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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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 35
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" No paper, or record of Mr. Woodbridge's ministry has been found, except his autograph on two documents, one of which is a receipt, dated April 13, 1736, for €118 9x, on account of his salary for that year.
2 Dexter's Annals of Fale College.
265
WINDSOR THIRD ( POQUONOCE ) SOCIETY.
tume home. Sept. 10, 1757, as also did a sister, who died two days before. The Rev. Mr. Tudor was father of the celebrated surgeon, Dr. Elihu Tudor of East Windsor. His residence in Poquonock was just north of the present dwelling of Mr. Cyrus Phelps, where he purchased in 1741, from Stephen Palmer, his next neighbor north being Nathaniel Griswold.
His death was followed by a season of trouble and disquietude. The people were divided in their wishes and opinions : some opposing the settlement of a minister, because they doubted if they could properly support one, while others desired a dissolution of the Society. During this period the Revs. Asahel Hathaway, Ebenezer Guild, and Oliver Noble, a former pastor ot Coventry, Conn., were among the occasional sap lies obtained at long intervals. In August, 1763, a meeting of the Society was called to invite a Mr. Collins to the pastorate. Three years later, September, 170. a meeting was called to see if a man should be employed as a candidate. Three years later still, November, 1769, a Mr. Church of Springfield was paid 20x. for preaching.
Separatists, also, " attending on what they call laymen extraordina- rily qualified to preach." became a disturbing clement in this parish, as elsewhere. Petitions to the Assembly to be annexed to Wintonbury par- ish, or to the Old Society ; applications to associations and councils, and committees, whose decisions always failed to give satisfaction to the in- tlamed prejudices of the disputants, followed each other with ceaseless rapidity, but all to no purpose.
The only knowledge we have is the following document (for which we are indebted to Mr. Elihn Marshall of Poquonock ), dated in 1771, fourteen years after Mr. Tudor's death :
" We the Subscribers members of ye Second Society of Windsor Reflecting on the Melancholy state of s Society in this Very great Particular viz our having for a Long time and still Continuing to be Destitute of a settled minister & some prirt of ye time without a preached Gospel among us and also Reflecting on ye great Improbability of ever being able to bring about y' settlement of a Gospel minister in ye Common & or- dinary way y' y' Gospel is settled and supported in other Societys; and also being sensi- bl .. of y- Solemn obligations y' are upon us to support y" Gospel in a Regular and Hon- nterable way & manner in Tenderness to our own souls & those of our Children & friends & for y- promoting outward good order among us have agreed to make one Effort more for the Quiet and peacable Settlement & Support of ye Gospel, hereafter in s4 Society. s' is to say y' Supporting a sound orthodox Dissenting Congregational or presbyterian Minister, & whereas it appears [to be the most] likely method to bring st
M'aime quietly to maintain & support (also being of oppineon yt Sixty Pounds Law[full money per ann]um stlary a sufficient sum to sup]port & main- tain a Gospel Minister among us) this is to Bind [ourselves] to pay according to y pro- portion we Shall Hereunto with our names annex according to List with those y' here- unto annex their names ge whole of our proportion according to our Lists. In consideration of what is above written we promise to pay our several proportions as Subscribed Hereunder to a Com" we shall appoint for ye use above said when & so long a- a Gospel minister remains settled among us & to be by s" Com" levied & Collected pr
280
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
annum for y- use abovesaid by a rate of Tax made on all ge members of s' Society & Collected in y- usual way & manner as Done heretofore.
" In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 14th day of January Am Domini 1771.
" Isaac Pinney.
Edward Barnard. Hez Griswold. Geo. Griswoldl. . Ir . Simeon Moore. Reuben Denslow,
Ezekiel Clark. Joseph Alford, Timothy Phelps, Jr . Elisha Phelps. Isaac Griswold.
Isaac Phelps, 3d.
John Phelps,
John Phelps. 4th. Francis Grisnaht. Aaron Griswold. Samuel Holcomb,
John Griswold.
Nath. Griswold.
Math'w Griswold. Alex'r Griswold, Moses Griswold,
William Phelps.
Edward Griswold, Jr.,
Phin's Griswold, Noah Griswold,
Abel Wright.
Thomas Griswold,
John Ross, Joab Griswold. Geo. Griswold,
Moses Griswold, Jr.,
Alven Owen."
It may be noted here, that comparing this list with that of half a century before, we find the new names of Wright, Ross, and Alford.
