USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 26
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > East Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 26
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > South Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 26
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Bloomfield > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 26
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor Locks > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 26
USA > Connecticut > Tolland County > Ellington > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 26
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" What was desired Johannes Mathesins, may now be inscribed on our Warham for an
, Epitaph.
Securus reenbo hie mundi pertæsus iniqui; Et didici et dorui vulnera, Christe, tua.'
But few of his mannscript sermons are now extant; but we give now, through the courtesy of John A. Stoughton, 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 I rest."
" Among the many noted persons who have descended from Rev. John Warham may be mentioned Rev 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 Epi- copal Church: Mrs. Prof. Yardley of Berkeley Divinity School, and her sister. " Susan
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205
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,1 " 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- linguished men, as examples of which we may name Mrs. Horace Bushnell, Mrs. John Todd, D.D., Mrs. Prof. Wm. S. Tyler.
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200
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 MES. ABIGAIL WARRAM. We under writ ten being preseut 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 pions point, she further said that things were so with her now in regard of her land sidences and expense thereupon that she could not tell slutter she had anything to give away. She also disowned that she had any will and sayd fur ther that her Cousin Mites 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 he: Estate, that if there was anything left when the Court had to consider thereoff, she had thought that letthe 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 shoukl not be taken from ns. 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
RETURN STRONG. mark.
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 document 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 bear: the endorsement (in Governor Winthrop's handwriting) :
" WINDSOR MEN OF THE NEW CHURCH COMPLAINT IN WINTER, 16;3." To the honored governor und Counsell :
whereas wee have perceived a deeprooted spirite of bitterness boyling in the breste of some of thos of the old congregation here in windsore against ourselves whiteb doethe apeare by manyfold exspresions given out at sundry times by principall persons a nongst them as that wee are guilty of treatchery periuery and apostesy that those that bid a hand in the ordynation of our minister wear stilled sacreledgious theeues hesis, what hath been publigly preached and asserted in the pulpit by mr chauncey as that our minister is noe mynister of Christ and can exspecte no blessings on his labonres ther- by discoraginge persons in atendinge ordynanes under his administration Comparinge our diferencs to the diferenes betweene pipist an I protestants deallinge with persons that have ocationally Communycated with us as havinge thereby felowshipe with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse alcwinge the hearing of the word preached at our Cou-
20;
ECCLESIASTICAL, 1663-1084.
en action to be publigh called disorder and now at last nterly refusing to jayne withe +- in a day of fast on a solom ocation in which wee are all intrested declaringe that hee uld sot in concience heare our minyster pray and preatch and that lengthe of time bathe no way batted the scale of his spirit in this mater with many other things is much manifestinge an evill spirit as these of which things wee have desired mr Chan- eye grounds in writinge whitch though we have sometime gained a promis of hint vet would never get any performance wee have urged for an impartiall bearinge that the breach might be in some measure healed which also is refused and yet still a -pirit of bitterness is myntayned all whitch things don to playuly Intymate that their .. · mich " no I that our prosperity temporall or spirituell is to litell regarded by them upon which grounds wie humbly Conceive that it is unsafe and dangerous for u- to he joyed in armes with theti Our request therefore to this honored counsell is that sum speedy and efectuel Course may bee taken to satisfy our minds that wee shall not have as great etimys in our campe as those wee goe out against or otherwise that either wee or they may bet exempted from goinge out wee would not in this motion lee understood way way to hinder the weall of the Colony of discorage the sendinge out against the chinese in whitch designe wee are willinge to hazard our lives but wee count it dangerous to soc forth with such as will give us more biter and till speeches then the eniny himself and through sum false Conceited opinyou Canet pray with us for our prosperity and ble-inge in goinge forthe subscribed by us
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James Elester [?] James Egleston
George Griswold Daniel Griswold John Fetch
James Euno Joseph Griswold James Ento John Ennu 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 Joue 8. 1476, " the Townsmen met, and considering the ruinous 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, Jolm Loomis, Jacob Drake, Thomas Bissell, Jolin Mandsley." (Toren Arts, Bk. ii. 40.)
The Woodbridge party probably thought that the Town House which they were occupying needed repairs quite as much as the Meeting- fonse. 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 hoth Meeting-houses lere 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- Anglieized name in full. See Mills Genealogy, in the ed volume.
