USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > New Britain > Memorial. Genealogy, and ecclesiastical history [of First Church, New Britain, Conn.] To which is added an appendix, with explanatory notes, and a full index > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
30 Joseph Bird & his wife
31 John Cole & his wife
32 Benjamen Judd & his wife
14 John Andrews sen & his wife
15 Isaac More & his wife
16 John Norton sen & his wife
17 Mr Wrotham
18 Samuel Hooker & his wife .
37 Thos Bull & his wife
19 John Lee & his wife
20 Wm Judd & his wife
21 John Wadsworth & his wife
22 Matthew Woodruff & his wife
. 6 Thos Porter & his wife
7 Richard Bronson & his wife
8 John Lancton & his wife
9 Thomas Barnes & his wife
10 Moses Ventrus
11 Wm Lewis jun & his wife
12 Thos Orton & his wife
13 John North sen & his wife
33 John Woodruff & his wife 34 John Clark & his wife
35 Thos Porter jun & his wife
36 Thomas Thompson
38 Wm Lewis sen:
* Implying that others were under the "half way Covenant " as it was called.
15
INTRODUCTION.
39 Jacob Bronson & his wife 40 James Bird & his wife Mrs Howkins Samuel Gridley's wife John Orton's wife Widow Warner John Norton jun's wife Edmund Scott's wife Mehitabel Smith John Warner's wife
41 Thos Judd jun & his wife 42 Obadiah Richards & his wife Samuel North's wife Richard Seamer's wife Joseph Woodford's wife Thomas Warner's wife Joseph Hiccock's wife Samuel Hiccock's wife John Scovil's wife.
DEACONS.
Stephen Hart (d. 1683) Thomas Judd (removed to Northampton ) John Langdon d. 1689) Isaac Moore Thomas Bull (d. 1708) John Standley (d. 1729) John Wadsworth (d. 1718) Samuel Porter (d. 1707)
Left Thomas Porter (d. 1718) \ John Hart (d. 1753) · Nathaniel Newell (d. 1753)
Selected 19 Nov 1718
6 January 1668-9 It was voted by the Church assembled at Deacon Hart's that with respect to the sacrament, each brother of the Church should send in to the Deacons, a peck of Wheat, or the worth of a shil- ling in current pay, for the defraying of the next sacrament, and also for the clearing of that little, which according to the Deacons report, was yet due for the sacrament already past.
As also that for the future, every brother of the Church should for each sacrament allow 6, d. except such of the brethren whose wives come not to the Supper, because not members of the Church; and to them it was permitted to pay in 3, d; or 6 d. which they pleased, for each sacrament.
The compiler supposes that most of the families now living in these States bearing the names of the above might trace their pedigree back to these worthy sires and mothers.
It was during the ministry of Mr. Hooker, and the interim to the ordi- nation of Rev. Samuel Whitman, 1706, that the families in the " south- eastern boundary " of Farmington at a place called " Great Swamp," walked with their children in their arms, some eight or ten miles to attend the public worship of God in Farmington village, the men with well loaded guns in front and rear of the company. It shows how much they desired the sincere milk of the word. It affords a striking evidence of their zeal for religion, and that the word and ordinances, were indeed pre- cious in those days.
Richard Seymour and others began this settlement about A. D. 1686,
-
16
FARMINGTON PARISH.
