USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Plymouth > History of the town of Plymouth, Connecticut : with an account of the centennial celebration May 14 and 15, 1895 : also a sketch of Plymouth, Ohio, settled by local families > Part 3
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The west side settlers naturally objected to the building, because they saw it would be done east of the river, and they tried to persuade the society to remain in their school house. But when they saw that the society was determined to build on the east side, a majority (not of the society, for that would have controlled it and defeated the project of building on the east side ) of the proprietors of the west side house (eleven of the nineteen ) voted the society out of doors till it should have completed its own house ; then this majority of the proprietors, knowing that the legislature would not organize an opposition Congregational church west of the river, formed an Episcopal society.
The minority of the proprietors of the west building, though opposed to building a meeting house east of the river. vet remained loyal to the society, and were its pillars-Jeremiah Peck, first deacon, John Sutliff, Sr. and Jr. (the junior being sixth deacon), Caleb Humaston, and Phineas Royce. The Con- gregational society had its first home on the hill, and there it has always been, nor would an Episcopal society have been formed
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Rev H. E. Cooley.
Rev. E. B Hillard,
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EARLY SETTLERS OF PLYMOUTHI.
in Thomaston then if the church had been built here. The con- flict was primarily of locality and only secondarily of ecclesi- astical order. The secession weakened the society, leaving half the number to do the work, to build Mr. Todd's house and a meeting house ; there were only a handful of members left, and they were poor, just building their own houses and clearing their farms. But they did not break down under their heavy burden, and established the society on firm foundations.
Rev. Mr. Todd's house was built slowly, and his first year he gave in twenty pounds of his salary towards it; but it was finished by December, 1742, for then the society, turned out of the school house in the Hollow, voted to meet there part of the year, he having, meanwhile, been living on Town Hill. The disruption of the society hindered it in building a meeting house, and put an end to society meetings and to its organization. But in May, 1741, in response to an appeal of John Bronson, Moses and Thomas Blakeslee, the legislature directed Benjamin Hall and Captain John Riggs, of Derby, to go to Northbury, warn a society meeting, and see that it chose proper officers. They were also to direct them where and how long to meet for Sabbath worship, and to see where and when it was best to build a meet- ing house.
At the meeting they warned for June 10, 1741, Joseph Clark was chosen clerk, Daniel Curtiss collector of the minister's rate, and Deacon Moses Blakeslee, Lieutenant John Bronson, and Sergeant John Warner prudential committee to fix a place to build a meeting house, and, meanwhile, they were directed to meet in the west school house ten months, and in Joseph Clark's house in January and February, when it was difficult for those this side to cross the river. The society applied to the legisla- ture for a committee as directed, and notwithstanding the protest of those on the west side, Captain John Rogers and John Fowler were sent to select the meeting house site at the society's expense, and set a stake twenty rods west of One Pine Swamp, and thirty rods south of the road running east from the river.
The society voted to build there December 3, 1744, having before this been turned out of the west side school house, and meeting in the houses of Joseph Clark, Sr. and Jr., and at Mr. Todd's seven months, including winter, on the east side, and five months on the west. January 9, 1745. it was voted to ask the legislature for a tax on the land to help build a meeting house, and at a meeting held the next September, it was asked to conform the middle stake which the court's committee had set as its site ; it was then requested that the land tax be not imposed on members of the Church of England ; Barnabas Ford. Thomas and David Blakeslee having protested against the taxation of their land.
John Warner, the society's agent in this matter, represents in his memorial that about one-third of the society have become Episcopalians, and at his request the middle stake was made the site for the church. The next December. Deacon Moses Blakeslee was appointed to fix the site of the troublesome build-
38
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Rev. J. S. Zelie.
Rev. C. H. Smith.
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EARLY SETTLERS OF PLYMOUTH.
ing ; at this time they met this side of the river the whole year, at Caleb Weed's in March and April, and at Joseph Clark's the rest of the time, the latter being voted twelve shillings in winter and ten shillings in warmer weather.
The church was not begun in October, 1746, for then it was voted to get and draw timbers for it. December of that year it was voted to meet each side of the river half the time, in the houses of Phineas Royce and Caleb Weed. September 22, 1747, it was voted to allow the people to build Sabbath day houses on the green, outside a line drawn by the society's committee; it was also voted to cut and clear the brush from the green. This green was given the society for a place of parade, a burying ground, and a place to build a church on by the town of Water- bury, which bought eight rods south of the meeting house stake, eighteen rods north, and sixteen rods west of it, of John Brins- made, of Milford ; he presented an acre besides, and others gave four-tenths of an acre, making in all four acres, which was deeded to the society, through Caleb Humaston, December 3, 1747, and was described as butting west on Brinsmade's land, north on Humaston's, east on Mr. Todd's and south on the high- way, showing that the road ran then where it does at the present time.
