USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Hartford > History of the Second church of Christ in Hartford > Part 13
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1 See memoirs of father and son by Eliza Buckminster Lee, Boston, 1851. The elder Buckminster, who was called to be Mr. Whitman's successor, became exceed- ingly attached, while at New Haven, to Elizabeth Whitman, the unfortunate "Eliza Wharton" of Mrs. Foster's story, "The Coquette." He figures in the romance as "J. Boyer." One sentence from his memoirs, in which he speaks of Connecticut, may refer to the blighted attachment: " My place was there; I always wished that State to be my home ; but Providence has directed my line of duty far away from the place of my first affections."
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In consideration of the good service of Ebenezer Watson, lately deceased, in teaching and leading the singing in this Society, one year's rent of the house and lot leased to him was abated. Mr. Epaphras Bull was granted twelve pounds for like service, and Messrs. Jonathan Steel, Timothy Steel, and John Benton, Jr., were appointed "choristers, to lead the singing upon the Lord's Day and other days of public worship."
In 1779, a certain Doct. Rogers was tempted to settle here by the offer of "twelve dollars a Sabbath," to be paid in wheat at nine shillings and ninepence a bushel, etc., etc., thirty cords of wood each year, and pasturage for a cow and two horses. He withstood the temptation.
In 1780, complaints were made that the older members of the Society were unable to attend meetings held in the evening, and it was voted "that for the future no votes shall be passed by this Parish at any of their meetings after sun- set, unless by special vote they order otherwise."
In 1781, a Rev. Mr. Miller was invited to preach, but nothing came of it.
In 1873, the Committee was authorized to employ a sing- ing-master to teach in the Society, and to pay him twenty pounds for his service. In May, 1783, the following action was taken :
" Whereas this Society have been long destitute of a settled minis- ter, and are desirous of obtaining one of eminence and distinction, . and being of the opinion that it is not inconsistent or contrary to the Gospel plan to make application to any gentleman in the ministry (exam- ples of which have been frequent) to remove and settle here, - Voted, to invite Rev. Nathan Williams of Tolland "
to remove and settle here. They offered him a comfortable support and the use of the "Ministry House and land." This call was declined, and Mr. Williams remained in Tol- land till 1827, when he died, aged ninety-four, his wife sur- viving him six months, and dying at the age of ninety-five.
Then the Society, as if in desperation, authorized the
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Revs. Benjamin Boardman and Abel Flint
Committee to send some one " to Philadelphia or elsewhere " to get a minister.
On the 7th of January, 1784, the Rev. Benjamin Board- man was invited to become their Pastor. They offered to give him for use the Parsonage House and land, to put the same in good repair and build a barn and outhouses, and to make his salary one hundred and twenty pounds, lawful money. But the call closed with the following sentence, which, I suppose, had never been written in any similar doc- ument, prior to the Revolution :
" During the time that he and the major part of this Church and Society shall be mutually agreed in each other, which is the only bond of a Christian community."
Mr. Boardman replied that he would accept this Provi- dential call, provided,
" That part which is to be paid in money be secured in its just value, according to the honest intent and meaning of it, against depreciation of any kind whatever, - that is to say, four hundred Spanish milled dollars shall be paid annually instead of one hundred and twenty pounds,"
and, he added, punctually paid.
This acceptance was accepted, and Mr. Boardman was installed, May 5, 1784.
The following report, copied from the Courant of May 11, 1784, is interesting both as showing how an installation was then conducted, and for the peculiar style in which it is written :
"On Wednesday the 5th instant, the Rev. Benjamin Boardman was installed and solemnly inaugurated to the pastoral charge of the Second Church and Society in Hartford. The Solemnity was conducted by a respectable council, in the following manner, viz .: - The Council convened at 10 o'clock in the morning at the house of Capt. Aaron Bull. The church with sundry respectable characters formed the procession and walked in order to the meeting house. The solemnity began by singing an anthem, after which a prayer well adapted to the occasion was offered by the Rev. Nath. Perkins. Then a psalm was sung followed with a most excellent sermon delivered by the Rev. Dr. Goodrich, from Eph. 3 : S. The Moderator then desired the Scribe to read the orders of
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Council, which being performed the moderator with great dignity intro- duced the subject of further proceeding by making a most excellent dis- tinction between an ordination and an installation, and made the in- stalling prayer, in which he commended the whole transaction, together with Pastor and people, to the great Head of the Church for his blessing. 'This being closed, the Rev. Nathan Strong gave the right hand of fellow- ship in a polite and elegant manner ; and singing another hymn con- cluded the solemnity."
