USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Wolcott > History of the town of Wolcott (Connecticut) from 1731 to 1874, with an account of the centenary meeting, September 10th and 11th, 1873 and with the genealogies of the families of the town > Part 2
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7, II, 53. 175
I88
Pike, David, I88
James,
I88
Samuel, I88
Pond, Moses, Sen.,
70
Col. Moses, . 196
Powers, Barna,
I58
Potter, Ashbel,
8
Rev. Collis I, .
·
165
Dr. John, 47, 54, 60, 61, 62, 70,
71, 176, 177, 192
Plumb, Family,
I2
Ansel H.,
132, 134
Orrin,
158
Simeon,
54, 60, 177, 199
Preston, Joseph, .
.
187
Pritchard, Dennis.
.
13, 194
Roger,
. 189
Richards, Streat, 45, 48, 54, 71, 158
175, 176, 177, 181, 195
Richmon, Jacob,
8
Robins, William,
I94
Roberts, Abiel,
194
Rogers, Josiah, 6, 8, 11, 17, 25, 37
43, 190
Sandford, Rev. David,
I66
Scarritt, James,
I58
Jeremiah,
60, 70
Scott, Timothy,
189
Scovill, Rev. Mr.
157
Scranton, Rev. Erastus, 102, 103
106
Seward, Amos, 6, 12, 25, 27, 43,
53. 54, 60, 175, 176, 189, 195, 199 Shaw, Rev. Nathan, II3
Smith, Eliakim,
158
Rev. John D., .
I66
Sperry, Jeremiah,
158
Joseph, N.
99, 120
Steadman, Selah, 62
Stevens, William, 62
Stocking, Rev. Servilius, . I66
Sutliff, Joseph, Senr., .
II, 189
Talmage, Joseph,
9, II
Josiah,
I90
Terry, Eli, 209
Henry, 209
S. B.
43
Thomas, Seth, 195
Thrasher, Elnathan, .
195
Todd, Caleb,
192
Hezekiah,
I90
INDEX OF
NAMES. xxi
Todd, Moses,
71, 190, 191, 192
Jerry,
158
Twitchell Isaac,
190
Joseph,
158, 196
Upson, Ashbel,
101, 107
Capt. Charles, 43, 48, 53, 54, 60 61, 63, 68, 70, 134, 175, 176 177, 181, 191, 193, 195
Gates,
79, 99, 102
Dea. Harvey,
107, 196
Isaac,
70, 195
Jerry, .
99
Capt. Samuel, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 43 45, 47, 53, 54, 61, 175, 177, 18I 196
Samuel, Jr.,
158, 196
Samuel W.,
.
107
Thomas, Ist, 38, 183, 187, 190
197
Thomas, 2d, II, 99, 107, 112
158, 195
TOPICAL
Academy, Southington,
202
Articles of Faith,
I34
Bell, Subscription for, .
IIO
Weight of,
II2
New one,
I26
Beecher, Dr. Lyman's Sermon, 85
Family,
88
Bronson, Isaac, Character and
Gratuitous Labors,
·
99
Remarkable Eloquence,
100
Reasons why he should have
had some Salary,
IOI
Beach, Rev. Aaron C., Or-
dained,
I23
Dismissed,
I25
Burr, Rev. Z. B., A call,
I28
Burying Grounds, The Center, 204
Pike's Hill,
206
Northeast,
208
Southeast,
208
Southwest,
208
Biographies, See Table of Con- tents.
Upson, Wealthy,
48
Warner, David,
7
Erastus W.,
192
James,
8
Wakelee, David,
158
Lewis H.,
79
Welton, Eliakim, Ist,
189, 197
Eliakim, 2d,
157
Oliver,
9, 157
Thomas,
I89
Richard F.,
62
Rev. Ximenus A.,
166
Whiting, Adna,
II2
Wiard, Darius,
. 192, 193
Matthew,
I92
Thomas, .
