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 7
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" Each in his narrow cell forever laid."
Or if we visit their graves let it be to breathe the peace that calmed their souls, and learn the lessons which their virtues teach us."
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NEW BRITAIN.
NEW BRITAIN as an incorporated Ecclesiastical Society. May session, 1754, its name, in honor of Great Britain, given by Col. Isaac Lee.
The etymology of the word is bright, shining, tin or pewter ; hence the island of Great Britain was called so from the abundance of tin found in adjacent islands. It is not supposed that our ancestors ever dreamed it was destined to be a village, or even a town. The height of their ambi- tion was to make it an ecclesiastical and school society, where the preach- ing of the gospel might be sustained, a church organized, its ordinances observed, and convenient schools established for their children. The same lines bound it now, 1867, that bounded it when it took its name, (except a small addition to its northern limit,) embracing a territory only about three and a half miles by four and a half; the surface much broken with moder- ate hills and corresponding valleys, well watered with springs and small rivulets, but no rivers. It has a much greater elevation than is generally supposed ; is the summit of the railroad from Hartford to Plainville ; the source of the little river emptying at Hartford; of the Mattabesset, dis- charging at Middletown, and the Quinnipiac, falling into the Sound, at New Haven. Its natural advantages are not greatly in its favor. Its streams are barely sufficient to turn its grist and saw-mills ; its valleys on the eastern portion adjoining the parish of Newington are rich and produc- tive of good hay and grain, and the western portions for good and thrifty wood and grazing. Fruits and grains in great variety have been produced from the soil, from the first settlement of the place, but it has been done with great pains and labor, for the soil in general is hard and gravelly, as is seen by our hard and smooth roads. It occupies a central position in the State, being eight miles west of Connecticut river, and full twenty-five miles north of New Haven. At the date of its incorporation or divorce from Kensington and Newington, the society had about sixty dwellings scattered over its surface ; some of them would not be very inviting to the taste of the present generation, mere lodges or huts; yet within were warm hearts and busy hands. The reader will see towards the close of the long introduction to this work, that the incorporating act of the General Court excluded (no doubt from their own choice strenuously urged,) three prom- inent families at the northern extremity of the parish, with their large farms. This was a grief and trial which we see they soon felt, and strove to remedy by their applications to the General Assembly. Two of the principal patriarchs of this struggling community had now passed away by death ; Capt. Stephen Lee and Deacon Anthony Judd. Their names no more appear at the head of petitions for "aid, ease, comfort, or relief of heavy burdens." Capt. Lee's sword now rests in ts scabbard, (unless
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perchance used by his stalwart sons or grand-sons.) Deacon Anthony no more distributes the memorials of the broken body of his Saviour, and the voices of these prominent men are no more heard moderating in church, town or society meetings. But they have left large families, large estates, and what is still more enduring, good examples and name.
They left still living Sergeant Benjamin Judd, active in both church and society, and Capt. Jonathan Lewis, prominent in military, town and society affairs, with a goodly number of younger men, with stout hearts and strong arms. Their first society meeting was held June 13th, 1754, when they voted and agreed that it was necessary to build a house for public worship, and at the same meeting appointed a committee to apply to the County Court to affix the place where to build. Also a committee to procure a suitable candidate to preach the gospel amongst us.
At the same meeting Josiah Lee was chosen clerk, and Isaac Lee, treasurer, and Josiah Lee and others a committee to order the prudentials of the parish.
October 25th, 1754, a committee was appointed to assist the surveyor to make a map of the parish, and find the center of the society, as near as they can. Also the committee directed to endeavor to procure Rev. Ste- phen Holmes to preach amongst us as a candidate for settlement.
Rev. Stephen Holmes* was first invited to preach as a candidate for settlement ; he was paid £10 old tenor per Sabbath ; he preached thirteen Sabbaths. For some unknown reason to us, he failed to gain the parish, but he secured a wife in the person of Deacon Patterson's third daughter, Anna, to whom he was united in marriage January 24th, 1759, before Rev. John Smalley, and she had bequeathed to her as part of her portion of her father's estate, Rose, a servant girl.
December 2d, 1754, a meeting of the parish voted that they desire the committee to endeavor to procure the Rev. John Bunnel to preach amongst us as a candidate for settlement in the gospel ministry.
