USA > Connecticut > Litchfield County > Harwinton > The history of Harwinton, Connecticut > Part 5
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1 Nov., 1735.§ Uoted to Chuse a Commeete of unJnterrastted Par- sons to afix or State aplace or Placses whare the jnhabitants of harwinton Shall Meet in on the Sabbath day untill there is A Meeting hous Built And Maad fit for the jnhabitants to Meet in on Said day to worship God in
Uoted that M; John Burd : george May'ch [Marsh ?] and Edward Ph[e]lps :- Be the Men to fix or State the Place or Placses aboue Nameed-where we Shall Meet in on the Sabbath day to worship god in :-
*Harwinton Records, Book I.
+Classical, unwittingly? 'De termine;' good Latin not ill applied-if two words ; good English well applied-if one word.
#State Archives, "Ecclesiastical " Papers.
§So in the original. The '9' is an error. The '8' was set over, to correct, it.
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It is now uoted that M' Daniel Messinger and M' daniel Phelps Be A Commeete to lay the Surcomstances of our cases before these Men and to bring there return or answer to the inhabitants of the town of har- winton*
12 Dec., 1738. Voted that Joseph Richards and John Wilson Be tything men*
Of such officers, not previously chosen in Harwinton, the need in present circumstances was very apparent.
4 May, 1739. Voted that M' daniel Messinger And Samuell Phelps be a commeete to A Plie our Selues to the general Court that the Place for A meeting House that was Picht on by the general Courts Commeete may be Confirmmed or A New Commeete be A Poyntted to A fixe A Place for te said town of Harwinton for their metinghouse to Stand in or on*
10 May, 1739. Daniel Messenger and Samuel Phelps, Agents in behalf of the Town of Harwinton, make application to the Legislature for confirmation of the location, etc. The location, as selected per Committee of the Legislature, is confirmed.t
21 Sept., 1739. voted that the Length of the meeting Hous for the Enhabitants of Harwinton Shall be fiffty foot in length and forty foot wid and the height to be twenty four foot between Joynts
Voted that M' Jsral Merreman Bengimen Catling and Jacob Benton Be A Commeete to order and Cary on or let out the Building of the Said Meeting Hous-
Voted that A Rate Shall Be Mad of tweelue Pence uPon the Pound Jn the List be granted & Mad to Caryon the Building of the said Meet- ing Hous
Voted that Jonathan Catling and Isaac Bull be Collectors to Jather the aboue granted rat for the Carying on the Building of Said Meeting Hous*
27 Sept., 1739. The Legislature are apprised that Harwinton have a Committee chosen to direct and 'contract' for building a Meeting-house.+
8 Oct., 1739. A rate of land is referred to, t probably in aid of the Building.
14 Dec., 1739. joseph Merremon and Moses Webster be tything men
Voted to giue Mr jsrael merremon three Pounds for the use of his Hous one year to met in on the Sabbath day -- #
*Harwinton Records, Book I.
+State Archives, "Ecclesiastical" Papers.
¿They thus, of their privilege, said to him, as David, of land and oxen for an altar, "said unto Araunah, Nay ; but I will surely buy it of thee for a price: neither 7
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Voted that the Meeting House as to the former width be mad fiue foot narrowwer than the former uot was- _*
7 May, 1740. More difficulties are developed; as Pelatiah Mills, Daniel Bissel, Hezekiah Bissel, Josiah Higley, Ebenezer Tyler, Samuel Barber, Thomas Bull, Samuel Haydon, Daniel Phelps, Job Alford, Daniel Gillet, John Stoughton, and Noah Loomis, petition the Legislature that 'they may be discharged from paying any tax on land lying within two and one quarter miles from the south end of the town.'t The Meeting-house was by them, it seems, regarded as likely to be erected too far north for their convenience.}
13 May, 1740. Other dissatisfaction is manifested; as Benja- min Catling, Israel Merriman, Jacob Benton, Jonathan Hopkins, Jonathan Catling, Jonathan Brace, Ebenezer Hopkins, John Coult, Samuel Phelps, Hezekiah Hopkins, Stephen Hopkins, Joseph Richards, Joseph Merriman, Samuel Catling, Nathan Davis, James Cole, Abijah Catling, Jonathan Butler, Zechariah Seymour, Jr., Nehemiah Messenger, Amos Hinsdell, Samuel Moody, certify to the Legislature, that 'they had not been invi- ted to a friendly conference in regard to locating the Meeting-
will I offer burnt-offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me noth- ing." The whole enterprise of this Church building showed our fathers exhibiting the same commendable spirit. Too many serve God with what costs them very little; some indeed, if they serve him at all, with hardly even that.
