USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > The history of Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut, from the settlement of the town in 1639 to 1818, Vol. II > Part 10
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Pequonnock on the one side had taken away a large number from the Prime Society, while Green's Farms on the other side had also drawn away a goodly number. The northwest parish, or Greenfield, had begun to show signs of her ability to support a minister of her own, and Lone- town, or Reading, was also whispering in the same strain. No wonder. therefore, independent of the strong prejudices which many entertained against the Church of England, that the Congregational elders and dea- cons set out with a resolute determination to prevent, if possible, any further drain upon their congregation.
It is not always possible for an historian to do justice to historical facts, especially where differences of religious opinions are to be laid
* Dr. Trumbull states there exists a tradition that Governor Saltonstall, who well understood the doctrine of the Church of England, became the champion of the Congregational and Presby- terian churches ; and that he argued the point of controversy-which appears to have been the validity of Congregational ordination, with Mr. Cutler before the Commencement. It appears that from Gov. Saltonstall's argument two of the gentlemen who had favored the Church of England declared themselves satisfied with their early views. Trumbull's Ilist. Conn., Vol. 2, p. 33.
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before the public, without incurring displeasure either on one side or the other ; nevertheless, such facts as are based upon ungarnished truth can never offend truth seekers. The stormy epoch in the history of Fairfield, which at this time roused bitter feelings and sad misunder- standings, will, therefore, be faithfully and impartially related.
An idea of the state of religious feeling in Fairfield about the time of the Rev. Mr. Pigot's arrival may be gathered from the following letter, written by Mr. Webb to the Rev. Dr. Cotton Mather, and dated October 3, 1722:
" The axe is laid to the root of our civil & sacred enjoyments, & a doleful gap opened for trouble & confusion in our churches. The Churchmen are wonderfully lifted up. It is a very dark day for us, & we need piety, prayers & counsel. We need help of some good arguments used by those who are skilled in controversy, & have acted well therein. They will, I conclude, allege that the ordinations among us were Presbyterian, because several pastors in our colony, in the more ancient days of it, were ordained by laymen, & those pastors so ordained have acted in the latter ordinations among us. This the Churchmen among us improve, by a fling now & then about the 'leather mitten' that was laid on the head of the Rev. Mr. Chauncey of Stratford, many years since deceased, by one of the brethren acting at his ordination .*
What led those eminent men, who first settled this country, to allow laymen to act in such affairs is not for me to say. But what I would say in this case is, how shall we be able to justify ourselves if this article be insisted on by our antagonists? The notion of these ordinations by laymen, I fear, do us more damage than all the arguments that can be brought for the necessity of Episcopal ordination. Our condition I look upon as very deplorable & sad. Please to communicate the contents of my letter to your venerable & honorable father, & to as many of the ministers of Boston, &c., as you may judge mect. And let me [though unworthy] have, as soon as may be, what comfort, light & strength is needed in our sad circumstances, from as many of you, as will please to engage in the cause. Thus desiring an interest in your prayers for us, I subscribe myself,
Rev. & honored Sir,
Your humble servant,
JOSEPH WEBR. +
In an address delivered by President Woolsey before Yale College on the 14th of August, 1850, he thus speaks of Mr. Cutler and the other ministers who had declared themselves in favor of the Church of England :
" That these gentlemen were honest in their persuasion seems undoubted; & indeed, under the circumstances in which they found themselves, the first champions of an un- welcome theory in the Colony, & dissenters from the church order there established, there was every motive for dishonest or timid men to conceal their opinions. There seems to be little doubt that they studied together the points of difference between the Church
* It appears that Elder Brinsmaid of Long Hill was present at this ordination and forgetting to remove his leather mitten, laid his gloved hand upon the head of the Rev. Mr. Chauncey.
t Bishop Hawkes and Perry's Hist. of Protestant Episcopal Church.
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of England & other sects which had separated from it,- that books in the library of the college wrought this change in their sentiments. A departure for the first time in the Colony, & of so many at once, from the views of the New England churches, & a return to that church from which the pilgrims had fed into the wilderness, filled the nunds of men with apprehension & gloom, -feelings which extended into the neighboring Colory I suppose that greater alarm would scarcely be awakened now if the Theological Faculty of the College were to declare for the Church of Rome, vow their bchef in transubstan tiation, & pray to the Virgin Mary."
