USA > Connecticut > Middlesex County > East Hampton > The One hundred and fiftieth anniversary, 1748-1898, of the Congregational Church of East Hampton (Chatham), Conn. : November 30, 1898 > Part 3
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There were at first the square pews, galleries on the east, south, and west sides, with the pulpit and its sounding board on the north, under which were the seats for the deacons. The young men from twenty years and upward and the young woinen from eighteen years and upward-when would they cease to be young women ?- were assigned to the galleries.
This building became dilapidated during its century of use, and was injured by fire on the night of January 9, 1854. Seven years previously a special meeting, of which Lazarus Watrous was moderator, voted to build a new church, if suf- ficient funds could be obtained. Samuel Skinner, Timothy R. Markham, Amos Clark, and Amiel Abell were appointed a committee thereto. Again the difficulty of location arose, nor is it hard to see why there should have been decided differences
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
of opinion. In October, 1849, the question was left to a com- mittee. The fire settled the matter that something must be done, and March 4, 1854, the majority decided to build on the old location, appointing Hiram Veazey, Amiel Abell, Timothy R. Markham, Stephen G. Sears, Alfred Willianis, Abner G. Bevin, Amos Clark, Alexander N. Niles, and Henry Skinner the building committee. January 2, 1855, it was voted "that the meeting house be now received into the hands of the society." During 1874 the pulpit was replaced by a desk and platform, the prayer meeting room was improved, and in 1881 nearly $1,500 were expended in extensive repairs and improve- ments. Funds are in hand toward the building of a chapel, which has always been an especial need of the church. It is worthy of note that electric lights were placed in the churchi last spring.
Early action was taken in reference to music. May 15. 1760, it was voted, "Captain Jonathan Alvord-chosen to sett the psalm." Also, "Seth Alvord chosen quorister." "November ye 27th, 1762, voted to sing Watts' Varshon the whole of the time." Robert Shattock, Titus Carrier, and Bryan Parmelee are also chosen "quoristers." In 1791 eighteen were thus chosen. A pitch pipe furnished the key. This was a small wooden instrument, in shape something like a long narrow book, with a mouthpiece at one corner and on the opposite edge slides marked for the different keys. After the hymn was announced, the chorister gave out the tune, sounded the pitch pipe and raised the tune. The audience would then join in various degrees of harmony. Sometimes the pitch pipe would make its journey quite around the meeting house from one chorister to another. After this came the tuning fork. Still later Silas Hills played a single bass viol, and about 1839 William F. Clark when only twelve years of age began playing the violin in the church services. After this a reed instrument was used, and the present pipe organ was obtained in 1866. For some time previous to 1854 Dr. Nettleton's Hymns were used, and in October of that year " Psalmns and Hymns, " recom- mended by the General Association in I845, was adopted. Sunday, May 9, 1875, "Hymns and Songs of Praise," edited by Drs. Hitchcock, Eddy, and Schaff, was used for the first time. This has now given place to the "Church Hymnal."
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
The organization of this church was just as the country was emerging from the War of King George II. Mr. Norton had suffered a year's imprisonment in Canada. Many, doubtless, of the members in those early years took part in the colonial wars, but they left no record except the military titles here and there. In the French and Indian wars, from 1755 to 1759, the following names deserve mention, being more than one-third of the members known to have served from East Middletown:
Benjamin Goff,
Samuel Goff,
James Webb,
Josiah Caswell,
Elkanah Sears,
James Bill,
Joshua Bailey,
William White,
Recompense Bailey,
Bryan Parmelee,
Stephen Knowlton, Daniel Hills,
Stephen Ackley,
Titus Carrier,
Simeon Young,
Joseph Smith,
John Norton,
Marcus Cole,
James Bailey,
Moses Freeman,
Simeon Freeman.
Michael Smith, John Hailing,
And, also, as serving under Captain Savage in 1755: John Bevin, Josiah Cook, Amos Dewey, Thomas Shepard; and Lemuel Shurtleff, Samuel Mott, and Abner Norket, under Captain Champion.