Mr. Boardman's previous experience, as pastor of the church at Middle Haddam, had taught him to guard against all possible misunderstandings with regard to salary. There lies open before me a little book, covered with a portion of the Hartford Courant of Aug. 20, 1771, in which Mr. Board- man wrote out
" A true state of Facts as they respect my salery from time to time since the Year ending on the 8th Day of Nov' : 1776 ; for which year I gave a Receipt in full for my Salery, tho. I Sunk more than a Quarter part of my Support."
His salary was ninety-five pounds, lawful money. He accepted payment for the year ending Nov. 8, 1776, in the nominal sum, although he was a heavy loser thereby, and he did this for the following reasons, which do him great credit :
" First ; for the sake of Peace, that the People might not have their minds disconcerted in Matters of less Moment, to divert them from the more important concerns of a publick Nature, as we were involved in a most interesting but doubtful War.
Secondly ; That I might by no means be any way Instrumental of discrediting or depreciating the money.
Thirdly ; Because my Heart was bound up in the Cause of my Country, and was very anxious for its Salvation, and felt disposed to sub- mit to Suffering with my fellow creatures, to as great a Degree as I could well bear."
Before the close of the next year the money had so greatly depreciated that in many instances ministers were paid six times the nominal sum of their salaries. In Deccm- ber, 1777, the Parish Committee, presuming upon Mr. Board-
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man's self-sacrifice a year before, offered him his salary in the nominal sum only, which was less than a sixth part of what was rightfully due him. He declined to receive it. A year later he offered to take the tendered money at its real value, and also to abate of his salary. This the Soci- ety would not agree to. Then he offered to take the value of his contract in silver, or in wheat at four and a half shillings per bushel. This offer was rejected.
In March, 1779, he accepted and gave receipt for the sum of 351 pounds and 12 shillings in Continental currency, as payment in part for the sum due him for three years' service. On the back of that receipt, in the presence of the Commit- tee, the following endorsement was written :
" Be it remembered, that at the time of receiving the within sum of money, wheat sold at 20 Dollars per Bushel ; Indian corn at Io or II Dollars ; Beef at Twelve Pound per Hundred &c &c."
But even this statement was under the truth, and prices were higher than he reckoned. He carefully estimated the value of the 351 pounds and 12 shillings thus received, and, in lawful money, it amounted to less than fourteen pounds !
But that is not all. Most of the currency accepted by him proved to be " of the York Town Emissions, which was then vulgarly called The Dead Emissions." It was nearly worthless. No merchant would take it. His only chance to get anything for it was "to carry it to the Loan office and take out a Bill in the usual Practice." But before he could do this "it sunk in its value about a fifth part." So that instead of getting even fourteen pounds out of the three hundred and fifty-one tendered him in the depreciated currency, he realized only about eleven pounds out of it. As a matter of fact, according to his careful account, the sum of all that he received for six years' service, -from 1777 to 1782, inclu- sive -was thirty-six pounds and eighteen shillings, in lawful money. And the Middle Haddam Society really owed him, and probably never paid it, about five hundred and thirty pounds more.
This account is given as illustrating the financial state
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of things at that period, as well as showing Mr. Boardman's good reasons for stipulating with precision as to his salary.
It may be mentioned that the "Ministry House" or Parsonage was situated on the west side of Main Street, almost directly opposite the present residence of Mr. Henry Redfield.
The Ecclesiastical Council summoned for Mr. Board- man's installation "convened at the house of Mr. Aaron Bull," whence "the church, with sundry respectable charac- ters, marched in order to the meeting-house." Rev. Dr. Goodrich preached the sermon, and Rev. Mr. Strong gave the right hand "in a polite and elegant manner." Another distinctly post-revolutionary phrase !
The following bill will serve to show how the godly fathers comforted themselves on solemn occasions. On the back of the original bill is written : "Ordination : eight pounds allowed, and order given on treasurer in full."
" 1784. The South Society in Hartford, to Israel Seymour, Dr. May 4th to keeping ministers &c.
