The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 26

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Hartford, Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard company
Number of Pages: 1038

USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I > Part 26

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).

" What was desired Johannes Mathesius, may now be inscribed on our Warham for an

Frituph.

Securus recubo hie mundi pertæsus iniqui; Et didici et docui vulnera, Christe, tua.

But few of his manuscript sermons are now extant; but we give now, through the courtesy of John A. Stoughion. Esq., a facsimile of some pages of a sermon found in a trunk which belonged to Esther, the mother of Jonathan Edwards, and which doubtless came into her hands from Mrs. Solomon Stoddard of Northampton, who was Mr. Warham's youngest daughter."

1 " Saviour! with life o'ertasked, oppressed, forlorn Thy Cross I preached - Thy Cross too, I have borne: But now | rest."

" Among the many noted persons who have descended from Rev. John Warham may be mentioned Rey Jonathan Edwards and son. Jonathan 2d ; Rev. Timothy Dwight, D.D : Judge John Trumbull, LL. D .; Aaron Burr: Gen. William Williams, signer of the Declaration of Independence: Hon. John Sherman; Rev. Samuel A. Worcester, D D :: Rev. Jonathan Edwards Woodbridge, D D .; Ex President Woolsey of Yale College; Judge Henry Morris of Springfield: Rev R. S. Storrs, D D , of Brooklyn; Stoddard the missionary; " Grace Greenwood ": Gen. Win T. Sherman; Bishop Williams of the Epis- copal Church: Mrs. Prof. Yardley of Berkeley Divinity School, and her sister. " Susan

ECCLESIASTICAL, 1663-1684.

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FACSIMILE OF A COUPLE OF PAGES [TWO-THIRDS ACTUAL SIZE] OF A SERMON BY REV. JOHN WARHAM, FEB. 1. 1662.

(By courtesy of author of "Windsor Farmes.")

" Mr. Warham," says Stoughton,' " seems to have been quite largely interested in real estate during the infant years of the colony, his name occurring in connection with at least twelve different transfers of real property ; and once he sells a neighbor a mare, for which the buyer gives a bond, but the investigator is left in the dark as to the merits of the beast, the record only certifying that the obligation is cancelled." Mr. Warham died possessed of a large estate, over which his heirs contended sharply for a time, until the Colonial Court decided that, as he had left "three wills," and the court could not decide as to validity of either, the estate should be distributed " According to Law." Mrs. Abigail Warham survived her husband several years, having possessed considerable prop-

Coolidge "; Alsop the poet ; Dr. Gardiner Spring. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, and Rev. Dr. Todd of New Haven. Of the female descendants. also, have many married dis- tinguished men, as examples of which we may name Mrs. Horace Bushnell, Mrs. Johu Todd, D.D., Mrs. Prof. Wm. S. Tyler.

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206

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

erty of her own at the time of her marriage to him, and her will, which we give from the records, was probably disappointing to some of her relatives, who were impatiently waiting for her death :

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF MRS. ABIGAIL WARHAM. We under writ- ten being present with Mrs. Warham who spent her last dayes in our family, she dis- coursing with us respecting her Estate she declared that she had formerly given her Cousin Miles Merwin such a Multitude, that if she had thousands she would not give him a penny. No not a pinus poynt, she further said that things were so with her now in regard of ber long sickness and expense thereupon that she could not tell whether she had anything to give away. She also disowned that she had any will and sayd fur- ther that her Cousin Miles Merwin desired that she would make over her estate to him, and she manifested herself much troubled and sayd she knew not but that she might live to need and expend it, and that she had before she dyed. Mary the wife of Capt. Newberry and Abigaill the daughter of the aforesaid, both affirm that Mrs. Warham sayd to them when she was of good understanding & sound memory concerning her Estate, that if there was anything left when the Court had to consider thereoff, she had thought that little Miles Merwin should have somewhat and the other that lived with her so long, & as for her moveables that were brought into our house, Return Strong, Mary Newburry, & Abagail doe testify she freely gave them to us, and sayd they should not be taken from us. The above sayd was by her declared to us some time last March. Sept. 4, 1684.

BENJAMIN NEWBERRY, MARY M. NEWBERRY'S mark. ABAGAIL C. NEWBERRY'S mark. RETURN STRONG.