During Mr. Norton's pastorate the Revolutionary War began, and only age prevented him from participating in it. The train-band under Captain Silas Dunham started at once to relieve the beleaguered citizens of Boston, but returned after five days' absence. The second officer in this company was Lieutenant Timothy Percival, who lived within the borders of Middle Haddam parish, but in 1767 was set off to this parish for his convenience in attending church. Benjamin Kneeland was ensign and Marcus Cole clerk or orderly sergeant. Other names in this roll of honor are:
Stephen Olmsted,
Benjamin Kneeland,
Lazarns Watrous,
Ralph Smith,
Thomas Hill,
Nathaniel Markham,
Samuel Kilbourn,
Daniel Clark,
Elisha Cornwell,
Samuel Hill,
Amos Clark,
John Norton,
Daniel Hill,
Elijah Clark,
Ezra Ackley,
Caleb Cook, Samuel Freeman, David Cornwell,
John Johnson, Hezekiah Goff, Ezra Purple,
Nehemiah Day,
William Bevin,
Joshua Bailey,
Sylvanus Freeman, Daniel Park, James Johnson, Jr.,
William White, Elijah Bailey, Nathaniel Garnsey,
Samuel Sexton, Daniel Mackall,
Ithamar Pelton.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
To this roll the following names are added of persons who saw more or less active service during that trying period, but it is not pretended that it is a complete list:
Stephen Ackley, .
Samuel Cowdrey,
Sylvanus Norcott,
Stephen Ackley, Jr.,
Benjamin Cobb,
John Park,
Hewitt Alvord,
Joshua Frank, colored,
Peter Parker,
Seth Alvord,
John Fuller,
Rowland Percival,
Rnel Alvord,
Stephen Gates,
Randall Shattuck,
Soloman Bailey,
Josiah Goff,
David Sears,
William Barton,
Samuel Goff,
William Stoddard,
Samuel Brown,
Jabez Hall,
Sparrow Smith,
Titus Carrier, Ensign,
Isaac Johnson,
Michael Smith,
Aaron Clark,
Daniel Judd, Jr.,
Lemuel West,
Abner Clark, died,
Ichabod Lucas,
Hopkins West,
Stephen Clark,
John Markham,
John West,
David Clark,
Jacob Norton, died,
John Welsh,
Abner Cole, Lieut.,
Elias Norton, Surg. Mate, Joel Wood,
Hendrick Cole,
Reuben Norcott,
Philip White,
Moses Cole,
William Norcott,
Thomas White, died.
In the war of 1812, the only member of this church known to have been in the service was Warren West.
The Civil War, while it called for a less sacrifice in num- bers, revealed no less patriotism and valor. The names of this Grand Army of the Republic who have been members of this church are the following:
Abner A. Bevin, Ist Lieut.,
Alexander E. Ingraham,
William H. Bevin, Ist Lieut.,
Osmer C. Hills,
David Strong, Ist Lient.,
Henry Snow,
James M. Moore, 2d Lieut.,
Gwinnett Carpenter,
Clark Strong, Adjutant,
Nelson Flood,
Lumas H. Pease, Chaplain,
Lorenzo D. Rich,
John W. Skinner, Drum Major,
Henry T. Sellew,
Samuel T. Rodman,
Horatio D. Chapman,
Stephen R. Demay,
D. Carlos Carpenter,
Hubert E. Carpenter.
In all these trials of faith the women were no less patriotic and self-sacrificing than the men, and to record their names would be to make a record of the membership of the church. And while we pray for the triumph of the Prince of Peace, we can see that in this world of partial things even the sword may be the minister of righteousness and war the hastener forward of His coming.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
East Hampton may rejoice not only that it has the Gospel preached to it, but that it has preached the Gospel, not only in the lives of holy men and holy women, whose faith and alms come up as a memorial before God, but also by those, whose names we mention, who have given themselves distinctively to the heralding of the Good News. The Rev. Howard Norton Smith,* great-great-great-grandson of the Rev. John Norton, born December 16, 1858-how well I remember the day he united with this church, July 12, 1874; studied at Oberlin, 1896; ordained at Berea, Ohio, June 6, 1889; pastor at Sara- toga Church, Omaha, Nebraska, 1889-91; at Rock Springs, Wyoming, 1891-97; and at San Luis Obispo, California.
Amasa West, born August 15, 1775; united with the church in 1803; studied at Williams; studied divinity; taught and preached at Jamestown, N. Y .; approbated to preach in 1815; preached in Ohio and Michigan; died in Wisconsin in 1850.
Benjamin Sears, born Feb. 10, 1771, married Ann Bigelow, and removed to Delaware, Ohio. Changing his views of the Christian religion, he joined the Baptist Church and devoted himself to the ministry. After serving the church in Dela- ware for some years he received an appointment as missionary, and with his two sons, John and Benjamin, went to Fort Wayne, Ind., where he aided in constructing a church, the first church established in Indiana.
Stephen Olmsted, Jr., the son of Captain Olmsted, who was buried on Miller's Hill in the same plot with the Rev. John Norton, was born in this parish, and for forty years was a Baptist clergyman in Schodack, N. Y. Another son, Jona- than, liberally endowed Hamilton College.