" to 2 mugs tody
£o : 2: 4 0 : 5: 10
to 5 segars
-
- 0 : 3: 0
" to 3 lodgings -
-
- 0 : 0: 9
May 5th to 3 bitters
- - 0 : 0 : 9
to 3 breakfasts
- 0 : 3: 6
to 15 boles punch -
- 1 : 10 : O
to 24 dinners
-
-
- 1 : 16 : 0
to 11 bottles wine
-
3 : 6: 0
", to 5 mugs flip
-
-
0:5:10
to 3 boles punch -
-
-
-
0 : 6: 0
to 3 boles tody
0 : 3: 6
£ 8 : 3:II
Received by me, Israel Seymour."
Capt. Israel Seymour kept a tavern near the spot now covered by the State Capitol. On the 16th of August, - about three months after the aforesaid council, - Capt. Seymour was instantly killed by lightning, and on the following day, the Lord's Day, Rev. Mr. Boardman preached his funeral sermon before the two congregations in this city. The sermon was published, and in an appendix some account of the remarkable storms of that summer was given.
to I pint wine
Benj Boardmany
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Revs. Benjamin Boardman and Abel Flint
Rev. Benjamin Boardman, son of Edward and Dorothy (Smith) Boardman, was born at Glastonbury, Conn., Aug. 3, 1731. He graduated at Yale College in 1758, and was tutor there in 1760. He was settled as pastor of the church at Middle Haddam, Jan. 5, 1762, and remained there until 1783. He married Ann (Johnson), widow of Stephen Ios- mer, Jr., eldest son of Rev. Stephen Hosmer of East Had- dam, and grandson of Dea. Stephen Hosmer of Hartford. Mr. Boardman served as chaplain in the war of the Revolu- tion. He was with Capt. Comfort Sage's Troop of Horse from Middletown, at the Lexington alarm, and was present at the Boston siege, 1775. He was chaplain of Col. Durkee's Connecticut regiment in Washington's army in 1776, and with it at Paulus Hook when the enemy took New York. There is a letter by him in Force's Archives, describing the events of that time. Tradition says that by virtue of the power to make himself heard far and wide in exhortation or prayer, he had earned for himself from the soldiers the soubriquet of "Big-Gun-of-The-Gospel " Boardman ! His portrait in the Historical Society's rooms indicates a man of great physical vigor. He had no children, but a nephew by the name of Jeduthan was virtually adopted by him on con- dition of his assuming the name of Benjamin. Rev. Mr. Boardman's will, dated Dec. 14, 1801, gave the use of his estate to his wife during her widowhood, and, after her death, gave it outright to the adopted nephew, who was known as Benjamin J. Boardman, and who was a strong pillar in the Second Church until his death in 1829.
The will provided for the manumission of two colored male servants, and that one of them, who was aged and infirm, should occupy the cottage adjoining the Boardman farm during his life, and should also have a comfortable sup- port, as a reward of his fidelity.
Quite a large package of Mr. Boardman's sermons are in the possession of descendants of his in Hartford, and the writer also has several. They were written with scrupulous
1
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care, and show that he was a man of good understanding and sound judgment. Most of them were preached in many different towns. Two, in my possession, were preached in "Camp," at Roxbury. The earliest date on any one of them is 1760, and the latest date, 1798.
From an endorsement on one of them we ascertain that in 1788 twelve persons died in the South Parish, eighteen children were baptized, and one person joined the church.
On another, under date of April 20, 1785, is this note : " Cold, slays plied to-day, remarkable season."
There lies open before me a Diary of Mr. Boardman, written when he was in service as army chaplain in Wash- ington's camp at Roxbury. It begins Monday, July 31, and ends Sabbath, November 12. But it contains little of interest. Quite an elaborate account of "Licut. Wads- worth's funeral" is given, and the good Parson jots down his "idea that Gen. Washington sets no great by chaplains !" He also relates that one day a soldier was struck by a "cannon ball" and hurled over, "which gave him consid- erable of a shock !" The Diary is curious rather than valuable, a relic rather than a treasure.
Little is known of his short term of service here, save that it was one in which the Church was in a low condition and the Society was struggling with unusually heavy financial difficulties. The records show that it was deemed impossi- ble, after a year or two, to fulfill the original contract with him, and that it was proposed to reduce his salary to the sum of eighty pounds. Recently discovered autograph letters by Mr. Boardman to the Society show that the financial diffi- culty was complicated by more or less dissatisfaction in the Parish with his services. In a letter to the Society, dated July 17, 1789, Mr. Boardman reviews the conditions of his settlement, declares that " money is one of the smallest con- siderations which weighs in my mind," and reveals the fact
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that he had relinquished twenty pounds on the first intima- tion of the Society's inability.