Mr. Merriman's house is said to have stood where stands the one, built by Rev. Dr. Pierce, at present owned and occupied by Mrs. Orson Barber .- At Wallingford, Ct., "till April, 1680, the first settlers assembled for religious worship in a private house, Lieut. Nathanael Merriman's." "Nathanael Merriman [died] February 13, 1694, Æt. 80." A CENTURY DISCOURSE DELIVERED AT THE ANNIVERSARY MEETING OF THE FREEMEN OF THE TOWN OF WALLINGFORD, APRIL 9, 1770. BY JAMES DANA, D.D. NEW HAVEN: PRINTED BY T. AND S. GREEN.
*Harwinton Records, Book I. +State Archives, "Ecclesiastical " Papers.
#Whatever disadvantage, as to distance, was occasioned to some of the fathers by the location adopted for their Church edifice, that location seems to have pro- cured additions to the number of worshippers in their Town. It appears, from the State Archives as above referred to, that, in 1757, certain Torringford people were Harwinton church-goers ; and that, in 1771, John Wiard, Joseph Bacon, Joseph Bacon, Jr., Daniel Bacon, Asa Yale, Asa Yale, Jr., Titus Bunnel and Ruth Davis were for religious purposes transferred from Farmington (that part now Burlington) to Har- winton. For a long period certain families residing in the nearer part of New- Hartford have worshipped here,
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house, nor had they heard of it till after the meeting,' for that purpose, had been held .*
3 July, 1740. Uoted that arate of Eight teen Pence upon the Pound in the list Be Made on the Ratable Estate that is in the town of Harwinton Now Set down in the list and it Shall be Put to the use of Carring on the nesesary Charges of finishing the Mee[t]ing House
Uoted that the glase for the meetting House Shall be of that size that is Colled Seuen Enchs and Nine
Uoted that M' daniel Messinger Shall haue one Pound eleuen Shilings and SixPence out of the town tresurror for rum yt was found for the raisingt of the Meting Houst
22 Dec., 1740. uoted this town will not meet at the house of m' Jsrael merremans onthe Sabbath day under the Present Circumsances
uoted that this town will meet on the Sabbath day three months next ensuing at M' Beniamin Catlings haus and after that tomeet on Sabath day three months at the hous of m" Jsaac bulls or m' Samul Phelpst
20 Jan., 1741-2. Up to this date the Town Meetings had been attended "at the hous of Jacob Benton," or "at the Hous of Mr Jsreal Merremons ;" one at the latter-named place so late- ly as 15 Dec., 1741; but now one is recorded as held "att the meetinghous on the 20 day of January year 1742." There such meetings, at least, were held thenceforward. Public worship, though under circumstances of inconvenience, was probably commenced there about this time.
23 July, 1744. Uoted that wee will have But one Roo of pews Round the meeting Hewse-
Uoted that the Joinners works of the Said Meeting House Shall Seace untill the anuall Meeting in Desember next insuing this meeting
18 Dec., 1744. Uoted that ye present Commetee Shall have Lyber- ty to agree with ye Joyners in this Town if they Can agree with them in order to finish ye meeting house So high as to Lay ye Galary floors 13 May, 1745. Voted that we will Seat the Meeting Houseg
20 May, 1745. Voted that M' Jacob Hinsdell and M' Joseph hayden and Cyprian Webster Shall be a Commity in order to Seat the meeting house in the above sd Town
17 Sept., 1745. Thirty pounds in money [before voted] in order to Git a Stock of powder Shall now be payd out to the Joynors to defray the Charges of finishing said meeting house [. Other specified sums are, by vote, appropriated to the same purpose.]