At a meeting of the trustees in New Haven in October, the following resolutions were passed :
" That the trustees, in faithfulness to the trust reposed in them, do excuse the Kv Mr. Cutler from all further services as rector of Yale College: That the trustees accept of the resignation which Mr. Brown hath made as tutor. And that all such per is a shall hereafter be elected to the office of rector, or tutor in this college, shall before they accept before the trustees, declare their assent to the confession of faith owned and assented to by the elders & managers of the churches in the Colony of Connecticut, osem bled by delegates at Saybrook Sept. 9. 1708: & confirmed by act of General .Assembly . & shall particularly give satisfaction to them, of the soundness of their faith in opposition to Arminian & prelatical corruptions, or of any other dangerous consequence to the purity & peace of our churches." *
Soon after the dismission of Mr. Cutler from the College he, with Mr. Brown and Mr. Johnson, went to England to receive Episcopal ordination. They were received by the vice-chancellors of the English universities with marked attention and respect. From both universities Mr. Cutler had conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity. and Mr. Johnson that of Master of Arts. Upon their return from Eng- land as missionaries from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Dr. Cutler settled at Boston and Mr. Samuel Johnson at Stratford and Fairfield. Mr. Brown died not long after he had received orders. Mr. Whetmore also went to England, and after receiving orders settled at Rye, in the province of New York. " These." says Dr. Trumbull, " were the first of the clergy who declared for Episcopacy in Connecticut, & were very much the fathers of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut & New England."
In a letter addressed by Mr. Pigot to the Society for the Propaga- tion of the Gospel dated November 6. 1722, he wrote of his missionary work at Stratford and Fairfield and of the valuable services rendered to him by Dr. James Laborie.
Another very interesting letter to the Secretary of the Society has
* Trumbull's Ilist. Conn., Vol. 2., p. 35.
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survived the lapse of time. It is so full of interest that Dr. Laborie's own language seems preferable to that of any manipulation from another pen.
FAIRFIELD, New England, March 5, 1723.
" Rev. Sir:
Mr. Pigot hath acquainted the honorable society my circumstances thereof, I shall not be tedious in giving you an account of them. After that I left my own Country, by reason of the persecution raging there, I went to Zurich, & was ordained by Mr. Clinglet Antistes of that Canton, as you may see certified by two enclosed copies. I arrived in England at the time of King William's coronation, & there obtained a license from the Lord Bishop of London for teaching grammar & eatechising the parish of Stepney. Some- time afterwards, I was persuaded by my Lord Bellemont to come into America, where he settled me for the work of the ministry in a town called New Oxford, where Mr. Boudet had been before, & gave me a commission to instruct the Indians there, the original thereof I herewith submit to your honorable society. That office I was diligent to perform, &, by the blessing of God, having obtained the lingua of that nation, had so considerable a success that I brought some of them to the capacity of teaching others; but the town being cut off by the Indian enemies, we were forced to forsake the settlement for the security of our lives, & since my abode in the Colony of Connecticut & County of Fair- field, where are many Indians, I have concluded it my duty to continue my labors, though without any prospect of encouragement or salary, for which I propose to apply myself to Gov. Saltonstall, whose original letter of approbation attends upon you, & receiving his encouragement I began, by the enclosed introductory discourse, to prepare both the English & native inhabitants; but having declared myself a member of the Church of England, I was immediately interrupted by the Lieutenant Governor, Nathan Gold, a mortal enemy to the Church, & violently compelled to surcease my endeavours. My commission extended no further than Boston Colony. Since Mr. Pigot's arrival in the Colony I have joined with him, & done my endeavors to assist him. He hath the care of four churches considerably distant from each other, & though no missionary before ever took half the pains that he takes for the propagation of the Church of England, yet the members of his church are scattered, & the enemies thereof so busy to hinder those who are already communicants, & others who are willing to join us, that it is impossible for one man to entertain them all, & to keep them in the bosom of the Church. Therefore making use of that licence I received from Bishop Compton, I visit the well disposed people to instruct them in the principles of the established Church; & on the Lord's Day, while Mr. Pigot is at Stratford or some other place, I teach at my own house, which I have destined for the services of the Church of England.
