USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Seymour > Seymour, past and present > Part 10
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1876-7, Rev. A. B. Pulling. 1897, Rev. J. T. Hamilton.
1877-9, Rev. Joseph Vinton.
1898-1901, Rev. E. C. Tullar.
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INTERIOR OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
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THE CHURCHES.
The present edifice was built in 1891 at a cost exceeding $18,000, including the refitting of the older structure, which is used for a lecture room and for the Sundayschool. The subscription for the new church was headed by L. T. Wooster with $1,000, and all gave very liberally, then and since, so that the society is now clear from debt and in possession of one of the handsomest churches in the valley. The new church was dedicated June 19, 1891. The beautiful pipe organ, which was put in at a cost of $1, 500, was also the gift of L. T. Wooster.
The superintendents of the Sundayschools have been as follows :
1826-33, George Kirtland. 1868, Sheldon Miles.
1841-2, Samuel R. Hickox. 1869, William C. Sharpe.
1843-50, Lugrand Sharpe. 1872, William W. Dibble.
1851, Frederick Durand.
1873, '75, '78, Samuel R. Butler.
1852-3, John Adams.
1874, Charles N. Blanchard.
1854, William A. Hughes.
1876, Edward N. Botsford.
1855 and 58, William S. Mallory. 1877, Henry C. Rogers.
1856-7, Albert W. Lounsbury. 1879-80, George E. Stockwell.
1859, Warren French. 1881-87, Thomas Sharpe.
1860, '61, '66, '67, '70, 71, William 1888-92, A. C. Butler. N. Storrs.
1893-7, C. H. Guild.
1863, '64, '65, H. W. Benedict. 1897-01, E. T. Humphreys.
The trustees are L. T. Wooster, A. E. Wheeler, W. W. Dibble, Thos. Sharpe, A. C. Peck, S. R. Butler, O. D. Sykes, E. A. Klatt, Charles H. Lounsbury. The stewards are Richard Alderson, E. T. Humphreys, David Tocher, E. T. Bice, C. H. Jorey, John J. Smith. George S. Miller, Albert Butler, C. H. Guild, J. B. Perrins.
TRINITY CHURCH.
N the 12th of February, 1797, thirtynine persons living within the bounds of the proposed new parish, were notified to meet on the 20th of that month at the house of Dr. Samuel San- ford for the purpose of forming a Protestant Episcopal soci- ety. At the time named all were present and Benjamin Davis was elected moderator, Samuel Sanford.clerk, and Joel Chatfield, Israel French and Jonathan Miles society's committee.
The land upon which the church now stands was purchased of Leverett Pritchard March 23, 1797, for sixty dollars. We copy from the original deed to show how much was included in the par- ish "lately formed in Derby and called by the name of The Union
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THE CHURCHES.
Episcopal Society, the same being formed out of the First Society in said Derby, that is to say, out of a part hereof ; out of Great Hill Society ; and out of the Society in Oxford, all in said Derby. "
The first load of stone for the foundation of the church was carted by Leverett Pritchard, and the first of the timber by John Riggs. The committee worked so energetically that early in the spring of that year the corner-stone was laid by the Rev. Edward Blakeslee, an assistant of the Rev. Dr. Mansfield, and before win- ter the whole building was inclosed. Work on the inside was delayed for a time for want of funds and slab benches were used for seats.
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LUI ENU COBOSTON.
INTERIOR OF TRINITY CHERCH.
The first rector of the church was Dr. Mansfield, whose parish consisted of the present towns of Derby, Orange, Woodbridge, Seymour, Oxford, Southbury, Naugatuck and Waterbury. He was rector of St. James's church, Derby, 72 years without a break - a solitary instance, it is believed, in the Episcopal church of this country. He lived to the ripe old age of 96, and died in 1820.
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SEYMOUR, PAST AND PRESENT.