*State Archives, "Ecclesiastical" Papers.
+See, in Appendix, Note Z.
#Harwinton Records, Book I.
SThis vote indicates that a constant occupancy of the edifice, regulated accord- ing to the common method of those times, was at hand. See, in Appendix, Note AA.
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Voted that [the Building Committee] Should Dignify the Seats in Said meting house & give Instruction to the if Commity that was Cho- sen to Sate the Meeting house in Righting*
25 Sept., 1745. Report is made, that "the inside work and the gallery are finished."+
17 Dec., 1745. Voted that what the Seeters that was Chosen to Seet the meetinghous there Seeting of it Should be of no valu [N. P. the dignifying of the Seets and the Instructions that the Commity that was Chosen gave to the Seeters inorder to Seet the meeting house Shall be of no Ualu or Signifycation
ye Town Excepted what M' Jacob Hinsdell Did in Seeting the meet- ing House in sd Town
17 Feb., 1745-6. it was Voted that all ye boards & Timber & Stone that was Left in finishing of ye Loar part of ye meeting house Shall be made Use of So fare as it will Go for the benifit of the above Said School house in any Use as sd Commity [,at the present Meeting of the Town appointed, for building a School-house,] Shall See fit about sd [School] house
Voted that Ebenezer Hopkins & Jacob benten & Samuel Wesson & John Wesson & Asa Hoskins & Amos Catling & Timothy Stanly & Nehamiah Hopkins & William Cook Shall Sit in ye pew under ye Stares at the west end of the meeting house & that Sarah Merimon & Sarah Phelps & Ann Hinsdell & Mary Hopkins & Abigall Stanly & Mary Kellogg & Elisabeth Webster & Ruth Phelps & Martha Davis & Han- nah Phelps Shall Sitt in ye pew under the Stares at ye East End of the meeting houset
3 Dec., 1750. Voted that there shall be 20. 00: 00, money old tenor Leved on poles and Ratable Estats in this town in order to pay the Charges that Shall arise in Giting the Glass that is wanting for the meeting house & ye Steps for ye meeting house door and to pay other Charges that Shall arisse in this town in year insuing
it was Voted that the Select men of this town for the time Being Shall be a Commitee to Regulate the Seting of the meeting house in this Town for ye year insuing
3 Dec., 1751. Voted that the Sum of Forty Pounds in money of the old tenor be raised on the pols and Ratabel Estates of the Inhabi- tane of this town in order to Repare the meeting House in this town at the Discresion of the Select men of this town
20 Dec., 1752. Voted that we will take up all the Long Seats in the meeting House Exepting the two fore Seats one on the Right Side the Grate alley and the other on the Left side
Voted that there shall be 50-00-00 pounds in money .old tenor
*Harwinton Records, B. I.
+State Archives, "Ecclesiastical " Papers.
¿The males sat on the right side of the house; the females, on the left side of it. The same custom, in that day, obtained in other places. By certain denominations of Christians, mostly outside of New England, that method is not yet abandoned.