I suppose Mr. Pigot will acquaint your honorable body with the persecutions & threatnings we are exposed to having in this town of Fairfield, the Lieut. Governor against us, & the pretended minister of the Independency continually declaiming against the Church, terming her services Popery, the way to hell, & themselves Bishops as regular as the Bishop of London, with many other extravagant expressions. Therefore if your honorable society would favor me with a larger favor than I have, I should be very glad to employ the rest of my days for the propagation of the gospel among the heathen, & instruction of the remoter members of the Church of England, not doubting but that, under the blessing of God, the Church of Fairfield would be in a short time in a flourishing condition, there being many that desire to be instructed in the principles thereof. We are here under great disadvantages by reason of the scarcity of Catechisms, Common Prayer
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Books, Psalters & many other which are needed for instruction & comfort We humbly beg the honorable society to procure some (for this town particularly ) & 1 thall ever continue to pray for the prosperity of your glorious body, as at present, he cordially does, who is with the utmost submission.
Your very humble servant & well wisher,
JAMES LAHORIE .*
From these letters something of the bitter spirit indulged in by Christian bodies, differing in regard to form and church government, is shown. There is, however, one noticeable point for reflection, viz. : that however bitter the animosities exhibited at this time, they were mild when compared with the cruelties practiced in England about one hun- dred years before.
1723. The Assembly met at Hartford May 9th, when Justice Gold was re-elected Deputy Governor, Judge Burr an Assistant, and Major John Burr and Robert Silliman representatives. Judge Peter Burr was appointed one of the treasury auditors. He was also appointed Chief Judge of the Superior Court and Judge of the County Court of Fairfield.
It was made a law that all nominations of judges and justices should be first made by the lower house, and that the upper house should have power to refuse their nominations, with power to fill up the roll and return it to the lower house, to be by them returned to the upper house for confirmation.
One hundred and twenty acres of land, granted in 1720 to Justice Nathan Gold, which had been granted to his wife from her father's estate. the late Colonel John Talcott of Hartford, was now ordered to be laid out to him in the ungranted lands " lying between Danbury on the north, & Fairfield & Norwalk on the south, adjoining the west side of Unpewaug Hill.+
The sum of £5,000 in bills of credit was ordered to be printed by Mr. Timothy Green of New London.
A law was passed that the treasurer of the colony should make out his orders to the constables in the towns, that they should pay the school money due to each committee, or the selectman of each town or parish, from the colony treasury and take a receipt for the same.
The Assembly met, October 10th, at New Haven. For the first time for many years Deputy Governor Nathan Gold's name disappears from the head of the Assembly officials; and it was announced that he had
* Hist. Prot. Epis'I Church in America, by Bishops Hawkes and Perry, pp. 52-85. + Col Rec. Conn., Vol. 1716-1725, P. 386.
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died on the 3d of October, aged sixty years. His honorable and useful life has been shown in the previous pages of this history. He died a Christian, a statesman and a soldier. Like his father, he was beloved and lamented at home and abroad. He was buried in the old Burial Hill Cemetery of Fairfield, where his tombstone is still to be seen.
Peter Burr was appointed Judge of Probate at Fairfield, and of the County Court. Major John Burr and Mr. Robert Silliman represented Fairfield at this time. Major Burr was chosen Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Captain Moses Dimon Justice of the Peace for Fair- field County.
A tax of threepence on the pound was levied on all taxable estates in the colony to meet the public debts.
The Assembly granted to the heirs of the Hon. Nathan Gold, late Deputy Governor of this colony, " the whole salary for the year, which would have been paid him, if it had pleased God to have spared him longer to us." The treasurer was ordered to pay to " Mr. John Gold, his eldest son, for himself & the other children of that worthy gentleman, the sum of fifty pounds."*
The taxable estates at Fairfield were valued at £24,492 13s. 2d.
Major John Burr was made one of a committee to take charge of the several acts of the Assembly, and to see that they were "exactly entered on the records."
