The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut, Vol. I, Part 46

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 46


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Facsimile AUTOGRAPHS OF WINDSOR PASTORS, 1636-1835.


383


ECCLESIASTICAL, 1776-1890.


In 1812, the Society voted " to give the Rev. I. A. Rowland, in addition to what said Society now give him, the remainder of the Inter- est on the Ministerial Fund in said Society, during the pleasure of said Society, after the debt due to the Heirs of Oliver Ellsworth, deceased, is paid in full." (Perhaps it will surprise some advocates of an afternoon preaching service to hear read the following: Voted - "That this Soci- ety do recommend to the Rev. Henry A. Rowland to have but one exer- cise on Sundays, from December 1, 1820, to March 1, 1821, and the same lo commence at half an hour past Eleven o'clock.")'


In December, 1834, the society voted - " To rescind the two votes giving to Mr. B. A. Rowland an addition to his Salary, which votes were passed in 1804 and 1812." This seems to have been a not very gentle hint to the pastor, that after forty-four years of service he was worthy of an honorable retirement on half-pay. In March, 1835, the society voted -" To authorize their Committee to expend a Sum not to exceed two hundred dollars for procuring more ministerial aid during the year."


In the following June they instructed their committee to offer Mr. Rowland $1,250 as the condition on which he should relinquish his pastoral relation to this people. Mr. Rowland accepted this offer, and was soon after dismissed by a council, July 15, 1835.


This arrangement was not made and exeented without some dis- agreeable friction in the society's action and spirit ; and, apparently to avoid the like in the future, the society, in January, 1836, voted - " To give the Rev. Charles Walker an invitation to settle in the ministry, on condition that he is to receive the annual interest of their Fonds and the rents of their lands, and that his Salary be $650 per year, provided the deficiency of said 8650 be paid by Subscription, or without any Tax upon the Society, and that said Contract be dissolved whenever Mr. Walker or the Society give six months' notice thereof."


This contract was dissolved after an existence of about one year : by whose notice, the record saith not.


During Mr. Henry A. Rowland's ministry we find, in 1802, the first mention on the society records of a singing-master. In 1804, the first mention of a bell, which was presented by Henry Allyn, Esq. : and, in December, 1805, the society voted that, as a token of respect to the memory of the late HENRY ALLYS, Esq., the bell which he gave to this society be tolled one hour at the setting of the sun, on the 8th day


' If the Church and Pastor accepted the " recommend " of the society the experi- ment was short lived, for I was nine years old at that time, and have no recollection of missing the " noontime." All the discussion I remember was relative to the contin ance of the winter intermission of one hour through the summer. My father chose to drive home at noon (three miles) and the usual two hours intermission in summer must have been more acceptable to the majority. J. JI. H.


384


HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.


of May, in each year perpetually -that being the day of his dercase.' Previously to this, the only bell in town was that on the school-house, given by Mr. Alexander Allyn, about the latter part of the previous century.


Henry A. Rowland's published sermons were :


1. A Discourse, delivered November 27, 1800: a day observed as an Anniversary Thanksgiving. By Henry A Rowland, Pastor of the First Church in Windsor. Pub- lished by desire of his bearers. Hartford: printed by Hudson & Goodwin, 1801. Text. Psalm, exlv. 10, p. 20.


2. A Sermon, occasioned by the death, and delivered at the funeral of the Honora ble Oliver Ellsworth, Esq .. LL. D., who died November 26, 1807, in the 63d year of his age. By Henry A. Rowland, Pastor of the First Church in Windsor. Hartford: printed by Hudson & Goodwin, 1808.


" Tothe bereaved widow and afflicted children, the following discourse, preached at their desire, and published by their request, is inscribed by their sympathizing friend. " THE AUTHOR." -


Text. Psalm xxxix. 9. p. 15.


lle was succeeded by the Rev. CHARLES A. WALKER, who was it- stalled March 9, 1836. He was a graduate of Dartmouth College, 1823, and had been previously settled at New Ipswich, N. I. The society, however, were in a state of unrest ; and, his health being extremely deli- cate, he withdrew just one year after his settlement. He died at Groton. Mass., October, 1847, aged 51 years.


