USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Seymour > Seymour and vicinity. Historical collections > Part 5
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
the next meeting." This action was taken with a view of taxing the members of the Parish sufficient to pay its indebtedness. Whether the prospect of a tax or dissatis- faetion with the management of the affair- of the Parish or whether some other canse operated, is not recorded, but the records show that about this time a number of the members withdrew from its connection and left the burden which they had helped to create to be liquidated by the more faith- ful, though not more able, friends of the church. The report of the committee was not made as directed, and the debt was not paid. From Easter, 1848, nutil Sep- tember of that year the church reinamed vacant, when the Rev. William F. Walker assumed the charge of the Parish. He was instituted into the Rectorship (the first and last institution in the Parish) Nov. 22nd, 1848, and continued in charge until January, 1851, when he removed to New York. He was subsequently tried by an
28
Bishop Warnwright, at the General Con- vention of 1853. When he removed le took with him the Parish register, which Has not yet, and probably never will be re- turned, as the last heard of it, it was be- ing used for a scrap book. The loss of the register deprives the Parish of much valua- ble information in regard to the unmber of communicants, baptisms, marriages and deaths in the Parish for a long term of years. After his degradation from the minis- try Walker lived a tragical life and died from the effect of an overdose of medicine prescribed for the relief of a nervous affer- tion, in the early part of the present year.
immoralities for which he was de-| the work but for legal voters were pres- graded from the ministry, by Right Rev. fent, viz : Harpin Riggs, S. D. Russell and Thomas W. Holbrook, Vestrymen, and B. W. Smith, Parish Clerk, three of which was in favor of the enterprise and one op- posed it; but after the decision was made all acted in perfect harmony throughout. The last service was held in the old church on the 5th of July, 1857. The total cost of the work amounted to 86,000.03. The ex- pense of furnishing the church with car - pets, cushions, &c., and completing the steeple above the bell deek was defrayed by the ladies of the Parish, and amounted to over $800.
The church was consecrated by Right Rev. Bishop Williams, on the 11th of May, 1858. The building was almost entirely new, with the exception of the frame. The number of ships were increased from forty- two to seventy, and in doing the work a debt of $3000. was contracted. To com- plete the church was no easy task with the limited amount of money at the disposal of the committee, and how the funds were Parish was now entirely free from debt. furnished is known only to those who had became Rector of the Parish. At a meet-|subscriptions or the loaning of money was
At the Easter of 1831 the Rev. Charles G. Acly became Rector and remained two years. For several years previous to this a debt had been constantly increasing until it amounted to $850 at the Easter of 1853, which Mr. Acly succeeded in canceling be- fore he left the Parish. The ladies' society contributed $170. of the amount paid. The In .Inne, 1853, the Rev. O. Evans Shannon ing at Easter, 1856, the name of the Parish was changed from Union to Trinity. At repairs; the timbers in the steeple were this time the church needed considerable ber after the work was begun, and created much decayed and it was considered un- The committee received but little aid or safe by those who carefully examined it and the roof leaked badly and the enlarge- ment and repair of the church began to be seriously talked about, and at Easter, 1857, a committee was appointed consisting of Thomas W. Holbrook, B. W. Smith and Sheldon Church, to see what could be done in regard to repairs, and to report at an adjourned meeting. Their report was made in the following June, that about $2100. had been subscribed to defray the expense of the contemplated repairs, and it was resolved to begin the work. The plans of the alterations had been previous- ly made by Mr. Austin of New Haven. A building committee was appointed, con- sisting of B. W. Smith, S. D. Russell and Sheldon Church, the two former only acted.
At the meeting which resolved to begin
tho matter in charge. The collection of made almost impossible by the financial crisis which commenced early in Septein- financial ruin throughout the country. encouragement from men connected with the Parish beyond its offieers, and they certainly received nor expected any from any other source : but on the contrary they were ridiculed in every possible manner, and it was prophesied that the undertaking would prove as disastrous as the "South Sea Bubble," that the church would never be completed, or if it was it never would be paid for. The workmen were advised to get their pay as they did their work or they never would get it; (but to their credit they heeded not the advice.) The Inmber merchant was told more than once that he never would get pay for the Inmber furnished for the building, and a leading merchant in the village refused to furnish the committee with ten pounds of nails, ou the credit of the Parish. Acting under
29
these circumstances it is presumed that it would be an affectation for the committee to say that they were not considerably em- barassed ; and yet, when the church was re-opened every Ill of expense for the re- pairs had been paid with the exception of 830. for painting and about the sameamount due to one of the joiners. In 1>64 the debt contracted in rebuilding the church was reduced to less than four hundred dollars.