at a place now called " Chrishan Lane." Here stood the Seymour Fort, or Palisades, within which the cabins were constructed, and to which all the settlers repaired at nightfall, for safety against the Indians, and for quiet rest. The well at which they quenched their thirst, still furnishes the best water. It was dug in the center of the fort. Stephen Lee had a grant by the town A. D. 1689, of five roods of land, on the west side of the highway, provided it doth not hinder former grants and the water- ing place .*
Sergeant Benjamin Judd was located some sixty rods north of Captain Stephen Lee, where now (1862,) Richard Judd owns. Joseph Smith, senior, was a neighbor about half a mile south of Captain Lee, and all on the east street. Isaac Lewis had his house where now, (1862,) stands the house of John Ellis. It was said to be the oldest within the present lim- its of the town of New Britain, and Robert Boothe, senior, had his home next west where now, (1862,) Enoch Kelsey is located. Deacon An- thony Judd where William Ellis lives; John Woodruff near that little grove east of the alms house, the highway to it long since sold and shut up. Daniel Dewey a few rods south of Deacon Anthony Judd. - Thomas North, (ancestor of our North families,) the Seymours and Gilberts clus- tered about the Stockade. Dr. Joseph Steele, the Standleys, Rootes, Harts, Nortons, Cowles or Coles, Nehemiah Porter, Joseph Lankton, Newel, Gridley, Bronsons, were located south of the Palisades, making some fourteen families in all. This valley upon which these pioneers set- tled was a rich alluvial soil, and might be termed bottom land. The chief objection was its being too low, hence its name " Great Swamp." It was part of the hunting grounds of the Mattabesett tribe of Indians, and tra- dition says their lodge or settlement was at the place called now and has been for many years, " Beckley quarter."" Their Trail passed near the " Seamer Fort," past "half-way Hill " to Tunxis, with which tribe they had mutual intercourse.
* This location was next north of the present Skinner house, (so called,) and gen- erally known by old people as the "Hinsdale place."
1 The first English settler of this locality was Sergeant Richard Beckley, a planter in New Haven Colony, 1639, but moved to this part of Wethersfield, which from his day has been called " Beckley quarter." The following shows his title to the land, and is from the records of lands for Wethersfield, viz., " 25 Feb 1680 Lands belong- ing to Sergt Richard Beckley & to his heirs and assigns forever, lying in Wethers- field, upon Conecticott river, which he purchased of terramoogus (Indian) with the consent of the Court, and town of Wethersfield."
" It is at the south end of sd purchase & grant the whole containing 310 acres, be it more or less, whereon his housing & barn stands, it is bodnded on land not layd out, or not granted South, East, & North, & a highway between the west lots, & the aforesaid land west."
17
FARMINGTON PARISH.
This locality at the "southeastern boundary of ffarmington " called above " Great Swamp," had an early English name, which seems to have been abandoned for this of " Great Swamp," viz., Meridun, Meridan, or Meridon, a name finally given 1725 to the present town of Meriden, to take the place of "Pilgrims Harbor." Rev. George W. Perkins in his History of Meriden, says " When Farmington was settled by the English there was a band of the Mattabesitt tribe, in the southeast part of that town, probably near Kensington." In his Appendix he quotes a deed of Seankett (Indian) of a large tract of Land in the woods towards New Haven, att & about the land now in possession of Mr Jonathan Gilbert, intitled & known by the name Merideen, bounded by marked trees & by the land of say'd Jonathan Gilbert, dated 15 Oct 1664.
The same author quotes another deed given as mortgage to John Tal- cott (which seems to cover the same land,) by Adam Puit, Indian, dated 10 Aug 1684, (which is date of record,)in which the land is sd to lie on the road to New Haven, beyond, & next adjoyneing to Jonathan Gilbarts farme. But to settle the question of the old name to this locality, I quote from a deed of Captain Daniel Clark, of Windsor, to Jonathan Gilbert, dated 22 Apl 1672, of 300 Acres of land (forty of which was to be meadow, by Grant of the Colony to sd Clark,) lying, situate, and laid out at a place called Moridam where Mr Jonathan Gilbert's farm is, & bounded partly on the Mattabesick River where it may be allowed of the town of Farmington. Signed by Daniel Clark, and witnessed by Nathnl Bissel, and John Plumbe. This deed is in possession of the Gilbert fam- ily, living, 1867, on the same farm said above to be owned by Jonathan Gilbert, previous to 1644.