In 1825 arbitrators decided that the green belonged to tlie society, and the town's only right, acquired by usage, was to bury in the burying ground. The green was then an alder swamp, and when the second church was built, it was so wet that some wanted the church at the head of the street, that proud Madam Ballany and Mrs. Wright might occasionally wet their feet going to meeting, as more common people had been com- pelled to do.
The Northbury society grew through much tribulation. First, it petitioned the town seven times-in October, 1734, Sep- tember 29, and October 26, 1736, and April IS, 1737, May and October, 1738, and October, 1739. Then it was seven years after the society was organized before the society began to build, and twenty-two years after that before its meeting house was done. Research has brought to light in B. B. Satterlee's posses- sion the original constitution in Mr. Todd's handwriting. After a pastorate of twelve years in Adams, Mass., and serving as chaplain in the revolution, Mr. Todd died in Oxford. N. H., June 10, 1789, aged seventy years.
Rev. Andrew Storrs was ordained and installed November 27, 1765, and died in office March 2, 1785, after a pastorate of nearly twenty years. He built the house where Mr. Kelsey has lately lived, putting it up in 1766. He set out the button-balls and elms that were so noticeable there. Mr. Storrs died (and now lies in the center yard) two years after peace had been declared with Great Britain.
Five years before, 17So, Westbury and Northbury had been incorporated as a new town, named Watertown. and transferred to Litchfield county. These parishes were then the richest part of Waterbury, the grand lists of the several societies standing in
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
1749, Waterbury first, £12, 181, Westbury, £11, 257, Northbury, £10,070. One of the richest men in this society in the early times was Jeremiah Peck, first deacon, whose property inven- toried at £3,702 when he died in 1752. Earlier than that Barna- bas Ford, the great land holder, was one of the wealthy men. He owned all Thomaston when it was Fordton, his rule seeming to have been to buy all land joining his; he bought all of Mr. Todd's land in the Hollow before 1746, as appears by his will.
Simon Waterman, the third Congregational pastor, was born in Norwich, January 17, 1737, to a family that originally came from Norwich in England. He was settled here August 29, 1787, the year the adoption of the federal constitution opened a new era of consolidated national life. He brought Eunice, his wife, to whom her father, Benjamin Hall, a magistrate, had married him July 26, 1764, and six children, two having died in Wallingford. Mr. Waterman lived in the Warner house on South street, next to Mrs. Smith's, and set out the great elms now towering before it. His home life was pleasant, with happy gatherings of young folks, with courting in the parlor as the years went on. Not one of that family is now alive. He was dismissed in 1809, and resided here till his death in 1813, three years after Mr. Hart came here.
The second meeting house was built during Mr. Waterman's ministry, and was a source of trouble. The vote for a survey to find the middle of the town passed March 3, 1783, during the last of Mr. Storrs' ministry, and it was found to be on Town Hill, where the stake for the meeting house was stuck in front of Nathan Beach's house. Mr. Storrs' sickness and death inter- fered with building then, but when Mr. Waterman was settled, the enterprise was renewed, though there was trouble about the site at first. January 11, 1790, it was finally voted to build the meeting house on a rock a little southeast from the house where Samuel Lewis then lived, at the head of the old road leading from the old meeting house eastward. The 23d of the next December it was voted to build a steeple, and the 22d of October, 1792. it was voted to dispose of the old house; on the 2d of the following December liberty was granted to erect horse sheds. December 7, 1So6, a committee was appointed to confer with Mr. Waterman regarding his uneasiness, with satisfactory results, for no further trouble was had until March 16, 1So7, when another committee saw him in reference to a communication of his to the society. September 25, 1809, it was finally voted to dismiss Mr. Waterman, and he was dismissed by a council on the 14th of November, he to retain the whole salary for that vear, and the society to pay him $750 in three annual installments.
Mr. Waterman died after a short illness, while on a visit to a bachelor son in New York. His remains were brought to Plymouth, where his wife had died on the previous March, a son, Simon, having also died on the 7th of the previous September.