For two or three years after the death of Mr. Warham, the two churches of Windsor, under the respective care of Messrs. Chauncey and Woodbridge, dwelt together, if not in harmony, at least with compara- tive quiet. It was a quiet, however, which the most trivial cause could not fail to disturb ; nor was that cause long wanting. That the ill feel- ing between the two churches had meanwhile not subsided is evident from a doenment which has come to our knowledge since the printing of our first edition. It is one of a number of ancient papers presented to the Connecticut State Library by Hon. Robert C. Winthrop of Boston, and bears the endorsement (in Governor Winthrop's handwriting) :

" WINDSOR MEN OF THE NEW CHURCH COMPLAINT IN WINTER, 1673." To the honored governor and Counsell :

whereas wee have perceived a deeprooted spirite of bitterness boyling in the breste of some of thos of the old congregation heare in windsore against ourselves whitch doethe apeare by manyfold exspresions given out at sundry times by principall persons amongst them as that wee are guilty of treatchery periuery and apostesy that those that hul a hand in the ordynation of our minister wear stilled sacreledgious Theeues besids, what hath been publigly preached and asserted in the pulpit by mr chauncey as that o ir minister is noe mynister of Christ and can exspecte no blessings on his laboures ther- by discoraginge persons in atendinge ordynanes under his adminystration Comparinge our diferenes to the diferenes betweene papist and protestants deallinge with persons that have ocationally Communycated with us as havinge thereby felowshipe with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse alowinge the hearing of the word preached at our Con-

207

ECCLESIASTICAL, 1663-1684.

gregation to be publigly called disorder and now at last uterly refusinge to joyne withe us in a day of fast on a solom ocation in which wee are all intrested declaringe that hee could not in concience heare our minyster pray and preatch and that lengthe of time bathe no way abatted the zealle of his spirit in this mater with many other things as much manifestinge an evill spirit as these of whitch things wee have desired mr Chan ceys grounds in writinge whitch though wee have sometime gained a promis of him yet coulld never get any performance wee have urged for an impartiall hearinge that the breath mighte bee in some measure healled whitch allso is refused and yet still a spirit of bitterness is mayntayned all whitch things doo to playnly Intymate that theire hearts are not with us and that our prosperity temporall or spirituell is to litell regarded by them upon whith grounds wee humbly Conceive that it is unsafe and dangerous for us to be joyned in armes with them Our request therefore to this honored counsell is that sum speedy and efectuell Course may bee taken to satisfy our minds that wee shall not have as great enimys in our campe as those wee goe out against or otherwise that either wee or they may bee exempted from goinge ont wee would not in this motion bee understood any way to hinder the weall of the Colony or discorage the sendinge out against the enimeye in whitch designe wee are willinge to hazard our lives but wee count it dangerous to goe forth with such as will give us more biter and evill speeches than the enimy himeself and through sum false Conceited opinyon Canot pray with us for our prosperity and blesinge in goinge forthe subscribed by us + the mark of nathaniell Ephraim french John Job Drake

Antony hosskins John] Lon[d]on Jacob Drake

Piney D

x the marke of timothy phelps the mark of Andrew more A Pieter Wouterse vander meulen 1

mark Jacob filly

John Terry

Timote Thrall

danell Haydon

James Elester [?]

John Roote [?]

James Egleston

John Stillese

George Griswold

Joshua Willes heskiah gallord

laniel king Mark Kelsey

John persons

John Fetch

Josias owen

James Enno

Josef Birge

Joseph Griswokl

Elias Shaduck

James Enno John Enno

Thomas Stoughton

Both the Old Meeting-House belonging to the original church and the Town House, occupied by Mr. Woodbridge's church, had been for some time past in very dilapidated condition, and much needed repairs. Consequently on June 8. 1676. " the Townsmen met, and considering the minous condition our meeting-house is in, we do agree to get [it] set in good repair: the cost of doing it to have it paid by a town rate, which work we do determine to have to be done. Witness our hand. Matthew Grant, John Loomis, Jacob Drake, Thomas Bissell, John Mandsley." ( Town Lets, Bk. ii. 40. )

The Woodbridge party probably thought that the Town House which they were occupying needed repairs quite as much as the Meeting- Honse. For, at the following meeting of the town, a paper was " presented by George Griswold, Timothy Thrall [and] Job Drake as followeth :

"To our respected friends the townsmen of Windsor.

