USA > Connecticut > New London County > Ledyard > History of the town of Ledyard, 1650-1900 > Part 3
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The second pastor of the Church was
REV. ANDREW CROSWELL.
He was a native of Charlestown, Mass., and was graduated at Harvard College in 1728. He was ordained here, Oct. 14, 1736. "The settlement offered him was two hundred pounds per annum for the first two years, and one hundred and ten pounds afterward." He was to be paid "in bills of public credit of this and the neighboring Governments"-a kind of paper cur- rency, then in use, which was already depreciated, and which continued to depreciate. The Society stipulated that "in case he should withdraw from the established religion of this govern- ment to any other persuasion he should return two hundred pounds to the Society." Like Mr. Owen, of Groton, and Mr. Parsons, of Lyme, Mr. Croswell was in sympathy with Edwards and Whitefield, and even with the erratic Davenport in the New Light movement or the Great Awakening. And in the interest of this movement he is said to have preached a good deal in other parishes besides his own. Though regularly ordained by council as pastor of this Church, he was dismissed without the intervention of a council-he himself giving the Society notice of his intention to leave them-they voting not to oppose him in the matter though disapproving of his course-he then giving
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THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
in his formal resignation ; and the Society, some two years later, voting that he was dismissed. This last named vote was passed in April, 1748. While living here he occupied the house that stands on the top of the hill out east of the Church .. On Oct. 5, 1748, he was installed over a newly-formed organization in Bos- ton, calling itself the Eleventh Congregational Church. Though the enterprise was started in such a way that some of the other Churches regarded it as irregular, and as setting a bad precedent it seemed to succeed fairly well. For Mr. Croswell continued to be the pastor for almost forty years-dying in office, April 12, 1785, at the age of 76, having been several years blind. He pub- lished a large number of sermons and essays-quite a number of them of a controversial character. Among these publications are the following: "What is Christ to me, if he is not mine? or a Reasonable Defense of the Old Protestant Doctrine of Justifica- tion by Faith, 1745." "Second Defense of the Old Protestant Doctrine of Justification by Faith, being a reply to the excep- tions of Rev. Solomon Williams, against a book entitled, 'What is Christ to me,' &c., 1747." "Heaven shut against Arminians and Antinomians-a Sermon, 1747."
The next pastor was
REV. JACOB JOHNSON.
Rev. Mr. Tuttle, in his forty-eighth anniversary sermon, makes these statements in regard to him: "I have understood that he was a native of Wallingford. He was a graduate of Yale College, in the class of 1740. He was ordained here in June, 1749, and continued in the pastoral office about twenty-three years. In making provision for his support, the Society, at its meeting, March 10, 1749, voted, 'that Mr. Jacob Johnson should have four hundred pounds settlement, and three hundred pounds in old tenor bills salary yearly, as long as he continues to be our Gospel preaching minister.' 'Another vote was passed affirming that the amount, both of the settlement and the salary of Mr. Johnson, should vary as the prices of provisions varied at the time when the money was paid. And it was further stipulated
3
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
that, if Mr. Johnson should withdraw himself to any other per- suasion, he should return the four hundred pounds settlement to the Society again, in the same value as he received it. In Oct., 1772, at a Society meeting, he asked for a dismission, and his request was readily granted. No mention is made of any council called for the purpose of his dismission. He married a Miss Giddings, of Preston, by whom he had several children. He owned a farm, on which he labored for part of his maintainance. A piece of swamp land was cleared by him and cultivated." He lived in the same house that his predecessor, Mr. Croswell, had occupied. A child of his lies buried near that house. Soon after he was dismissed in 1772, he left this place, and went to Wilksbarre, Pa., where he died in 1794. For many years after his removal the old Church, in which he here preached, was known as Johnson's meeting house.
THE INTERIM.
After the dismission of Mr. Johnson, for about 39 years, the parish was without a settled minister. The place was not wholly without religious services during all this period. But the serv- ices were probably not very regularly sustained; and for a con- siderable time in one portion of the period, entirely intermitted. For tradition affirms that at one time the sanctuary had become so dilapidated that the cattle, that were wont to feed upon the green nearby, would walk in at the open doors and occupy the premises as a shelter from the scorching suns or the raging storms. In this state of things, religion, of course, did not pros- per-the Church as an organized body of Christian believers be- came extinct, and the whole region lapsed into a state of moral desolation. There were some, doubtless, who deplored this sad condition of things and wept over it, and prayed and hoped for better times. And when at length there was a fair prospect of another minister being settled among them were ready to do all that lay in their power to secure the invaluable boon. It was in conjunction with the First Church in Groton (which had also been without a pastor for 15 years) that the end was secured.