At a society meeting December 16th, 1754, voted to proceed and build a house for religious worship.t
* He was settled November, 1757, at Center Brook, in Essex, (Pautapaug,) where he died September, 1773.
t That the parish had religious services previous to having a meeting-house, is shown from the following extracts from the Church Record of Rev. Joshua Belden, Newing- ton : " Elias Hart and wife 'owned the covenant' at New Britain, September, 1754." From the Church Record of Rev. Ebenezer Booge, of Northington : " Baptized, at New Britain, September 22d, 1754, Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Clark." The reader will observe this last Sabbath service was the next after Rev. Mr. Belden held his. Again, Rev. Mr. Belden, at a later date, " July 27th, 1755 : Elijah Smith and Jacob Brandigee ' owned the covenant' at New Britain, and at the same time and place, William Horton owned the covenant' and was baptized." Again, two weeks before New Britain Church was organized, Rev. Ebenezer Booge says in his Church Record : " I baptized at New Britain, April 5th, 1758, Solomon, son of Joseph Clark."
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March 17th, 1755, at a meeting of the society of New Britain legally warned, voted to proceed to settle the Rev. John Bunnel, provided we can agree on terms, and also provided the approbation of the Reverend South Association of Hartford county can be obtained.
At the same meeting voted as a settlement £1,200 old tenor, with this proviso, viz. that if he cease to be our minister through his defect, he shall refund his settlement. Also voted as a salary £55 per annum, lawful money. Mr. John Bunnel* declines the call, but at a meeting held May 15th, 1755, a committee is appointed to pray him that he reconsider the request of this society, and that he consider our needy circumstances, and the ill consequences consequent on his denial, and ascertain if there is any way of removing the objections in the way of his settling among us, &c., but if unsuccessful, to procure some other candidate.
December 1st, 1755, at a meeting of the parish it was voted to appoint a committee to apply to the Reverend South Association of Hartford county for their advice, that they recommend some suitable orthodox can- didate to preach the gospel amongst us with a view to a settlement.
At the next meeting the committee were instructed to endeavor to pro- cure Rev. Amos Fowler to preach for them as a candidate for settlement. And here the author is constrained, (though reluctantly,) to disclose the fact that we have no authenticated record of the society doings and acts in regard to building the house or supplying the pulpit. That we had, as a society, such a record, kept by the clerk or recorder, is evident, for we copy this early history of the parish from notes purporting to be taken from the record book referred to. The original record, we fear, is irrev- ocably "lost." The notes are by Doctor Thomas G. Lee, an eminent physician, who had in early life been elevated to the superintendence of the McLane Asylum for the Insane, at Charlestown, Mass., but died 1836, at the age of twenty-eight. While studying with Dr. Todd, of Farming- ton, and spending some time at his home in this place, having a great taste for antiquarian lore, he gathered these notes, and we are chiefly indebted to his taste and diligence, and to the kindness of his brother, Dr. John R. Lee, for the use of them in the preparation of this work, and thus also for the early history of the parish. We have however a treasurer's record, from 1765 to this date, and a clerk's from November 5th, 1793, to the present time, which will be quoted from as occasion requires. These re- marks will show the reader why so many incidentals are introduced to cor-
* His native place, West Haven, was licensed 1738, by New Haven East Associa- tion ; the church in New Britain had previously applied to Hartford South for advice respecting some proper person to preach to them as a candidate for settlement, as ap- pears from the associational record of a meeting held at Stepney, February 4th, 1755, at the house of Rev. Mr. Daniel Russel, where they say they have advised the society of New Britain to Mr. John Bunnel to preach with them upon probation.
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roborate the main history. The following is an instance of incidentals from Farmington town records:
February 1st, 1755, Dr. Isaac Lee, of Middletown, deeded to Farming- ton, for a highway, three pieces of land in the parish of New Britain, the first piece, one rod wide, and half a mile and six rods long, butted east on the highway that runs by the house where my son Stephen now dwells, south on land lately conveyed to the town by my brother Josiah, north on my own land .* The second piece runs " cross" my said lot, and is butted north on land conveyed to Farmington by Benjamin Judd ; east, part on my own land and part on land of Josiah Lee, to be eight rods wide at the north end, and six at the south; butts west on the ledge next west of the place appointed for to build the meeting-house." The third piece begins at the path at the top of the ledge, and runs northerly across the Mill Brook, three rods below the bridge, thence to Benjamin Judd's land, and is in length thirty-five rods.