(From this point until the present time, we present the history of the Poquonock Church, as given, from authorities not attainable by ns when we published the first edition of our history, in the Rev. N. G. Bonney's Centennial Sermon.)1
The result of this effort was that the following spring Mr. DAN FOSTER of Stafford was invited to become pastor of the Poquonock Church, and was ordained at the meeting-house then standing south of Mrs. Niles's present residence. June 12. 1771. His father, Rev. Isaac Foster, the pastor at Stafford, preached the sermon, which was published.
We have better means of informing ourselves concerning the third pastor of Poquonock and his ministry than of either of the others. Men and women are living who. in other parishes, saw Mr. Foster and heard him preach. The church book kept by him has survived the ex- tinction of his church.
The church numbered twenty-four on the day of Mr. Foster's ordina- tion, all of whom had either reached or passed middle life. It was substantially the church which Tudor left, diminished only by the death of some. The following were the twenty-four members of the Poquonork Church one hundred years ago :
1 Centennial Sermon, commemorating the Settlement of Rec. Dan Foster, Last Past of the old Paquonach Church, preached in Poquonock by Rev. N. G. Bonney, June 11, 1871.
Isaac Phelps,
Martin Holcomb,
Nathaniel Owen, Jr.,
2×7
WINDSOR THIRD ( POQU'ONOCK ) SOCIETY.
Edward Griswold, Sr. William Phelps, ched Sept. 22, 1775
DEA John Phelps, died Sept 1, 1727. I-aac Phelp -. DEA. Joseph Barnard
James Phelps. Edward Barnard Gideon Case, died 1500
Matthew Griswold, died Jan. 19, 1776. Abigail Griswohl.
Ruth Griswoldl. Zerurith Griswol l.
Mary Phelps.
Anne Phelps. Jerusha Phelps. Sarah Griswold. Ruth Palmer.
Jerusha Palmer. Mabel Barnard. Elizabeth Barnard. Ruth Griswold.
Elizabeth Griswold.
Hannah Barber Mindwell Griswold.
To these names Mr. Foster adds eight others upon the first page of records : Samuel and Bathsheba Holcomb, William and Lucy Britain. Nathaniel and Mary Owen, Rebecca Walkley Foster (the pastor's wife), and Sarah Phelps, wife of Dea. John. The latter died Sept. 4, 1777.
Six others appear to have united with the church previously to its adoption in 1775 of the " half-way covenant." Their natnes were : James and Anna Rogers (slaves of Lt. Noah Griswold), Thomas Negro, Cato Rogers, Zaccheus Leonard. and Hezekiah Griswoldl. The last was chosen dearon of the church after the death in 1777 of Dea. John Phelps. James Rogers died May 9, 1776.
At a meeting of the church, held August 20. 1775, it was
"Voted. Ist that all baptized persons are members of the Christian Church, and subjects of the godly discipline, watch and care of the satue; and that it is the ineum- bent duty of the church to treat them as such.
"2d. That this church does approve of, and cheerfully con-ent to what was rec- ommended concerning the discipline of the church, and of all baptized persons in par- ticular by the Genenil Association of the consociated churches, in the Colony of Connecticut, convened by delegation at the house of the Rev. Daniel Welch. in Mans tield, June 21st, 1714, and that we ehuse a Com" for the purpose mentioned by ye Gen- eral Association in their 4th artiele ot advice."
October 27th of that year, a meeting was held which nuanimously elected for their committee or elders for the purposes atoresaid, the deacons, John Phelps and Joseph Barnard, Capt. Hezekiah Griswohl, and Mr. Nathaniel Owen, Jr.
After the adoption of this " half-way covenant," the following per- sons were admitted to full communion, namely :
May 26, 1776, June 16, .. March 1, 1778, .. .. ..
Martin and Hannah Pinney.
Thomas Griswold.
James and Susannah Wilson.
Isaac Phelps, 3d, and Lydia his wife.
Abia (wife of Elihu) Mather.
August 30, 1178. April 4. 1779. ..
Sarah Barnard.
Mary and Medusa Holcomb, daughters of Lieut. Martin.
Elihu and Mary Griswold.
" 29, 1781, Rosannah Griffin. May 20, " wid. Elizabeth Phelps.
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
It thus appears, from the records, that twenty-nine united with the church during Mr. Foster's ministry, twenty-five by profession, four hy letter. At least twelve of the twenty-four died at an advanced age dur- ing Mr. Foster's ministry.
