USA > Connecticut > New London County > New London > The early history of the First church of Christ, New London, Conn. > Part 15
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THE GOVERNOR.
this entry of her baptism on the records of the Church. "June 25, my own daughter, who was born June 19 at two o'clock in the morning, Kath- erine." She married a Mr. Brattle. Nathaniel was born in 1706. The following is the record of his baptism : "July 7, my own son (born the Friday before) Nathaniel." He married Mrs. Lucretia Ar- nold, March 1, 1733. Gurdon was born December 22, 1708, and was baptized by Rev. Eliphalet Adams, February 20, 1709, and was the first child to which he administered the ordinance after becoming pastor of the Church. He married Rebecca Winthrop in 1733. Richard was born September 1, 1710 and lived but a few days.
Governor Saltonstall died suddenly at his home in New London, from a stroke of apoplexy, September 20, 1724, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, and in the full possession of all his rare powers. The blow was felt throughout the Colony. A vast concourse of people gathered at his funeral. The loss was mourned throughout New England, as well as Connecticut. He was buried with solemn religious ceremonies and imposing military honors, in a tomb which he had prepared, in that ancient cemetery, which deserves to be called New London's Burial Hill. He still sleeps in that historic spot where rests the dust of so many
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of the men and women who had a hand in laying the foundations of this matchless harbor town.
The high estimate put upon his worth of character and rare ability, may be learned from what was said of him after his death. The Boston News Letter of October 1, 1724, said, " At twelve the next day he expired, to the almost unexampled sorrow of all that saw, or since have heard of it, not only through all that government, but the whole land." Rev. Elipha- let Adams said in a discourse delivered at his funeral, " Who did not admire his consummate wisdom, pro- found learning, his dexterity in business, and inde- fatigable application, his intimate acquaintance with men and things, and his superior genius ? And what was more than this, his unaffected piety and love to God's house, his exact life and exemplary conversa- tion ? In what part of learning did he not excel ? He had mastered every subject which he undertook, and nothing could escape his penetration. How great did he appear whether in court or camp! He was an oracle in law, and no man was better read, either in the agitated controversies, or abstruse points of di- vinity."
Upon his death Dr. Cotton Mather, the famous Boston divine, preached a sermon October 1, 1724, "in commemoration of that good and great man, the Honorable Gurdon Saltonstall, Esq., late Governor
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of Connecticut," which was "printed by T. Green, 1724,"' in New London. The text was Proverbs xi, 11, " By the blessing of the upright the city is exalt- ed." Substituting the word "colony" for " city," he proceeds to set forth the doctrine that " A city, yea, every society that has men of a right character in it, will by the blessing of such men be remarkably blessed of God," and to apply it to Governor Salton- stall, in words like these, " Who are the men of rec- titude (in our translation called the upright) whom every city or society they belong to, will always fare better for ? A compendious, a comprehensive, and an unexceptionble answer might I at once give unto it, by only saying, ' Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright,' who was lately to be seen at the helm of the government of the colony of Connecticut." In a letter of condolence to Mrs. Saltonstall, he speaks of him as "one who had in him such uncommon collections of all that might render a person more pre- cious than the golden wedge of Ophir." In closing his discourse Dr. Mather said, " We will not call him a star, but even a constellation of the most fulgid endowments." " And yet these were his lesser ex- cellencies ; unspotted piety, inviolate integrity, exem- plary humanity, were what yet more potently bespoke for him a place among the excellent of the earth."' Speaking of his assuming the gubernatorial office,
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Dr. Mather said, he " looked on the government cast upon him, to be but a betrustment for which he was accountable to the glorious one, who is the Lord of all."
Much more might be quoted from the almost ful- .some eulogies which were pronounced upon our fel- · low townsman of a former generation, After mak- ing due allowances, we have left the irresistible conviction that he was a great man.
He was one of a noble company of heroic men and women who helped to lay the foundations of the greatest nation of modern times. They made their age famous and colossal. One of the chief figures among his contemporaries, who was prominent in civil, social, educational and ecclesiastical affairs of this Colony, and of this city, for more than thirty- three years, was GURDON SALTONSTALL.
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XII.
THE DIACONATE.