196
Woodward, Rev. I. B., 60, 62, 65,
66, 72, 76, 93, 158, 176, 191, 192
Woster, Abraham, II, 19, 190, 193
Rebecca,
II
INDEX.
Church, Congregational, Or-
ganized,
33
First Members,
33
Covenant Rules,
36
Discipline,
41, 90
Efficiency under Mr. Keys,
List of Members,
148
List of Officers, See Officers.
Episcopal, Organization,
165
Clock-making,
209
Council, Ecclesiastical, Meet-
ing of, .
35, 42, 54
To Ordain Mr. Hart,
80
Letter for,
83
Meeting of,
120, 123
Centenary Meeting,
377
See Table of Contents.
Chapman's Ministry begins,
II7
Dismissed, .
I22
Communion Service,
·
I33
.
Episcopalians, early in Wol-
cott, .
157
xxii
TOPICAL
INDEX.
Episcopalians, Taxed by Law, 157
Petition to General Assem-
bly, . I57
List who withdrew from First
Society,
158
Fiske, Rev. Warren C., hired,
I35
Fever, the great, of 1810, .
76
Freemen, List of,
213
Genealogies,
425
See G, Table of Contents.
Green, the Public,
193
Rev Mr. Gillet, Settlement,
50
His Marriage,
50
Builds a House,
5I
His Salary, .
51, 52
Closes his Labors,
53
His last entries in Church
Book,
59
His Biography,
313
Hart, Rev. Lucas, his Call,
79
His Ordination,
80
The Ball,
8I
His Term of Service,
8I
His death,
82
Hough, Rev. Lent S., hired,
I3I
Letter of Commendation,
I3I
Closes his Labors,
Hills, of Wolcott,
I8I
Highways,
196
Hotels,.
I.96
Jack's Cave,
197
Keys, Rev. John, his Call, .
82
Installation, .
84
A Communication,
92
Resignation,
94
Reasons for,
95, 97
Law in Wolcott,
203
Mill, Atkins',
I94
Mill Place,
194
Meeting House, Voted to build, 14
Stake fixed,
14, 16
First Meetings in,
24
Description,
·
24
Its size,
18, 19
Deed for Land,
20
Meeting House, improvement, 44
Seating by age,
45
Pulpit,
45, 46
Its final completion,
67
Dedicatory Poem,
69
Pews first rented,
.
II3
Burning of, .
II7
Building a new one,
119
.
New one completed.
I2
Repaired,
I35, 136
I63
Episcopal, site given,
Built,
I64
.
Mountain, Southington, .
49
Officers, of Cong. Church :
Ministers,
I39
Deacons,
I40
Clerks,
I40
Society, Moderators;
I40
Clerks, .
I4]
Treasurers,
I4I
Committees,
I42
School Committees, .
I46
Officers of Episcopal Church :
Ministers,
I67
Clerks, .
167
Vestrymen,
.
I70
Society, Committees,
160, 168
Wardens,
.
I69
Town Moderators,
22I
Clerks,
22I
Selectmen,
22I
Justices, .
223
Representatives,
225
Senators,
226
Peddlers, Yankee,
209
Parsonage Built, .
I24
Bought by Society,
I27
Rogers, Rev. Stephen, in-
stalled,
128
Letter of resignation,
·
I29
Dismissed, .
I30
Revivals, under Messrs. Gillet
and Mills,
4I
Results,
42
Under Rev. Mr. Scranton,
I03
TOPICAL
Revivals under Rev. Jos. Smith, 129
Under Rev. L. S. Hough, I32 Roll of Honor, 213
Sabba' day Houses,
50
Sackett, Rev. Seth, .
II3
Scranton, Rev. Erastus, Jour-
nal, .
103
School, Public, Committee,
First,
7
Public,
I99
Tax by poll,
7
Expenses of, .
200, 202
Sunday,
.