At a meeting of the society February 29th, 1756, it was voted and agreed that Capt. John Patterson and Isaac Lee be a committee to apply to the General Assembly, moving that those families which were excluded in the north part of our parish, be admitted to the society.
The following in order of time is from the State archives :
At a meeting of the inhabitants of ye parish of New Britain, holden on the 25th day of February, 1756, lawfully warned, at the same meeting Capt. John Patterson and Mr. Ladwick Hotchkiss were chosen a commit- tee to prepare a memorial to the Honorable General Assembly, praying to grant a tax on unimproved lands in the society, to be improved in build- ing a meeting-house, and the settling a gospel minister amongst us.
A true copy of record. Test, Isaac Lee, Society Clerk.
The above appointment and duty of Capt. John Patterson and Mr. Lad- wick Hotchkiss was duly attended to, and their petition presented to the Assembly, which granted a tax of one penny an acre on all unimproved lands, for the purpose proposed, for the term of four years next ensuing.
Done at May session, 1756.
We now return to the negotiations of this young society in regard to settling a minister ; they have no meeting-house yet to preach in, and their candidates, though numerous, seem coy. Rev. Amos Fowler has been preaching for them as a candidate, and at a meeting of the society April 25th, 1756, they voted and agreed to give Mr. Fowler as a settlement £140, lawful money, and voted to grant him as a salary £50 a year for three years, and £60 as annual salary after that.
At a meeting held June 7th, 1756, voted by almost a unanimous vote that we still desire Mr. Fowler to settle with us. And July 19th, 1756, Mr. Amos Fowler accepts the proposals of the parish, with slight altera-
* This is the north half of " burying yard lane." 5
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tions in respect to salary ; and (" provided you continue well united and prosperous, there appears nothing which I shall look upon sufficient to render my settling with you not my duty.) I shall endeavor to do my part in taking the properest steps in order to settle in the work of the min- istry with you; though as the work is great and arduous, I choose some length of time before I actually undertake it."
At the same meeting July 19th, 1756, the society agree by vote to com- ply with the alterations proposed. And a committee appointed to consult about a settlement. And at a meeting August 30th, 1756, it is decided by vote that the society are still desirous that Mr. Fowler* will settle with them. But at a subsequent meeting, viz. November 1st, 1756, a commit- tee is chosen and appointed to endeavor to procure Mr. James Taylor to preach as a candidate; and also to apply to the South Association of Hart- ford county for advice.
At the annual meeting they continue to pass votes expressive of their satisfaction with Mr. Taylor; and February 7th, 1757, voted to settle Mr. Taylor as soon as may be convenient, and a committee appointed to agree respecting terms, &c.
March 28th, 1757, voted to Mr. James Taylor as a settlement, £270 lawful money, in two several payments. And May 17th, 1757, voted as annual salary £45, to be raised to £60, together with eighteen cords of wood, and also voted to call in Reverend Council for advice.
June 7th, 1757, the parish held a meeting and voted that they desire Mr. Taylor to settle with them, and also voted to call another council for further advice. June 27th, 1757, a committee was appointed to do all things proper for them to do previous to the ordination.t
At the annual meeting December 5th, 1757, voted to apply to the Rev- erend Association of Hartford South for advice respecting some suitable candidate for the ministry, and a committee was appointed to use their en- deavors to procure Rev. John Smalley to preach as a probationer. This seems to be the first mention of his name. He was licensed to preach by the Association of Litchfield South, the same year, 1757. It appears from the votes of the society above referred to, and the deeds of land for high- ways to accommodate travel, that the location of the "meeting-house" was fixed previous to February 1st, 1755. Whether the county court sent a committee to fix the location and find the center of the parish, don't appear
* His native place, North Guilford. He settled June, 1758, over the first Church in Guilford, and died there February, 1800. He was son of Daniel Fowler, of Guil- ford, a descendant of William, of Guilford, the emigrant.
t Mr. James Taylor settled March, 1758, over the Congregational Church in New Fairfield, Conn., and Fairfield East Association May 29th, 1763, at Bethel, heard a complaint versus him and others, for false doctrine, (Sandemanianism,) and the Con- sociation silenced him, when he was dismissed June, 1764.