Rev. Luther Hart was called next. He was a native of
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EARLY SETTLERS OF PLYMOUTH
Goshen, born July 27, 1783. He was graduated at Yale in : So7. of which institution he was afterwards a Fellow. Was ordained pastor of this church September 5, 1810, and died in the midst of the labors of a revival April 25, 1834. in the fifty-first year of his age and twenty-fourth of his ministry.
Rev. Ephraim Lyman was ordained October 28. 1835. He was born in Goshen, June 3, 1810, and graduated from Yale in IS32, and at Yale Theological Seminary in 1835. He was dis- missed June 8, 1851, having nearly completed the sixteenth year of his ministry. Subsequently he located in Washington, Com.
Rev. Israel Perkins Warren, the next pastor, was born in Bethany, April 8, 1814; graduated from Yale Theological Sem- inary in 1841, and settled in Plymouth October, IS51. He was followed by Rev. Erskine J Hawes, of Hartford, who became pastor January 19, 1858, and died July 8, 1860, being killed by his horse.
Rev. Robert C. Learned, of New London, came next, being installed September 11, 1861, and dismissed July 15, 1865. Rev. Henry E. Cooley was settled August 7, 1866, and dismissed April 1, 1869.
Rev. Elias Brewster Hillard became the next pastor. He was settled November 30, 1869, and dismissed July IS, 1889. Mr. Hillard died March 1, 1895, at Farmington, and was buried in Plymouth. The following sketch was written by Rev. J. H. Twichell of Hartford :
"Mr. Hillard was a native of this State, having been born in Pre-ton September 6, 1825. He was of the old New England stock, a lineal descendant in the eighth generation of Elder Brewster of Plymouth Colony. His father, Moses Hillard, was a sea captain, an adventurous, energetic man of no small fame in his day. He was master of the ship that brought to America the first news of the burning of Moscow.
" It is an interesting fact, though it has never been made public, that when Napoleon, after his overthrow at Waterloo. thought of flying to this country, friends of his sought and were pledged the aid of Captain Hillard, then in France, in carrying out the design. It was fully arranged between him and them that the emperor should be concealed in a water cask on his vessel's deck and so escape through the English fleet. But for some reason he was not conveyed on board as had been agreed and the plan failed.
" The bold self-reliant temper of the father reappeared in marked degree in the son and contributed much to his efficiency in life.
"Mr. Hillard was prepared for college at the old Bacon Academy in Colchester. He graduated at Yale in the class of 1848. Among his classmates were Judge Nathaniel Shipman and the Hon. David S. Calhoun, of Hartford. the late Dwight Foster, of the supreme bench of Massachusetts. Dr. Henry Blod- get, the eminent missionary to China, Professor Wilcox of the Chicago Theological Seminary and the lamented Theodore Winthrop, who fell at Big Bethel. After his graduation he was
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
for two years principal of Lewis Academy in Southington, where the writer of this notice was his pupil and experienced, as did all the pupils (one of whom afterward became his wife), the charm and encouragement of his genial, generous and friendly spirit.
" Completing his theological studies at the Yale and Andover Seminaries, Mr. Hillard offered himself for the home missionary service and from the Home Missionary Society received appoint- ment to California, at that time a new and distant field. But the society, falling just then into straitened financial circumstances, was unable to send him, and he became pastor of the Congrega- tional church in Hadlyme, where he labored from 1855 to 1860. His other pastorates were successively at Kensington from 1860 to 1867, at South Glastonbury from 1867 to 1869, at Plymouth from 1869 to 1889, and at Conway, Mass., from 1889 to 1893. Thirty-eight years in all he exercised the ministry of the gospel, and continually with his whole heart, with burning zeal and the enlistment of every faculty of his being. When at last he laid down his work, he was worn out.
"His wife, who was Miss Julia Whittlesey, of Cleveland, O., survives him, with seven of their nine children, as follows : Mrs. Andrew McLeish, of Chicago, Frederick W., of Staten Island. Mrs. J. L. Fenn, of Hartford, Mary R., of St. Margaret's School, Waterbury, Helen, Fanny and John.
"Mr. Hillard was a man of a high order of ability, intel- lectually alive and alert, and in his views of the liberal progres- sive school. Grounded and settled in the essentials of Christian faith, he was never in the least afraid of new ways of thinking on the old truths. He was characteristically fervid in tempera- ment, and was wont to champion with boundless enthusiasm whatever cause he felt to be for the public welfare and the advance of Christ's kingdom. From the beginning of his minis- try, but notably in the twenty years of his Plymouth pastorate, he was a recognized foremost leader in the enterprise of temper- ance reform. 'With charity for all, with malice toward none,' he fought a good soldier's fight against all forms of evil that he saw working ill to his neighbor. He loved righteousness and he hated iniquity. He was the soul of Christian courage ; the soul, also, of Christian kindness and good will. Few ministers and few citizens of his generation are more worthy of honor, gratitude and remembrance than Elias Brewster Hillard. May his rest be sweet."