It has been said that the committee re- ceived but little encouragement from the men connected with the Parish, but the same can not be said of the ladies, for they rendered most valuable aid, not only by the $200. which they contributed, but by the cheerful encouragement which was on every proper occasion bestowed. It will be doing no injustice to other ladies to urn were provided for by subscriptions at mention in this connection the name of Mrs. M. P. Shannon, the wife of the Rector.
Rev. Mr. Shannon resigned the charge of the Parish the first of June, 1866. During his ministry here there were 185 baptisms performed, 105 persons were confirmed at nine visits of the Bishop ; 166 were buried and 202 were jomed in holy matrimony. On the 18th of May, 1864, the steeple of the church was again struck by lightning, but the damage dove was but a few dollars. On the Ist of April, 1866, the Parish bought a house of Mrs. Lney M. Beach for a Rect- ory, at a cost of $2500. From the resigna-
The Rev. George Seabury resigned the Rectorship of the Parish on the 21st of April, 1875, after an incumbancy of over tion of the Rev. Mr. Shannon to January, eight years. During his Rectorship 132 1-67, the Rectorship remained vacant. , persons were baptised, 74 persons received Regular services however were maintained the Rite of Confirmation, 169 persons were by temporary supply. In the month of admitted to the Holy Communion, 46 mar- July. 1866, the church was painted on the outside at an expense of $290.53, of which sum $267.73 was paid by the ladies of the Parish.
The Rev. George Seabury entered upon the Rectorship of the Parish on the second
the cost of $112.64, which was paid by the ladies of the Parish; and soon after a credence was placed at the left of the Altar at the cost of $15.40, the gift of a female member of the Parish. At Christ- mas of this year a prayer desk and leet- urn was placed in the chancel at the cost of $20,50, which was raised by sub- scriptions, and soon after prayer books for the Altar and prayer desk at the cost of $29. In December, 1870. a cabinet organ was purchased for the Sunday School at the cost of $130, raised by subscriptions. In the summer of 1871 a new stone font was placed in the church. The cost of the same was $177.18 and raised by the ladies of the Parish, the proceeds of a festival. In 1872 hanging's for the pulpit and lect- the cost of $26.50. In March, 1873, the Rectory property purchased in 1866 for $2500, was sold for the same sum and the proceeds used to liquidate the debt incurred through the original purchase. About the same time subscriptions to the amount of about $1000. were secured to cancel the floating debt of the Parish, (including the balance, 8400, of the debt incurred in 1857 for rebuilding the church), this substanti- ally freeing the Parish from debt.
riages were solemnized, and the bodies of 128 were committed to the ground, "Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust."
The present statistics of the Parish are nearly as follows: families, 135; baptised Sunday in January, 1867. In the fall of members of the church, 110; commun the year 1867 the church was closed for cants, 157. The loss of the Parish register in 1851 renders it impossible to state the statistics of the Parish with correctness previous to that time. On the 27th, day of June, 1875, the steeple of the church was the third time struck by lightning ; the damage done amounted to abont $50. two months; when the interior wood work was grained and the walls colored, at the cost of $800; over $600 of which was paid by the ladies of the Parish. The church was re-opened on the last Sunday in Octo- ber. Before the re-opening of the church an Altar had been placed in the chancel at
Of the sixty-three persons who contribu-
30
ted to defray the expense of finishing the church in 1816, not one is now living. Mr. Isaac Kinney who died recently at the age of eighty-five was the last survivor. Of the slip holders in 1840, only two are slip holders at the present time, viz : Dr. S. C. Johnson and B. W. Smith, and only five of
In 1791, that pioneer of Methodism in New England, Jesse Lee, came through Derby, where, hiring a bell-man to ring the people out, he preached to them in the shade of some trees, in what is now called Derby, up town. John Coe and Ruth, his wife, heard him, and invited him on his next visit to preach in their house, which in a few weeks he did. From that time the whole unmber are now living. The Derby was included in Mr. Lee's circuit, subscription lists containing the names of which combined nearly all the territory of what is now New Haven and Bridge- In 1792 the plan of the work was so changed as to make Middletown the head of the circuit, which embraced Middlesex Derby was no exception to the rising spirit of persecution of that sect, which was everywhere spoken against. From the pulpit and in private the floeks were faith- fully warned against the disturbers of the peace of the parish. But Lee, Allyn and Garretson, like brave men of God, continued to broadcast the seeds of truth. John and Ruth Coe were the first fruits of their labors in Derby, and were admitted to the and a large part of New Haven counties. port districts. the contributors and the amount contribu- ted by each for church purposes, have in almost every instance been carefully pre- served, and if now published, would proba- bly prove more interesting to the public than to the living subscribers. During the first twenty-five years from the organiza- tion of the Parish eight clergymen were employed for a specified length of time, and in the next fifty-three years, nine; four of whom had charge of the Parish over forty-three years. On the 25th of September, 1875, the Rev. Edwin J. K. little society in Oxford. Soon these con- Lessel became Rector of the Parish. verts offered their two infant sons in bap- B. W. S. tism at the hands of Jesse Lee. John Allyn was the name given to Mr. Coe's son, and Jesse Lee was the name of Mr. Hinman's son. John A. Coe grew to manhood, settied in what is now Beacon Falls, a solid man, a member of the M. E. Church, and was universally respected. Two of his grand- sons are now residents of that town.
