half of the time at Long Point, in said Society (Twenty- four pounds of which is to be paid me in Money, and the remaining seventy six pounds, in certain enumerated Articles, at affixed prices, mentioned in said vote) and said Com- mittee having conferred with me on the subject of becoming your Minister. To which Com- mittee I urged (said Society having voted not to give any settlement) the necessity of the addition of Twenty Cords of firewood annually, and having then received encouragement from said Committee and others of the Society of the addition of said Twenty cords of wood being annually made up to me and a subscription being by individuals of said So- ciety, generously entered into, and promoted by many of the worthy members thereof, severally subscribing for certain quantities of said wood, to the amount of said Twenty cords, to be annually paid and delivered me, at my usual place of abode, during my min- istry in said Society, according to said subscription, and said Society having on the eighth of May instant (at a legal Society meeting) voted to make up to mne such deficiency, as may happen by the death, inability, or removal of any of said subscribers out of said Society, all which votes, evince ine of the unanimous regards shewn me, by the church, society and subscribers, which give me great hopes that my ministry may be to the spiritual good of said society, and the glory of God, which are the greatest inducements to accept the call of said Church and Society, and I do therefore hereby accept the call and invita- tion of said church and society, and I agree and promise to preach half the time at Mis- tick meeting house, and half the time at Long Point, agreeable to said vote of said so- ciety, and accept the said £100, as voted by said society, together with said subscription of twenty cords of wood, and said societies additional vote, to make up such deficiency as may happen to fail of payment by said subscribers as aforesaid, to be my annual salary, provided the society vote the said £76 to be paid annually, in certain enumerated articles, to be paid between the first of September next, and the first of January next, and so on annually, and the £24, in money, to be paid me on the 25th day of December next, and so on annually, and on failure of said payments being made annually at the times afore- said, then - interest until paid, - and my request, desire and prayer is, that by the bless- ing of God I may walk worthy of the vocation, whereunto I am called, earnestly request- ing the constant prayers of the church and society - wishing you all spiritual and tempo- ral blessings in Christ Jesus, who hath called us, into the hope of the Gospel -
With affection I am your humble servant, in Christ Jesus
HEZEKIAH N. WOODRUFF.
TO THE FIRST CHURCH AND SOCIETY IN STONINGTON.
Society Records.
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ceived a call from the Church and Society to settle with them in 1806, which he declined. The next preacher employed was Mr. Thomas Holt, who, in 1807, received a call to settle, which he de- clined.
The Society then appointed a committee to invite Mr. Bing- ham to preach as a supply; he came and preached a few Sab- baths. . At a meeting of the Society held September 6, 1809, a committee was appointed to wait on the Rev. Ira. Hart and see if he would preach to this Society the three fall months, and then adjourned the meeting to the 11th day of the same month. Mr. Hart came and preached one Sabbath but was not prepared to stay longer.
At the adjourned meeting they voted to hire him for four Sabbaths, if he would consent to stay. He remained and preached to such acceptance that the Church and Society gave him a call the 2d day of November following, which on the 25th of the same month he formally accepted.1
Mr. Hart was installed December 6, 1809, and labored here most successfully until his death, which took place October 29, 1829.
Mr. William Woodbridge, a member of this church, died in 1825, and gave four hundred dollars to the Society towards re- pairing the old Mystic Meeting-house. The Society at a formal meeting, held October 4, 1828, accepted of the same, and ap- pointed a committee to draw up and circulate a subscription, either for repairing the old house or for building a new one. They prepared a subscription paper, so arranged that the parish- ioners might subscribe to build or repair. The gift by Mr. Woodbridge was for repairing only, and a question presented it- 1
STONINGTON Nov 25th 1809.
TO THE COMMITTEE OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
Gentleman. The votes of the Congregational church and society in this town, calling me to take the oversight of them in the Lord in the work of the gospel Ministry I have seriously and prayerfully considered. The pleasing unanimity of the people the prospect of usefulness in the Ministerial work, the advice of my bretheren in the Ministry the lib- eral provision made for the support of myself and family the uniformly kind and gener- ous treatment I have received here, and in fine the leadings of Divine Providence all unite to convince me of the duty of accepting your call, and I hereby declare my acceptance of the same.
Relying on divine aid in the great work before me and on the continued indulgence and kindness of the church and society, and wishing grace, mercy and peace from God our Saviour to be multiplied unto you all, I subscribe
Yours affectionately in the bonds of the Gospel.
IRA HART.
Society Records.
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self, whether the executors of his will could apply money given for repairing a meeting-house, for the purpose of building a new one.
The executors, after learning that the Church and Society with great unanimity favored a new house, applied the bequest for building, and the result was that every subscriber gave for the same purpose. From the time when the first meeting-house was erected in 1661, down to 1828, the town had held all its town meetings in the old meeting-houses, and in consideration of the privileges had made suitable appropriations for repairing the same. But previous to the erection of this house, an arrange- ment was made with the town authorities for them to build the basement for town purposes, and the Society to build the meet- ing-house for religious purposes alone. This measure was opposed by some ; by one for the reason that Church and State had been divorced, and never by his consent should be remarried.
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