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Leved on the Ratable Estate in this Town to defray the Charg of Buld- ing of the Pews in the Body of the meeting house
Voted that De" Jacob Benten & Abijah Catling & Cyrrian Webster Shall be a Commetee to Look after and See that the Pews be made in the body of the meeting house and to draw the said 50-00. 00 pounds in money and dispose of it to the workmen that doe the work
Voted that De" Jacob Benten & Cyrrian Webster & Abijah Catling & Lt Nathan Davis & Lt Samuel Phelps & Capt Jacob Hinsdell Shall be Seeters of the meetinghouse after the pews are made* in the Loer part of the Meeting House in this town in the year Insuingt
The building which thus our fathers erected, and which the delays that inevitably occurred made old, even while it was young, stood somewhat south of that which the Congregational Church now occupies. A centenary continuance it had. When one looked upon it in 1840, though it had then been dismantled and, put to municipal use some thirty years, had come into a most forlorn state of dilapidation ; he could see in it ye traces of its original design. Duly conformed to the mode of Church- ly architecture adopted by many rural Towns in the fathers' time, their edifice, by its length and its breadth a square not much oblong,-having, in connection with no tower, no porti- co, no vestibule, a front door and two side doors, opening in- ward,-exhibited interiorly, at a remarkable elevation from its ground-floor, a balustraded gallery extended along all its sides, except that whereto the lofty pulpit, fronting one of three paral- lel aisles and with a conspicuous sounding-board surmounted, firmly adhered; and in either angle, farthest from the pulpit, the entrance to a partially enclosed flight of stairs by which ac- cess to the gallery was given .¿ That building our fathers ven- erated as a "holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High." Not small was the joy which they felt when they beheld it as, at last, finished. Saying, as with a like reference David said, " Of thine own have we given thee," they now had, in comfort and with profit, just to use it for that principal purpose which, during their struggles, perplexities, toils, they at no time had
*See, in Appendix, Note BB.
+Harwinton Records, B. I.
¿A structure, like theirs, stood in Torringford, where it was used as the place for public worship, till about 1841; others of similar construction may, perhaps, in some few New England Towns, be still visible.
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lost sight of, but with steady praiseworthy persistence had kept ever in view.
Circumstances like our fathers', as they have just been brought to our attention, show to us what a work it was, in the middle of the last century, to establish a new Town .* In New Eng- land thus laborious was a beginning, and only through effort "so as by fire" were effected municipal and religious organizations. The difficulties at that time encountered at the East were really greater than, with the wealth and other increased facilities of our day, await the establishment of new Towns at the West. But from effort comes again ability ; Pallas from Jupiter's head. In fact, from toil and groans with faith and prayer have sprung those excelling qualities in New England which have made her sons and even her soil generous. The man who thinks of him as being niggard, has yet to know the genuine New Englander. If he was himself born there, either his birth was misplaced, or he is recreant to his ancestry. Let him manifest whether he comes up or can be drawn up to their measure of doing and giv- ing for worthy ends. How often are his benefactions an equa- tion, in the percentage, of theirs; out of each hundred owned, now five and now seven or eight dollars given annually in pro- moting a community's welfare? In that ratio our predecessors here gave, levying upon their estates a tax ungrudgingly paid, one year of twelve, another of eighteen pence to the pound. This they did, that by their community a "sanctuary" in which to " come before the Lord" might be obtained, and for their min- ister and his due maintenance be secured. Not great was 'all their living,' but its outgo provided an income more than re- storing the "two mites." Thus by painstaking which benevolence renders pleasant, and self-denial which piety makes easy, was their work, as should be every good work, commenced, persevered in, consummated, approved. "For who hath despised the day of small things?" Only a degenerate son of better men than he who, by doing thus, proves himself unworthy of such sires. In- stead of looking back superciliously upon our fathers, we rather should gratefully recognize "the grace of God" in them; mani-
*As it was to build Rome: Tant molis erat Romanam condere gentem.
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fested, as said an apostle of "the churches of Macedonia," so "that in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality."*
CHAPTER III.
THE PROPHETS.