HISTORY OF THE Methodist Episcopal Church of Seymour. BY NAU-KO-TUNK.
Benajah Johnson was the first white man who settled in this part of Derby. He was a native of New Haven, and his father's house stood where the Exchange building now stands. Benajah came here in 1726, and built his log house on the east side of the road near the foot of the hill south of the David Carrington place. Soon after, Timothy, Ebenezer, and Joseph Johnson moved into this place. Benajah and Tim- othy married sisters-Sarah and Mary Brewster, daughters of Rev. Nathaniel Brewster, the first pastor of the Church in Setanent, Long Island. Mr. B. was the son of Jonathan Brewster, who came over in the Mayflower with his father, Elder Wn. B., to Plymouth Rock. Isaac John- son, the son of Benajah, gave the land where the M. E. Church editice stands to his son, Isaae Johnson.
The first meeting house was built in 1788, by individuals, most of whom were Con- gregationalists, who were umted as a society of Separatists. Their first pastor was Benjamin Beach, a minister from North Haven, who mored here in 1790.
At the conference of 1793, held at Tol- land, it was reported that John Allyn had laid down his trump t and gone to his re- ward. This year, the first society in Derby was formed, and John Coe was leader. Joshua Taylor and Benjamin Fisher were appointed preachers on the cireuit. At the elose of the conference, the venerable Bishop Ashbury, as in ill health he passed through Connecticut, visited the little vine in Derby. B. Fisher died in Newburgh, July 5, 1854, aged 86.
The first M. E. Society in this part of the town, then called Chuse Town, was formed in Feb. 1797. Names of members: Jesse Johnson, Isaac Baldwin, Esther Baldwin, Sarah Baldwin, Ernice Baldwin, and Dan- iel Rowe, of Derby, was leader. Soon after the following names were added : George Clark, Lucy Hitchcock, Silas Johnson and Olive Johnson.
In the previous five years the Methodist preachers had passed through the place and preached as they found open doors : Once or more in Mrs. Dayton's barroom, now William Stubbs' house; also in the house of Mr. Stiles, now the residence of
31
Dr. Stoddard. Some years later they preached in the ballroom of the Monl- throup tavern on the corner opposite the joining was conveyed by a quit elaim deed Clinton place.