So far as can be ascertained the First Church of Christ has had forty deacons, including those now in office. We have, however, no positive knowledge of the existence of its diaconate previous to Mr. Brad- street ; only such as is to be gained from incidental sources. But these are sufficient to establish the fact, beyond a reasonable doubt, that there were dea- cons as early as 1655. Thus the diary of Thomas Miner says "Sabath day the 8 [of July, 1655] we had a sacrament." In the same year he speaks of " deacon perke." Who this was will appear.
It would not be like a Congregational Church to go on for thirty years without these New Testament officers. Whether the sacrament administered July 8, 1655, was the first we cannot tell. It may have been observed to signalize the entrance into the first meeting house which was completed early in that year. There must have been one or more deacons at that time. . We give the list of those who we know have served this Church in that office.
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1. THOMAS PARK is placed first on the list, though there may have been others before him. He was the son of Robert Park, and came to New Lon- don with his father early in 1650. His wife was a sister of Mrs. Blinman. They lived on the south- west corner of Granite and Hempstead streets, as we have already seen. Mr. Robert Park came with his family to New England from Preston, Lancashire, England, in 1630, in the ship Arabella. They landed at Boston, and probably settled in Roxbury. About 1635 they removed to Wethersfield. Their coming to Pequot was due largely, it may be presumed, to the fact that Mr. Blinman was to move here from Gloucester.
It would be most natural for Mr. Blinman's Church to choose his brother-in-law to serve in the office of deacon. Besides, there seems to have been the stuff that deacons are made of in the Park family. For Deacon William Park, of Roxbury, was his brother. We know that Thomas Park was chosen a deacon, from the diary of Thomas Miner. We have seen that he called him "deacon perke," under date of October 22, 1655. September 23, 1659, he wrote, " decon perke was at Misticke." Similar entries appear September 15, 1661, June 30, 1663, and later on. Who this "decon," or "deacon" Park or Perke was seems to be settled by this entry in
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Mr. Miner's diary for April 9, 1672: "Tuesday the 9th I was with deacon parke the 10th day deacon parke and we wer at quanqutoge. the 11th day mr. noyce and deacon prake and the com- . pany was heare. I agreed with mr. noyce and Tho. park." So that " decon perke" was Thomas Park. Hon. Richard A. Wheeler, one of Thomas Park's descendants, says, "Dea. Parke of whom Thomas Miner speaks in his Diary was Thomas Park who came with his father, Robert Park, from Wethers- field to New London in the early part of the year 1650." Mr. Wheeler also says "of what church Thomas Park was deacon I do not know unless it was your New London church. He was not, nor could he have been a deacon of the first Congregational church of Stonington, for our church was not organized until several years after he went to Preston to re- side." This, then, was the only Church of which he could have been deacon in 1655, when Mr. Miner gives him that title. Then it does not seem out of place to say that he officiated at the Lord's Supper, July 8 of that year, of which Thomas Miner speaks. He must have been chosen prior to that date.
He lived a number of years at Mystic, within the bounds of Stonington. Some time before 1674 he removed to lands which belonged to him in the northern part of New London. In 1680 he was reck-
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oned as an inhabitant of the latter place. Later he was included in Preston, and was the first deacon of Mr. Treat's Church, organized in that town in 1698. He died July 30, 1709. When he laid down his office here we do not know. But it may have been when he moved to his lands in the northern part of New London, before 1674.
2. JOHN SMITH came to New London from Boston early in 1653. His name appears in the list of mem- bers October 5, 1670. We know that he was a deacon of the Church, for in Mr. Bradstreet's diary is the following entry : "October 4, 1679; John Smith, one of the deacons of this church, a man of piefy and use in the church and Town, went to heaven." As he came to New London in 1653, and as his name appears on the first list of members October 5, 1670, it seems probable that he joined the Church soon after his arrival, and that he was asso- ciated with Thomas Park, and officiated at that com- munion, July 8, 1655, of which Thomas Miner tells us.
3. WILLIAM DOUGLAS seems to have been born in Scotland in 1610. He came to Boston in 1640, and to New London in December 1659. He was also one of those who composed the Church at the time of Mr. Bradstreet's ordination. We know that he was a deacon, because under date of July 26, 1682, Mr. Bradstreet wrote in his diary, " Mr. William
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THE DIACONATE.
Douglas, one of the deacons of this church died in the 72 year of his age. He was an able christian, and this poor church will much want him."