At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Farmington, 23d Dec. 1707, it was voted and agreed that those who inhabit in the limits granted to be a new Society at " Great Swamp," that their dues to the support of a minister here be abated, from March last, provided the selectmen cer- tify who those persons are who have there covenanted to each other, to support the present means they have there. Also at the next annual meet- ing, 14th Dec-1708 a Committee was appointed to consider of the petition of our neighbors at the " Great Swamp " granted to be a society, they petitioning to be a distinct town, & make report of their opinion in that case to the next town meeting. The next meeting seems to have been held on the 20th Dec. 1708, when the town by vote gave their consent that all those that do or shall personally inhabit within the limits formerly allowed to the Society at the place called the "Great Swamp," that all those, and for what estates they have there, should pay their proportions of charge in setting up, and maintaining the public worship of God there, to that society, as also, all those who shall improve lands within the sd Society limits, shall pay according to law for those lands to sd Society, 2
18
INTRODUCTION.
althoughey personally inhabit elsewhere. The above votes, with what follows of the action of Farmington, as a town, and the special act of the Worshipful General Court of the Colony, show the liberty and authority of these people in a remote "corner of the wilderness " to set up for themselves.
"At a town meeting in Farmington 28 September A. D. 1705, the Town by vote did manifest their consent, that so many of their Inhabit- ants, that do or shall personally inhabit, at a place called " Great Swamp," and upland belonging thereto, aud in the divisions of land on the East side of the Blow Mountains, and in those lots, called the Batchellor lots, and so much of the division of land. against Wethersfield, as shall extend Northward from the " Great Swamp," until it shall include the lot that was William Judd's and no more, so many of them, as see cause (none to be compelled) that they become a Ministerial Society, when they do gain a capable Minister amongst them, and continue so to be, so long as they shall in a compotently constant way, maintain such a Minister amongst them, and whom so long as they shall so do, themselves, and what estate they have there shall be freed from the charge of the Ministry elsewhere, always provided that they shall for their own proportion of labor in the Highways, maintain the passages and highways they have occasion for there amongst themselves, without involving the Town in general there- with, as also that they shall at no time endeavor to surprise their neigh- bors, by endeavouring to obtain of the General Court other advantages, in which the town in general may be concerned, without first acquainting the Town therewith, nor claim nor chalenge any interest in the seques- tered lands, for the maintenance of the Ministry there. A true Copy Test John Hooker Registrar taken this 9 day of Oct A D 1705 Farm- ington."
"To the Right Honourable and Worshipful General Assembly now sitting at New Haven this 11 day of October A D 1705 Greeting. We the subscribers hereunto, do humbly request this Hon. Assembly to grant unto your humble petitioners a Settlement and confirmation of a Society at a place called the " Great Swamp" within Farmington bounds, having obtained a liberty from said Farmington for that. Your Honours will determine the bounds for said 'Society accordingly. The principal and only moving cause of this our humble petition, is the remoteness from any town, whereby we are under great disadvantage for our souls good, by the Ministry of the word, and in that your humble petitioners may be under the better advantage to set up and maintain ye worship, & ordi- nance of Jesus Christ, in that desolate corner of the wilderness, we hum- bly request that your honors will please to annex into our bounds, for the only use of said Society, all those lands that are between our bounds southward, and Wallingford bounds Northward, for the benefit of the
-
-
19
GREAT SWAMP PARISH.