John Watson Alvord, born in East Hampton, April 18, 1807; Oberlin, 1836; for a long time was secretary of the American Tract Society.
Time would fail me to tell the whole story. Indeed, I sup- pose if all were told the world could not contain the books. I have tried to choose the most important facts. But it is always
* Rev. John Norton married Eunice Hitchcock. Daughter, Elizabeth Norton, married Nathaniel Clark.
Daughter, Eunice Clark, married Sparrow Smith. Son, Nathaniel C. Smith, married Charlotte Strong. Son, Henry S. Smith, married Helen M. Niles. Son, Howard N. Smith.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
sad, as Dr. S. Weir Mitchell says, that " the siftings of memory let so much of thought and feeling escape" that we keep little imore than the barren facts; and yet, as he says again, some things live for us "the life of eternal remembrance." And there is an encouragement in the words of Bacon: "Industrious persons, by an exact and scrupulous diligence and observation, out of monuments, names, words, proverbs, traditions, private records and evidences, fragments of stories, passages of books tliat concern not story, and the like, do save and recover some- what from the deluge of time."
Have I heard someone say "the former days were better than these"? Surely such an one cannot have read of those former days. All honor to the faith, fidelity, self-sacrifice, cour- age, endurance, accomplishment, of those who have gone before us. We are their debtors. But they without us are not made perfect. Ours is a better heritage-as much better as the fulfillment is better than the promise-the fruition than the flowering. They laid the foundations in the far-off past- those noble men and women, who had such "bad rhoades to travel in" that they were ready to endure hardness for the having of a church and a minister of their own. But the temple is better than the foundations. And in the larger view of the Kingdom of God, He who died for our sins sits now at the right hand of God, "from henceforth expecting until he makes his enemies the footstool of his feet." The Expectant Christ is upon the Throne.
We look across the landscape and only the tops of the hills attract our vision. In the backward glance of history it is the prominent events which hold our attention. Fortunately we try to find the best things in the past to remember. But if we study the landscape the valleys are as important as the mountains, and as surely as the universe is slowly moving towards its great center, so the lives of men, for the Cosmos is made up of particulars, are moving toward "the far-off, divine event"-the perfected Kingdom of God.
In this accomplishment the faithful life of an individual is of uncounted worth, by how much more the one hundred and fifty years of a Christian Church!
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
A SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF THE REV. JOHN NORTON.
To the Members of the Congregational Church in East hampton and their friends assembled upon the One hundred and fiftieth anniversary of its Organization, GREETING ;-
OUR anniversary committee during the past summer ex- tended me an invitation to prepare and read upon this occasion a paper relative to the life and labors of the first settled pastor of your church and parish, the Rev. Mr. John Norton, and his family. Though the preparation and reading of such papers was somewhat out of my line of busi- uess, I accepted the invitation and endeavored to obtain from reliable sources all the information respecting them that was available. That this paper is deficient in many important particulars, will be apparent to you all, but the deficiency is entirely due to the loss of important records upon those points, as every possible clue that gave any promise of throwing any light upou the subject has been closely followed, either by myself or some of his descendants, who have generously given me the benefit of their investigations, and to whom let ine here express my sincere and heartfelt thanks for the kindly interest they have taken in the matter.
Mr. Norton was born in the parish of Kensington, in the present town of Berlin, but which was at the time of his birth a part of the town of Farmington, Conn., November 16, 1715. He was the fourth son and child of John and Anna (Thompson) Norton, of Kensington, grandson of John and Ruth ( Moore) Norton, of Farmington, and great-grandson of John and Eliz- abeth (- -) Norton, whose name appears upon the first page of the first book of records of the town of Branford, Conn., in connection with the sale of land, and who was one of the eighty-four original proprietors of that township. The family is of Norman descent, and the first of the name, La Seur de Norville (afterward changed to Norton), came into England
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ALONZO CLARK, 1822-1876. Sexton of the Church for nearly 30 years.
HIRAM BARTON, 1799-1878.
For many years a member of the church choir. Son of Wmn. Barton, founder of the Bell business, East Hampton's principal industry.
.
MARTIN L. ROBERTS, 1839.
FRANCIS GRISWOLD EDGERTON, M. D., 1797-1870.
The beloved physician who for more than 40 years practiced medicine in East Hampton Parish and vicinity.