During the latter part of this year the Rev. Mr. Pigot gave up his missionary labors at Stratford and Fairfield, and removed to Providence. He was succeeded by the Rev. Samuel Johnson, who was a most wel- come pastor to the churchmen of both places. He had been ordained by the Bishop of Norwich, who acted in the place of the Bishop of London, and came back to America vested with the full ecclesiastical dignity of his sacred office. He settled at Stratford, where to the present day his family have been among the most prominent churchmen in that place.
But a short time before leaving Fairfield Mr. Pigot reported to the Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel that the Church of England in this region was divided into two parties, "the high & the low," and that the Congregationalists " pretend to hold full communion with the low church party," but regarded the high church brethren " as rank papists."
* Col. Rec. Conn., Vol. 1716-1725, P. 433.
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1724. "In January of 1724 he wrote: Fairfield is well inclosed, & will have as large a communion as Newtown; but Dr. Laborie's industry there takes off the present necessity of a missionary in that town. This last gentleman is an excellent preacher; but by reason of his attachment to our principles is unimproved by the dissenters, as to his practice in physic, unless upon the greatest emergency."
In a report of the Rev. Dr. Johnson's to the Bishop of London at this time, he wrote " that his parishioners in Stratford had lately opened their new church called Christ's Church ; & that the churchmen at Fair- field were also vigorously going forward in building a church." At the same time he lamented the want of an Episcopal bishop in America.
From the Stratford Church Records, kept by Mr. Pigot and Mr. Johnson, we learn that Mr. Dougal McKenzie * was the first warden of the Church of England at Fairfield. The first vestrymen were James Laborie, Sen., and Benjamin Sturges. Dougal Mckenzie, Esq., was one of the most prominent gentlemen in Fairfield, and a very devoted churchman.
Another very interesting letter, written by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Johnson to the Bishop of London, dated January 10, 1724. is well worthy of notice. He wrote :
" The interest of the Church gains ground daily in Fairfield, where they are vigor- ously going forward in building a church, & fix their expectations on a young gentleman here whom I am preparing for the services of the Church; but his age will not admit of his being ordained this time two or three years, but he promiseth well against that time."
Again, in July of the same year, he wrote :
"I have made all proper & modest application to the government, both privately & publicly ; we have yet no abatement of persecution & imprisonment for taxes with sundry people, & those of both sexes have unreasonably suffered since my last; & I fear that if we can't have some relief from the honorable society for orders, people will grow quite discouraged."
The General Assembly met at Hartford, May 14th, when Judge Peter Burr was elected an Assistant, and also Chief Judge of the Fairfield County Court, and Major John Burr and Mr. Robert Silliman represen- tatives and auditors of the public treasury. Major John Burr was chosen Speaker of the Lower House. Judge Peter Burr made one of a com-
* Appendix, Genealogical. Ilist. Prot. Epis'l Church in America-Bishops Hawkes and Perry. P. 124.
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mittee to receive and assort the bills of credit in the treasurer's hands, so that the defaced ones might be destroyed.
It was resolved by the Assembly: "That the oaths provided by an act of Parliament, instead of the oath of allegiance & supremacy; & the declaration against trans-substantiation & the abjuration of the pretender, shall be made & taken by all the members of the Assembly; & by all persons who are or may be chosen on the annual day of election to the office of governor, deputy governor, assistants, secretary, & all other officers in the colony before they shall be admitted to discharge the ser- vice belonging to their place, office or trust.">
At a meeting of the Governor and Council in June Mr. Jonathan Sturges was nominated sheriff of the County of Fairfield.
