USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Waterbury > The history of Waterbury, Connecticut; the original township embracing present Watertown and Plymouth, and parts of Oxford, Wolcott, Middlebury, Prospect and Naugatuck. With an appendix of biography, genealogy and statistics > Part 22
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to Mr. Reed, except the first ministers were to have wood in- stead of labor. This may seem but a small salary, in the eyes of the present generation ; but the truth is, in consideration of the times and the circumstances, it was a large sum. Few peo- ple can boast of having made greater sacrifices for the support of a regular ministry than the early inhabitants of Waterbury. In the midst of their calamities, numbering only about thirty families, they settled Mr. Peck, gave him a house, provided for his support, erected a meeting-house and a second dwell- ing-house for his successor, made provision for Mr. South- mayd's maintenance, gave him £40 in labor to fence and clear his home lot, &c., and a £20 "ratt in worck," besides con- tributing many "extras" not easy to enumerate, all in the space of a few years ; while, at the same time, extraordinary expenses were incurred for building forts, maintaining scouts and looking after the enemy. I doubt if the people of the present day would as patiently submit to equal privations to secure the benefits of religious teaching.
A modification was made, by the agreement of the parties, in Mr. Southmayd's salary, Dec. 14, 1710, and the prices which provisions were to bear were fixed, as appears by the following town action :
The town ablig themselus to pay mr. southmaid ten pound in wood at &s per cord and fiftey pounds in prouison pay: : uis [viz] whet fiue shilings pr busel ry at 3s per busel indian corn at two shilings six pens per besel: porke at three pens per pound all to be good and marchantabul: befe and flaxe and other pay to be at a prise as mr southmaid and the party consarnd shal agre: : also mr southmad shal not be abligd to take aboue one thurd part of his rat in indian corn and if any man se caus to pay any part of [the] rat in mony it shal be acsepted at two thirds:
Ech man is hereby obliged to pay his rat yerly by the furst of febrywary
[Same date] that artical too thurds in mony to be of no fors: but other ways as the party consard and mr southmayd shal agre
Jan. 9, 1718-19 it was agreed that the ministery rate shall be sixty pound in mony for the yeare 1718 and if any pay in prouison it shall be exsepted at follow- ing prises wheat at six shlilings ry at foure shillings ingun corn at three shillings and sixpence a bushull to be marchantabul pork at 3 pence a pound flax at eaight pence a pound
In 1720, the minister was to have " £60 as money," wheat at 5s., rye at 3s., corn at 2s. 6d., and ten pounds in wood, at half a crown a load for oak and three shillings for walnut. "Said sixty pound shall be paid or they [the town] will do
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theire endeauer that it shall be paid by march next insuing the date heare of."
Mr. Southmayd's salary, in 1729, was raised to "seventy five pounds in money," one seventh or eighth part of it, if de- livered by the middle of January, to be received in wood, at such price as the parties might agree on. In 1730, it was raised to "the just sum of one hundred pounds in current money of New England."" In 1733, the town, after having at first refused to pay more than £80, agreed to give £90 money, wheat at Ss., rye at 5s. 6d., Indian corn at 4s., pork at 6d. per pound for that weighing two hundred pounds and forty- seven shillings per hundred for that weighing less. During the remainder of Mr. Southmayd's ministry, the salary varied from ninety to one hundred pounds.
In 1738, in consequence of declining health, Mr. Southmayd asked for a dismission from his people. The following com- munication, expressing his desires, was laid before the town in town meeting:
To the Deacons and Townsmen In Waterbury to communicate to the Church and Inhabitants of sd Town.
Beloved Brethren and Neighbors I the Subscriber being under great Difficulty and Infirmity of Body and it being such as I fear Will never wear off, but In- crease and Grow upon me, makes my Care and Concern very Burthensome and Distressing So that the publieke work I am engaged In Is too much for me and having served you under very great difficulty now almost two years and being Quite descouraged as to getting well and finding that a sedentary life is very De-' structive to my health and being very far advanced in years and willing and desirous to Retire from my Publick work In the ministry In which I have been with you About 38 years to the best of my Ability and am now Desirous to Live more privately, I take this opportunity for these reasons and many more which might be mentioned to signify to you that I am willing and heartily De. sirous that you would get some person can affect and pitch upon to come among you to preach the Gospel here and to Be with you in order to a Settlement as soon as conveniently may be In the work of the ministry and I desire you would be as Speedy In the thing as may be for I think I cannot serve you any Longer, which Request I hope you will be most Ready and forward to comply with and oblige your friend and Distressed minister, who Sincerely Desires your welfare and prosperity both Spiritual and temporal and his own ease and freedome. " Desiring the continuance of your prayers for me I subscribe my Self your well wisher JOHN SOUTHMAYD.