He died in 1-65, aged over eighty years. In 1813 the meeting house and land ad- from the Congregational to the Methodist Society. The aced was signed by Bradford Steele, Sarah Steele, Ira Smith, Phebe Stiles, Win. Kenney, and Philena Baldwin, and was given to Stiles Johnson, Bezalel Peck, Thos. Gilyard, Robert Lees, and Timothy Hichcock, trustees of the Metho- dist Society. Jesse and Stiles Johnson, sons of Isaac Johnson, who died in 1813, with their wives and many of their relations
For a long fime the society remained very small. It encountered a great amonnt of prejudice and some persecutions. At the house of Isaac Baldwin, which stood on the flat near Beecher's angnr factory, the persecutors went up on a ladder and stop- ped the top of the chimney in time of preaching, so that the smoke drove the people out of the house. They often threw squibs of powder into the fire in time of had joined the Methodist society. Jesse Johnson was afterwards a local preacher, and a close student of the Bible, but died after losing his reason. These brothers are buried in the Methodist cemetery. The
worship, to the great annoyance of the peo- ple. But God had ordained his arrows against the persecutors. A enise followed almost all those young men, and they were ent down in the prime of life. Freeborn first extensive revival here, commenced at Garretson held the first quarterly meeting a watch meeting in the old meeting house, on New Year's eve of Isis. I think it was in leis that the old meeting honse was. made a two story building, but no paint was used inside or outside. in this place in the old meeting house iu 1:03. Moses Osborn, a local preacher re- siding in Southbury, a man of God and ap- proved of men, by his faithful labors in Derby and vicinity during four or five
Sometime before this, perhaps in 1916,
years, prepared the way for that revival in Nathan Bangs came to preach in the Bell 1:09, when seventy persons were converted |School house. He put up with Stiles Jolin- in the Neck school house. Most of these son, opposite Mr. Gilyard's place. After some cantions from careful Brother Stiles- against doctrinal preaching, the elder went down in the evening and preached a free salvation to a crowded house, giving Cal- vinisim its portion in dne season, as was the enstom, and such was the power of in - fluence on the congregation, that when the preacher, in closing, inquired who will have this salvation ? Let those who will seek it arise ;- the whole congregation arose. O! What a host! exclaimed the preacher. joined the Congregational Church, but several families joined the M. E. Church, and added to its influence in the town. For several years the work went on, now in Stratford, then at Humphreysville, and then at Nyumphs, and in other places. In 1-13 Middletown circuit was divided, and Stratford was made the head of this new circuit, and Ebenezer Washburn and James Coleman were the preachers. Stratford, Milford, Derby, Humphreysville, Nyumphs, Great Hill, Quaker's Farms, Georges Hill, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Newtown, East- The legislature of this state anthorized the division of its share of the surplus war tax of 1812 among the religions denomina- tions of the state; but the Methodists re- fused their portion of the money. At a quarterly conference, held at East Village, January 9th, 1:13, Rev. O. Sykes was ap- pointed to communicate with the trustees of the state on the subject. But no person had been authorised to receive rejected funds. The afflicted brother returned, still burdened with unwelcome charity. At the quarterly conference of Angust in the same year, held at Humphreysville, Aaron Pierce and two others were appointed a com- mittee to write to the treasurer of the State, and if he could not receive back the Metho- dist portion of the money, to draw np a petition in behalf of this circuit, to the general assembly for liberty toreturn their proportion of said money. Liberty was granted and the funds returned the state. The rising church, though struggling with crushing difficulties, would not sacrifice village, Stepney and Trumbull, were in- elnded in this eirenit. In 1814 Nathan Bangs was presiding elder on the New Haven District, and Elijah Woolsey and Henry Ames were the preachers on this circuit. This year, preaching was divided half a day at Humphreysville, balf a day at Nyumphs, and once a fortuight at Derby Neck. It was a revival year at the Neck and on Great Hill. The two brothers, Samuel and David Durand, and their wives, were added to the little church in the red school house. Samuel was a good singer. In 1:15 E. Hibbard and B. English were the preachers on this circuit. But Mr. English soon located at Humphreysville and went into business. This year Walter French, a resident of Humphreysville, re- ceived license to exhort, and afterwards a license to preach, and was very useful here and in other parts of the circuit. He had a good memory, a ready utterance and often spoke with great power, and success.
32
her honest independence of the state. The fathers were fully committed to the volun- tary principle for the support of the Gos- pel.
The quarterly meetings of those times were largely attended, and exceedingly in- teresting, the people going from all parts of the circuit on Saturday. In the after- noon they heard a sermon, after which came the quarterly conference, composed of all the stewards, class leaders, exhorters and preachers on the circuit. Bangs, Ostrander, Merwin and Clarke were in succession pre- siding elders, and on the Sabbath they drew large congregations, most of whom expected to hear a strong doctrinal sermon. At one of those meetings on Great Hill, in 1820, Rev. E. Washburn, presiding elder, fifteen persons were converted in one after- noon.