On June 12, 1839, the Rev. SPOFFORD D. JEWETT, previously settled at Griswold, Conn., was installed as pastor of this church, on an annual salary of $650. He was dismissed 31 Oct., 1843, and afterwards was settled at Middlefield, a parish in Middletown, Conn., where he was for many years postmaster, and died there.


The next pastor was the Rev. THEODORE ADGATE LESTE, born at Guilford, Con., May 20, 1814: graduated at Yale College, 1839, and at Yale Theol. Seminary, 1843: supplied the pulpit at Broad Brook, E. W., for a while ; was ordained at Windsor, 24th September, 1845 ; dis- missed 1st October, 1859. He afterwards supplied and organized the church in Florence. Mass .: was acting pastor at Blandford, Mass , 1864-1870 ; acting pastor at Thorndike, Mass., 1870-75: organized the Union Evangelical Church in Three Rivers, Mass .; acting pastor in Orange, Conn., 1877 to fall of 79; and at Northford, Conn., 1880 -'83.


Mr. Allen had drawn, or partly drawn, a will shortly before his death, in which he had provided for a bell for the church, with a condition that it should forever be tolled one hour on the anniversary of his death. The will was not executed, and con- sequently had no legal force, but his heirs consented to the appropriation and the bell was procured and tolled at first agreeable to this vote. But afterwards the friends con sented to (and I think desired its discontinuance.


[This story was told me by the late lerlehigh Haskell, who was at the time (1805) an active member of the society. J. II. HAYDEN. |


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ITOFF ISPLE


Ink


FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH EDIFICE, WINDSOR, CONN. Erveted 1794 : Reconstructed 1844.


3.85


ECCLESIASTICAL, 1776-1890.


In every parish where he labored the church received many additions. He died at his home in Longmeadow, Mass., April 28, 1886.


He was succeeded by Rev. BENJAMIN PARSONS, previously a mission- ary in Turkey, under the A. B. C. F. M., as stated supply, 1860 ; and as pastor from May 29, 1861, to July 1, 1865 : afterwards preached in New York and Michigan, and now resides (1891) at Seattle, State of Wash- ington.


The present pastor, Rev. GOWEN O. WILSON, graduated at Colby University (now Waterville College), Maine, 1857 : taught nearly two years in the Hallowell ( Me. ) High School ; passing the winters of 1856 -57 and '57-'56, as clerk in office of Secretary of State : entered Bangor Theological Seminary spring of 1859: graduated in class of '61 ; settled at Winterport, Me. ( where he had preached as a supply most of previous year); was ordained to the ministry, October, 1861 : was dismissed in the spring of 1866, having spent two months in fall of 1864 in service of United States Christian Commission in Virginia : his service at Windsor, Com., commenced 1st March, 1866, as a supply ; he was set- tled here 20th November, 1867.


The first hearse in this society was purchased ( together with a house for its keeping) by a tax of five mills on the dollar, according to a vote of 26th September, 1814. A new hearse and house was ordered in Octo- ber, 1844 : and, in 1847, one was ordered for Windsor Locks.


In 1844, the church edifice was thoroughly repaired and altered to its present appearance. The change on the outside, at the front end, in- volved the removal of the square tower and cupola (as seen in the ac- companying picture, from Barber's Hist. Coll. of Conn., published in 1836), which stood on columns over the belfry. This architectural crown of the house was built, as, perhaps, was the rest of the structure, from plans procured (according to the statement of the late Herlehigh Haskell) by Chief Justice Ellsworth from the architect of the meeting- house in Pittsfield, Mass. This reconstruction was the occasion of a re- dedication of the edifice, held 24th September, 1845, at which time Mr. Leete was ordained as pastor.


A Conference-house, or chapel, was erected, in 1822, south of the Rivulet. A few years ago, it was moved back from the road, a second story added for a Women's parlor and kitchen, and the whole put in excellent condition. In 1890 Sunday-school rooms were added in the rear of the church edifice, connected with doors opening into it, and nicely furnished and carpeted. A chapel at Hayden Station in 1876 was built by private subscription and deeded to the society.


In 1852, a neat brick personage was created at upper end of Pali- sado Green, and was first occupied by Pastor Leete and family 1st September of that year.