88, 90
Sunday Class,
109
Shaw, Rev. Nathan,
II3
Settlers, First in New Eng-
land,
I
Hartford and Farmington,
I
Waterbury,
·
Farmingbury, .
38, 187
Singing, improvements in, 46, 48
70, 94
Singers in the Gallery,
48
Smith, Rev. David, hired,
II3
Rev Joseph, hired,
I29
Small Pox,
204
Society Congregational, pre-
liminaries.
3
Assembly, Act for,
3
Warnings,
·
4, 5
Measured,
8
Vote for Meeting House,
8
Offices,
IO
First Officers,
25
Annual Officers,
26, 27
Incorporated as a Town,
Rate List, .
73
Cong., Second, Organized,
120
Fund,
I37
Episcopal, Organized,
.
159
Domestic Missionary, .
88
Conn. Home Miss., 88, 91, 113
Donations to Wolcott,
·
I37
Soldiers, Revolutionary,
226
INDEX. xxiii
Stoves, in the Church,
II8
Streams of Water,
IS5
Subscription for Gospel, ac-
cording to age, .
Swift, Rev. Z., hired, .
·
I22
Taverns,
50, 196
Taxes for Society, 7. 10, 28, 96, 98
99
To build a Meeting House, 23
Twelve per cent.,
91, 92
Assembly Act for, .
29
Order to collect,
44
List of 1806, .
7
List of 1789,
2II
Grand Lists, .
210
Episcopalians, .
I57
A List, .
189
For Singing,
. 70, 93, 94
Vail, Rev. Wm. F., hired,
. II3
War of the Revolution,
.
49, 50
Late Rebellion,
49
Wheelock, Rev. Mr., hired,
109
Whipping Post.
202
Will of Addin Lewis,
20I
Wolcott like Land of Canaan, 5I
As a Business Centre,
63
In its Strength,
89
Incorporated.
178
Care of the Poor,
18I
First Town Meeting,
I80
First Meeting,
6
The Center in 1800, .
I 90
Woodtick,
.
195
Woodward, Rev. I. B. begins
to preach,
60
Letter of Acceptance,
·
6I
Ordained, .
62
His Marriage.
63
Subscribers to his Settle-
ment,
64
Salary, .
65
His School.
67
Offers his Resignation, .
71
His death,
76
His Gravestone,
77
His Widow,
77
Late Rebellion,
226
A Federalist,
98
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
CHAPTER I.
FIRST SOCIETY IN WOLCOTT.
FIRST SETTLERS.
In the settlement of Connecticut, and other New Eng- land States, the settlers made their homes first in the valleys and along the rivers and streams of water. After fifty to seventy years' experience of decimation from fevers and sicknesses, caused by the fogs and mala- ria in these low lands, they began to climb the hills and mountains, and to make their homes where the sun rose before ten o'clock in the morning, and set after four o'clock in the afternoon ; so that the first settlers came into Wolcott, upon the hills, fifty-seven years after the set- tlement of Waterbury, and ninety-one years after the set- tlement of Farmington.