He then alludes to the singular "manner in which your vote of the 9th of April is expressed," as in his judgment and in that of his friends, conveying to me "a very plain Hint im- mediately to retire." He did not choose to take that kind of hint, and told the Society, in a very manly way, that he could not accept their proposals, and that " the issue of the business must depend on something explanatory on your part." The long letter is that of a self-respecting Christian gentleman, who was willing to adjust himself to the straitened circum- stances of the Parish, but was unwilling to be thrust into a false position by disingenuous opposition.
The following letter, written about three months later, shows how the matter terminated :
" To the South Society in Hartford :
" GENTLEMEN, - To me it appears the Period is now come, in the Course of the wonder-working Providence of God, wherein there is not a remaining Doubt in my Mind what answer I ought to return to your Ad- dress contained in a vote passed in a Society Meeting held on the 5th Day of Instant October.
" Upon the most mature Deliberation, weighing the whole Transac- tion with all its attending Circumstances, from the clearest Conviction of Reason, I do with the utmost Candor inform you that an acceptance of the Eighty Pounds, for the purposes mentioned in said Vote, cannot be complyed with.
" The Compensation is inadequate to the Object, and places me be- low the Considerations given to Preaching Candidates.
" As I came here in Peace, nothing can be more agreeable to my Wishes, and I trust to yours also, than, when the Parting takes place, it be candid, and accompanied with every Token of mutual affection and reciprocal Friendship.
" You will rightly conclude from your witholding a meet Support, that I consider Myself no further holden to proceed in the Work of the Gospel Ministry among you, and only wait the performance of those Prudentials which may be thought Expedient as giving public Testimony of an honorable Separation. May the unmerited Blessings of the
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Almighty Saviour of Men rest on you, and on your dear Posterity, till Time be no more.
"I am, Gentlemen, with great consideration and Esteem, Your Friend and very humble Servant,
Benj Boardmany
" HARTFORD, 29th Day of October, 1789."
There is no record of any formal dissolution of his pas- toral relation. He continued his residence in Hartford until his death, Feb. 12, 1801, and both he and his wife were buried in the old cemetery of the town.
The City of Hartford was incorporated in 1784, and Thomas Seymour, Esq., was its first mayor. The population of the whole town in 1790 was about four thousand.
In 1785, fifteen pounds were appropriated for a Singing- Master.
In 1788, Capt. Aaron Bull and Joseph Church were, at their request, excused from service on the Standing Commit- tee, and Thomas Seymour, Esq., Thomas Y. Seymour, and Jonathan Bull were appointed.
In 1790 a subscription to procure a bell was started. The name of Barzillai Hudson appears on a Committee.
In 1786, an important bequest, involving lands of consid- erable extent and value, was made to the Second Society by Mr. William Stanley, concerning which some explanation should be given.
The first bequest specified in the will is that of a sum of money sufficient
" To purchase a silver Tankard of the same weight and dimensions, as near as conveniently may be, of that formerly given said Church by Mr. John Ellery, deceased, the same to be procured by my Trustees here- after named, and presented to the officers of said Church, to be kept for- ever for the use and benefit of said Church. And the said Trustees are
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Revs. Benjamin Boardman and Abel Flint
to cause my name, coat of arms, the time of my death, and my age there- on to be engraved." 1
The second bequest is that of certain lands to his niece, Elizabeth Whitman.
All the remainder of his personal estate, after the pay- ment of his debts and funeral expenses, was given and be- queathed to his beloved sister, Abigail Whitman, to be her own forever, and unto her was given the use and improve- ment of all his real estate during her natural life, except that portion given unto her daughter Elizabeth.
"After the decease of my said sister Abigail Whitman I give and de- vise the whole of my real Estate of every kind and description, except what is herein before given unto my niece Elizabeth Whitman, unto the Second or South Ecclesiastical Society in the town of Hartford, to be and remain to the use and benefit of said Second or South Society and their successors forever."
The will provided that this estate should be under the management of three trustees who should appoint their successors according to a definitely described manner, and William Ellery, Jonathan Bull, and Daniel Hinsdale were appointed trustees. The first avails or profits of the estate were to be applied to the purchase of the tankard for the Church, and next to the payment of one half-part of the price of a proper bell for the meeting-house, providing the other part be procured without taxing the inhabitants of the Society.