VOL. I .- 49


386


HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.


Mr. Jabez H1. Hayden remembers when stores were first put into the Windsor Church, and, though report says that in many places the inno- vation met with much opposition, he testifies that " the people of Wind- sor took kindly to them, only lamenting that the stoves had not been invented sooner." As it would affect the finances of the society. lib- erty was given to the advocates of this innovation to put in stoves without expense to the society. However, in 1822, December, it was voted - " That two Stoves be purchased for the Meeting-House in this Society." Previously to this, mothers and grandmothers indulged in the luxury of foot-stores, the children, of course, sharing the warmth. These foot-stoves were filled with coals from the hearth, covered with ashes, and retained their warmth through the morning service : the coals were renewed at noon by some generous friends near the church.


This ancient church celebrated on the 30th of March. 1880, the 250th anniversary of its organization at Plymouth, England, previous to sailing for Dorchester, Massachusetts Bay, in 1630. Under the excellent arrangements of a committee appointed by the church, consisting of Dea. J. B. Woodford, Dea. Daniel Payne, Samuel B. Hayden, William Bailey, Dr. Samuel A. Wilson, and the pastor, Rev. Gowen C. Wilson, the occasion was one of the greatest interest, and its happenings have been embodied in an interesting pamphlet of 104 pages, published by the church, entitled, A Record of the Services held at the Congregational Church of Windsor, Conn., in celebration of its Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary, March 30, 1880. The services of the day opened at 10 A.M., at the old church, with a prayer of invocation, by Rev. S. D. Jewett (a former pastor), followed by hymn No. 248, from " Songs of the Sanctu- ary" ; an address of welcome, by the present pastor ; reading of the Scriptures (Psalms 107, and Rev., 1st and 2d chapters ), by Rev. Theo. 1. Leete, a former pastor (the Bible used being that of the time of Rev. Mr. Rowland's pastorate), and followed with a prayer. A paper on The Old Windsor Meeting-House, was then read by Dea. Jabez H. Hayden of Windsor Locks ; and a paper on The Financial Condition and History of this Church and Ministry, by Dea. J. B. Woodford. Between these papers the 340th hymn was sung to the tune of " Coronation," with the " Doxology " following. The benediction was pronounced by Rev. Mr. Jewett.


After dinner, the audience reassembled, and services were resumed at 2 P. M., by the singing, by choir, of " Jerusalem, my glorious home," followed by prayer by " Father " Gleason. The pastor, Rev. Gowen (. Wilson, read a paper on the History of the Church from the First. In the middle of this paper the choir sang Mrs. Heman's old hymn, " The break- ing waves dashed high," etc., and at its close, Dr. H. Bonar's hymn, " Far down the ages now."


387


ECCLESIASTICAL, 1776-1890.


Rev. Dr. Leonard Bacon of New Haven (who fifty-six and a half years before had received here his ordination to the ministry by the Consociation), delivered an extemporaneous address, and Rov. I. N. Tarbox, D.D. (an " East Windsor boy " ), read his poem written for the occasion, "Old Windsor, Conn., 1630-1880."


Prof. William Chauncey Fowler, D.D., a descendant of Pres. Charles, father of Nathaniel, second pastor of this church, and William Frederick Holcomb, M.D., gave short addresses ; and the exercises closed with the singing of a part of the 90th Psalm, from the Sternhold & Hopkins version used by the fathers - it being " lined of " by the deacon and the congregation singing two lines at a time to the tune of " Dundee."


The evening services, at 7 p. M., consisted of an address (after the singing of " Old Denmark "), by Rev. Dr. Tarbox, on Singing Customs in the New England Churches, and several addresses were made by ex- pastors and other friends of the church, elosing with the singing of the original hymn sung at the dedication of the present church edifice in 1794.


The Deacons of the church have been :


William Gaylord, died 1673.


William Rockwell (according to the Hist. of Dorchester, Mass., which says that he and Mr. William Gaylord were the first deacons of this church at Dorchester. Mr. Rockwell, however, does not figure as a dea- eon on the Windsor Town or Church Records).


John Moore, ordained 11th January, 1651-2 ; died 1677.