The Sundayschool dates from 1827 and in the same year a bell was obtained for the church at a cost of $257. The church was never warmed until 1827 when a stove was presented by Deacon Isaac Kinney. In 1829 the pews were first rented, immediate pay- ment being made. The first organ was put in in 1831.
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VIEW FROM CASTLE ROCK WITH TRINITY CHURCH ON THE RIGHT.
The name of the parish and church was changed from Union to Trinity at Easter, 1856, and in the following year the church was repaired and improved at a cost of about $6,000. The seating capacity of the church was doubled and the interior was refur- nished. The remodeled and renovated building was dedicated by Bishop Williams, May 11, 1858.
The longest rectorship has been that of Rev. O. Evans Shan- non, who remained thirteen years, during which time 105 were con- firmed.
In 1891 a new chancel was added to the building and the in- terior was finely decorated. A beautiful memorial window was
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THE CHURCHES.
placed above the reredos, the gift of Hon. Carlos French, in mem- ory of his daughter Carlotta. A new chancel organ by Roosevelt was at that time built tosupplant the old Jardine organ, which had stood in the western gallery for many years. Two years later, a new oak pulpit was given, and in 1895 the society of the Dangh- ters of the King gave chancel furnishings, and the Brotherhood of St. Andrew placed a copper cross over the roof of the new chan- cel. This chancel was consecrated Feb. 26, 1897, the one hun- dredth anniversary of the organization of the parish.
A beautiful, spreading maple tree, planted before the door around which the horses were hitched whilst their owners wor- shipped, and under whose branches the congregation gathered at noontime, between services, generations ago, still shades the old church, and almost hides it from view in the summer time.
During this period of a hundred years, the parish has enjoyed the ministrations of twenty-three rectors, whose term of office has varied from one to thirteen years. The roll is as follows : 1797-1802, Dr. Richard Mansfield. 1845-6, Rev. John Purvis. 1803, Rev. Solomon Blakeslee. 1847, Rev. Abel Nichols. 1848-50, Rev. Wm. F. Walker. 1804, Rev. Calvin White. 1805-6, Rev. Ammi Rogers. 1851-2, Rev. Charles G. Ackley.
1807, Rev. Ambrose Todd.
1810, Rev. Solomon Blakeslee.
1813, Rev. James Thompson.
1853-66, Rev. O. Evans Shannon.
1867-75, Rev. George Seabury.
1814, Rev. Calvin White.
1875-7, Rev. E. K. Lessell. 1878-81, Rev. James H. VanBuren.
1815-16, Rev Chauncey Prindle. 1881-88, Rev. J. D. S. Pardee.
1817-19, Rev. James Thompson. 1889, Rev. E. H. Cleveland.
1819-21, Rev. Aaron Humphreys. 1890-94, Rev Joseph B. Shepherd. 1822-32, Rev. Stephen Jewett. 1895-9, Rev. Robert B. Kimber. 1833, Rev. Charles W. Bradley. 1900-01, Rev. W. A. Woodford. 1834-44, Rev. John D. Smith.
The wardens of the church are L. A. Camp and L. W. Church. The vestrymen are Peter Ward, F. G. Bassett, R. W. Chatfield, J. B. Honey. C. G. Smith, F. G. Hurd and W. S. Cooper.
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THE CHURCH OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
OMAN Catholic services were first held in Seymour in 1844 in the "Old Long House" on the site of the fire engine house, by Rev. Father Smith of New Haven. There were then only six men of theRoman Catholic faith in the village then known as Humphreysville. They were Nicholas and Daniel Brockway, Nicholas Cass, Patrick and Thomas Gaffney and James Quinlan. The "Long House" referred to above, in which mass was celebrated in 1844, was on the east side of what is now Raymond street. It
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THE CHURCHES.
was a two story building, intended for six families and was torn down some forty years ago, and the fire engine house now stands where the south end of the " Long House " was.
At first they usually went to New Haven to attend mass, and an occasional service was given here. After a little the village was made a mission station, included in the Waterbury parish, later in Naugatuck and Birmingham, the latter being in the time of Rev. John Lynch. In 1851 he purchased the lot where the church now stands for $400, and in 1856 the first Catholic church of Seymour was built. This is still standing just south of the new church, having been fitted up for a rectory.
INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF ST. AUGUSTINE.
The first resident pastor, Rev. John McMahon, was stationed here in October, 1885, and remained until May 1, 1886, when Rev. R. C. Gragan was appointed pastor. There was then a floating debt of $1.000, which was soon paid. A larger church being greatly needed, in January, 1887, he commenced an effort to build a new one, by issuing subscription papers. These were generously filled up by the parishioners and friends of other denominations who aided liberally.
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SEYMOUR, PAST AND PRESENT.
Ground was broken for the new church May 4th, 1888, and the corner stone was laid by Rt. Rev. Bishop McMahon July 15, 1888, and on that day a collection amounting to $1, 100 was taken up. The church was occupied for the first time Dec. 25, 1889, and was dedicated May 18, 1890.
The Church of St. Augustine is a handsome building, of wood, facing on Washington avenue, and overlooking the central part of the town. Its dimensions are 53x101 feet, with a spire 118 feet in height, and dials on the four sides, ready for a clock. A fine bell. has been put in. The interior of the church is finished in cherry and oak and the frescoing is in light shades, giving avery pleasing effect. The windows are of stained glass. The seating capacity of the church is600. The cost of the edifice was $13,000.
The side windows are large and handsome, and were donated by the following: Matthias Bunyan, Sr., and family; John McCarthy, Sr., and family; James Howard; James Shay, Sr., and family; Tim- othy O'Brien and family; John Kelleher and family; Patrick Crow- ly, Sr., and family; Michael Reagan and family; Michael McNer- ney and family; John Ryan memorial, Mrs. John Ryan, Sr .; James Daniher, double window, memorial, Mrs. James Daniher; Mr. and Mrs. Owen Conroy, double memorial window by Michael, Eugene and Mary Conroy. The chancel window was the gift of William Molans, and the vestibule windows were the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Molans.
The three handsome altars finished in gold and white, were all donated, the large central altar by Rev. R. C. Gragan, then the pastor of the church; the altar of the Blessed Virgin by the Scapu- lar Society and the Society of the Children of Mary; and the altar of St. Joseph by Mrs. Ellen Fitzgibbons. The altar rail is of pol- ished cherry, with burnished brass pillars. The choir gallery at the rear of the church is large and wellfitted, jutting out in a half octa- gon bay at the front. A fine organ was placed in the choir gallery.
Rev. M. F. Rigney became pastor of the church in April, 1894. There was then an indebtedness of $6,635, the larger part of which has since been paid and many improvements have been made, in- cluding the fitting up of the basement and building granite in place of the original wooden steps. Starting with six Catholics in 1844, St. Augustine's parish has today, about 700 members-600 in Sey- mour proper, and the remainder in Beacon Falls and Oxford, which are in Father Rigney's jurisdiction.
THE GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH.
HIS church was organized in 1893 under the direction of Rev. Jacobus Wittke. A site was selected on West street, near Church street, and the building was erected in 1894 and was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day. Rev. Jacobus Wittke re- signed in 1894 and was succeeded by Rev. R. Lucas, who remained until 1897. Rev. Max Mueller was the pas- tor in 1897-8, and Rev. Paul E. T. Lempke since the lat- ter date.
The officers of the church are : presi- dent, Fred. Rei- mann ; vice-presi- dent, Christ Grele ; recording secretary, Louis Schuster ; fi- nancial secretary, John Schuster; treas- urer, August Schwen- tor ; trustees, Her- man Wirth, Jacob Keller, Gustav Fisch- er, John Grele, Geo. Kuhlmann. There are in the Sunday- school twelve teach- ers and about one
hundred children. Henry Rumetsch is the superintendent.