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THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
REV. TIMOTHY TUTTLE,
a native of East Haven, and a graduate of Yale College, was the man whom the two Churches united in calling to be their joint pastor ; the arrange- ment being that he should give half his services to each Church-preaching in one Church one Sabbath and in the other Church the next Sabbath, and that the two Churches should share equally in paying him a salary of $450 a year. Mr. Tuttle began to preach here in April, 1810. On Dec. 12, 1810, a Church of five members - one male and four females-was or- ganized in this parish, the REV. TIMOTHY TUTTLE. service being conducted by Rev. Walter King, pastor of the Second Church in Norwich, with the co-operation of Mr. Tuttle, who, in the Record, is spoken of as a candidate for the ministry. The ordination of Mr. Tuttle took place in the Church at Groton, Aug. 13, 1811-the people from this part of the town attending in large numbers-a cavalcade of seventy young people, with their leader, Mr. James Geer, going down on horseback, to assist in the service of song. The sermon was preached by Rev. David Smith, of Durham. Mr. Tuttle con- tinued to serve the two parishes, according to the original agree- ment, till April 2, 1834; when, by the mutual consent of all concerned, his pastoral relation to the South Parish was dis- solved, and he became pastor in full of this parish, and gave all of his time to the work here-the salary to be paid him being $300. From the first, Mr. Tuttle proved himself a good minister of Jesus Christ. He was sound in doctrine, sincere and earnest in pressing the truths of the Gospel upon the heart and the con-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
science, faithful in pastoral duty, and, on the whole, eminently successful in his work-leaving salutary impressions upon the community which will remain for a long time to come. From a membership of five, to begin with, the membership of the Church steadily increased as the years passed by. This was es- pecially true when the Spirit was poured out, and revivals of religion were enjoyed, as was the case in the years 1814, 1831, 1842, 1850 and 1858. After 48 years of service, Mr. Tuttle stated in an anniversary sermon, that the whole number that had become members of the Church since its formation in 1810, in- cluding the original five was 209. Several things should be men- tioned as occurring in his day, and, to a considerable extent, through his instrumentality; e. g., the establishment of the Sun- day-school, about 1818, the starting of the great Temperance Reformation, a few years later, and the erection of the present house of worship in 1843. Mr. Tuttle's work here, especially during the earlier portion of it, was very difficult and attended with peculiar trials. There were individuals who were opposed to him, or rather opposed to the Evangelical Doctrines which he preached, and seemed to delight in throwing obstacles in his way. But every move they made only strengthened him in his position. His friends were drawn closer around him, and their numbers constantly increased, until in the closing years of his life he was eminently happy in the affections of the people generally. And not a few seemed ready to do almost anything that would afford him pleasure or satisfaction. The good influences exerted by him as a preacher and pastor, were greatly enhanced by the efforts he put forth in behalf of the public schools, and especially by the instruction which he imparted in his own home to young men gathered there from his own and neighboring towns, train- ing many of them to become teachers, and fitting quite a number for college. He lived to preach on the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination, and to do considerable ministerial work for two or three years longer. He died June 6, 1864. The parents of Mr. Tuttle were Joseph Tuttle, of East Haven, and Mary Granger, of Suffield. He was born, Nov. 29, 1781. The family moved to Durham when he was about eighteen years old. He
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THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
was graduated, with high rank as a scholar, from Yale College in the class of 1808. Under the instruction of his pastor, Mr. Smith, afterward Dr. Smith, he studied theology and fitted for the ministry. Mrs. Tuttle, in whom he had a faithful help- mate, was Miss Mary Norton, of Durham. The greater part of their married life was spent in the first house south of the Church, on the road leading to New London. Two daughters were born to them-Anna Maria, who became the wife of Rev. N. B. Cook, and Harriet Newell, who married Mr. Leonard Smith.