The unhappy war existing between Massachusetts and the eastern tribes of Indians gave continual cause of alarm along the western bor- ders of the Connecticut settlements, Litchfield, New Milford, Simsbury, Ridgefield and Danbury, were frequently thrown into great distress by Indian hunters, whose guns were often heard in the woods; and as they could not distinguish friends or foe the Assembly resolved that all hunt- ing should be prohibited both by the English and Indians, and that no Indian should be seen in the woods either in the counties of Hartford, New Haven or Fairfield unless in company of an Englishman. Major John Burr and Major Samuel Eells of Milford, with the military officers near them, were ordered to employ fourteen or fifteen friendly Indians, to be accompanied by three or more Englishmen, to scour the woods of western towns " & endeavor to take the scalps of the scalping Indian enemy." The scouts were to be commissioned. For each scalp brought by them into the Assembly a reward of fifty pounds was offered besides their stated wages. t
Mr. Jonathan Sturges accepted and was appointed sheriff of Fair- field County and took the oath appointed by the laws, " & he made a declaration against popery." Mr. John Pickett and John Richards of New London became his bondsmen in the sum of two thousand pounds, for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office. #
The office of a sheriff in those days was one of importance. "He was the arm of the law, the embodiment of power, to be honored & feared, and a terror to evil-doers.
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1717-1725, p. 466. + Col. Rec. Conn., 1717-1725, p. 480. # Col. Rec. Conn., 1716-1725, p. 481.
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At the meeting of the General Assembly in New Haven, October Sth, Judge Peter Burr, Captain Joseph Wakeman and Mr. Ebenezer Wakeman were present.
It was resolved that one of the military captains in the counties of Hartford, New Haven and Fairfield should give notice to the Indians in their towns that they might hunt in the woods, " where they used to hunt, provided that for a fortnight they were accompanied by some Englishmen, & carefully wore some white cloth about their heads for a signal that they are friends; " but " they must not go into the Boston government."
Captain Joseph Wakeman was made one of the treasury inspectors of the past and present issue of bills of credit.
The solicitation of Massachusetts for men and arms to help them carry on a war against the eastern Indians, who had committed many depredations and killed several Englishmen and their families, was at this time made a matter of discussion.
Colonel John Stoddard appeared before the Assembly in behalf of Massachusetts. Judge Peter Burr, with five other gentlemen who had been appointed a committee to examine into the necessity of such a war, reported that as Massachusetts had entered into this war without con- sulting Connecticut, of which they had not fully seen the necessity of declaring, still they were willing to lend help if occasion proved neces- sary. At the same time they recommended a further investigation, and counselled caution on the part of Massachusetts " lest un-necessary blood be shed."*
1725. At a meeting of the Governor and Council held in Hartford, June 16th, it was announced that the Honorable Peter Burr had died but a few days before, December 25th, at Fairfield. He was but fifty-six years of age, and had led a most active and useful life. He was a man of fine legal ability, and figured in many important trusts for the interest of Connecticut. He was made one of a committee upon several occa- sions for settling the vexed boundary line between New York and Con- necticut, one of the Council of War, and Chief Judge of the Superior Court when it was found that Justice Nathan Gold's health no longer allowed him to act in this office. He was yearly appointed one of the Judges of the Superior Court, and was made Judge of the Probate Court of Fairfield, which office he held until his death. Thus, in the full vigor
* Col. Rec. Conn., 1717-1725, P.502.
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of life and great usefulness, died another honored son of Fairfield. His tombstone is still standing in the old Burial Hill Cemetery .*
Upon still further intelligence from Governor Philip Schuyler of Al- bany that the eastern Indians were making havoc and spreading dismay along the frontiers of New York and the New England frontier towns, the Governor and Council ordered that immediate assistance should be sent to their relief. Major John Burr was forthwith ordered to send out his warrants to the chief commissioned officers of Fairfield, Stratford and Milford, to send " five effective, good able-bodied men, to be de- tached or impressed from each town," and to send the fifteen said men under the command of a sergeant, whom Major Burr should appoint, " to march to New Milford & there to assist in guarding, scouting, watch- ing & warding that town." +
The Assembly met at Hartford May 13th, when Captain Joseph Wakeman was elected an Assistant, and Major John Burr and Mr. Eben- ezer Wakeman representatives from Fairfield. Captain Joseph Wake- man was appointed Judge of the Fairfield County Probate Court. Major John Burr was commissioned major of the Fairfield County regiment. Captain Joseph Wakeman was made a commissioner to fix the boundary line between Connecticut and New York; and at a meeting of the Gov- ernor and Council on the 20th of March he was chosen one of the Council of War.
A memorial was presented to the Assembly by Thomas Hill and others of the northwest part of Fairfield praying for parish privileges, which was as follows :
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