The first settlers of Hartford reached that place in 1635, and "in 1640 the people of Hartford commenced a settle- ment at Farmington, it being the first made in Connecti- cut away from navigable waters. From this time to 1673, small beginnings were made at Norwich, Derby, Walling- ford, Simsbury, Woodbury, and Plainfield." In the year 1674, " Articles of Association and Agreement" were signed by some of the people of Farmington for a set- tlement in Waterbury, but the first houses were not erected until the summer of 1678. The Indian " trail " or path by which the people of Farmington reached Mat- tatuck, now Waterbury, lay across the northwest corner of what is now Wolcott, and became, probably, the first "traveled" road in this town. It is the road that now
2
2
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
passes Mr. Levi Atkins' dwelling house, and it is said that the millstones for the first Grist Mill in Woodbury were carried from Farmington on this road, on the back of a horse, the stones being in a sack balancing on each side of the horse, and the horse led by a footman. In 1731 Mr. John Alcock, of New Haven, settled in the west part of what is now Wolcott, he being the first settler there. In less than thirty years (in 1760) the people had become so numerous within this territory as to desire parish privileges, and so petitioned the General Assem- bly to make them a "Distinct Society." They stated that they "occupied a tract of land five miles square, were £2,000 in the list, and lived an inconvenient dis- tance from places of public worship." Waterbury First Society remonstrated with arguments, and the petition was rejected, as was another with forty-three signers, in May, 1762. In October, 1762, the people, numbering thirty-eight, renewed their petition, and the old Society remonstrated, the chief reason given being the difficulty of supporting the First Society, if Farmingbury, West Farms, and South Farms, should be granted society privileges. Notwithstanding the cogency of this reason- ing, the people of Farmingbury (so called at this time) were allowed to hire preaching five months in the year, and to set up a school, and in the meantime to be ex- empt from other society and school taxes. In the spring of 1767, thirty-one petitioners of the Winter parish re- quested society privileges, and asked that the limits of the society might be extended into New Cambridge (now Bristol). They said they numbered seventy-one families, and had a list of £3,872 8s. The petition was denied, as was also another in October, 1768 .*
FORMATION OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL SOCIETY.
The organization of the First Ecclesiastical Society took place at the house of Mr. Joseph Atkins, on the 13th
* See History of Waterbury, pages 279-81.
3
FIRST SOCIETY IN WOLCOTT.
day of November, 1770. This house stood south of the highway that now runs westward from the meeting-house, and stood about two hundred rods west from the present meeting-house, in what was then the town of Waterbury. The site may be recognized by a small part of the cellar- wall which still remains.
The preliminaries to this meeting were very carefully attended to according to the Colonial Law of that time, by a grant from the General Assembly, and by orders from the Courts, and legal warnings to the people. This grant formed the parish from the towns of Waterbury and Farmington, and gave it the name of Farmingbury.
Several efforts had been made between the years 1760-69 to form such Society, but without success. In the Spring of 1770 a petition, signed by forty-nine persons, was pre- sented to the General Assembly, and was laid over until the next October, when the petition was granted.
The territory taken from Waterbury had been settled but a short time,-the first settler, Mr. John Alcock, of New Haven, having taken his residence on Spindle Hill, in March, 1731. So far as known all other settlers had come into this territory during the thirty-nine years in- tervening ; and so far as known all the settlers in Far. mington part of Farmingbury had come in after 1732 .*
All the original papers issued for the purpose of form- ing the Society are preserved, though much changed by age and use, and are of such peculiar character that their insertion here will be particularly interesting. They are as follows :
ASSEMBLY ACT.
At a General Assembly of the Governor and Company of the Colony of Connecti- cut, holden at New Haven, on the Second Thursday of October, A. D., 1770 :
Upon the Memorial of Joseph Atkins, of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven, and others living within the following lim- its and boundaries, viz .: Beginning half a mile west from the
* Mr. Thomas Upson, moved into the Southeast corner, in 1732-3.
4
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
northeast corner of the first "Long Lot" in said Farmington, next to said Waterbury ; thence west about two miles and a half by the limits of Cambridge Parish to Northbury Society; thence south- ward to the middle of the dwelling-house of Caleb Barnes, of said Waterbury; thence to extend west to a line that is two miles west from the southwest corner of said Cambridge; thence south two degrees east, about three miles to a place two hundred rods north, two degrees from the four mile tree ; thence southward to the mid- dle of the dwelling house of Elijah Frisbie; thence a straight line to a line drawn west from the southwest corner of said Farmington three quarters of a mile; thence to said corner of Farmington ; thence east on said Farmington south line to the east side of the original twenty rod highway ; thence northward to the top of the mountain west of John Merriman's ; thence a straight line to the first Station, - praying for society privileges, a committee was ap- pointed [by] this assembly, who having reported in favor of the memorialists, which is approved of by this Assembly and accepted :
Resolved, by this Assembly, that the said Inhabitants living with- in said limits and boundaries as above described be and they are hereby made and constituted a distinct Ecclesiastical Society, and shall be called and known by the name of Farmingbury, with all the privileges and immunities to such societies usually belonging in the Colony, and the said Caleb Barnes hereby has liberty granted him of choosing whether he will be of said New Society or remain and belong to the First Society in Waterbury, and the same liberty is hereby given unto said Elijah Frisbie.