Mrs. Tuttle died several years before her husband-Feb. 14, 1856-leaving him comparatively alone. But, in a few years a kind Providence opened the way for his oldest daughter and her husband to come and live with him. And by and by, as the in- firmities of age came upon the venerable pastor, his son-in-law,
REV. NEHEMIAH B. COOK,
became associated with him in carrying forward the minis- terial work of the parish. Mr. Cook was born in Southhamp- ton, L. I., Sept. 20th, 1793. In his youth he worked on the farm, and attended the public schools. Later he studied naviga- tion with the view of going to sea; but was dissuaded from it by an older brother. He taught school for a while; then learned and worked at the carpenter's trade for several years. He made a profession of religion in 1817; and soon after began to prepare for the ministry. He was graduated at Andover REV, N. B. COOK. Theological Seminary in
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
1821. Being licensed by Presbytery he served as a missionary in Pennsylvania, and as a pulpit supply for several years at various places on Long Island. He was called to the pastorate of the First Church in Stonington, and was installed March 17, 1838. He preached at the Road Church one Sabbath, and in the village of Mystic the next Sabbath, and so on, from week to week, till the church in the village became strong enough to support a minister. He then preached at the Road Church in the morning, and in the village of Upper Mystic in the afternoon till the close of his labors in Stonington; his dismission taking place, March 7, 1859. Moving to Ledyard, Nov. 15, 1860, he relieved his father-in-law by occupying the pulpit one-half of the time. Upon the death of the latter, he continued to minister to the Church till another minister was called. It was in the later part of his ministry that the Town library was founded by the Hon. Henry Bill, of Norwich. Mr. Cook was the first presi- dent of the Bill Library Association ; and he continued to hold the office till the time of his death which occurred, Nov. 17, 1879. Mrs. Cook lived on till March 21, 1890. Both of them were highly esteemed and beloved by the people of Ledyard.
The next pastor was
REV. CHARLES CUTTING,
a son of Horace and Harriet (Upham) Cutting. He was born in Sturbridge, Mass., March 24, 1840. He fitted for college at Dudley Academy. He was graduated at Amherst College in 1863, and Hartford Theological Seminary in 1866. As a licen- tiate he preached in Hadlyme about a year. He was ordained in Ledyard, June 25, 1868. Very early in his ministry the com- munity was visited by one of the most powerful revivals of re- ligion ever experienced here. It extended into every part of the parish, and reached all classes of people-the old, the middle- aged and the young, and not a few who had been but little accustomed to attend upon the public services of religion. As a result of this revival the membership of the Church was very largely increased. In 1868 the total membership, as reported
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THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.
upon the minutes, was only 65. In 1869 it was 171. As is usual in such cases some fell away after the exciting scenes amid which they were wrought upon had passed by. Still a goodly number persevered ; and some became very stable and consistent men- bers. Among the instru- mentalities through which this revival was brought about the earnest labors of the young pastor were quite prominent. So the co-operation of neighbor- ing ministers - especially Messrs. Dana and Merri- man, of Norwich - was greatly blessed. Then, too, the members of the Church REV. CHARLES CUTTING. were unusually active. And the young converts also- as they were brought in one after another-took hold of the work with great enthusiasm. Yet very much doubtless depended upon the good seed that had been sown in faith and hope and prayer all along through previous years. Father Tuttle, during the closing portion of his life, often expressed the earnest desire that he might live to witness another revival. Though he was called away before the revival came, his prayers doubtless stood very closely connected with it. And what is here said of him may also be said of others who had long been members of the Church and deeply interested in its welfare. A few years after Mr. Cutting's labors began here the Hon. Henry Bill, of Nor- wich, donated to the parish the parsonage, which has since been occupied by the ministers. It was the home of Mr. Bill's child- hood, and had been sold out of the family several years previous. Mr. Bill bought it back again-thoroughly renovated the house -built a new barn and out-buildings, and gave the whole to the
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
Society, to be the dwelling-place of their ministers. For more than twenty years the Bill Library Association held its meetings in this house, and here, in a large hall, whose walls are hung with portraits of prominent citizens of the place, the annual library dinner was served. After leaving the place, in Sept., 1881, Mr. Cutting served the Church in Montville till 1891.
THE BILL PARSONAGE.
He then removed to Whitneyville, where he was settled in 1891, and dismissed in 1893. While living at Whitneyville, as a re- tired minister, he was attacked by Bright's disease and valvular disease of the heart, which terminated his life, Dec. 24, 1894, at the age of 54 years and 9 months. Mr. Cutting was married Oct. 31, 1878, to Jessica Anna, daughter of Deacon William and Jessica (Mckenzie) Campbell, of Philadelphia, Pa. Of their four children, two daughters and one son are living. The widow, with her children, are at the present time in New Haven, Conn.
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THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.