Of the date of his election we have no definite knowledge. In 1665 Mr. Douglas was sent to Boston to confer with " Mr. Wilson and Mr. Eliot " with reference to " the procureing of a minister for the towne."' He may have been chosen to this duty because he was an officer in the Church. Further, Thomas Miner, in his diary, preserves a certificate of Christian character voted by this Church to himself and wife, June 30, 1669. It was signed on behalf of the Church by James Avery and William Douglas. It may be that their acting for the Church pointed to some official relation. There was no pastor at the time, and Mr. Avery may have acted as moderator. Mr. Douglas may have signed as a deacon. For these reasons the date of his choice to the office of deacon is placed before October 9, 1665, when he was chosen to go to Boston on the business of securing a pastor for the Church.
4. WILLIAM HOUGH came to New London from Gloucester about 1653. Thomas Miner writes in his diary, under date of July 27, 1670, "I and my wife was at new london goodman Rice and William Hough was received into the church." We know that he was a deacon because, August 10, 1683, in the last
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entry which Mr. Bradstreet made in his diary, he says, " William Hough, a deacon of this Church, aged about 64, died. He was a solid man, and his death is a great loss to church and Town." He was elected deacon sometime after July 27, 1670. He may have succeeded Deacon Park.
5. JOSEPH COIT was the youngest son of John Coit, who came to New London from Gloucester, with Mr. Blinman, in 1650. He is the ancestor of all the Coits in Connecticut, and perhaps in the United States. He joined the Church April 3, 1681. His name is entered as Deacon Coit on Mr. Saltonstall's list of members, November 25, 1691, as already in that office. Then his election took place after 1681 and before 1691. The exact date cannot be found. Deacon Coit's second son Joseph was the first minister of Plainfield. Deacon Coit died March 27, 1704.
6. WILLIAM DOUGLAS, JR. The date of his choice is not known. His name appears on the Church records as deacon first in 1696, but so as to imply that he held the office before that date. He joined the Church in 1670, soon after the ordination of Mr. Bradstreet. His oldest son, William, removed to Plainfield, and was one of the first deacons of that Church, as Deacon Coit's son was its first minister. He was deacon of this Church for many years. His grave is in The Towne's Antientest Buriall Place,
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and upon his stone is this inscription, "Here lyeth ye body of Deacon William Douglas, who died March ye 9, 1724, in ye 80 year of his Age."
7. CLEMENT MINER, son of Thomas Miner, was born in Hingham, Mass., in 1638. He came to New London with his father when eight or nine years of age, and continued to reside here till his death November 8, 1700. His grave is in the old burying ground, and is marked by a slab on which is the simple inscription, C. M., 1700.
He joined this Church April 30, 1671. We know that he was a deacon, because he usually appears on the town records either as Ensign Clement, or Deacon Clement Minor. The date of his election to this office is left wholly to conjecture. But as Deacon Hough died August 10, 1683, we may infer that he was chosen as his successor not long after. The pastor was the only Church clerk of those times, and as Mr. Bradstreet's death occurred soon after that of Deacon Hough, no record of Clement Miner's election to the diaconate was made.
8. JOHN PLUMBE was chosen probably in 1700. January 6, 1695, Mr. Saltonstall, in recording the baptism of Mr. Plumbe's daughter, Abigail, calls him John Plumbe, Jr. December 29, 1700 he makes this record of baptism, " Deacon Plumbe's child, Peter." His appointment to the office of deacon took place
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therefore between January 6, 1695, and December 29, 1700. The exact date cannot be fixed. But the death of Deacon Miner November 8, 1700 offered a fitting occasion, and we may suppose that he was chosen not long after. He joined this Church Octo- ber 15, 1693. He probably died sometime during 1732, the year in which his successor, Thomas Fos- dyke, was chosen.
9. TIMOTHY GREEN joined this Church November 13, 1720. Mr. Adams made the following entry on the Church records on that date: "Timothy Green and his wife were recommended to our church from the North church in Boston." April 20, 1723, Mrs. Green was called "the deacon's wife" in a vote of the town assigning to her a seat in the Church, "on the woman's side." His election to the office of deacon, therefore, took place between these dates. Hempstead, in his diary, under date of May 4, 1757, writes, "deacon Timothy Green died this morning with diabetis aged 78." His funeral was the next day. Miss Caulkins says that when Thomas Short, the first printer of the Colony, died in 1712, Timothy Green, of Cambridge, was invited by the Governor and company to take the place. He came about the year 1714. He proved a valuable accession to society. He was a benevolent and reli- gious man, and an agreeable companion, having always at command a fund of native humor.