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CONGREGATIONAL, CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
from Normandy in 1066 in the celebrated filibustering crew of William the Conqueror as his constable, at that time an office of high military rank. The place to which the family traces its planting after crossing the English Channel is at Sharp- enhow, a hamlet of Bedfordshire. Mr. Norton was of the sixteenth generation that have been definitely traced in this country and England, but their pedigree has been questioned so far as it relates to some of the early families in England, but of its correctness in relation to the family since they settled in America, there can be no doubt. His father was a well-to-do farmer and resided on the main road leading from Middletown to Farmington, near what is known as Mill River crossing. He is sometimes mentioned in the Farmington records as John Norton, 3d, and also as Sergeant John Norton, which fact shows that he held that rank in the train-band, as the militia was at that time designated. The ancestors of his mother were prominent among the early settlers of Hartford and Farming- ton. No materials from which any particulars or incidents relating to his early life could be gathered have been found, and it is fair to presume that his early years were passed amid such scenes as were common to the youth and young men of that period, nearly all of whom were compelled by the mere force of circumstances to toil early and late upon the farm, which was the main dependence of the people of that time.
He graduated at Yale College in the class of 1737, being at that time in the twenty-second year of his age. It is not defi- nitely known, but the probabilities are that he was prepared to enter that institution by the Rev. William Burnham, who at that time was the pastor of his native parish. He studied theology probably at Springfield, Mass., as the records of that place show that he was a resident there soon after his gradua- tion, but the name of his tutor has not been ascertained. He was ordained at Deerfield, Mass., on the 25th day of Novem- ber, 1741, as the pastor of a church that day organized for the parish of Fall Town, then a part of the town of Deerfield, but since then incorporated as a separate town by the name of Bernardston.
Bernards-town or Beruardston at the time Mr. Norton was ordained was, as has just been mentioned, called Fall Town. It was thus designated because it was granted to the soldiers
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
or the descendants of those soldiers who were in the fight with the Indians at the Great Falls in the Connecticut River, May 18, 1676. The first meeting of the proprietors of this township was held on the 23d of September, 1741, at the house of Lieut. Sheldon, when it was voted to invite the Rev. John Norton to settle in the ministry, and he have £200 as a settlement, half in money, half in work, and a salary of {130 for the first five years, afterward to be increased £5 a year until it should amount to £170. Mr. Norton accepted this invitation, and as before stated was ordained on the 25th of November, 1741.
The Rev. Jonathan Ashley, of Deerfield, preached the ordi- nation sermon from the fifteenth chapter of Romans and the thirtieth verse: "Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and for the love of the spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me." This ser- mon was printed under the following title, which was taken from a fine copy in the possession of the Connecticut Historical Society at Hartford:
The United Endeavors and Earnest Prayers of Ministers and People to promote the great Design of the Ministry Recommended in a SERMON Preached at Deerfield Nov. 25, 1741 Upon the gathering a Church for Fall-Town and the Ordination of MR. JOHN NORTON as P'astor to the Church there BY JOHNATHAN ASHLEY A. M. and Pastor of the Church in Deerfield to which is added The charge given by the Reverend Mr. Benjamin Doolittle and a Right Hand of Fellowship by the Reverend Mr. Joseph Ashley Boston Printed by S. Kneeland and T. Green in Queenstreet 1742
"Owing to the unsettled state of the times" and the fact that his parish was situated in the angle between the military line of the Connecticut and that of the Deerfield, and conse- quently his parishioners had as much as they could do to main- tain their families in a war already commenced, and raging to that extent that in some cases the women were necessitated to bear arms in defence of their dwellings, Mr. Norton labored among them but about four years, when he was dismissed, and
.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
appointed chaplain to the line of forts that had been recently built for the protection of the inhabitants living upon the west- ern frontier of Massachusetts from the ravages of the French and their savage Indian allies.
This line of forts consisted of "Northfield," "Fall Town," "Colerain," "Fort Shirley in the Town of Heath," "Fort Pelham in the Town of Rowe," "Fort Massachusets in the town of Adams," and the soldiers posted at the "Collars," "Shattuck's Fort," "Rhodetown," and "New Hampton," all under the command of Capt. Ephraim Williams, the illustrious founder of Williams College at Williamstown, Mass.
He entered upon the service of chaplain in the month of February, 1746, and passed his time in one or the other of the forts just mentioned, as his sense of duty to each garrison might prompt or circumstances permit. His wife and three sınall children resided in Fort Shirley, which he seems to have made his headquarters.
1140703
He was at Fort Massachusetts when it was besieged and captured by a large body of French and Indians, in August, 1746, and was taken captive with the rest of the garrison and carried to Quebec, where he remained about a year, when he was exchanged and returned to Boston. He wrote an account of the siege and of his journey to Quebec, his captivity and return, which he entitled "The Redeemed Captive," possibly after a memorable precedent. The full title of this little book is as follows:
THE REDEEMED CAPTIVE being a Narrative of the taking and carrying into captivity THE REVEREND MR. JOHN NORTON.