* In 1731, Mr. Sonthmayd gave a writing, dated Dec. 26th, which is recorded, by which, in view of the burdens of the town, he agreed to " acquit and discharge the town from all the rates that were granted, due, owing and payable to [him for his] labour among them from the year 1699 to the year 1723," inclusive.
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In reply, the town voted to call another minister, but ex- pressed a wish that Mr. Southmayd might continue to officiate " as far as he should be able." At the same time, a commit- tee was appointed, consisting of Mr. Isaac Bronson, Dea. Joseph Lewis and Thomas Clark, "to call a minister to preach the Gospel in order to a settlement." In this proceeding, however, they were required to " take the advice of the Rev. Mr. South- mayd and neighboring elders of the County, and proceed ac- cordingly." On the fourth of September following, they were instructed "to apply themselves to the Reverend Mr. Saml. Whittlesey, Mr. Joseph Noyes, Mr. Samuel Hall and Mr. Isaac Stiles for direction as to a suitable person to be applied to."
There are no facts to show at what time Mr. Southmayd's official connection with the town was dissolved; but it ap- pears to have been soon after his communication requesting a dismission, and before Sept. 4, 1738. He had an unset- tled claim against the town. Some question regarding this was submitted to "the Association convened at Meriden in Wallingford in May," (1738.) In pursuance of a recommen- dation by this body, Mr. Southmayd made a proposal (Sept. +, 1738) for a settlement of his claim. He proposed that the town should pay him one hundred pounds in money on or be- fore the first of March, 1740, " separate from any other grant already made," and that he should have the use of the little pasture during his life. If this offer was rejected, he express- ed a willingness to submit the question "to some indifferent persons to say what is just and reasonable to be done, [&c. ] and abide by their judgment."
The town decided, " by a full vote," to pay the one hun- dred pounds. Before, however, the money became due, or in January, 1740, certain persons, " calling themselves church- men," remonstrated against paying it. This remonstrance was signed by fifteen individuals.
Thus was commenced, in an open form, a controversy be- tween the friends of Congregationalism and Episcopacy in Waterbury, and which ended, ere long, in confusion and dis- memberment. So determined was the opposition to the one hundred pound vote that Mr. Southmayd did not insist on his
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legal rights, and the money was never paid. He, however, retained the use of the "little pasture."
Rev. John Southmayd graduated at Harvard College in 1697. Little is known of him before he came to Waterbury. There is an anecdote, however, of his college life, which used to be related by the late Professor Hedge of Harvard. It runs thus :- Southmayd prepared a chair which was so constructed that when an unsuspecting person sat down in it, it suddenly gave way. When the Freshman class was entered, he would invite them, one at a time, to his room, (where his fellows had gathered,) and offer them the treacherous chair. All but the discomfited freshmen of course enjoyed the laugh. In the same class with Southmayd there was one by the name of Reed who was mischievous, and one Collins who was dissolute. A wag, to hit off the three, composed some lines which ran thus :-
Bless'd is the man who hath not lent To wicked Reed his ear, Nor spent his life as Collins hath, Nor sat in Southmayd's chair .*
Mr. Southmayd was chosen town and proprietors' clerk in Dec. 1721, and was continued in the office till his death, thirty- five years. He wrote a round, plain, and in earlier life, an ele- gant hand, contrasting pleasantly with the execrable chirogra -. phy of some of his predecessors. Its jet-black characters still look fresh. All who have occasion to consult the records, must have their hearts drawn out in affection for the accomplished clerk.
Soon after Mr. Southmayd's dismission from his pastoral charge, or in 1741, he was appointed a justice of the peace. He was again appointed in 1747, and held the office till his death. He was a justice of the quorum from 1742 to 1746 inclusive, and a deputy to the General Court from 1740 to 1744 inclu- sive, and again in 1754. He was much respected, and occu- pied a large space in the history of the town of his adoption. Intelligent and judicious, his fellow townsmen honored him and deferred to him. They gave him many testimonials (such
* Manuscript letter from Rev. Daniel S. Southmayd, Concord, N. II. 1829.