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on the court records after diligent search. The record shows, however, numerous instances of the kind in other parishes where there were adverse parties or opposition. In the absence of all record and tradition to the con- trary, we conclude our ancestors were harmonious in fixing the location on the ledge near the "Mill Pond" referred to. It stood on the present main road to Hartford from New Britain village, about half a mile, and just north-east of the present " cattle pound" of the town. It had a pleasant front view and was beautified by surrounding oak and hickory trees left of the primitive forest. It is supposed ample provision was made for building, during the year 1756, and that the house was raised and covered the summer of 1757, and yet as late as 1769 and 1770, bills were pre- sented by Timothy Stanley as collector, and also by Capt. Lemuel Hotch- kiss, for window springs for finishing the "meeting-house." The house was very plain, about eighty by sixty-four feet in size, with steep roof, without bell or belfry, or cupola, and resembled in size and shape, except for the doors and windows, a nice large barn. We have not the means of knowing how it was finished inside, at its first building. It was "built over" outside, and painted, immediately after the great revival of 1784-5, at an expense of some £90 or more. The house had large galleries ; the two " high pews," one at each extreme corner to the right and left of the pulpit, in the galleries, were so much raised as to require stairs to ascend and descend, and so high that a tall man could scarcely stand in the pew erect without touching his scalp to the wall over head. The pulpit was built on the side of the house, (opposite a large double front door, with large bull's eyes inserted,) and had a huge "sounding board" impending ; the inclosure was small, and had a door each side, with a wood button ; and stairs on each side, with railing. The body of the pulpit was orna- mented with carved vine, with leaves and grapes,* (a wonder to the chil- dren.) A seat for the deacons, directly under the front of the pulpit, be- tween it and the communion table, which table was made by a plain board hung with hinges on the railing of the seat, and when raised was supported with two curiously twisted "iron braces." A large but single door opened at each end of the house, and stairs led to the male side of the gallery, at the extreme right corner of the minister, and a corresponding flight to the female side, on his left hand. The broad aisle, (leading from the broad front door to the pulpit,) in which stood our grand-fathers and mothers, when they entered into covenant with God and the church, was a solemn place. It was not carpeted, but it received many tears of penitence, both from those joining the church, and from such as fell into gross sins, and stood there while their public confession was being read. Then there was a narrow aisle leading quite round the house, leaving one tier of pews
* This was done by subscription, circulated by Capt. Ladwick Hotchkiss, to raise the money.
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joining the wall, and leaving inside two squares called the " square body." These pews or pens were made square, with straight backs; top made with open work and banisters inserted some eight inches apart, and seats ex- tending quite round on every side, except barely the door, which was nar- row, and fastened with a wood button. The occupants faced inwards, of course some would sit with their backs to the speaker, and hence the habit of standing part of the time during the sermon, which was in the olden time from one to two hours long .* The hour-glass which stood on the pulpit, was turned at the reading of the text, and the audience felt slighted if the sermon ended before the sands had all dropped. The meeting- house was warmed chiefly by the sun, for a chimney, stove, or furnace was unknown for that purpose in those days. A poor substitute, however, was resorted to from necessity, namely, the " foot stove," and the "Sabada house." The matron of each family was careful in the coldest weather to have the foot-stove well prepared with living coals from the home hearth- stone. The Sabba-day' houses were about sixteen feet square, with a small window on three sides, and chimney built of stone, or perhaps part brick, on the outside, with a large fire-place attached. This room was furnished with rough seats, and here the short intermission between the services was spent in mutual greetings, inquiries after health, and perhaps comments on the morning sermon. The sheds to protect the horses, stood near by, and with all these appendages at the right and left wings to the meeting-house, the grand old oaks, (already referred to,) the rocks and boulders cropping out in great profusion, the "meeting-house yard" was a place of great interest. It was the holy "hill of Zion" to the parish ; " thither the tribes went up" by five different roads or " lanes" which cen- tred there. It was never called the park, or the green, but the "parade," and was used as a military parade, from the days of the French war of 1762, through the Revolution, and down to the close of the war with Eng- land, February, 1815, except occasionally the central park where the fountain has been built. And while we are describing this locality, we must not pass by in silence the "burying yard." This ground was early part of Capt. Stephen Lee's farm, and descended to his grand-sons, Ste- phen and Isaac, who, tradition says, gave the land to the society of New Britain, for a place to bury their dead .¿ The town record in Farmington
* President Stiles says of Mr. William Robinson's ordination, that himself was "in sermon two hours."
t " At a town meeting held in Farmington, December 10th, 1759, voted liberty to Thomas Stanley and Noah Stanley, to build a small house in the highway, near the meeting-house in New Britain parish, in the most convenient place for their conven- iency on Sabbath days."