The next minister was
REV. JOHN AVERY,
son of Robert Stanton and Sally (Crary) Avery, born at Preston, Aug. 19, 1819. Like other farmers' boys he spent the summers working on the farmı -the winters in the district school. In 1836 he began to study Latin with Rev. Mr. Tuttle, of Ledyard. He com- pleted his prepara- tion for college at the Norwich Town High School and Bacon Academy, Colchester. He was graduated from Yale College in 1843 and Yale Divinity School in 1847. He REV. JOHN AVERY. taught school quite a number of terms between the commencement and completion of his educational course. He was ordained pastor of the Exeter Church, Leba- non, June 21, 1848, and held the position' 25 years. Toward the close of this pastorate-in the year 1870-he was a representa- tive from the town of Lebanon in the Connecticut Legislature. Soon after closing his work in Lebanon, in 1873, he became act- ing pastor of the Church in Central Village, and held the office between five and six years; and then sustained the same relation to the Church in West Woodstock three years. He began his labors in Ledyard in Nov., 1881, and closed them April 1, 1892. Early in his ministry here-in the autumn of 1882-the town was thoroughly canvassed by an agent of the Connecticut Bible Society. One result of this canvass was that it placed upon the
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
pastor's calling list no less than 116 families-a number nearly twice as large as was commonly regarded as connected with the parish. Yet he called upon everyone of these families, and, as long as he lived in the place, continued to call upon them from time to time, and to hold religious meetings in school-houses and private dwellings that were easily accessible by all of them. In very many of them he was called to officiate at weddings and on funeral occasions. Among the important events that occurred during Mr. Avery's ministry were the painting of the parsonage and barn in 1883-the introduction of new hymn books in 1885- the painting of the Church outside and in-the frescoing of the interior and providing it with new carpets and cushions-the work begun in 1886 and completed in 1887-the purchase of a new organ in 1888, at an expense of $182, $50 being paid by a single individual, Miss Hannah Norman-the commencement, early in 1892, of the beautiful and commodious structure, in which the Bill Library has found a permanent home every way suited to its need.
It should be added that the Church was struck by lightning on Sunday morning, Oct. 19, 1892-the building injured to the amount of $125 (which was covered by insurance), the minis- ter's horse killed outright, and his daughter, Miss Mary A. Avery, so seriously injured that several months had elapsed be- fore she had fully recovered. Since removing from the place and taking up his residence in Norwich Mr. Avery has frequently been called back to attend weddings and funerals, and to assist on anniversary occasions. On the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination he preached in the Church where he was ordained ; and he still continues to respond to calls for his ministerial serv- ices whenever they are presented.
Mr. Avery was married Nov. 6, 1851, to Miss Susan Cham- pion, of Old Lyme. They have had three daughters, only one of whom survives.
The present pastor,
REV. ALBERT EDWARD KINMOUTH,
of Scotch-English parentage, was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1846.
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THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
He was educated at Queen's University, and Weslyan Theologi- cal Seminary, Belfast-admitted to the British Weslyan Confer- ence in 1870, and for more than two years was As- sistant Secretary of the British Home and Foreign Missionary Societies. He came from London to this country in 1873, with the view of going as a mission- ary to Japan ; but, deciding to remain here, he was or- dained at Carthage, N. Y., in 1874. He has had pas- torates at Seneca Falls, Oswego Falls, Pulaski and West Newfield, N. Y .- also Greenwich and Mont- ville, Conn. He began his REV. A. E. KINMOUTH. work in Ledyard in 1893; and during his ministry a Y. P. S. C. E. has been organized and well sustained; a goodly number of young people-sixteen at one time-have united with the Church ; and $7,100.00 have been added to the permanent funds of the Society. The platform in the Church was lowered in 1890, and the interior of the Church re-frescoed in 1898. Mr. Kinmouth is living with his second wife, who was Miss Bellows, from Seneca Falls. By the first wife he had four children, and by the second, four. Two daughters have married in Ledyard, and the eldest of these has died.
Deacons of the Church: Warren Williams, Russel Gallup, Erastus Gallup, Jonathan B. Beckwith, Nathan S. Gallup, Isaac G. Geer, Russel Gallup.
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL.
Though the Sunday-school is a comparatively recent institu- tion the ends which it aims to secure were previously sought in
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEDYARD.
different ways. This matter is well-stated by Mr. William T. Cook, in a sketch of the life of his grand-father, Rev. Timothy Tuttle. He uses the following language : "Before the formation of the Sabbath-school, the young people met their pastor once in two weeks to recite the Assembly's Catechism. A Sabbath- school was organized about 1818. The manner in which it was conducted was entirely different from modern Sabbath-schools. The children were required to learn verses from the Bible, and hymns ; the pastor heard the recitations, and a young man, Mr. Norman L. Chester, who was studying with him, kept an account of the number learned. At the close of the school in autumn scholars were paid in books, at the rate of the value of a penny for ten verses from the Bible, and the same for twenty verses of hymns. Three little girls, Sally Sterry, Anna Billings and Tabitha Lamb, recited each one thousand verses from the Bible, and each received a Bible as a reward.