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THE DIACONATE.
10. THOMAS FOSDYKE joined this Church October 6, 1717. Mr. Adams made this record: "Thomas Fosdyke was recommended to our communion from the old church in Boston." Another entry made by Mr. Adams reads, " At a church meeting December 11, 1732, Thomas Fosdyke was chosen Deacon in the Room of Deacon John Plombe deceased." He was a son of Captain Samuel Fosdick, who came "from Charlestown in the Bay" about 1680, and married Mercy Picket, of New London, November 1, 1682. Their third son, Thomas, was born August 20, 1696. He was, therefore, thirty-six years of age when he was chosen deacon. June 29, 1720, he married Esther Updike. To them was born April 3, 1725, Thomas Updike Fosdick, who figured somewhat in the scenes of the Revolution. Deacon Fosdyke mar- ried, for his second wife, Grace, daughter of Clem- ent Miner, September 2, 1765. He died July 17, 1774, say the records of the town, aged seventy-eight. He must have gone to Boston in early life, where he joined the Church. For he was received into this Church by letter " from the old church" in that city, when he returned in 1717.
11. PYGAN ADAMS was the second son of Rev. Eliphalet Adams and Lydia Pygan. He was born March 27, 1712, and was baptized March 30. He joined the Church March 30, 1740. Rev. Mather
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Byles entered the following upon the records of the Church : " May 5, 1758, the church met at the Meeting House after a Sacrament Lecture and Pygan Adams Esqr. was chosen by a very large majority to be deacon in room of Timothy Green deceased." May 5, 1758, Mr. Hempstead wrote in his diary, " At Lecture and then wee, the church, chose Capt. Pygan Adams a deacon ; twenty-five votes for him and Daniel Coit 1; 28 voters." October 22 of that year he wrote, "Mr. Byles preached in a new pulpit and Capt. Adams officiated for the first time as dea- con." Deacon Adams died and was buried in our ancient cemetery. The epitaph on his stone reads "In memory of Pygan Adams, Esqr., who died July 1776, aged 64."
12. JOHN HEMPSTEAD and his wife Hannah, joined this Church June 21, 1741. He was a son of Mr. Joshua Hempstead, the author of the diary. His election to the office of deacon is thus recorded by Rev. Ephraim Woodbridge : " November 17, 1770, being ye day of public thanksgiving, Mr. John Hempstead declared his acceptance of ye deacon's office to which he was elected by ye chh in September and was accordingly set apart to yt work and office by prayer." The vote of the September previous, elect- ing him to office was not recorded.
13. JOSEPH HARRIS was a son of Joseph Harris.
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He was born December 1711, and baptized Decem- ber 30. He joined this Church November 7, 1734, and was chosen deacon June 25, 1782.
14. WILLIAM DOUGLAS, the third deacon of the Church who bore that name, was also elected June 25, 1782. He was a son of Capt. Richard Douglas, · and great grandson of the first Deacon William. He was born January 1, 1708, and was baptized Febru- ary 1, by the Rev. John Woodward of the First Church in Norwich, this Church being at that time without a pastor. He joined this Church January 21, 1728. " He was constable in 1765, and a man of considerable importance in his day." [Douglas Gene- alogy, p. 84.] He died November 12, 1787, aged nearly eighty years. It is in place to say here that until the present, which breaks the honorable line of succession, there has been a Deacon William Douglas in every generation of the family from the first.
An entry on the Church records during the long interval between Mr. Woodbridge and Mr. Channing reads as follows : "At a meeting of the First Church of Christ in New London on June 25, 1782, on the occasion of choosing deacons in said Church, the Rev. Benj. Throop of Norwich being occasionally present was by the desire and unanimous vote of the Church appointed their moderator; when Joseph Harris Esq' and Mr. William Douglas were chosen
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Deacons by the major vote of said church, and accepted their office." At the time of their election these men were well advanced in life, Deacon Harris being over seventy-one and Deacon Douglas over sev- enty-four.
15. TIMOTHY GREEN was chosen April 17, 1788. He was a son of the former deacon of the same name. He first settled as a printer in Boston. But on the death of his brother, Samuel, he removed to New London, in 1752, and took charge of the busi- ness. He joined the Church January, 1788. He was one of those who came within this vote of the Church. "The following persons, who had been for many years in covenant [Half-way, probably, ] with this church, but had not joined in the communion, having applied to the Pastor for admission to this privilege, were considered by the church as regular in their standing, and agreeably to their request were admitted to unite with us in full communion."