Whereas there was a voat sometime passed by the town that both Meeting-houses here in Windsor, in respect to the covering outside, should be repaired on a general or

1 Peter Mills, the ancestor of the Mills family, who was of Holland birth, and here signs his un- Inglicized name in full. See Mills Genealogy, in the 2d volume.

John owene

Daniel Griswold

208

DISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

town account, and the old meeting-house, as we apprebend, is already done in answer to that vote: We therefore whose names are underwritten as a Committee, in the name [and] behalf of the new congregation here in Windsor, do hereby present to you that the New Meeting-house may also be speedily done, there being great necessity of it, and we desire and request [it] may be especially attended; or if not you would give an answer to return to the company whom we represent, that they may consider what is to be done in that matter." Thid.

To this the townsmen returned the Following answer:

" Whereas we received a writing, dated July 27. 1676, from some of our friends, wherein they declare that formerly there was a town voat that both the meeting houses should be repaired upon a town account, and that they do apprehend that we have gone on to repair the old Meeting-house upon the account of that vote, and there- fore [they ] desire [ us] as speedily to repair the new one, or else to give them a speedy answer. Therefore we having considered the matter, as it is presented to us; we do give this answer: that we have endeavored to repair the old meeting-house, and do intend to perfect it as soon as we can upon a town charge, but not out of any respect to such a vote as you say was lately passed. for we know of no such vote - but we did as looking at it to be a proper estate [custom] of the whole town, from the first setting up till now, for such a use as it is now put to. Therefore we looked at it to be a proper work of the townsmen to look to the repairing of it. And as to the town house we looked at it be as properly the town estate as ever, yet it being taken into the hands of some part of the town and improved to another use than was agreed by the town, and by them made incapable for that [former] use, that it was first intended [for]. therefore now we do apprehend it is not the work of the townsmen to meddle with it upon the account of a reparation [repairing], until it be set in the state it was at the first, and then we look at it to be the townsmen's work to put it in repair."

MATTHEW GRANT, JOHN LOOMIS, JACOB DRAKE, THOMAS BISSEL.1 .. JOHN MAUDSLEY. (Tourn _letx.)

In this refusal to repair the Town House it is easy to discern that the townsmen, representing the orthodox, or First Church, were unwill- ing to recognize, by any official act, the existence or legitimacy of the new congregation. The repairing of a town house, occupied by the dis- senters, " on a town account," would have been a concession which they would not make, and a precedent which they dared not establish.

The Woodbridge faction, of course, did not quietly submit to being thus tacitly ignored and snubbed by their fellow-citizens, and contention again arose in Windsor. At length, at a town meeting held Septeniber 22, 70, it was proposed " to make choice of indifferent men out of some other towns, who shall have power to advise and determine in what way and manner the two public meeting places of the town of Windsor shall be repaired. Also 3 men shall be chosen, one party [to] choose one, and other party [to] choose one, and the third to be chosen by those two men so chosen. This was voted affirmatively, and the man chosen by the New Congregation is Captain Allyn. and the man chosen by the other is Major Treat."

209

ECCLESIASTICAL, 1663-1681.

Finally at a town meeting held on November 2d, " it was voted by the major part that the old meeting-house and the other companies' meeting-house or Town house shall both of them be repaired, both on the ontsides of them, on the town cost."

Here their difficulties rested for a short time. The Old Meeting- House and the Town House were both repaired, and at a town meeting, February 11, 1677, it was " appointed and desired that Mr. Wolcott, Son'r. Capt. Newberry, and Capt. Clark, with the townsmen, should order per- sons seating in the meeting-house."

During the two years which followed various attempts at reconcilia- tion and reunion of the two churches were made. But here a new diffi- culty arose. The First Church insisted that those members who had withdrawn themselves and joined the Second Church should be examined before readmission to the First Church. The Second Church claimed that this was unnecessary, inasmuch as they had been members of the First Church " in good and regular standing," and were at that time members in full communion with the Second Church. But the First Church stood firm on this point. At length. January 31, 1677-8, a vouneil of fourteen members was mutually called by the two churches. This council advised "that the two congregations reunite and walk together in the same way and order, and this way of order, whereunto they shall meet in their future walk, shall be the known and settled walk of the First Church, which we understand to be the Congregational way of Church order." 1

That " those who were originally members of the First Church be admitted ; and those who after the division joined the New Church be examined, if there was any objection to them, by the Rev. Mr. Rowland- son and the Rev. Mr. Hooker." Mr. Joseph Rowlandson was then pas- tor at Wethersfield, and Mr. Hooker at Hartford.