Mr. Hillard had promised in the early winter, if his health permitted, to prepare additional history of Plymouth for these pages, but he was unable to do so, much to the author's regret. John Sheriden Zelie followed Mr. Hillard. He became pastor July 22, 1890, and was dismissed July, 1894.
The present pastor is Rev. Charles H. Smith, of Pomfret. He was born in Abington, Conn , April 11, 1861. His parents were the Rev. Henry Bagg Smith and Sarah Hazen, daughter of the Rev. Reuben Hazen. Mr. Smith was fitted for college in the Amherst High School and studied theology in the Hartford
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EARLY SETTLERS OF PLYMOUTH.
Theological Seminary, and during the last two years of his sem- inary studies he was located at Burlington, Conn. His father died in ISS2 and he then supplied the pulpit vacated by him at Shutesbury, Mass. He was called to Belchertown, Mass .. in 1887, where he remained until he received a call from Hartford in IS91. He was called to Plymouth December 28. 1894, and installed the 30th of the following month. He is married and has two children.
11
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH
Rev. Dr. Burhans.
Rev W'in. Watson.
CHAPTER III.
CHURCH HISTORY.
St. Peter's Episcopal Parish Established in 1740-Its Ministers and Other Inter- esting Facts-St. Matthew's Church, Now Closed - Terryville Congregational Society, with Sketches of Pastors-Roman Catholic Mission The Defunct Second Advent Chapel.
S T. PETER'S Episcopal parish was first organized by eleven families branching off from Rev. Mr. Todd's congregation of eighteen families in the year 1740. Their first minister, Rev. Theophilus Morris, was sent here by the English Church for propagating the gospel in foreign parts. He officiated in the parishes of Waterbury. West Haven and Derby in 1742, but
St. Peter's Episcopal Church.
returned to England in 1743. The next minister sent was Rev. James Lyon, who made Derby his home but preached in these parishes until 1846, when he went to Long Island. The parishes in America then were under the jurisdiction of the bishop of London and depended greatly upon the aid of the English. It was three years after the departure of Mr. Lyon before Rev. Richard Mansfield returned from England, where he
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTHI.
Rev. David Lunsden.
Rev. B. Eastwood.
17
CHURCH HISTORY.
had gone for orders, he being the first native of this country who had supplied the pulpits here. M1. Mansfield remained from 1749 until 1759, when his successor was Rev. James Scovill, who resided in Waterbury and was a native of that town. Mr. Scovill was also a missionary and labored here faithfully from 1759 until 1771, when he was succeeded by Rev. James Nichols. Mr. Scovill continued to preach in the parishes of Waterbury and Westbury (now Watertown). Mr. Nichols remained until the Revolutionary troubles began in 1775, when he went to Litchfield to reside.
From 1775 until the autumn of 1784 the parish was without a minister, owing to the war between this country and England. In October, 1784, the Rev. Chauncey Prindle was called and it was voted and agreed that he should receive as salary for preach- ing half of the time, the sum of thirty-seven pounds and ten shillings, and it was further agreed that he should receive half of the above amount in beef, pork, butter, tallow, sheep's wool, flax, or any sort of grain at the market price at Watertown. During the first four years of his stay the church was weakened by the withdrawal from the parish of two considerable detach- ments, one of which was designed to form Northfield parish on the west, and the other St. Matthew's on the east. This separa- tion was not caused by any dislike to either Mr. Prindle or the members of the society, but a desire to erect parishes nearer their own homes. The next difficulty which Mr. Prindle had to pass through was the erection of the edifice which now stands on Plymouth Hill Green, and which was ready for use in the autumn of 1796, in which the rector preached the first sermon November 24, 1796. Mr. Prindle resigned in 1806 to give opportunity for its becoming united in a cure with St. Matthew's.