The following soceties are connected with the church : Ladies' Aid society, founded in 1898 by Rev. M. Mueller, having thirtyfive members, Mrs. Charles Mannweiler president. Young People's society, organized in 1899, twentyfive members, of which the pastor is president, meets twice a month.
THE GREAT HILL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
HE first formation of an Ecclesiastical society on Great Hill took place Nov. 29, 1775, when the inhabitants of Great Hill and Rockhouse Hill met in the Great Hill schoolhouse and elected the following officers : Benjamin Tomlinson, moder- ator ; Joseph Canfield, Joseph Tomlinson and Noah Tomlinson, committee ; Samuel Russell, clerk, and Lieut. John Bassett of Five Mile Hill, collector. The bounds of the society were, north by Five Mile Brook and Little River, west by the Housatonic or Great River, south by the road leading by the old Bassett place, east by the Naugatuck river. They held their first meetings in the schoolhouse at the foot of the hill, near the M. E. church and con- tinued to hold their meetings there for four years.
In May, 1779, they petitioned the General Assembly to grant an act of incorporation into an ecclesiastical society to be known as the Great Hill Society, bounded as follows: beginning at the southerly corner of Benjamin Bassett's land by the Great river, running thence in a straight line to the mouth of Hasekey Meadow Brook where it empties into the Naugatuck river, thence up said river to the great new bridge, thence running northeasterly as the road runs, to the easterly corner of David Wooster's meadow, thence running to Abner Johnson's dwelling house, leaving the same on north side of said line, from thence to Five Mile Brook where it crosses the Woodbury road leading to Derby, thence down said brook to the Great river, thence down said river to the first mentioned boundary. This memorial was signed by Deacon John Holbrook and others. The following resolution was passed by the General Assembly :
Resolved, That all the inhabitants dwelling in that part of the township of Derby, lying within the above described lines and boundaries be, and the same are hereby constituted and made an ecclesiastical society, by the name of the Great Hill Society, with all the privileges, immunities and advantages that all other eccle- siastical societies by law have and enjoy.
John Holbrook was elected the first deacon, and it is said that Mr. Holbrook built the church at his own expense. It is stated in
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THE CHURCHES.
the Derby History that he and his wife Abigail gave the land for the Episcopal church at Derby, but the John who was the first deacon and built the church at Great Hill was a grandson of John (who d. 1752) and Abigail (Gun) Holbrook of Derby. This John Holbrook married Huldah Fox and was a soldier in the Revolution- ary war. He lived where his son Benjamin afterward lived, near the burial ground at Great Hill.
The organization of the society and the building of the church is said to have come about in this wise: John Holbrook was an ar- dent patriot, having given three sons to the cause of freedom, and he was greatly displeased with Rev. Mr. Mansfield's views regarding the Revolution and was so offended that he left the church at Derby, and having a sawmill and plenty of timber, built the meetinghouse on his own land in what was long known as meetinghouse meadow, and soon there was a prosperous church in the midst of a thrifty farming community. Deacons Bassett and Holbrook were the stewards. It was said that the singing could not then be excelled.
The first society meeting held after the charter was received was held in the schoolhouse Sept. 20, 1779. The church was built in 1781, and the first meeting in the church was held in March, 1782. On November, 1783, they voted to hire preaching every other Sabbath until the first of May.
Capt. John Holbrook, Benjamin Bassett, and Jonathan Lum, Jr., were appointed a committee by the society to select a place for a burying ground, and selected a place east of John Holbrook's land, on land belonging to his father.
Dec. 3, 1782, they voted to hire a Mr. Birdsey to preach until the first of May. On Dec. 21, 1787, they voted to hire Mr. Abner Smith, with a salary of seventy pounds and fire wood, and a settle- ment of one hundred pounds. Rev. Mr. Smith accepted the call March 8, 1787, and preached there for many years. He married a daughter of Major Bull of Woodbury, whose grandson was the late Hon. Thomas Bull of that place. Her remains, with one child, rest in the Great Hill cemetery, where a plain marble memorial stone was erected to their memory. Mr. Smith continued in the pasto- rate until age and infirmity obliged him to retire. He then went with his son-in-law, the Rev. T. Babbit, to the West, where he died, having lived nearly a hundred years.