The primary acknowledgment of thankfulness, for the relig- ious as well as the other blessings possessed by our fathers and by ourselves, is due to God. Yet it having pleased him, "both theirs and ours," that a large part of our share of such favors should be brought to us by our fathers' hand; we properly hon- or him as well as them when, for the agency which thus they had in the transmission, we render, as true sons of our fathers, a secondary grateful ascription to these. Their agency in effect- ing this, having been considerately directed towards our welfare, makes evident their kindly intention; so that our possession of the favors by them transmitted, is the result of a design which, as well on their part and in their lesser measure, as on God's part and in God's greater measure, has been successfully accom- plished. If it was indeed their energy which conquered the mighty forests here, and made here fields to smile and gardens to rejoice; so, to the same extent, it was their wisdom which set up those institutions best characterizing and most distinguish- ing our lot; and, to the same extent, it was their piety which laid the foundation of that regard for the enjoined observances of divine worship through which come our noblest, highest hopes, with our richest, fullest consolations. They gained and cherished and nurtured piety, as we must, by personal endeav- ors ; but they found aid to such endeavors,-aid in acquiring, enlarging, expressing, applying piety,-as we do, from the ap- pointed ordinances of Christianity, with her ministers and their ministrations.
The time when the Congregational Church in Harwinton was
*See, in Appendix, Note CC.
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formed is not stated in any records found in Harwinton; nor have patient researches in other places, deemed likely to contain accounts of that event, done more than tantalize inquiry. Yet there is no reason to suppose that a custom nearly universal as to new Towns in New England, during the earlier part of the last century, was departed from in Harwinton; if it was followed here, the Church was organized on the same day in which its first pastor was ordained. That day is indicated (,on pp. 57-60,) to have been 4 Oct., 1738. As the formation was hardly possi- ble on a day either later or earlier than that, the date sought be- comes thus sufficiently manifest.
The Harwinton Church thus was prior in time to all the other Churches in the county ; except the Litchfield, organized in 1722 ; the New Milford, organized in 1716 (,at that time, in New Haven Co.); the Woodbury, First, organized in 1670 (, at that time in Fairfield Co.); and to all those in the Consociation, Litchfield South, save those above excepted, and the Southbury, organized in 1732-3 (, at that time in Fairfield Co .; at this, in New Haven Co .; though its locality as well as its ecclesiastical relation was, rom 1786 to 1818, in Litchfield County).
THE FIRST PREACHER.
The earliest account discovered of social religious worship being attended publicly in Harwinton, is contained in a document, pre- served in the State Archives* at Hartford, and herein before re- ferred to as bearing date, 13 May, 1736; a 'Memorial of George Wyllys, Daniel Messenger, Nathan Davis, and the rest of the in- habitants of Harwinton.' After 'referring to a tax, granted ' by the General Court, in May, 1735, 'of one penny on a pound for the support of preaching, etc.', it relates, that " The Memorialists have thereupon hired ye very worthy M' Timothy Woodbridge, Jun', who hath for a considerable time preached to us, to the univer- sal content, satisfaction, and approbation of us his hearers." It farther relates, that 'they had agreed to pay him £104, per an- num, that is, 30 |s a week and his board: [that] they were then in
*"Ecclesiastical " Papers.
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arrears to M' Woodbridge for the preceding year; and [that they therefore] ask authority to lay another tax.' Of the last named person, as connected with Harwinton, our State records have no other notice and our Town records have none .*
THE FIRST PASTOR.
In the State Archivest is a Memorial, herein before referred to as dated 4 Oct., 1737, addressed to the General Court by its signers, Daniel Messenger, Zechariah Seymour, and Anthony Hoskins, in behalf of themselves and of the other inhabitants of Harwinton. 'Asking authority to embody in church estate, to be incorporated as a Town, and to lay a tax for support of a minister,' the memorialists relate, that "it will be necessary for us" "to have a settled minister (in regard to which we have ap- plyed to a Gentleman who is well approved of by the Ministers &c. in the Govt, and especially by us to preach for us some con- siderable time, to great satisfaction, and have as far as was con- sistent with our duty capitulated with him about a settlem') and also," etc.
From this Memorial, as compared with the earlier one, it is plain that a second person as preacher is intended. The votes below-quoted refer to him.