Taxes of said lands, for ye support, of ye public charge, of said Society, and our unanimous desire is that the Worshipful Capt Thos Hart, will prefer, and declare, this our humble petition, and the circumstances of the case in said court, all which your Honor's petitioners Humbly sub- mit. Dated 16 Oct 1705" signed
John Hart sen
Stephen Lee
-
Richard Seymour
\ Daniel Dewey
Stephen Roote
Samuel Seymour
John Lee
Ebenezer Seymour
Daniel Andrus jun
Joseph Lankton
Thos North
Thomas Hart
Nehemiah Porter
Samuel Newel
Jacob Bronson jun
Isaac Norton
Isaac Cowles
John Norton
Samuel Smith
Anthony Judd
John Cole
Benjn Judd
Samuel Cowles
Caleb Cowles
Isaac Lewis
John Stanley
Joseph Smith Nathl Cowles
Thos Gridley
This petition was granted. And the parish proceeded to build a Meet- ing House, but at what precise date is not known ; the location is however known to be on the high ground in "Christian Lane," just south of the present Middletown railroad, and back of the dwelling house of Edward Deming, and near his barn, on the east side of the present road. (The road at that time passing further east in front of the meeting house, but in same course.) A portion of the timber used in its construction is still to be seen supporting the cow house of Moses Gilbert. A piece of land was given to the Society by Richard Seymour for a place to bury their dead, (so tradition says, yet it seems doubtful,) near the meeting house, on the west side of the road, which is the oldest cemetery either in Ber- lin, or New Britain, and contains the bones of most of the signers of the above petition, and their families. The first person interred there was Mr. Richard Seymour, the donor of the land, killed by the fall of a tree,* he was one of the petitioners for the new Society, came from Farming- ton with others, 1686, and settled in the Great Swamp, and became the keeper of the Fort which bore his name, and which stood just back and south of the residence of the late Mr. John Goodrich deceased .; This
* The prudent liberality of the old town of Farmington is shown in voting to Capt Richard Semor, in full town meeting, 1 £ as compensation, or gratuity for planting this Colony. And at a subsequent period a like encouragement to other pioneers, viz., 8 Dec 1718 the town voted and agreed to pay to Dea Anthony Judd & Dea Thos Hart for killing a panther the sum of 6, s.
t This Fort was made of palisades sixteen fect long, sharp at the top, and firmly set in the ground near together. Capt Richard Semor probably died 1710, for the Pro-
20
INTRODUCTION.
new Society (said to be the second " set off" in the State,*) were fortu- nate in securing an able and intelligent minister in Mr. William Burn- ham. The words following show when and by whom his services were secured, viz.
"The Inhabitants of the society in the southeastern bounds of the Township of Farmington commonly known by the name of the Great Swamp, in the County of Hartford and Colony of Connecticut in New England, America, &c" agreement between said Society and William Burnham respecting his settlement as a Minister of the Gospel, Dated Farmington Village 20 Sep 1709 Signed William Burnham and John Hart sen, and Benjn Judd Comt.
He was Ordained 10 Dec 1712, and a Church was organized the same day. It consisted of ten members the first of which was Rev Mr Burn- ham, himself.
2d Stephen Lee, 3d Thos Hart, 4th Anthony Judd, 5th Samuel Sey- mour, 6th Thos North, 7 Caleb Cowles,-these were the 7 pillars. The wife of Stephen Lee, the wife of Saml Seymour, and Sarah the wife of Thos Hart, and these constituted the Church, to which others were soon added. Here follows a copy of their doings as a Church in the matter of Choosing a Deacon. At a meeting of the Church 10 March 1712-13 Anthony Judd was chosen to do the work of a Deacon and to stand as a probationer for the Deacons office. At a meeting of the Church it was agreed that the members of the same should hold conference Meetings on the first days of every Month in the year, to begin about 2 hours before sunset at the Meeting house, the sd meeting shall begin with prayer by one of the Brethren, who also shall propose a Text of Scripture, & a question or questions, on the same, in writing, then to be discoursed on, by his next brother, by House row, by word or by writing, if sd Brother shall see cause. And the Pastor of the Church, and the sd brother from whom an answer is expected at any Meeting, shall at the same meeting lay down the Text of Scripture, and the question or the questions thereon arising to be discoursed on at the next meeting, to his next neighbor suc- cessively, till every brother in the Church has taken his turn, then he shall begin again who first proposed the question, and so on successively. It was slso agreed that none should be present at sd conference, but those in full communion, but by liberty from the Church. It was agreed that Stephen Lee should begin the first Meeting with Prayer, & lay down the
bate record at Hartford says that Administration on the Estate was granted 4 Dec 1710 to Hannah the Widow, & to Samuel a son of Richard Semor late of Farmington De- ceased. An Inventory was presented 27 Nov 1710 of the Estate amounting to £416, 13, s. 3, d. by Thos Seymore, Thos Hart & Thos Curtice.