The old parsonage is yet standing on the forty-acre farm on the top of the hill, in good condition. The old communion service,
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SEYMOUR, PAST AND PRESENT.
with the parlor chairs of the old parsonage, are in possession of the Benham brothers whose summer home is the first house west of the location of the old church, and with other ancient relics, are highly prized for their antiquity and associations. The old road opposite the meetinghouse was then a wide public street where on training days the military used to parade. The town meetings were long held at Great Hill, Derby and Humphreysville, each in their turn every third year.
The main road across the Hill was the principal thoroughfare for travel for teams transporting merchandise from Derby Landing to Woodbury and the northern country merchants. The stopping places or taverns were at Capt. Abel Holbrook's, and Squire Rus- sell Tomlinson's, where Mr. Scranton now lives.
A romantic story is told of the early times of the old church. A young clergyman, James Noyes, of a distinguished family, came from New Haven to preach, and when Deacon Holbrook's hand- some daughter Anna came into church he fell in love with her. Espying her book in her vacated seat, he wrote in it, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" She wrote in return, "Come and see." The acquaintance thus oddly begun led to a happy union. They settled in Wallingford and had two sons and daughters. The sons were Rev. James Noyes, Jr., and Joseph ; the daughters, Anna, Esther and others.
Rev. Abner Smith had no successor as pastor there. The old church has vanished, its records have mostly disappeared, but it is worthy of remembrance as having been one of the centers of re- ligious influence and patriotism in the formative period of the re- public. Though the church is no more its influence is perennial and ever widening, through the descendants of those who once formed its membership. Scattered far and wide, east and west, they help to make up the representatives of that sterling character and enlightened Christian principle which alone can maintain a free government.
GREAT HILL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
DITHIS is one of the oldest Methodist societies in Connecticut and at one time ranked highest in strength and numbers in the Derby Circuit, which then included the towns of the Nauga- tuck Valley as far as Waterbury. Rev. Heman Bangs, who was presiding elder about eighty years ago, said Great Hill was his main stay, and Rev. Elijah Woolsey, circuit preacher in 1814, in his book called "The Lights and Shadows of the Itinerancy," gives space to incidents of his experience on Great Hill. Capt. Bassett heard Mr. Woolsey preach in the schoolhouse and was so impressed with the sermon that he asked Mr. Woolsey on his next round to preach at his home. The invitation was accepted, with the result that he and his family became members of the society, and the end is yet, one of his descendants being now an able Meth- odist minister.
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SEYMOUR, PAST AND PRESENT.
From the time when Rev. Jesse Lee proclaimed the "Glad Tidings " through the valley of the Naugatuck, service was held here by his successors from time to time, and a prosperous church grew up. For a number of years, between 1810 and 1820, Cyrus Botsford was chorister and was considered an excellent music teacher. The choirs in those days were large and some humorous anecdotes were told of corrections made by Mr. B. when discordant notes were heard.
Anson Gillette, son of Capt. Jeremiah Gillette, of Revolution- ary times, was converted under the preaching of Rev. Jesse John- son. He was the first class leader and his wife and five of his sons became members of the church. Others of the early Methodists were Mrs. David Tomlinson, with one son and three daughters ; Capt. Isaac Bassett and wife with one son and six daughters, and James Tomlinson and wife. Eli Gillette, son of Anson Gillette, was from his youth a consistent and efficient member of the Great Hill church. He was one of the trustees for more than forty years and was for many years a member of the board of stewards. He died in 1899 aged eightynine years. Judson English was a zealous, old-fashioned Methodist and was closely identified with the Great Hill church for half a century. He was a class leader from 1851 to 1865, died Aug. 12, 1876, aged 81 years. He left to the church a legacy of $1,000 in bonds, which, however, before they came into the possession of the church had depreciated so much that only $400 was realized from their sale.