That " Mr. Chauncey becontinued in his office and employment, act- ing according to the professed Congregational principles; and that Mr. Woodbridge be received to communion and assist in preaching."

This advice was partially complied with.

The following August the Second Church, through John Hosford, Timothy Thrall, and Jacob Gibbs, sent a communication to the First, stating that "we are satisfied in ourselves respecting our churchhood

'There is, to our mind, an especial significance in this frequently recurring phrase. "the Congregational way of Church order." Taken in connection with the term Presby terian, as applied to the Woodbridge party in Windsor by Simon Bradstreet (see note to page 202), and other similar terms, it seems clear to our minds that Presbyterianism was creeping into the churches, and, as such, was recognized as a for to the established or Congregational order. The Synod of 1708, at Saybrook, evidently developed many latent seeds of Presbyterianism in Connecticut.

VOL. 1 .- 27

210

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

and church membership:" and affirming their understanding of the vouneil's advice to be that they (the Second Church ) be received in a body, " without any trial of their fitness," by the First Church.

This communication being read to the First Church after meeting on the Sabbath, they voted " that they understood the Council's act other- wise, and should wait the Conneil's session for the clearing up of the matter."

On the 14th of January, 1678-9. "at a town meeting. the congregation in Windsor being met, did by their vote choose six men, who are desired and empowered to consult with the present Honble and Reva Council, and any others able to advise, to what person to make application unto, to procure him to carry on the work of the ministry, in this place, and so to return the Council's advice given to the congregation to carry it on to effect - to procure the person to settle amongst us here in Windsor in the work of the ministry. The above written is voted - and the persons chosen for a committee are the Wor" Mr. Wolcott. Capt. Newberry, Capt. Clark, John Loomis, Jacob Drake, John Bissell."

Attest. JOHN ALLYN, Secy. JAMES RICHARDS. Toin Aetx, Bk. ii. 4%

" It was also voted that Mr. Chauncey and Mr. Woodbridge shall carry on the work of the ministry in Windsor jointly together, until a third minister be settled amongst us." ( Ibid., Bk. ii. 48. )

In October, 1670, the townsmen had contracted with Mr. JJohn Witchfield for the use of his house and living for Mr. Chauncey, but this was soon made void, and Mr. Chauncey purchased of George Phelps and wife a house and lot, and afterward a five-acre pasture lot. situated next north of the present parsonage.

The Council recommended the Rev. Samuel Mather of Branford, and the Rev. Isaac Foster, as suitable candidates for settlement. And. January 27, 1678-9, -

" The Congregation being met to consider the return of advice that the Committee received from the Month Council - Mr. Mather being put to vote, there was forty seven affirmative votes, and seventy-one negative. And for Mr Foster, eighty three afirma- tive and forty four negative."

Also, " the congregation having passed a vote wherein they declare their desire to procure Mr. Foster, if he be free and suitably persuaded and accomplished to carry ou the work of Christ in the ministry here among us, do therefore desire the committee lately chosen to apply to so many of the Honble and Reyd Gentlemen with whom they lately advised as may be (conveniently) come at. and with all convenient speed, procure not only their concurrence but assistance in obtaining the said Mr. Foster, provided it appears by sufficient information from such Honth and Reyd Gent" in the Massachusetts [colony] to whom we shall apply by a messenger that he is not only congregationally persuaded, but otherwise accomplished to carry on the work of Christ amongst us." - Toin .Jetx, Bk. ii. 18.

The committee accordingly waited upon the council, and in due course of time received the following reply ( Ibid., ii. 50) :

211

ECCLESIASTICAL. 1663-1684.

HARTFORD, April 10, 1679.

Gentlemen

We have perused the letters of Rev. Mr Dakes and Mr. Mather in answer to ours concerning Mr. Foster; and entertain their testimony of him as to his parts and piety with great satisfaction and thankfulness. There seemeth to us a doubtfulness still abiding concerning his persuasion in point of church order; by reason of which we can not advise you immediately to make application to him; but rather think it advisable to send down Capt. Newberry and John Loomis with letters from Capt. Allyn, Mr. Richards, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Whiting, to the Rev. Mr. Dakes and Mr. Mather, requesting them that they would improve their interest in Mr. Foster to gain a true discovery of his judgment in the premises, and in case they can obtain so much from him as shall capacitate them to assert that he is congregationally persuaded according [to the] synod[s] [of] 48 and '62, that then they be entreated to lend their helping hands to pro- mote the motion to him and persuade him to come to you: otherwise not to meddle This is the sum of our present thoughts. To which we add our earnest prayers to the Father of lights for his gracious guidance and blessing, and remain your

Friends and servants, JOHN ALLYN. JAMES RICHARDS, SAMUEL HOOKER, JOHN WHITING.