1 Nov., 1737. Att a meeting of the Proprietors of east Harwinton held att the house of Mr Daniel Messenger by a Jurnment
Voted that the Proprietors Give to the first man that is ordained in the work of the ministry amongst us one Hundred aCres of Land and that he may Chuse it where it Shall best Sute Him in our undevided Land in the maner & form as our Lotts ware Laid out in provided he Shall Continew in the work of the ministry and in Principels to wich he is ordained
Voted that m' Daniel Brown and m' Daniel Messenger be a Commitee to go to Winsor Proprietors meting & to im form them what we have done at our Proprietors meeting and to make return of what they dow to our next meetingt
20 Dec., 1737. The inhabitants of Harwinton in their first Town Meeting assembled, to their vote expressing their unani- mous agreement "to Build A Meteing House for Diuine Wor- ship," add an explanatory and restrictive one :
*See, in Appendix, Note DD.
+" Ecclesiastical " Papers.
#East Harwinton Records.
8
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Voted we agree thus that the Meeting House Shall be set in the Sen- ter Line Between the Proprietors of Hartford and windsor Condishond that Windsor Propriators give their Proporshon of land Agreed for the Jncurrigment of our Minnistor and Pay half the Choost boilding the Meeting House and half the : 100 : Pound Agreed to giue the Ministor Jn Labour :
At this period the Proprietors of "East Harwinton " held their meetings within their Propriety here; but, as the next cited vote shows, the Proprietors of "West Harwinton " were, for the most part, non-residents on their Propriety still. Their meet- ings, also, were afterwards held here.
7 Feb., 1737-8. In Windsor upon the Seventh Day of Febry: 1737-8
Voated that M' Daniel Bissell Jun" Mr Nathan Davis & Roger New- bery or any two of them be a Comtte to Dispose of to ye first ordained minister Jn Harwinton Sixty Acres of Land Lying ye North End of ye Middle Tear of Home Lots & about twenty five acres of undivided Land Lying at ye West End of the fifty acres already Granted to ye first ordained minister upon such tearms as They Shall agree and Exe- cute a Deed thereof to Himt
21 Feb., 1737-8. Whereas there is no time limitted or mentioned how Long such Minister Shall Continue in the Ministry to be Entituled to the sd greants &c
it is therefore Voted and Agreed by the proptrs that the sd One hun- dred acres of Land Shall be Granted and the same is hereby Granted unto the first minister of the Gospel that shall be settled and ordained to the ministry amongst us and to his heirs and assigns forever
Prouided Such Minister Shall Continue in the Ministry And Prienfalls [principles] in which he shall be ordained for the full space of five years next After his ordination without any condition or limitation}
21 Ap., 1738. Att a metting of the Jnhabitants of the town of Harwinton legily wornied to be at the hous of Jacob Benton A Priel the 21 1738
Voted that M' Antony Horskins be Moderator for this Meeting
Voted And unanimusly a Greed to giue M' Andrew Bartholomew A Call to Setel in the work of the ministry a Mongust us .-
Voted that M' Daniel Messinger Israel Merriman Jacob Benton dall- iel Brown Cyprian Webster Nathan Dauis & M" Daniel Phelps Shall be A Commeete to treet with Mr Andrew Bartholomew in order to asettelment in the work of the Menesterry A mongst us and to Lay the Propossels y Allready haue been Proposed before him and to bring his Answer if any bemad to the next meeting for a further Confirmation
*Harwinton Records, Book I.
+West Harwinton Records.
¿East Harwinton Records.
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And it is farther uoted that the said Commeete or any tow of them Shall make ther APlication to the next Association for there advice in order to the Settelment of a minister amongst us -*
9 May, 1738. The Committee, appointed by the vote last quoted, made report to the Town, at a Meeting " Held by ad- journmen att the hous of Mr Israel Merremon may the: 9: 1738," "that M' Andrew Bartholomew will Except of our Pro- possels."
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