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as they had to bestow) of their confidence and esteem. His honorable decent, at a time when family was of more account than at present, assisted to give him character. He was one of the largest landholders of the town, having become so by purchase as well as by division. His patrimonial estate was large. As an evidence of his extraordinary wealth, it is stated that he brought from Middletown, after his father's death, fifty pounds in gold and silver-a sum which, had it been laid out in the purchase of the best lands of the plantation, at the low price then current, would, it was thought, have proved ruin- ous to the town, by giving the owner almost a monopoly of the soil .*
John Southmayd died Nov. 14, 1755, aged seventy-nine years and three months, outliving all his children except Esther, and all the original proprietors, so called. He made a will appointing Rev. Mark Leavenworth his executor. He names, as his legatees, Esther Starr, Susanna Bronson's children, Anna Bronson, and his two daughters-in-law, "Meliscent Judd, my son John's wife that was, and Hannah Southmayd, my son Daniel's widow." He gave £40 to the first church of Water- bury, " to be ordered and disposed of by the pastor and dea- cons of said church in what way and method they shall think proper and best." His slaves he disposed of in the following manner :-
4. My negro man Sampson and my negro Girl Fillis, if they be faithful, careful and industrious in helping to bring up my Grand children, William, Samuel, Anna, John and Daniel Southmayd, till the youngest be twelve years of age, then they may be free and live with any of my children they shall choose, or any other person, and if they live with any of mine, and should live to be a charge the charge to be levied out of my estate, except it should appear that those they have lived with have been considerably profited by them.
The inventory of Mr. Southmayd's estate amounted to £1,997, 14s. Sd. The homestead was valued at £133, 6s. 8d .; library at £9, 6s. 4d. ; $250 propriety at £12, 10s .; 2 brown cows, £4, 16s. Sd. ; 1 young bay horse, £5, 16s. 8d .; 12 bushels rye, £1, 14s. Od. ; 4 bushels Indian corn, £0, 6s. 8d .; S bushels oats, £0, 6s. Sd .; 18 sheep, £3; Sampson and Phillis' time
* Manuscripts of B. Bronson.
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"during the time of the will," £40. He owned in all 818 acres of land, appraised at £1,471, 3s. 7d. The standard of value appears to have been lawful currency, which, at this period, was at least eight times more valuable than old tenor currency.
Several alterations and improvements of the meeting house were made during Mr. Southmayd's ministry, for the better accommodation and the increasing number of the people.
[Dee. 13, 1708] the town granted to seueral of the young men liberty to buld a small seat or galerly in the meeting hous for themselfs to sit in it not [to] prug- odish the town or hous
[At the same meeting the] town agree there should be a bem put up for a gal- lery at the west end of the meeting hous upon the town charg
Febry 7: 1708-9: the town grant libutey to mr. Southmayd to alter and inlarg the set: at the west end of the pulpit:
[Dec. 14, 1713] the town agreed that there shal be a galery bult at won end of the meeting hous: and that the dors and windows be repaired
October the 26-1715 the Town Granted a rate of half a peny on the pound as mony for to purches glass* for the meeting hous and the ouer plus for furder repairing of said hous
March 7-1716 it was acted by uoat that there shold be ateen [a ten] pound rate made oute to be lade out about the galliry of the meeting hous and the sd rate is to be paid in prouition pay, wheat at 4 shilling per boshill and rie at too and eight pence pr booshill inden corn at 2 shillings and flax seuen pene pr pound
Desembr the 19 (1716 at the same meeting it was acted by uoate to lay the foundation of the galiries of the meeting hous that is all three sides of the sd meeting hous
Dec 16, 1718, " agreed by uote to giue to jeremiah peck fifteen pound for what work he has dun to the meeting hous alrady and only further he is to finish the stairs and macke four window frames for the same money
As the result of these movements, it appears that a gallery was put up at the west end of the meeting house for the pur- pose of making more seats, particularly for " the young men;" that the house was adorned with glass windows ; that the doors were repaired and the building generally remodeled (in mod- ern phrase) to suit it to the improved tastes of the times. All this seems to have been done at an expense to the town of fifteen pounds, Jeremiah Peck being the carpenter or con- tractor.