Of those added to the church, at least two, Mrs. Foster and widow Elizabeth Phelps, died previously to his dismissal. Thomas Griswohl. who married Rhoda Tudor, daughter of the former pastor, died in 1-05. While her husband joined the church she appears not to have made a profession of religion. The last member of the church, Nathaniel Owen. died, according to the date upon his tombstone, in 1821, aged 90. Two of his grandsons, one a clergyman. the other a lawyer, were a few years since men of reputation in New York. The clergyman, John J. Owen. D.D., was the editor of several standard classical works, and of a com- mentary upon the New Testament. Hezekiah Owen, father of the divine. left Poquonock in 1792, soon after united with the Congregational church in Colebrook, Connecticut, and afterward removed to Kingsboro. N. Y. A son of the minister, of the fourth generation from Nathaniel Owen, is also a lawyer in New York city.
Rev. Dan Foster was dismissed from Poquonock Oct. 23, 1783, the last two or three years of his pastorate having been years of frietion with his people.
It is important to know whether those thirty-sis parishioners of Po- quonock succeeded in their attempt of 1771 : - whether they found in Mr. Foster - a sound orthodox Dissenting Congregational or Presbyte- rian Minister." There is no doubt that Mr. Foster, and his father, who preached the sermon at his ordination, both sustained the reputation of an orthodox minister. Mr. Foster not only came as an evangelical preacher, but he for several years zealously advocated evangelical doc- trines. The following sentences, copied from his own record, form the close of Mr. Foster's address to an excommunicated person, Feb. 15, 1778 :
"Nevertheless, we shall not cease to pray for yon, that God would have mercy on yon, and prevent you in your course of folly and great wickedness, by his Holy Spirit and grace. Take heed, we admonish you, lest being thus bound on earth, you be bound also in heaven, to your eternal shame and perdition. We leave you in the hands of God. whose bowels of mercy towards repenting, returning sinners, are infinite, but whose wrath and vengeance towards hardened and persisting sinners are dreadful, and will burn to the lowest hell.
Signed, " DAN FOSTER, Pastor."
Three years later, namely, in 1781, Rev. Isaac Foster at West Staf- ford, father of the Poquonock pastor, in consequence of embracing and preaching Universalist views, was deposed from the ministry. The church at Stafford was greatly divided. A large minority adhered to the deposed minister. Dan Foster, brought up there, seems to have retained
289
WINDSOR THIRD, OR POQUONOCK SOCIETY.
his connection with that church. At all events, his name does not appear as a member here. He still communmed with that church. This tact came to the notice of his brethren in the ministry. He was called to account by the North Association of Hartford County, of which body he was a member. The last item of business, at their meeting of Oct. 5. 1754. a year atter Mr. Foster's dismissal, is the following -I quote from the records, as copied by Mr. J. 11. Hayden :
" Mr. Dan Foster moved to this body for a recommendation as a regular Christian and Minist .r. Upon which this Association proposed to him several things, by way of inquiry as to his sentiments relative to his adhering to the church in West Stafford, as to terms of communion, and also relative to his communing with them in special ordin- ances. His answers not giving satisfaction, or appearing well to coincide with his pub- lished sentiments,' this Association are of the opinion that the way is not clear at present to grant his request, and therefore propose that the whole matter be deferred to farther consideration at their meeting Lume next, at which time they will be ready to pay a farther attention to it ; provided, Mr. Foster shall then and there appear to desire a farther conference."
The Association met at Windsor, June 7, 1785.
" Rev. Dan Foster, formerly of Poquonock, a Parish in Windsor, requested again a letter of recommendation as a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ from said Asso- ciation. As the said Foster was examined in a formal manner two years ago, June, 1783, and professed his belief of the doctrines of the gospel, called Calvinistic, and now before the same body affirms himse If Jemily to be of the same sentiments, in this view the Association, contiding in his honesty, think they may recommend him to be employed as a regular gospel minister in the church of our Lord where Providence may call him."
Three times he was before the Association when his soundness was in question, the first time a few months previously to his dismissal here. He endeavored to remove the suspicion that had fallen upon him. He valued and took pains to secure credentials from Calvinistic ministers. Therefore he could not have preached Universalism while at Poquonock. Had he done so, the record of the Association in regard to him would have been shorter than it was, and different.
: Mr. Foster was next installed pastor of the Congregational Church in Weathersfield, Vt., in 1787. This fact would indicate that he made use of the recommendation, hesitating as it was, of the Hartford North Asso- riation. He won the reputation in Weathersfield of an evangelical and a powerful preacher. For several years he gave general satisfaction. But after a long time he appeared " to swerve from the evangelical faith to Universalism." He became loose in observing the Sabbath. This change occasioned his dismission, which occurred in 1799.
He went the same year to Charlestown, N. IL., preaching there a funeral sermon at the death of General Washington, but he was not in- stalled there. Ile declared himself a Universalist, but the condition of
' Tradition says that he published a book.