John Loomis, died 1688.


Joseph Skinner, died 1724.


Thomas Marshall, died 1735.


John Cook, died 1751.


Jolin Palmer, died 1756.


John Wilson, died 1774, aged 89.


Nathaniel Drake, died 1769, aged 84.


William Cook, died 1780, aged $5.


Edward Moore, died 1798, aged 89.


Eleazer Gaylord, left town 1820. John Sargent, died 1829, aged 58.


Elijah Mills, died 1831, aged 70.


Daniel Gillet, died 1837, aged 89. Alvey Rowland, died 1857, aged 91.


Roger Phelps, died 1861, aged 84.


Jasper Morgan, died 1869, aged 81.


John B. Woodford, died 1891, aged 76. John H. Barber, died 1873, aged 61.


HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.


Daniel Payne.


Lemmel T. Frisbee (chosen : left W. before he had served ).


Strong H. Barber.


William Bailey.


The Church Fund. - The principal source of revenue has been tax- ation direct, down to about 1840. This tax was laid by the town until 1712, when the Ecclesiastical Society records begin. And these records and present fund bear testimony to the deep and loving interest in its permanence and growth, felt by many of its earlier members. The fund probably had its beginning in the bequest of Mrs. JANE HOSFORD, widow of Henry Fonkes (Folkes), who died in Windsor, September, 1640, and left to his widow twenty aeres of meadow and swamp adjoining in the lower end of the second meadow. " This land was reserved to herself in her own propriety and Dispose," when she married the widower William Hosford. After his death she returned to England. The following is a copy of her will in part : "July 23d, 1655. This is the last Will and Testament of Jane llosford, the Wife of Mr. Wm. Hosford - 1. being going after my Husband into Old England, and not Knowing when God may take me out of this life, do dispose of my Goods as followeth : Impr. I do bequeath and it is my will that after my decease the Church of Windsor, of which I am now a member, shall have and forever enjoy that piece of Meadow Land which belongeth unto me called Hoytes Meadow, for the use of the Pastor or Teacher as the Church shall see most need, and when one dead to go successively always." Rev. John Warham was one of the three witnesses to this will. Mrs. Hosford after- wards gave the use of this land to her stepson, John Hosford (during her life ), who, claiming that he had no knowledge of her death in Eng- land. hold on to the use of that land, until legal proceedings, instituted by the society, compelled him to relinquish it in September, 1095.' This


!" On the 15th Jan., 1671, being the 23d year of Charles the 2d, Mrs. Hosford, de- scribed as 'of Tiverton, in the county of Devon, widow, made her will, of which her son Stephen Gaylord, John Witchfield, and Walter Fyler of Windsor, were appointed executors. She devised certain moneys to Esther (or Stephen) Samuel and Sarah Gay- lord, and to their children; the rent of a meadow to her sons-in-law John Hosford, and the three above named, during the life of the testator. After her demise, the meadow (about 20 acres of meadow & swamp) was to go and belong to the 'Old Church of Windsor ' forever ( Lands, vol. i. p. 9), Conn. Archives). On 13th of Oct., 1692, com- plaint was made to the General Court, by petition from the Windsor Church. that they were kept out of the right and use of the aforesaid land, it being yet in the hands of her heirs, who say that she is not yet dead. And the Court, considering that she was aged when she returned to England and has been there 40 years or so [she went in 1655], and not heard from lately, declare her to be dead in ler, unless it could be proved that she was alive or had been heard of within 7 years past " (Dres, in Conn. AArchires). The land was fully confirmed to the church, Sept. 3, 1695.


1


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389


ECCLESIASTICAL, 1776-1890.


meadow-land was sold. in 1861. by the society, to the Thrall brothers for 82,000, and the interest thereof is still applied to the support of the pastor.


The Rev. JONATHAN MARSH, also, fourth pastor of Windsor, devised his property, after his wife's death, to the Windsor church for gospel and school purposes.


Previous to 1740, Lient. ABRAHAM PHELPS, by will. gave £20 for the use of schooling. to that part of the society north of the Rivulet. BENONI BISSELL. who died in 1761. after certain bequests to relatives, de- vised his estate, both real and personal, to the First Society, " to be sold in a convenient time as the Society shall agree, and the money that the same shall sell for, to be loaned out by said Society, and the interest thereof to be used and improved yearly for the supporting of schooling in said First Society forever." Most of the present union school fund ($2,080 ) is the result of this gift.