Rev. Nathan Burgess officiated the greater part of IS07. In 18OS, the only service which was held was conducted by a candidate for orders, afterwards Rev. Joseph Davis Welton, who was engaged as a lay-leader. In ISog the services of a settled minister were secured again, at which time Rev. Roger Seaile took charge. According to agreement, Mr. Searle was to preach here two-thirds of the time and at St. Matthew's one- third, which continued until 1813 About this time removals began to take place from this parish to Ohio, the mania becom- ing so great for emigration as to threaten the church with serious injury. In the year 1817, Mr. Searle. thinking that he might find a wider field in Ohio, resigned and took up his duties in the west. In ISIS Rev. Rodney Rossiter became rector. It was during his stay that a bell was procured for the church in IS23. and a Sunday-school encouraged in 1828. Mr. Rossiter resigned at Easter, IS29.
For two and a half years after this the parish was without a rector, but during this period Rev. R. W. Harris. Rev. Joseph T. Clark, Rev. Gurdon S. Coit. Rev. Norman Pinney and Rev. Allan C. Morgan, officiated here about six months each. Either one the parish would have retained. but circumstances did not permit it. In the summer of 1831 the basement of the church
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Rev. Emerson Jessup
Rev. J. M. Bates.
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CHURCH HISTORY.
was built, which greatly added to its convenience. On the 7th of the following November Rev. Dr. Burhans took charge, though it was not till the succeeding Easter that he became the rector Now for the first time the parish enjoyed the services of a settled minister for the whole of the time, and during his ministry it was deemed best to enlarge the church, which was done by bringing the body of the building out flush with the front of the steeple. Dr. Burhans' resignation is dated April 4, 1836.
During the winter of 1837 Rev. Geo. Waters supplied the desk and pulpit. Rev. Wm. Watson of Bethlehem and Northfield was called in May, 1837. An organ costing $700 was added to the improvement of the interior of the church in March, IS41. After thirteen years' service Mr. Watson resigned on August 24, IS50. In IS52 Rev. S. D. Denison was called and continued
+
Interior View, St. Peter's Episcopal Church.
until 1854, when Rev. A. B. Goodrich became rector, followed in March, IS56, by Rev. S. H. Miller, who served until the fall of 1857, when for a short time Rev. Wm. Bates was engaged. From IS50 until 1860 the parish was without a minister the greater part of the time. Then Dr. Berry was called and remained until May 4, 1861. Rev. David F. Lunsden followed from April, 1862, until April, 1863. Rev. B. Eastwood was rector one year. Rev. Porter Thomas served from August, IS69, until October 17, 1872, followed by Rev. Emerson Jessup. and Rev. L. M. Darman, until June 1, 1874; by Rev. S. B. Duffield until 1876; Rev. J. M. Bates until 1877; Rev. N. T. Scudder until Easter, 1879, when the Rev. John D. Gilliland was called and served until ISSS. Rev. W. E. Hooker became the rector of the church in ISSS. During Mr. Hooker's stay the church was completely remodeled inside, the organ moved and new furnaces put in, all through the kindness of Mrs. J. M. Tou-
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Rev. N. T. Scudder.
.
Rev W. E. Hooker.
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CHURCH HISTORY.
cey, and the help of Mrs. Prosper Warner. Their present pas- tor, Dr. James Gammack, was called in 1892. He was born in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, April 23, 1837, and educated at Turriff Parish School, Marischal College and University, Aberdeen, from which University he received M. A., in 1857, and LL. D., in 1887. He also attended the Theological College. Glenalmond, Perthshire, in 1857-59, then under Archdeacon Hannah, of Brighton, and Canon Bright, of Oxford. He was ordained deacon in 1859, and priest in 1861.
ST. MATTHEW'S EPISCOPAL PARISHI.
In 1790, when the new meeting house was built at Plymouth Hollow, some of the members of the parish, displeased because it was not built on Town Hill, seceded and helped to build St. Matthew's Church, in East Plymouth. Being situated in that part of Plymouth contiguous to the towns of Bristol, Har- winton, and Burlington, each of those places contributed to the birth and maintenance of St. Matthew's parish and church. The first record of the parish found, is of a society's meeting of the Second Fpiscopal Church in Northbury, holden at the house of Ensign Ozias Tyler in said Northbury, the 4th day of April. 1791, at which Capt. Nathaniel Jones was chosen moderator. and Ensign Ozias Tyler clerk; and it was voted that the society's committee be desired to provide a place for public worship for the present year. A meeting was also held on the first day of December of the same year (1791) at the same place. at which Captain Thomas Hungerford was chosen moderator. It was voted "to build a church, forty-two feet in length and thirty-two feet in width," and a committee was chosen, consist- ing of Isaac W. Shelton, Samuel Hawley, Ozias Tyler and Stephen Graves, " to build the church, and set the stake where the church shall stand," also voted to "arch the lower tier of windows and the upper tier square."
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