# At an adjourned meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Farmington, held De- cember 23d, 1771, the town voted that the committee for exchanging highways, be empowered to convey to Isaac Lee, Esq., so much of said highway as may be best
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shows how this land came to the parish, by whom, and how he was com- pensated. It was directly east of the meeting-house, about eighty rods. We have seen that ,Dr. Isaac Lee, then of Middletown, deeded to Farm- ington one-half the lane that led to it, while the same year, 1755, his brother, Deacon Josiah Lee, who built the Skinner house, deeded the other half, making two rods wide. The burials began soon after, for the oldest stones found, date 1756. This place designed by our fathers as a city for the dead, was wisely chosen, as to soil and locality. It has been greatly enlarged from time to time, and of late, cared for and beautified, greatly to the credit of the town.
We have supposed the meeting-house was built in 1757, but I find a deed given by Uriah Judd, of a piece of land for a highway to the town of Farmington, dated 1756, in which he says, "to run south from the meeting- house ; said highway to be three rods wide, running through my farm, and past my house."* We have then, 1756, or at the latest, 1757, a plain but decent meeting-house, with surrounding appendagest and approaches, and upon the whole it looks inviting, if not attractive.
We will now return to the doings of the society, for the church is not yet " gathered." At a society meeting held on the 9th day of January, 1758, it was voted unanimously in favor of proceeding to settle Rev. John Smalley, provided the approbation of the Reverend Association can be obtained. Voted as a settlement £150 lawful money. Voted as an an- nual salary £50 for the three first years, and afterwards £60, and in addi- tion a yearly grant of twenty cords of wood.
This candidate, who became afterwards so rich a blessing to this people, was son of Benjamin Smalley, an Englishman by birth, and a weaver by trade. He married Lydia, sister of Joseph Allen, who was father of Col. Ethan. She died, when second, he married Mary -, who became the mother of John, June 4th, 1734, at Lebanon Crank, Conn., parish of Co-
spared, as shall make him a meet recompense for the burying-place he has found for said society of New Britain."
Another page of the record discloses who this committee were.
" At a town meeting in Farmington, held the 9th day of December, 1771, Noah Stanley, Elijah Francis and David Mather, were chosen for exchanging highways and removing nuisances in New Britain."
* His house stood where Alvin North's house now stands, 1864.
¡ It should be observed that among the common appendages of a country town or parish, is a prison for unruly cattle. Such a place was provided for this society, at the expense of the town of Farmington, as follows, viz : " At a meeting of the town of Farmington, the 11th April, 1768, voted the society of New Britain have liberty to erect a pound in said society, at the town's cost, and Isaac Lee, Esq. and Capt. Phineas Judd are chosen a committee to appoint a place to erect the same, and Noah Stanley and Ladwick Hotchkiss are appointed to erect it, and Elnathan Smith was appointed keeper, the current year." It was built on the east street, near the residence of Elna- than Smith, now, 1862, the " Rhodes farm." ED.
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lumbia. The parents were esteemed pious, especially the mother, who early gave her only son good instructions, which made a lasting impression, especially his finding her kneeling and praying in a secluded part of the house. When young he was put out to a mechanical trade, but his pas- tor, Rev. Eleazer Wheelock, perceiving him to be a youth of fair promise, fitted him for college, and he entered Yale at the age of eighteen. While at college his father lost his property, and while the son expected to re- linquish his studies, found a patron in Mr. Stiles, who after became the President of that institution. Rev. Mr. Wheelock thought he became pious in early boyhood, but he experienced while in college what he him- self called a second conversion. The Smalley family moved to Vermont, where the father died. The son graduated 1756, and studied theology with Rev. Dr. Bellamy, at Bethlehem. Both mother and son became members of the church in Cornwall, Conn., Rev. Mr. Gold, pastor. After the settlement of her son in New Britain, and while living on the Patter- son place, she kept house for him a short time, but May 8th, 1759, she married Ensign Samuel Galpin, of Kensington parish, in Farmington, and she was united to that church August 12th, 1759, by letter from church in Cornwall. She died October 23d, 1762, in the sixty-fourth year of her age. She was second wife of Mr. Galpin, and he died December 25th, 1771, aged eighty-five; their head-stones in the old Hill Cemetery, of Berlin. We will now return to the doings of the Ecclesiastical Society, in their efforts to procure a minister.
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