* Up to this time, the house appears to have been unglazed. The glass of those days was diamond shaped.
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The house now had additional seats, and it was found expe- dient that it should be newly seated. It was customary with our fathers to go through with this formality periodically, even in the absence of special occasions like the present. The first seating of which there is a record was in 1702. At such times, the seats were all classified, and each person's place assigned him according to the rule of rank which had been agreed upon. Rank was determined partly by age and partly by list or taxable estate. The following extracts from the record of town meetings show the nature of the proceedings on this subject, after the alteration and repairs had been made.
December 14 1719 it was agreed by uote that the meating hous should be seat- ed and the rule to do it by shall be by list of estate and by age reaeoning one yeare in age to foure pound of estate
At the same meeting thare was chosen for comity to seate the meatinghous cap Judd left hopkins doeter porter
December 28 1719 it was agreed by uote that the for shorte seate in the gallery shall be deamed eaquall [in rank ] with the piller or 2 [nd] seate below, that is to say the 2 long seat[s] from the upper end
At the same meating the above written aet is made voide by passing a note that the short seate in the gallery shall be eaquall or next to the short seate below
At the same meating there was chosan by uote ens hikcox joseph lewis stephen ubson jur William Judd to sit in [the] fore short seate in the gallerre for the yeare insuing: and to taeke theire turns yearly out of the foure first seates
But the people were not long satisfied with the old meeting. house, notwithstanding the improvements which had been made. A new, and it may be, faster, generation had come on the stage. The old building was found to be too small, and otherwise inconvenient. It was antiquated in style, and an eyesore, doubtless, to the "young men." The matter was brought up in town meeting, and a vote was passed, Jan. 7th, 1722-3, " that we will Go about building a Meeting house as soon as we are able, and that we will build it upon the Green." It was also agreed to apply "to the General Court in May next to Get a tax on all the Land laid out within the Town Bounds, and the money to be Disposed of to the build- ing of a meeting house."
Though Waterbury had now started on the career of " prog- ress," its advances were yet small. The people had not re- covered from the dire calamities of former days. They were
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still poor-out at the elbows; and the thought of new en- terprises discouraged them, (at least the more prudent of them.) At the next meeting, therefore, a disposition was evinced to be content with present accommodations and such improvements as might be added. A vote was passed, Jan. 28th, 1722-3, appointing the townsmen and Lieut. Hopkins a committee " to make some alterations in the meeting house, as has been discoursed, that there may be more conveniency of siting, and the seats enlarged by taking up part of the stairs in the gallery and making seats there, and by stopping up the east and west doars and making there what seats the place will allow, and to mend the outside of the meeting house, and to raise the pulpit."
I am not certain that the alterations contemplated in the above vote were ever made. If they were the people were not long satisfied with them. Their hearts were set on having a new meeting house, and they believed themselves "able" to build one. As a preparation for so formidable an undertaking, the proprietors voted, Nov. 29th, 1726, that the four proprietors' lots which remained out of the six which had been reserved, in Nov. 1722, for special occasions, should be sold. Lient. William Hickox, William Judd and Timothy Hopkins were chosen a committee to dispose of them. They were sold, Jan. 9th, 1726-7, to John Thomson, Joseph Wells and David Jud- son, all of Stratford, for £262, money. The purchasers be- came entitled to all the divisions, past and prospective.
The following votes explain themselves. They indicate stir- ring times :
Dec. 12, 1726 Agreed that we will build A meeting house forty foot wide and fifty foot Long
December 26, 1726. It appearing that there was some Dissatisfaction about a vote taken Decem. 12th 1726 with Respect to the Dementions of a meeting house we did by vote conclude that we would build a meeting house as big as was then concluded
Att the same Meeting It was agreed that the Comitty chosen to order that affair should have power to proportion the House as to Lenth and breadth with the advise of the workmen they shall agree with to build the house Making it of the same bigness as we have agreed upon
Att the same meeting the Town made Choise of A Committy to order the Affair of building A meeting house as we have agreed and to Receive the money of the Committy when they have sold the proprietors Lotts that were Devoted to the
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design and to Agree with the workman that shall be set About the work and for A Committy were Chosen Left. John Hopkins Serj. John Seovill Isaac Brounson Sen. Dea. Thomas Hickox and Tho Clark
[In March, 1726-7, Stephen Hopkins and Lieut Hickox were added to this committee ; but in December following, they were (with some roughness, as I judge) put out of office-" put out from being Meeting house Committe," says the record.]