VOL. I. - 37
290
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
the church in that town was such that he supplied their pulpit for the most part, during the remaining years of his life. Ile died October, 1809. and was buried in his last field of labor.
In both of his last parishes he kept a classical school and fitted young men for college. He had himself never graduated at college, but his classical attainments and his scholarly reputation were such, early in his ministry, that Yale and Dartmouth colleges the same year (1774) conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. Mr. Foster's dwell- ing in Poquonock stood where Mr. W. Scott Loomis' house has since been built. He bought the house and four or five acres of land of Abel Wright, and sold to Frederick Winthrop. The house was afterwards burned to the ground ; and in the flames perished an apprentice boy em- ployed by Winthrop. Mr. Foster also owned forty acres of land ou Tinker's farm, as it was called, including land which Mr. Salisbury now owns. Isaac Griswold was the purchaser from Mr. Foster of that lot.
The third pastor of Poquonock is remembered by old people in his later parishes as small in stature, but portly, gentlemanly in manners, a good man, an able classical teacher, a powerful preacher.
The church and society here were left by their last pastor in an un- happy condition. They did not rally from the effects of their altercations with him sufficiently to procure another pastor. It is understood that the Universalists became a majority in the Society, seized the meeting- house (built about 1800) and the funds of the Society, and used both for their purposes.
They had, however, occasional preaching. Rev. Elam Potter, pastor of the Congregational church at Enfield from 1769 to 1776, preached here at intervals. Mr. Marshall states that after the building of the second meeting-house, in 1796, the association supplied its pulpit one year. Later still. about the year 1806, Rev. David Austin preached there a year. But the church continued to diminish until 1821; with the death of its last member, it vanished away. Yet a few Christians had their abode in Poquonock. Mrs. Rowland of Windsor, now over ninety years of age, resided here from 1816 to about the year 1822. At that time Christian men came from Hartford to hold religious meetings. These meetings were sometimes held with the Rowlands at the old public house, and sometimes with the family of Mr. William Soper, who, with his wife, Rebecca, had joined this church at its formation.
Among those who came from Hartford were the late Norman Smith. Governor W. W. Ellsworth, and Anson Gleason, afterwards a mission- ary to the Choctaw Indians. Edward Beecher once preached in those times in the old schoolhouse. "Father Gleason records that one of the most earnest and faithful laborers in Poquonock within the period referred to was Albert Judson, student at Yale and teacher at Windsor. Mr.
291
WINDSOR THIRD, OR POQUONOCK SOCIETY.
Gleason studied with Roy. Luke Wood, who taught a private school in this parish. He further writes, . We used to think the Rowland family a kind of lighthouse there. There is a kind of charm to me," he says, " in speaking to any interested person about that old place where, if ever I prayed in earnest, it was there." Mr. Gleason was a member of Dr. Hawes' church in Hartford, as were also several others who conducted the meetings.
" But these efforts were no equivalent for the preached word. The loss to Poquonock in the absence for fifty years of a vigorous church with its stated ministry, was beyond comprehension. Even the pecuniary loss a million dollars would scarcely supply. Time was when men in need of capital, men from Windsor and from Simsbury, came to Poquonock to borrow. Here was the wealth of old Windsor, wealth which had been accumulated when the gospel here was in high repute.
"The loss in morals, for example through intemperance, the loss in education, in public spirit, in all that elevates society, the loss in Chris- tian character, in consequence of the past scarcity of God's word here. was incalculable. Had the church been upheld, had it been kept vigor- mus, society, improvements, business, every interest of this community would have been widely different for the two and three generations past from what they have been. The present church, the growth of a single generation, can never repair the damage which Poquonock has sustained. A church cannot go back and cancel the old mistakes of a community."
Congregational preaching was kept up at Rainbow from 1835-1841, and 2d of June of the latter year a church of forty members was formed at l'oquonock, the sermon on the occasion being by Rev. Dr. Hawes, of Hartford, from text Psalms Ixxiv. 22.
CHAPTER XVI.
ECCLESIASTICAL -WINTONBURY PARISIL, OR FIFTH SOCIETY IN WINDSOR (NOW BLOOMFIELD).
173-1-1891.
A S to the time when, or by whom, that portion of Oll Windsor for- merly known as " Greenfield." then as - Wintonbury Parish," and now as the town of Bloomfield, was first settled, we have no very definite data.' Barber, in his Hist. Coll. of Conn., says that "at the period of the first settlements on the Connectiont River the Windsor people sent out a number of men to explore the tract since named Win- tonbury. These men returned and reported that there was good land sufficient for the maintenance of three families." It is scarcely probable. however, that this exploration could have been at the " period of the first settlements."