In 1838 Rev. David Miller was pastor at Humphreysville and Great Hill, making his home at Great Hill. In 1842-3 Rev. Ezra Jagger, in 1844 Rev. Moses Blydenburgh, and in 1845-6 Rev. George L. Fuller, all pastors of both the Humphreysville and Great Hill churches, lived on Great Hill making the church at the center take a secondary position, the parsonage there being rented for what income it might bring.
The eccentric Rev. George L. Fuller is still remembered by many. Fearless and untiring in his Master's service, he labored with great success and many were the anecdotes told of his labors. A man, at whose house a prayer-meeting was to be held one Sat- urday evening, sent an invitation to a neighbor, a staunch Presbyte- rian, to attend. He sent back word that he wished to be excused as he "kept Saturday night," but he soon began to attend the meetings and continued to be a regular attendant for more than thirty years.
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The old Congregational church which stood near the top of the hill, and had long been given up to the Methodists, had never been finished, and in winter was so cold that meetings were held in the old red schoolhouse at the foot of the hill.
Many colored people were accustomed to attend the meetings but they took the rear seats, next the wall, and always remained in their seats until the white people had passed out.
The present church edifice was built by subscription in 1853-4. Almost the only preaching on the hill for the forty years preceding had been by the Methodists, to whom the old Congregational church had been given up. The church was dedicated on Wednesday, October 25th, 1854. The subscriptions that day were $580, leaving a debt of only $300, which was soon paid. Abel Holbrook deeded land Feb. 8, 1862, to Judson English, Eli Gillette and Josiah Bas- sett, trustees, for the use of the church.
The church has a fund of $400 given by Judson English, who left bonds to the value of $1,000 for the church, but before the church came into possession of them they had depreciated in value so that only $400 was realized.
A legacy of $5,000 was left to the church by Mrs. Cynthia Treat Merrill, of New Haven, who died in 1887, the money to be paid over to the society at the end of ten years from her death. She also left $2,000 to the society on condition that an evening school be maintained several months every year, and $2,000 more for library purposes. The first payment of $5,000 has been made but the conditions of the other two legacies of $2,000 each have not yet matured.
Frederick M. Clemons was a liberal and efficient member of the board of trustees and was also one of the stewards. He was several times elected a member of the board of education of the town of Seymour. He was a member of New Haven Commandery, Knights Templar, whose emblem, the cross and crown, attested his faith in the christian religion. His death, which occurred July 25th, 1886, was a great loss to the Great Hill church.
J. W. Tomlinson has for many years been one of the most efficient members of the church, filling the office of trustee, stew- ard, class leader and Sunday school superintendent. He is a zeal- ous temperance man and is universally respected as a conscienscions and upright citizen.
RECORD
OFFICE
THE FALLS AND VICINITY IN 1872.
CHAPTER II. THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES OF SEYMOUR.
BY W. C. SHARPE.
VEN in the early years of the settlements here incipient manu- facturing industries were carried on in the households of the settlers, industries which were in later years to develop to great magnitude and become leading factors in the growth of the community. The settlers cultivated flax and their wives and daughters were dextrous with the spinning wheel and the hand loom. Flocks of sheep grazed upon the hillsides and in the valleys and their fleeces were utilized in the fabrication of clothing. The spinning wheel for flax and wool was considered a necessary article in a well ordered farm house, and it was often accompanied by the hand loom, reel, and cards, soon to be superceded by carding machines. Mothers and daughters were skilled in making stout and durable cloth, as well as in the preparation of woolen yarn for mittens and stockings. The first record of a mill in this vicinity was by a deed of transfer dated August, 1747, from George Abbott of Derby to Stephen Perkins of New Haven. The mill was located on Little River, it is said about two miles from where it empties into the Naugatuck. This deed transferred to Mr. Perkins " one half of a sawmill, the whole of a gristmill or corn mill, and a dwelling house." The consideration was "five hundred pounds money, old tennor."
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