After several years a proposition was made to establish a Sabbath-school library; some of the young ladies started a sub- scription paper and obtained the sum of seven dollars, with which to commence a library.
At the close of the Sabbath-school for the winter, a Bible class for young people took its place, the pastor prepared ques- tions, and copies of them were distributed among the members of the class, who were expected to prepare answers in writing, and read them at the class meeting. From these small begin- nings the Sabbath-school has increased till it has embraced nearly all the members of the congregation, and has obtained the name of 'The Banner Sabbath-school of the State.'"
The following gentlemen have held the office of superin- tendent : Deacon Warren Williams, Henry W. Avery, Moses Norman, Jacob A. Geer, Col. Samuel W. Wood, Col. Elias W. Brown, Israel Allyn, Dea. Jonathan B. Beckwith, Dea. Nathan Sands Gallup, George Fanning, John M. Gray.
INVESTED FUNDS.
The funds of the Church and Society-the income of which may be used for defraying the annual expenses-amount to
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THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
about $12,000. The origin of them dates back to 1808. In that year a lottery, authorized by the State, netted $2,000. In 1825, William H. Woodbridge bequeathed $500, on condition that the Church and Society would raise as much more. This condition being complied with $1,000 was realized. In 1836, the United States revenue was in excess of the expenditures, and the amount of the excess was, by act of Congress, divided among the States. This State received over three-fourths of a million of dollars. This last named sum was distributed among the towns on condi- tion that one-half at least of the annual income be expended upon the common schools. This town, it seems, devoted $300 of its share to this Ecclesiastical Society. About 1860, it was found that the income of the Society had, for several years, more than paid expenses ; and the surplus, amounting to $500, was added to the permanent investments .. Since then the following be- quests have been received: In 1875, from Sidney A. Roach, $1,000. In 1872, from Mrs. Ichabod Chapman, $100. In 1896, from Miss Eliza B. Geer, $100. In 1897, from Israel Allyn, $1,000. In 1898, from Charles Bill, $1,000. In the same year, 1898, a gift of $5,000, the largest that was ever made to the in- vested funds, was received from Miss Sarah Norman.
CHAPTER III. The Episcopal Church.
AN Episcopal organization, bearing the name of St. James' Church, was started here in the latter part of the year 1734. Rev.
ST. JAMES' EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Ebenezer Punderson, who had been, for four or five years, pastor of the Congregational Church, was the prime mover in the enter- prise. The house of worship stood on Church Hill, about a mile and a half north-east of the Church at the Center, and some three miles south-east of the village of Poquetanuck. The parsonage connected with it stood on the lane that leads westward from the present Bill parsonage, and was pulled down by Rev. Chas. Cutting. "It was the first Church parsonage in America." The
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THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
lot in which the Church stood was used as a cemetery, in accord- ance with an old-time English custom. The records of this Church, up to the time of the Revolutionary War, were lost. Hence its early history is quite obscure. Extracts from the re- ports which Mr. Punderson made to the Missionary Society in England, which paid a part of his salary, are still extant; and some of them seem to indicate that the Church was quite pros- perous. In one of these reports, dated June 18, 1739, he says that "there has been a great increase in the number of my parishioners, and a corresponding change in the temper of dis- senting brethren ; many of whom, from being haters and revilers of the Church and her clergy have been brought to occasionally attend her services. On last Christmas, and on a Lord's Day afterwards, more than four hundred persons of sober and devout behavior, were present in the Church, many of whom had been bitter enemies." Mr. Punderson drew a portion of his former flock with him into Episcopacy. Some "ten or twelve Congre- gational people-heads of families-signed his papers, and con- tributed money to bear his expenses when he went to England to be ordained." Probably all of these, and very likely others with them, were his friends and supporters after his return. Though the Episcopal movement began to take to itself definite shape and form as early as 1734, it is probable that the Church edifice was not erected quite as early as that. Very likely, how- ever, it was within two or three years, though the precise date has not come down to us. This edifice stood where it was first located till 1785, when it was taken down, moved to Poque- tanuck, and re-erected on Single Point, just south of the village. Since that date it has been succeeded by two Church edifices, erected one after the other, a little east of the village-the last in the year 1898. As to the number of persons connected with this Church, in the earlier portion of its history, Mr. Punderson at one tinie reported that there were 104 male members over sixteen years of age. Among them were "five each of the names of Williams and Rode (Rood?) ; three each of the name of Ames, Geer, Hide, Minor, Park, Rose, Pelton, Spicer, Starkweather, Stoddard and Waterman; two each of the names of Capron,
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