A true Copy of Record, Examined by
SEALED.
GEORGE WYLLIS, Secretary.
Upon the reception of this grant, application was made to the officers in Farmington and Waterbury, and the ex- ecution of the several papers was attended to as follows : To Fared Lee, Esq., one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace in Farming- ton, in the County of Hartford :
The Honorable Assembly Having Constituted Part of Farm- ington and Part of Waterbury, to be a Distinct Ecclesiastical So- ciety, In October, A. D., 1770, we the Subscribers, Principle In-
5
FIRST SOCIETY IN WOLCOTT.
habitants of said Society, Do as the Law Directs make applica- tion to the said Jared Lee, Esq., for a warning to the Inhabitants of said Society for a Society Meeting on Tuesday, the 13th day of November, inst., at 12 of the Clock, at the house of Mr. Joseph Atkins, in said Society.
JOSEPH ATKINS, AARON HARRISON, DANIEL BYINGTON,
Principle Inhabitants.
On the above said application of Mr. Joseph Atkins, Capt. Aaron Harrison, and Daniel Byington - these are therefore to command Capt. Aaron Harrison in His Majesty's name, to give lawful warning to all the Inhabitants in said Society In Farming- ton Part allowed by Law to vote, to meet at the Dwelling house of Mr. Joseph Atkins on the 13th Day of November, Instant, in said Society, at 12 o'clock of said day to Choose a Moderator and Society Clerk, and to do all other business Proper to be Done at said meeting.
Dated at Farmington, the 5th Day of November, A. D., 1770, and in the 11th year of his Majesty's Reign.
JARED LEE, Just. Peace.
Pursuant to this warrant, I have proceeded and given Legal warning to the Inhabitants of Farmingbury, in Farmington Part, for a Society Meeting at the house of Mr. Joseph Atkins, on Tues- day the 13th of November, inst., at 12 of the Clock on said Day.
AARON HARRISON, Inhabitant of said Society.
WARNING FOR WATERBURY PART.
To Mr. Daniel Byington of the Society of Farmingbury, in the Town of Waterbury, in New Haven County, Greeting :
Whereas, The Honorable General Assembly, in their Session in New Haven, on the 2d Thursday of October last made and constituted the said Farmingbury, consisting part of the Town of Farmington, in Hartford County, and part of the Town of Water- bury, in New Haven County, a Distinct Ecclesiastical Society, as appears of Record, and it is now necessary that the said Society be convened in Society Meeting for the Lawful Purposes thereof,-
These are therefore in His Majesty's name, to Require you to
6
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
warn all the inhabitants of said Waterbury, within the Limits of said Society of Farmingbury, to meet at the Dwelling House of Mr. Joseph Atkins, in said Waterbury, on Tuesday, the 13th Day of Instant Nov., at twelve of the Clock on said Day, then and there to choose a Moderator, Society's Clerk, and other proper Officers, and to do and transact all other Business proper for said meeting according to law.
Dated at Waterbury the 6th day of Nov., 1770, and in the 11th year of His Majesty's Reign.
JOSEPH HOPKINS, Justice Peace.
JOSEPH ATKINS,
AARON HARRISON, Inhabitants of said Society.