Dr. TIMOTHY MATHER. who died April 5. 1788, provides in his will as follows: Ile gives to his wife Roxanna his house and the land on which it stands, so far as it belongs to him, and her heirs forever. Also one cow and the whole of his household furniture, and one-third part of all the remainder of his personal estate. To his son Timothy all the residue of his estate. and if this son die before the age of twenty-one years. then he gives to his wife the use of one-quarter of the son's portion while she shall remain his widow, and the other three-quarters he gave to the First Ecclesiastical Society in Windsor, to be loaned, and the an- nual interest thereof applied to the support of the minister of said soci- ety. And the said quarter given to his wife during her widowhood as aforesaid he gave to said society, for the purpose aforesaid, after she shall marry or die. This son died in 1792 or 1793, six or seven years of age, and the widow married in 1802, when the son's entire portion of the estate belonged to this church and society. Dr. Mather's whole estate was inventoried at £1,382 13%.


JOSEPH MARSH. a son of Rev. Jonathan Marsh, in his will gave the use of all his property to his wife Elizabeth during her life, and after her decease he gives the same to the Society of North Windsor, where he then lived, to be improved by them for the support of the Gospel ministry or schooling in said society, as they judge best. The inven- tory of his estate amounts to .£205 11. 77.


In 1794, after five conditions or articles of agreement for the union of the First Society and the Society of North Windsor is the following : " These conditions being performed, we severally engage to pay or secure to be paid, to the treasurer of the First Society for the sole and perpetual use of supporting the Gospel ministry in the same. the sums respectively affixed to our names, provided however that the bonds we may give shall


390


HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.


not be liable to be sued so long as we shall annually pay six per cent. in- terest on the same, and stand ready to give such further reasonable security as may at any time be requested by said Society's Committee."


Ilezb Chaffee.


$60


Oliver Ellsworth, €100


Horace Hooker,


50


James Hooker,


100


Alex. Wolcott, Ir .. .


20


Jerijah Barber,


100


Hlezh Chaffee, Jr.,


30 Daniel Phelps,


25


Josiah Allyn,


30


Asa Moore,


Johnt Ellsworth,


60


Increase Mather,


12


Sam" W. Allyn,


Giles Ellsworth,


50


Edward Moore,


30


Roger Newberry,


50


George Warner,


6


Oliver Mather,


50


Phineas Wilson,


25


Ozias Lomis,


50


.John Filley,


30


Roger Phelps, .


2.5


Eliakim Marshall,


10


Gideon Barber,


10


Elisha Moore, .


30


Daniel Gillett, .


20


Elihu Drake,


10


Sirajah Loomis,


10 Benj. Allyn, .


15


Chas. Wolcott,


15 Elnathan Filley,


10


Abel Strong,


5


Philip Halsey,


Austin Phelps,


10


£1220


The above was the last contribution to the fund for the support of the ministry, and the entire fund for this purpose now (1891) amounts to $12,500 ($3,500 for music, and $200 for Sunday-school included), of which $1.700 is invested in the parsonage, and the remainder, 89,253, is loaned on mortgaged security. The interest on the above, and about $1,000 received annually for the rent of slips, now furnish the means of paying the ordinary expenses of this Ecclesiastical Society. Incidentals, repairs, and improvements require an occasional subscription-paper and the ingenious devices of the Ladies' Society.


December 25, 1871, Gen. WILLIAM S. PIERSON proposed that he and his sister Olivia would place an organ in the church of the First Eecle- siastieal Society in Windsor, and give it to said society on condition that a fund to be called "The Music Fund." of at least $1.500, should be raised and paid to said society in trust, ete. A fund of $1,555 was raised by subscription, and an excellent organ now in use is a permanent testi- monial of the fidelity and generosity of the donors. Gen. Pierson also, a little previous to his death, in his last will added 82,000 to this music fund. The chandelier in the church is the gift of Mr. OLIVER R. HOL- COMB.