* The first being East Windsor.
21
GREAT SWAMP PARISH.
Text, & propose the question or questions to be discoursed on. "The Church in North Middletown sent to our Church in some cases of Diffi- culty amongst them, in a letter bearing date 15 Feb. 1714-15 wherein they desire of us our aid and assistance in sd cases, upon which occasion, At a meeting of the Church 25d Feb. the same day wherein the Council began, our Church chose Deacon Anthony Judd their Messenger."
" Lord's day afternoon 28 Nov 1714 Anthony Judd having been chosen as before mentioned and stood as a probationer for the Deacons office, at the desire of the Church, he was confirmed in, and Ordained to the said office according to the rule of the Gospel, with the following charge. " In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I ordain thee, Anthony a Deacon of this Church ; and I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge both the quick and the dead at his appearing and king- dom, that thou be faithful to the trust that is committed unto thee, thou art made a steward of the external good things of this Church, and it is required of stewards that they be found faithful, see that thou art grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre, hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, Rule well thine own house, and if thou shalt use the office of a Deacon well, thou shalt pur- chase to thyself a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus." Another Deacon was early chosen, son of the " Worshipful Captain Thomas Hart" whose home was in Stanley quarter, spoken of in the petition, his Deacon Thomas ; location was on the present corner, some sixty rods southeast of the Berlin depot, and from his day has been known as the " Thos Hart place." He was a man of great dignity and influence, represented the town of Farmington often in the General Court. The four Deacon Hart's of the church in New Britain, in as many generations, were descendants from him. He lost his wife, Mary, late in life, But m, 2d, Wid, Elizabeth Norton whose age was 79, and his own 84,-they were married before Rev Mr Clark 11 Jan 1764. The Rev. Wm Burnham made a faithful and successful pas- tor, had a small salary, but accumulated a large estate, and raised a large family ; his blood through his descendants, is mingled with our Judds' Norths' Stanleys' Lees' and Wells' families. His residence was at the Norman Porter place. Now just here, and at this period, opens to the mind a wide field for History, Biography, and Genealogy. The author would be glad to enlarge, the materials are ample, the period prolific, but as this is merely an Introduction, as preliminary to the History of the Church in New Britain, which came into being some half century later, he feels constrained to be general in his remarks. It should however be remembered by the old families of New Britain, and their descendants, that the pious zeal of our ancestors for the public worship of God, was peculiar, and their self-denial, and struggles against poverty, bad roads,
22
INTRODUCTION.
and "long distances," were great, were difficulties which to less cour- ageous men, would have been insurmountable.
At a meeting of the church, 27th January, 1718-19, upon the desire of Deacon Anthony Judd that another deacon might be chosen, the ques- tion was asked whether they would proceed to the choice of another dea- con, and it was voted in the affirmative, and Thos Hart, son of Capt Thos Hart, was chosen deacon, (and after some time of probation, was ordained to the office of deacon.)
At a meeting of the Church 20th Nov. 1729, it was agreed by the Church that the Psalm should be sung in the Public, half the time in what is called the old way of singing, and half the time in the New, in- terchangably, for the space of a year from the fore-mentioned date, and so far beyond that time, till the Pastor shall think there are five more voters for one way, than the other. And they chose Capt Isaac Hart, to set it when it is to be sung in the New way, and Mr Na- thaniel Hart to set it when it is to be sung in the old way.
At a meeting of the Church 17 Feb 1730-31 the Church signified their minds .by vote, that the Psalm for the time to come, should be set in the Public Assembly only by Rule, or what is called the New way.
The reader's attention is now called to the early doings of this settlement as a parish or Ecclesiastical Society. And fortunately we can refer to a manuscript record in a good degree of preservation, and quite full, covering the whole period with the exception of the building the first (Church) meeting-house I should say, for our fathers never used that name for the building.