At the same meeting [Dec. 26, 1726] we did by vote Impower them [the commit- tee] that what Timber should be gott by perticular persons the Committy shall have power to Cull the timber and Refuse what they shall think not sutable to be improved in the work
Att the Same meeting the Town Granted a Rate of three pence on the pound to be paid Into the Committy by the last of may next for them to begin the work about the meeting house with
Feb. 27, 1726-7 [it being represented] that the timber and Other materials that the Committy had Agreed for and procured over did the Rate of three pence on the pound Some thing Consider Able we did by A vote Agree to add three pence on the pound to the Rate Grantod In December 26, 1726, makeing the Rate Six pence on the pound. the town Charge for the year 1726 shall be paid out of the Six penny Rate.
June 2d 1727 It was by vote Agreed that the stakes set down at the east End of the old Meeting house shall regulate the seting of the new Meeting house, the North west Corner at the one stake and the South west Corner att the other stake.
At the same meeting it was by vote agreed that in Laying the Sills of the Meeting house they shall be laid two foot from the Ground on the highest Ground, and the stone work or under pining to be done accordingly.
March 13 1727-8 Lef Timothy Standly Declairing before the poprietors [meet- ing] that if they would quietly resign A Bacheldors Lott to Him belonging to his original Propriety which he had been Keept out of he would make Sale of It and dedicate the money there of to the building the meeting house we are now about building. where upon the proprietors did by their vote Declare that they did resighn the above sd propriety to the Said Lift Timothy standly he dedicating of It to the use above sd.
March 18th 1728 [1727-8] the Town made choise of Mr Nathaniel Arnold and Stephen Hopkins to cul the Shingles that have been Gott by perticular persons to be laid on the New meeting house-at the same meeting the Town made choise of James Balding with them to the same work of culing the Shingles.
Jan 13, 1728 [1728-9] the Town Granted a Rate of two pence on the pound on the List In 1728 to be Imployed In Carrying on the work of the New Meeting house
Att the Same Meeting the Town by Vote agreed that the Committe for the Meeting House Shall procure the under flour In the Meeting House to be Laid Double
Thus the work went bravely on. It was a great enterprise, and drew heavily on the resources of the people. The neces- sary funds were raised in different ways. The town laid taxes, as we have seen. Individuals made donations. Dea. John
15
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Stanley (of Farmington) gave eight acres of land in the seques- ter, and the proprietors sold some of the common lands. The avails of the sale of wild horses were set apart as they had been when the former house was built, in aid of the work. The house, it will be observed, was fifty feet by forty, or of "that bigness ;" and as an illustration of the greatness of the work, as compared with the numbers and consequently the weakness of the people, it has been said that, at the time the frame was raised, the en- tire population of the town, men, women and children, could have found seats upon its sills. This saying possibly a little ex- aggerates the truth ; for Waterbury must have contained, in 1727, more than three hundred souls.
I find in Dea. Thomas Clark's " account book," a charge against the town for "boording Mr. Thomas Dutten and his prentic from ye 10 april to the 4th of July in 1729-£7, 16s." I suspect, but do not know, that this Mr. Dutton was the "ar- chitect " of the new meeting house ; that he was of Walling- ford, and the father of Thomas Dutton, who settled in West- bury, about 1757, and became somewhat celebrated as a church builder and wood carver. The Waterbury meeting- house, according to the custom of the times, had some simple carved work in the interior. There is a brace in C. D. Kings- bury's barn, over the main door, which tradition says was taken from the old house, which may be regarded as a speci- men of the work which adorned that venerable building." It seems entirely sound.
In June, 1729, the new meeting house, which stood close beside the old one and east of it, was so far finished that it could be occupied. It then became necessary for the town to enter upon the difficult and delicate business of " seating " the inhabitants. This seems to have been conducted with a scru- pulous regard to the dignity of individuals. As the minister was the most reverend and respectable personage in the com- munity, it was meet that he and his family should be first cared for. The result is recorded by himself as clerk-" June 30th, 1729, the Town by vote gave me, John Southmayd, the Liberty of Chuseing a seat in the new Meeting-house, and I
* It is a part of the tradition that this brace was a part of the first meeting house. I have had some reason to fear, however, that it belonged to the second.
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