By 1734. however. the inhabitants of this outlying territory had so increased in numbers as to be desirous and able to support. partially at least, a gospel ministry in their midst. And the Assembly, at the May session of that year, received a petition, signed by twenty-seven residents of the district known as " Messenger's Farms." in the southwest part of Windsor (now called Old Farms), praying that they might be allowed " winter privileges." This, in view of the distance (six miles) from the house of worship of the North Society in Windsor, was dermed a reason- able request. and " winter privileges " were granted them from the first of November to the last of March, and for two years,? At the end of
' Edward Messenger and his son-in-law .. .. Peter Mills the Dutchman," were among the first, if not the first, to settle at " Messenger Farms." Messenger bought his land in 1661, and, in 1666. deeded to Peter Mills " as a free gift " twenty acres, " whereon he has builded." H.
2 Names of petitioners: -.
Thomas Rowel, Solomon Clark,
David Grant,
Robert Walley,
Zebulon Hoskins,
Nath'l Cook,
Robert Barrett,
Isaac Skinner,
John Soper.
Enoch Drake, Jr ..
Alex. Hoskins, Joseph Hoskins,
Isaac Brown, David Brown. Peter Mills,
Daniel Mills, David Buttolph!
Anthony Hoskins,
John Loomis,
Isaac Eggleston,
Jonathan Brown. Peletiah Mills,
Abel Gillet, John Hubbard. Moses Cadwell.
Daniel Eggleston,
John Eggleston.
293
WINDSOR FIFTH, OR WINTONBURY PARISH.
this time, during which they probably hired a minister and maintained regular worship, another petition was presented to the Assembly, May, 1736, by thirty-one persons in Windsor, with twelve in Simsbury and eight in Farmington, who were similarly situated. and earnestly praying for " parish " privileges. Accordingly, in October, 1736, a parish was set off, bounded on the north by Simsbury and Windsor Third ( Poquon- mock ) Society: east by Windsor First Society; south by Windsor and Hartford, and west by Farmington and Simsbury. Of this parish, which was nearly four miles square, about seven-tenths lay in Windsor, one- touth in Farmington, and two-tenths in Simsbury, and it was named in consequence from the towns of which it was composed -WIN-TON-BURY.1
The first society meeting was held November 16, 1736, at which it was unanimously voted to build a meeting-house and hire a preacher. They informed the Assembly at its next session. May, 1737, that they had voted to erect their meeting-house on the east side of Wash Brook ; but fearing that they might intrude upon the prerogatives of the legisla- ture in the matter, they requested the appointment of a committee to locate the said merting-house. The desired committee was appointed, ant located the meeting-house near the bank of the hill, about twenty rods from the center of the parish, and the site was duly approved by the Assembly. This edifice -45 by 35 feet - was "a plain, barn-like structure, unpainted, with no steeple or the slightest mark to distinguish it as a church. Swallows made their homes in the rafters, and squirrels so ahounded that it soon became necessary for the safety of the pulpit cushions to keep them over at the tavern between Sundays. A hewn log lay along the middle aisle beside the raised pews for the little child- ren, who generally came barefoot in the summer time; and from this they would rise deferentially and "make their manners" as the minister walked among them to the pulpit. The square pews, straight-backed and high, were annually assigned to the attendants, according to rank and age. In the gallery was a high pew, set apart for colored persons. The tithing-man, from his post in the Singers' Seat, kept watch over the demeanor of young and old, and not seldom some playful or weary urchin was rapped with his long stick, or pointed out to notice, or even treated with harsher measures. All the men sat on one side of the church, and all the women on the other. East of the church a great horseblock of hewn logs stood ready to receive from their saddles and billions those who had come mounted." ? This building was never fully finished.
' The act creating this society also created three others, viz .: Salmon Brook (now Granby); Turkey Hill (now East Granby), and Simsbury, and was the termination of a bitter controversy of a dozen years relating to the site for the second meeting house in Simsbury. - Sr Phelps' Hist. Simsbury.
2 Mrs. E. S. Warner in Mem. Hist. Hartford Co.
2:14
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
A church consisting of 67 members (81 males and 86 females) ... organized on the 14th of February. 1738, and on the next day the Re .. HEZEKIAH BISSELL was ordained as its pastor, on which occasion the Re .. Jonathan Marsh of Windsor preached from 24 Corinthians, ili. 6: the Rev. Samuel Whitman of Farmington gave the charge, and the Rev. Benjamin Colton of West Hartford the right hand of fellowship.
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