20-
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
town account, and the old meeting-house, as we apprehend, is already doa. ;. v. to that vote: We therefore whose names are underwritten as a Committee, in the n. m. [and] behalf of the new congregation here in Windsor, do loreby prevent to you the 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 i. to be done in that matter." Ihed.
To this the townsmen returned the following answer:
" Whereas we received a writing. datul July 27, 1676, trom 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 the re fore [they ] desire [is] 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 [euston] of time 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 town-men to look to the repairing of it. And as to the town house wr 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, atl by them mande 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 town-men's work to put it in repair."
MATTHEW GRANT, JOHN LOOMIS, JACOB DRAKE. THOMAS BISSEIL. JOHN MAUDSLEY.
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 di- 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 subbed by their fellow-citizens, and contention again arose in Windsor. At length, at a town meeting held September 22, '76, 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 maimer the two publie 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, 1663-1684.
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 of Town house shall both of them be repaired, both on the outsides 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 wering, February 11, 1677, it was - appointed and desired that Mr. Wolcott, Sou'r, Capt. Nowberry, 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 dith- culty arose. The First Church insisted that those members who had withdrawn themselves and joined the Second Church should be examined Iwfore readmission to the First Church. The Second Church claimed that this was unnecessary, inasinnch as they had been members of the First Church " in good and regular standing." and were at that time members in full conmamion with the Second Church. But the First Church stood firm on this point. At length, January 31, 1677-8, a council 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. Channeey be continued in his office and employment, act- ing according to the professed Congregational principles ; and that Mr. Woodbridge b. 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 Congregationil 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. I. - 27
210
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
and church membership;" and affirming their understanding of the couneit's advice to be that they (the Second Church) im 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 art other- wise, and should wait the Council's session for the clearing up of the matter."
On the 11th of .Fimury, 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 vousult with the present Hond and Rev 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. JOUN ALLYN, Secy. JAMES RICHARDS. Torn .lets, Bk. ii.
" It was also voted that Mr. Chauncey and Mir. Woodbridge shall carry on the work of the ministry in Windsor jointly together, until a third minister be settled amongst us." ( Ibid., Bk. ii. 45. )
In October, 1670, the townsmen had contracted with Mr. John 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 aud wife a house and lot. and afterward a five-aere 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. 167x-9, --
" The Congregation being met to consider the return of advice that the Committee received from the Honble Council - Mr. Mather being put to vote, there was forty -seven affirmative votes, and seventy-one negative. And for Mr. Foster, eighty-three affirma- 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 on the work of Christ in the ministry here among us, do therefore desire the committee lately chosen to apply to so many of the Honthe and Rerd 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 Honble and Revd 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."- Town Acts, Bk. ii. 48.
The committee accordingly waited upon the council, and in due course of time received the following reply (Ibid., ii. 50) :
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ECCLESIASTICAL. 1663-1684.
HARTFORD, April 10, 1679.
We have perused the Itrets of Rev. Mr. Dakes and Mr. Mather in answer to outs comerning Mr Foster, and ruteriain their testimony of him as to his parts and piety with great satisfaction and thankfulness. There seemeth to us a doubtfulness still tbbling 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. Poster to gain a true discovery of las judgment of the premises, dass me wane the. a . stein in touch from him as shell capacitate them to assert that he is congregationally persuaded according [to the] on d[s] [of] 4> and (2. 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 l'ather 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. amee 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 war, 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 Aets, 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 dele- satted "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 unhappy 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 ensued, as in those that preceded, it is not rasy 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
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
long and warmly contended. And it is quite as probable that matters. in themselves comparatively trivial, bad, by the heat of passion and the long continuance of dispute, assumed an undne 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 vuhappy 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 townstuen are desired to apply to the Civil Council 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 £50 to be divided between Vr. Chauncey and Mr. Woodbridge, according to their respert- ive times and pains in the ministry." Mr. Chauncey already had, in November, 1979. Derepted 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 influence 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. Walcott, Sr., Capt. Newberry, Capt. Clark, George Phelps, John Loomis. Henry Woleott, Jr., Jolm Bissell, 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 3, 1679-80.
Where the real trouble was we may perhaps learn from the following: Job Drake, George Griswold, John Moses, and Timothy Thrall [all active members of the Second Society or Woodbridge faction] subse-
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