When Fort Massachusetts surrendered to a large body of French and Indians, Aug. 20, 1746, with a particular account of the defence made before the surrender of that Fort and the Articles of Capitulation etc Together with an account both entertaining and affecting of what Mr. Norton met with and took notice of in his traveling to and while in captivity at Canada and till his arrival at Boston, on Aug. 16, 1747.
Written by himself.
Jer. 21-4. Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hand wherewith ye fight against the King of Babylon and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls I will assemble them into this city.
Chap. 50-33. The Children of Israel and the Children of Judah were op- pressed together and all that took them captives held them fast, they refused to let them go.
Lam. 1-3. Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction.
Neh. 7-6. These are the children of the Province that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away.
Boston Printed and Sold opposite the Prison 1748.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
There are but few copies of the original edition of this plain, unattractive, but highly interesting narrative of the daily details of his captivity in existence, and they are in the possession of public and historical libraries. The only copy of this edition that I have heard of being for sale was held at the sum of $650. A limited edition of one hundred copies was reprinted by the late Samuel G. Drake, of Boston, in 1870, to which he added copious notes, and that edition has now become so scarce as to- readily bring $5 per copy. A part of this work was also printed in the appendix of Drake's Particular History of the French and Indian War, 1744-1749, published in Albany, N. Y., in 1870. The greater portion of it was also reprinted, inter- spersed with interesting notes and comments, in Prof. Perry's "Origins in Williamstown," published in 1894. The first edition of this little work, that consisted of only forty duo- decimo pages, was from necessity comparatively small, arising from the fact that only his immediate friends and the friends of those who were in captivity with him would be interested in its publication, which fact would limit its circulation to a great extent and in some measure account for its scarcity. From this narrative we learn that Mr. Norton left Fort Shirley on Thursday, August 14, 1746, in company with Dr. Thomas Williams and fourteen of the soldiers, and went to Fort Pel- ham, and from thence to Captain Rice's, where he lodged that night. On Friday, the 15th, lie proceeded to Fort Massachu- setts, where he states that he designed to tarry about a month. This fort at that time was garrisoned by some twenty soldiers, about half of whom were sick, under the command of Sergeant John Hawks. On the 19th, he states that there were in the fort twenty-two men, three women and five children, and that between eight and nine o'clock of the forenoon they were attacked by a party of eight or nine hundred French and Indians under the command of Monsieur Regaud de Vaudril, who having surrounded the fort on every side began with hideous acclamations to rush towards it, firing incessantly. This mode of warfare they kept up during the day and evening and also upon the forenoon of the 20th, suffering but little damage from the defenders of the fort, who were short of ammunition. About twelve o'clock of the 20th the enemy desired to parley, which was agreed to by Sergeant Hawks,
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST HAMPTON.
who was given two hours to consider the matter of surrender- ing. Although the little garrison had held out bravely and only lost one of their number thus far during the engagement, the fact that they were surrounded by a vastly superior force, while only eight of their number were in a condition to resist an attack, and they short of ammunition, induced them, after praying to God for his guidance and a careful consideration of their circumstances, to surrender upon the best terms they could obtain. The general tenor of these terms were, that they should all be prisoners to the French and that the savages should have nothing to do with them; that the children should live with their parents during the term of their captivity, and that all should have the privilege of being exchanged at the first opportunity. Contrary, however, to the expressed stipu- lations of the articles of capitulation, a part of the garrison were turned over to the Indian allies in order to pacify them, as they were complaining bitterly because they had not been allowed a share in the spoil. Mr. Norton strongly protested against this action upon the part of the French, but without avail, and he writes that his heart was filled with sorrow and that he trembled with fear, expecting that many of those who were weak and feeble would fall by the merciless hand of the savages. It seems, however, that contrary to his expectations, the captives who fell into the hands of the Indians were well treated and kindly cared for during the long and distressing march to Canada, which they took up on the morning of the 2Ist of August, the next day after the surrender. During this march Mr. Norton was in charge of Lieutenant Dumuy, a French officer who had been in inuch active service. The route by which they proceeded lay through an unbroken wilder- less to East Creek, one of the tributaries of Lake Champlain, now known as Pawlet River, thence north by Lake Champlain and the Sorelle and St. Lawrence Rivers to Montreal, and from thence to Quebec, where they arrived on the 15th of September, having traveled the greater part of the way after leaving East Creek in canoes. During this long and distressing journey,
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