16. ROBERT MANWARING was elected to the same office, at the same time. He united with this Church August 12, 1787. The following entry on the records was made by Mr. Channing : "At a meeting of the Pastor and Brethren, April 17, 1788, the church being convened for the purpose of making choice of two Brethren to be the Deacons of this church, a prayer for the direction and blessing of the Great
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THE DIACONATE.
Head of the Church being first offered ; the church proceeded to their choice. The votes being taken, it appeared that Brother Timothy Green, and Brother Robert Manwaring were chosen to be the Deacons of this church. Those brethren being present were de- sired to take this vote of the church into their serious consideration, and give their answer after due delib-
eration." On Thursday, the first day of May, "at the Lecture preparatory to the Lord's Supper, Brother Timothy Green and Brother Robert Manwaring were solemnly set apart by Prayer to the office of Deacons of this church, having previously declared their ac- ceptance of the choice of the church."
Deacon Manwaring removed to Norwich. But he seems to have relinquished his office before 1799. There is no record of his resignation, but in a com- plaint brought against him by the pastor, Rev. Henry Channing, dated August 27, 1799, he is called, " one of the Brethren and late a Deacon in this church." The charge made against him was that he was the author of a writing, which had been affixed to a pub- lic sign post in the city, and which contained the fol- lowing words, " Mr. Henry Channing, we agreed with you to preach Jesus Christ, not John Adams, in that most holy place, I mean the pulpit." Mr. Manwar- ing was acquitted of the charge by vote of the church, after a hearing of the case.
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17. JOHN ARNOLD united with this Church by let- ter from the Church in Lebanon, October 6, 1793. He was chosen to the office of deacon November 13, 1794. The record of the action of the Church is as follows : "The church, considering the infirmities of . the present Deacons, and that their duties are in- creased by the number added to the church, pro- ceeded to the choice of two brethren to sustain the office of Deacons in this church in addition to those now in office;"' that is, Deacons Green and Manwar- ing. As a result of the vote John Arnold was chosen as one of the two. "Thursday, May 26, 1795," the records tell us, "Brother John Arnold, having de- clared his acceptance of the office of a deacon to which he was chosen by this church, was, at the pre- paratory lecture this day, solemnly devoted to God in that office by prayer." He continued in the office till he removed from the city in 1803.
18. OLIVER CHAPMAN was the second deacon elected at the same time with John Arnold. But the records say that "Brother Oliver Chapman declined accepting the office." However, "at a meeting of the church, April 17, 1796, after a prayer for the divine direction and blessing, the church proceeded to the choice of a deacon. The votes being taken, it appeared that bro. Oliver Chapman was chosen." This time he accepted, and after the preparatory lec-
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THE DIACONATE.
ture, May 19, 1796, he "was by Prayer solemnly separated and devoted to God in that office." He joined the Church June 20, 1790.
19. JEDEDIAH HUNTINGTON joined this Church by letter from the first Church in Norwich, Novem- ber 9, 1794. The records preserve the following account of his election and induction into office : "At a meeting of the First Church in New London, after public worship on Sunday, January 20, 1799, the church being convened for the purpose of chosing one to sustain the office of a Deacon, after a prayer for the divine direction and blessing, the church pro- ceeded to the choice. The votes being taken, it ap- peared that Bro. Jedediah Huntington was chosen. He being present, was desired to take the voice of the church into serious consideration, and after due deliberation give his answer." The final result is thus recorded : "Thursday, February 14, 1799, at the public Lecture this day, brother Jedediah Hunt- ington was solemnly set apart by prayer to the office of Deacon to which he had been elected by the church."
Deacon Huntington's name appears frequently after this in various official relations. Thus he was delegate to sit, with the pastor, on the council which settled William Ellery Channing as pastor of the Federal Street Church, in Boston, June 1, 1803;
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to sit on the council that installed Rev. Abishai Alden as pastor of the Church in Montville, August 17 of the same year; to sit on the council which set- tled his son, Rev. Daniel Huntington, as pastor of the Church in Bridgewater in 1812; and many other like occasions. He had a leading voice in the action of the Church when it called Mr. McEwen. He, with Deacon Guy Richards, was a committee to make known to Mr. McEwen the action of the Church. It is probable that he was chosen to take the place of Deacon Manwaring.
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