In 1831 Daniel Smith was appointed to the circuit, and was assisted by Wmn. Bates, a local preacher residing in Humphreysville. In that year a camp meeting was held, in a woods West of where now the Catholic Church of Birmingham stands, and contin- ued eight days. On the Sabbath ten thou- sand people were supposed to be present, and the fruit of the meeting was about one hundred converts. The writer of this was ful meeting, and has been acquainted with some of those converts who grew to be pil- lars in the church. This year the churches in South Britain and Middlebury were built, and the foundation of one at Water- bury laid, and the building of a parsonage in Humphreysville commenced. Three hundred dollars worth of books were sold on the circuit, a large amount of missionary money raised, and the preachers salaries paid in full. Samuel R. Hickox, a local preacher from Southbury, had moved into Humphreysville in 1828, and had charge of the giist mill on the falls, keeping board- ers from the cotton mill. He was a good preacher and was a great help to the church in this place. In 1829 Thomas Ellis, a Welshman and a spinner in the cotton mill, was converted and joined the church here, of which his wife was already a member. He had been a wild young man and a great song-singer. It was said that he could sing all night without repeating
a song. But in two years after conversion he had forgotten them all. He was an important addition to the church ou ac- count of his musical talent.
In April, 1832, Sylvester Smith, a local preacher from Hotchkisstown, where he was first licensed in March, 1830, moved into this village. Daniel Smith was con- tinued on the circuit, and Robert Travis was preacher in charge. The parsonage was not quite ready for Mr. T., but in a few days after his arrival in town he moved into it. It was built by the two brothers Lane, from Monroe. At this time the church was an ecclesiastical society under the statute and known as the Methodist society of Humphreysville.
In 1833 Thomas Bainbridge and Chester W. Turner were the preachers on the cir- cuit-Mr. B. occupying the parsonage. From 1820 to 1827, the membership on the circuit was much increased as the fruit of revival in different places. D. Miller, J. Colman, Laban Clark, E. Barnet, J. Nixon, E. Dennison, W. F. Pease, I. Fields, S. D. Ferguson, and V. Buck were the preachers successively. Turner was a single man, who afterwards married the sister of Rev. T. D. Smith, of the Episcopal Church. Bainbridge was a good preacher and a sweet singer. The next year we had Humphrey Humphries and John Crawford for our preachers, Mr. H. moving into the parsonage. Josiah Brown In 1828 this part of the circuit was sep- arated and called Humphreysville and Hamden. had charge of the circuit the next two years. In the middle of 1836 he moved out of the parsonage into a house in Derby Neck, where he remained until he died not long snce. On the first of October Sylves- ter Smith moved into the parsonage and occupied it four years at an annual rent of fifty dollars. The next two years David Miller was preacher in charge, residing at Great Hill, and closing his term of service in May, 1839. In these past few years Owen Sykes was an assistant preacher and continued for several years. He was an present during the whole of that wonder- excellent man, with some peculiarities. Thomas Ellis received license to preach in 1833, and did good service on the circuit until 1838, when he joined the conference and became a successful itinerant. In May, 1873, he had a triumphant death, aged sixty- eight. S. Smith was also a helper on the circuit. In 1840 and 1841 Thomas Sparks was our preacher, residing at South Britain.
On Saturday, March 19, 1542, a meeting commenced at Southford. Presiding Elder Carpenter being absent, S. Smith preached. Sunday morning was very pleasant, and after love feast, it was found impossible for more than half the people to get into the chapel. Sparks occupied the pulpit, and Smith went below and took his stand in the school room and preached with half his congregation ontdoors. It was a memor- able time. Ezra Jagger followed Sparks, residing at Great Hill. On his second year Moses Blydenburgh was his colleague. These were prosperous years for the church at Humphreysville, after a period of deten-
33
sion. Mr. Atwater, a student in Yale, was very useful here in those years. Mr. Bly- denburgh continued one year after Mr. Jagger left, and lived on Great Hill. Mr. B. died in 1843, aged 31 years, leaving a wife and one child. This son is now a law- er in New Haven. The next two years G. L. Fuller had charge of the circuit, resid- ing on Great Hill. Three of his children were buried there.
Since 1839 Birmingham was a station separate from us, so it was with Water- bury. Middlebury and South Britain sus- tained a pastor ; so that only Humphreys- ville, Great Hill, Pleasant Vale, and Pine's Bridge remained in the Derby circuit.
In the fall of 1846 a subscription was opened for a new church edifice, and S. Smith led with the sum of six hundred dol- lars. The burning of the paper mill of ous year in both places: over 100 conver- which he was half owner involving a heavy loss, did not abate his zeal ; but during the year he increased his subscription to eight linndred dollars. His firmness was over- ruled for good. One brother who did not at first set down his name gave one hun- dred dollars. Another man changed from twenty to one hundred dollars. A good woman changed from ten to eighty dollars.
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.