Miss MARY ANN HAYDEN, before her death, manifested her deep in- terest in the Sabbath-school by giving $200 as a fund for its benefit in furnishing suitable books for its library.


The church is without debt : its edifice in good repair ; it has a par-


10


Wm Russell,


20


George Loomis,


10


30 Roger Moore,


50


Elijah Mather,


10


George Phelps,


391


ECCLESIASTICAL, 1776-1890.


sonage valued at $2.500. a fund of $9,000 for support of the ministry, and one of $3.500 for insurance and repairs on organ. It contributes from $700 to $1,000 annually to benevolent causes outside of its own field.


This church has enjoyed the following rerivals :


1688 - thirty members added (.Im. Quar. 1858 -thirty-four members added. Reriem, iv. 295-297). 1866 - eleven . =


1735 -- "a very great ingathering " (Tra- 1867 - thirteen .. cy, 13). 1872-ten ..


1834-one hundred and eight members 1876 - thirty-right 66


1877-twelve .. .. added.


1841 - forty-seven members added.


1847-ninety ..


1883-one hundred and eighty-six mem- bers added.


No revivals since 1883, but additions of a more permanent sort than those of that year.


Ministers Raised in this Town.


Rev. Isaac Stiles. pastor at North Haven. 1724-1760, father of Pres. Stiles of Yale College.


Rev. Abel Stiles, brother of Rev. Isaac, pastor in Woodstock, Conn., 1736-1783.


Rev. Hezekiah Bissell, pastor at Wintonbury, Conn., 1788-1783.


Rev. Jonathan Marsh (son of the Windsor pastor ). pastor at Now Hartford, Conn., 1759-1772.


Rev. Jedidiah Mills (bro. of Rev. Gideon ), pastor at Huntington, (Ripton), Conn., was probably a native of Windsor.


? Rev. Eliakim Marshall, pastor at North Canterbury, Conn., 1759- 1768.


Rev. Azariah Mather (son of Rev. Samuel), pastor at Saybrook, Conn., 1710-1732.


Rev. Allyn Mather, pastor at Fair Haven, Conn., 1773-1784.


Rev. Nathaniel Gaylord, pastor at West Hartland, Conn., 1782- 1841.


Rev. Solomon Walcott, pastor at Bloomfield, Conn., 1786-1790.


Rev. Henry A. Rowland ?


Rev. James Rowland.


Soo Genealogies.


Rev. Oliver Wolcott Mather. S


Rev. Frank V. Mills (s. John Mills ), grad. Ham. Coll. : studied Union Theol. Som. and Hart. Theol. Sem. : ord. in Windsor, 1882; m. Kate C. (dau. Dr. S. A.) Wilson, and has been seven years a missionary of the Presby. Board in Hong Chou, China.'


' His classmate, Rev. Junius II Judson. m. Jennie H. (dan. Horace II.) Filley, aI memb. of the W. Church, and for past ten years have been missionaries at Hong Chou, China.


HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.


Rev. William W. Leete, born in Windsor, 1854 ; graduated Amherst College 1877; Yale Theol. Sem. 1880: now settled over a church in Rockford, Il. ; see Genealogiex.


It is probable that some ministers were raised in Windsor between 1635 and 1724 : also, that this list is incomplete.


Baptists in Windsor.


About the middle of the last century, during the Great Awakening which commenced in New England under the preaching of the cele- brated Whitfieldl. several Baptist churches were formed. One of these was at Windsor. Of its history, however, we have no authentic records. There were two classes of Baptists at that time - one consisting of those who were " sober dissenters" from the orthodox form of worship in the colony : and the other of those who believed in the "indulgence of their inward frames. in noise and ontery without restraint," in dreams and trances, and in the superior efficiency of " lay exhorters." Thislatterclass were termed Separatists, and, from the fragmentary facts which have come down to us, we infer that they were nummerous and influential in this town. Mr. Marsh's last days were much embittered by their extravagances and commotions. Trumbull. after mentioning the " fan- atieal spirit," which prevailed in certain counties in the colony, adds that " there was also something of the same spirit in the County of Hartford. in the towns of Windsor, of Suffield, and in Middletown. The separations began, and principally prevailed, in these counties."




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