"At a town meeting. April 14th, the congregation unanimously voted their accept- ance of the advice sent from the council."

They also " voted their willingness to give the said Mr. Foster an invitation to the work of the ministry " amongst them, and that in case of his acceptance of the same "there shall be allowed him for the first year. if he stay so long with us. the sum of seventy pounds." "The Congregation also by vote, desired and empowered the Committee to draw up a letter to Mr. Foster." which being done and read to the con- gregation, was " by them approved and ordered to be improved by the messengers, Capt. Newberry and John Loomis, according to the advice sent to us by the Council." ( Town Arts, ii. 51. )

The messengers accordingly went to Massachusetts and brought back a favorable report. The congregation invited Mr. Foster to come to Windsor on trial, which he did, and gave them such " full satisfaction of his parts, ability, and persuasion, and some test of his labors," that they tendered him "a unanimous call" to settle among them. $100 per annum for his support was voted, and Capt. Daniel Clark was dole- gated " to accompany Mr. Foster to the Bay, and further his return again." The prospects now seemed bright of a speedy reunion and res- toration of harmony to the mhappy and divided churches of Windsor. But. for some unexplained reason, Mr. Foster did not settle there and the partial union between the parties was again broken.

In the contentions which ensned, as in those that preceded. it is not easy certainly to discover which side was most to blame. Both parties undoubtedly had good causes of complaint, and it was natural that they should be tenacious of the principles and rights for which each had so

21:

HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.

long and warmly contended. And it is quite as probable that matters, in themselves comparatively trivial, had, by the heat of passion and the long continuance of dispute, assumed an undue importance in the eyes of the disputants. Yet we cannot avoid the inference, from the docu- mentary evidence before us, that the chief thing which fomented and perpetuated this unhappy feud was an unwillingness on the part of the First Church and its pastor, Mr. Chauncey, to make any concession towards the other party. They seemed to have considered the Second Church as rebels, who should be received, if received at all, only on terms of unconditional surrender. But we will allow the records to speak for themselves.

At a Town-meeting, October 27, 1679, "it was proposed to the Con- gregation whether they apprehended themselves under the power of an ecclesiastical council, and whether they were willing so to remain under the said council." Voted in the negative.

Also George Griswold and Jacob Drake were desired "to repair to the Rev. Mr. Chauncey, and to desire him that both himself and the church with him would return their determinate answer whether they will admit Mr. Woodbridge to preach once on the Lord's day, as the Hon. Gov' and the worshipful Capt. Allyn have desired in their last letter." In case of a negative answer from Mr. C. and the church, "the townsmen are desired to apply to the Civil Conneil in Hartford for their approbation and countenancing Mr. Woodbridge in preaching together with Mr. Chauncey, until we can be otherwise provided for."

In December 2, 1679, the town voted "to allow 580 to be divided between Mr. Chauncey and Mr. Woodbridge, according to their respect- ive times and pains in the ministry." Mr. Chauncey already had, in November, 1679, accepted a call to Hatfield, Mass.

It is very probable that at this time the Second Church was the largest, as the passage of this vote in town meeting would argue the weight of inthience to be on their side.

Mr. Chauncey and his church probably returned a negative answer, for we next find ( Dec. 14, '79), that a committee of ten were appointed in town meeting " by order from the Governor and Magistrates " "to act in endeavoring to [obtain] a supply in the ministry." This committee. however, composed of the following individuals, Mr. Wolcott, Se, Capt. Nowberry, Capt. Clark, George Phelps, John Loomis, Henry Wolcott, Jr., John BisseH, Thomas Bissell, John Moore, and Cornelius Gillet, was not acceptable to the people, 27 only voting in their favor at the town meeting of January 8, 1679-80.

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The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 26

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909 Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Hartford, Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard company Number of Pages: 1038

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Hartford, Conn., Press of the Case, Lockwood & Brainard company
Number of Pages: 1038