DANIEL BYINGTON,
Pursuant to this Warrant, I have Proceeded and given Legal warning to the Inhabitants of Farmingbury, in Waterbury Part, for Society Meeting at the house of Mr. Joseph Atkins, on Tuesday the 13th of Nov. inst., at 12 o'clock on said Day.
DANIEL BYINGTON, Inhabitant of said Society.
The foregoing Instruments are true copies of the warrants granted for the warning of the First Society Meeting in Farming- bury.
Certified by, DANIEL BYINGTON, Society Clerk.
FIRST SOCIETY MEETING.
At a Society meeting holden in Farmingbury, the inhabitants being lawfully assembled on the 13th day of November, A. D., 1770, the following votes were taken. Capt. Aaron Harrison was chosen Moderator, Daniel Byington was chosen Society Clerk, Lieut. Josiah Rogers, Mr. John Alcox, Mr. Stephen Barnes, Mr. John Bronson, and Mr. Amos Seward, were chosen Society Com- mittee for the year ensuing.
Voted, that we will procure preaching the year ensuing.
Voted, to lay a rate of two pence on the pound to be paid on the list of August, 1770, and that the said rate should be paid by the first day of September next. Curtiss Hall and Daniel Al- cox were chosen to collect said rate.
At the same meeting Lieut. Josiah Rogers was chosen Society
7
FIRST SOCIETY IN WOLCOTT.
Treasurer for the year ensuing. David Norton, Seth Bartholo- mew, Daniel Alcox, Amos Beecher, Joseph Beecher, Justus Peck, Capt. Aaron Harrison, and Stephen Barnes were chosen School Committee for the year ensuing.
David Warner, Wait Hotchkiss, Simeon Hopkins, Nathaniel Lewis, Capt Aaron Harrison, and Joseph Beecher, were chosen a committee to divide the Society into Districts. Voted to give Mr. Joseph Atkins £1 5s od for the use of his house to meet in on the Sabbath for the year ensuing, till the first of May next.
Jacob Carter, Levi Bronson, Jared Harrison, Stephen Barnes, and David Alcox were chosen Choristers for the year ensuing. Capt. Aaron Harrison and Mr. Amos Seward were chosen to read the Psalms for the year ensuing.
John Barrett was chosen Grave Digger. At the same meet- ing, voted to build a Meeting house. Joseph Atkins was chosen Agent to go to the County Court for a committee to stick the stake for said Meeting house. Capt. Enos Brooks, Capt. Enos Atwater, and Col. Hall were nominated a committee to stick the stake of said Meeting house. Voted to lay a rate Half Penny on the Pound to defray the Society Charges, and to pay the said half penny rate by the first day of February next, and Joseph Atkins and Jared Harrison were chosen to collect said half penny rate. Voted to adjourn said meeting to the last Thursday of Inst. No- vember, at one o'clock in the afternoon.
ADJOURNED MEETING.
At the adjournment the Inhabitants did meet and voted as fol- lows, viz. : To accept the doings of the committee in dividing the Society into Districts. Voted that the Schooling should be by the poll. Mr. Samuel Upson was chosen School Committee. Voted that each School committee shall collect their poll rate each one in his own District. Adjourned for one hour. At the adjournment the inhabitants did meet and voted to procure a Book for Records. Voted to adjourn the meeting to the Third Monday in December next at one o'clock in the afternoon.
Met according to adjournment. Daniel Johnson and Daniel Byington were chosen to take the marks of stray sheep the year ensuing.
8
HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
Voted to have the Society measured by a County surveyor, and to reconsider the vote taken to lay a rate two pence on the pound in order to procure preaching. Voted to lay a half penny rate to pay for measuring the Society, and that said half penny rate be paid by the first day of February next. Joseph Atkins and Jared Harrison were chosen to collect said half penny rate. Sargent Samuel Smith and James Warner and Daniel Bronson were cho- sen chairmen, and Lieut. Ashbel Potter, County surveyor. Voted to lay a rate of one penny half penny on the pound to procure preaching, and to pay said rate by the first day of September next, and Abel Curtiss and Curtiss Hall were chosen to collect said rate. Voted to adjourn the meeting to the last Monday in Inst. December, at one o'clock in the afternoon.