Without dwelling further upon the munificence or ad- ministration of this gift, it is both a pious and pleasant duty to indicate more definitely the generous donor's relation to this Church and Society, and the motives which may have prompted his bequest.
William Stanley was the great-grandson of Thomas Stanley, who settled in Hartford about 1636, had his home- lot on the east side of Main street, extending from Little
1 [The tankard spoken of by Mr. Stanley, as having been given by Mr. John Ellery, has unfortunately vanished, no one knows when or where. No trace of it can be found. But that given by Mr. Stanley is still in use by the Church. ]
II
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River to the Center Church, removed to Hadley, and died in 1663 ; grandson of Nathaniel Stanley, who returned to Hart- ford in 1669, filled many offices of importance here, was a man of wealth and influence, united with the Second Church in 1678, and died in 1712 ; son of Nathaniel Stanley, Jr., who "owned the covenant " in the South Church in 1706, was a man of wealth and distinction, and died in 1755. Wil- liam Stanley was baptized in 1724, and his sister Abigail (whose uncle was Joseph, brother of Rev. John Whiting) was baptized in 1719. This Abigail Stanley married the Rev. Elnathan Whitman, and survived him for nineteen years, dying in 1795. As was indicated in the foregoing chapter, the Church and Society had dealt very tenderly and kindly with Mr. Whitman and his family, who were much esteemed and beloved. There is good reason for believing that William Stanley's generous bequest to this Society was somewhat prompted by his remembrance and appreciation of the care and provision which his sister's husband and family had received from said Society. It is pleasant to think that this Society still reaps the fruits of a blessing that originated in the mutual esteem and affection of the pastor and people of that olden time, -yea, the fruits of a gift bestowed a century ago by the grandson of Nathaniel Stanley, who, more than two centuries ago, cast in his lot with this Church, then in its infancy.
It is a noteworthy fact that the convention which, on the part of Connecticut, ratified the Constitution of the United States, in 1788, was held in the meeting-house of the First Church of Hartford.1 The centennial anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution was held in the meeting-house of the same church, in 1889.
At a meeting of the Society, Jan. 24, 1791, a committee of twenty-six gentlemen was appointed to take into consider- ation the circumstances and interests of said Society, and to report at the next meeting " such proposals as, in their opin-
1 Walker's Hist., 340.
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Revs. Benjamin Boardman and Abel Flint
ion, shall appear to be the most eligible and proper to be offered to Mr. Flint who hath been for some time preach- ing among us to the general acceptance of the Society." On this committee several names appear which the previous Records do not mention, - Capt. John Barnard, Joseph Win- ship, Joseph Woodbridge, Jonathan Butler, Thomas Tisdale, and Mayor Elisha Babcock.
The Society voted to call Mr. Flint, and offered him the use and improvement of their estate lately occupied by the Rev. Mr. Boardman, and the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds, lawful money, annually, for a term of seven years, promising, at the expiration of that term, to increase the salary by thirty pounds. They promised also to put the Parsonage in good repair, and to keep it so during his occupation of it. Thomas Seymour and Thomas Y. Sey- mour, Esq., were on the committee to treat with Mr. Flint. At the same time the Church, "with the consent of Mr. Boardman," extended, on their part, a similar call to him. These invitations were accepted by Mr. Flint, and arrange- ments were made for his ordination by a joint committee of Church and Society, on the 20th of April, 1791. The council met at the house of Thomas Y. Seymour, Esq., and was com- posed of pastors and delegates from the First Church in Hartford, and the churches in West Hartford, Durham, Wethersfield, Providence, East Windsor, Windsor, and Windham. Rev. Benjamin Boardman was also a member of the council. Colonel George Wyllis was delegate or messen- ger from the First Church, and Deacon Noah Webster from Hartford West. Colonel John Chester came from Wethers- field. The council took notice of the peculiar but amicable relations of Rev. Mr. Boardman to the Church and Society, from whose pastorate he had not been ecclesiastically re- leased, although the civil contract between them was dis- solved, and proceeded to the examination and approval of Mr. Flint.1 In the ordination services, Rev. Mr. Strong
1 The autograph letter in which Mr. Flint accepted this call has recently come into the writer's possession.
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made the introductory prayer, Rev. Enos Hitchcock, D.D., preached the sermon, Rev. Elizur Goodrich, D.D., made the consecrating prayer and gave the charge, Rev. Nathan Perkins gave the right hand of fellowship, and Rev. Mr. Macclure made the concluding prayer.
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