Although no record of definite action of the parish can be found about the place where the building stood, or how or when erected and covered, yet incidental allusions and references to both time and place, confirm tra- dition, that it stood on land of Dr. Joseph Steele, leased to the Society, for which in after years they voted him compensation, that the building had been erected and covered, and a floor laid, at or before the close of the year 1712.
The church was organized 10th December, 1712, and Mr. Burnham was ordained the same day, and the first month of the next year we find them voting to have a pulpit. It further appears by inference that " peter blin " of Wethersfield, was the carpenter, for the parish some time after seem to be indebted to him some £60 for labor on the meeting-house. We have taken the liberty to quote and make selections from this ancient record, quite extensively, and for several reasons, among which is this. There is no duplicate of them, and in case they should be burned, all would be lost. Besides they are curious and quaint, and some of them unique. To those of us who are descendants, these doings, experiences, and history of our own ancestors, will be peculiarly interesting.
23
GREAT SWAMP PARISH.
Mr. William Burnham was grandson of Thos, of Hartford, and Ann his wife. Graduated 1702, at Harvard College, Mass .* He was son of Wm., of Wethersfield and Elizabeth his wife, b. about 1684 at Wethers- field. His house and location have already been referred to, but the fol- lowing in his own words, will show his style of writing, and mode of doing business. The conditions upon which he came are in his own words viz ; First 5 June 1709 Articles proposed by Wm Burnham of Farmington village as conditions required in order to my continuance in the work of the Ministry in that society ; that the land of John North that hath been discoursed of, be made over to me, by a firm conveyance speedily, I paying five pounds in current money to John North, for the exchange, as also that on the North end of Nehemiah Porters lot, as also that the society take care that the 50 Acres of land, that the town of
* Rev Mr Burnham m 18 May 1704 Hannah Wolcott of Wethersfield b. 19 Mar 1684 to Saml & Judith ( Appleton) his wife who d. 16 Mar 1747 when he 2d m Wid Buckingham of Hartford who d. soon after, His Children were
Wm b 5 Apl 1705 m 13 Feb 1728-9 Ruth Norton dau of Isaac & Elizabeth (Gal- pin) had his house next west of his fathers.
Samuel b. 28 May 1707 at Wethersfield died at Farmington 22 Jan 1707-8 Hannah b. 18 Nov 1708 m 7 Jan 1730 Rev Jeremiah Curtiss of Southington Josiah b. 28 Sep 1716 m Ruth dau of John Norton & Anna (Thompson) his wife Sarah b. 28 May 1719 d 23 Nov 1726 Ae 8 y. Mary b. 7 Feb 1721-2 m John Judd No (45)
Appleton b. 28 .Apl 1724 m Mary Wolcott of Litchfield Lucy b m Jacob Root of Hebron
Abigail b. 14 Sep 1713 m Leut Robert Wells of Newington
Substance of the original Will of Rev Wm Burnham dated 15 July 1748 which was accepted by Probate Court first Tues, of Apl 1759 but never recorded-in which he gives his eldest son Wm 13 of his real Estate, to Josiah 13, and to Appleton 13- names his 4 daughters Hannah wife of Rev. Jeremiah Curtis of Southington, Lucy wife of Jacob Root of Hebron, Abigail wife of Lieut Robert Well's of Newington, & Mary wife of John Judd of Farmington. Gives all the remainder of his Estate, viz, Servants, Household stuff, money, plate, Books, horned cattle, Horses, Sheep, Swine, Team Tackling, & any instruments of Husbandry whatsoever, Corn upon the ground, or gathered, linen, wearing clothes of any sort, Horse Tackling, any other tools or in- struments besides those of husbandry & all my movable, & personal estate, whatso- ever, excepting that concerning my Spanish Indian woman, Maria, my Will is that after my decease she shall have liberty to dwell with any of my children, where she likes best, & if at any time she should not be able to earn a living, that she be comfortably provided for in sickness, and health during life at the cost of all my children, & such as represeut them-& concerning my Mulatto Boy James, my will is, that according to my deceased wife's desire, my daughter Abigail may have liberty to take him at the price he shall be valued at.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.