Met according to adjournment and adjourned to the Second Wednesday of January next at one o'clock in the afternoon.
At the adjournment voted to adjourn half an hour, and then met and voted to confide in what the committee did in fixing a place for the Meeting house. Voted to have Society meetings on the first Monday of December annually. Voted to dissolve said meeting.
At a Society meeting holden in Farmingbury, on the 21st day of January, A. D., 1771, the inhabitants being lawfully assembled on said day, the following votes were taken. Capt. Aaron Har- rison was chosen Moderator to lead the meeting. Voted to ad- journ the meeting one hour, then met and voted to confide in what the late committee did in fixing a place for a Meeting house and dissolved said meeting.
At a Society meeting holden in Farmingbury, on the 22d day of April, A. D., 1771, the inhabitants being lawfully assembled on said day the following votes were taken. Capt. Aaron Harrison was chosen Moderator. Lieut. Josiah Rogers, Mr. Samuel Up- son, Mr. Stephen Barnes, Mr. Joseph Beecher, and Mr. Daniel Alcox were chosen a Meeting house Committee. Voted to have all the land in the Society taxed .! Voted to have the tax three pence per acre for four years. At the same meeting Capt. Aaron Harrison was chosen agent to apply to the Assembly to procure the said tax. Mr. Stephen Barnes was chosen for the same purpose. Voted to give Mr. Jacob Richmon his rate ; also
9
FIRST SOCIETY IN WOLCOTT.
to give Mr. Jedediah Minor his two half penny rates, and also to give Mr. Joseph Talmage his two half penny rates. Voted to have preaching this summer, and to lay a half penny rate in ad- dition to the penny half penny to be paid the first of September next. Adjourned to first Tuesday of June next at three o'clock in the afternoon.
At the time, met and adjourned to last Monday in September next, at one o'clock in the afternoon.
Met according to adjournment, and voted to have the said me- morial for said land tax carried into the next Assembly, giving the agents leave to alter in respect to the Churchmen as they shall find best, and Mr. Samuel Upson and Mr. Daniel Alcox were chosen agents to apply to the Assembly to procure said tax. Mr. Joseph Atkins was chosen for the same purpose. Daniel Alcox and Stephen Barnes were chosen to collect said tax. Voted to have our meeting on the last Monday of November, annu- ally, and to warn said meeting by setting up Notifications at these places, viz. : John Barrett's, Isaac Hopkins', Dan Tuttle's Shop, Cur- tiss Hall's, and Ensign Welton's. Voted to dissolve said meeting.
These several meetings, as recorded, show the effort and labor and patience expended in forming a new Socie- ty and bringing it into working order, and the manner of attending to such duties in those days. They also bring forward names that are prominent in these records for many years afterward, and names which will appear in va- rious relations, and frequently, in the progress of this History.
Farmingbury did not become a Town till 1796. Hence many interests were attended to by the Parish Society which belonged properly to township authority, and not to the Church. In those days it was a principle of Chris- tian duty to take special care of political matters and not to leave them in the hands of the neglecters of . piety. This was supposed to be right and righteous, and human experience concurs with the supposition ; for what would the unprincipled man like better than that he should take care of politics, while men of princi-
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HISTORY OF WOLCOTT.
ple should sit at home to be governed like slaves, and then pay the expenses of government ? What would the thief like better than that he should be left to make the laws and execute them at his own pleasure ? This is not Church and State united, but church men in the state, acting. To demand that when a man embraces, person- ally, the benefits of the gospel, he shall forsake the polit- ical interests of his community and nation, leads only to the revival of the days of the Inquisition, that is, in- fliction of punishment for obedience to the Gospel.
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