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 27
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Mr. Todd's ardor, in the earlier years of his ministry, some- times got the better of his discretion ; but he is believed to have been a sincere man, devoted to his work and willing to suffer if need be in the performance of a supposed duty. It is affirmed that he had great decision of character and a mind of the full average strength.
After the dismission of Mr. Todd, Rev. Asahel Hathaway officiated for a time in Northbury. On the 24th of Sept. 1764, the society made " choise " of him " to preach as a proba- shuner in order for settlement," and Dec. 17, 1764, invited him to become their settled minister. He declined. After- wards, in Jan. 1765, Mr. John Bliss was chosen to preach as a "probashuner," and in April, Mr. Ephraim Judson was select- ed for a like service.
At a meeting held the first Monday of July, 1765, the soci- ety, " by a unevarsal uote," expressed a desire to hear Mr. Andrew Storrs preach. A month afterwards, Mr. Storrs was requested to become a candidate for settlement, and on the last Monday of Sept., was " called to settel," by an " unevarsal uote." The society agreed to give him, under date of Oct.
269
IIISTORY OF WATERBURY.
28, 1765, £180 settlement to be paid in two years, £40 cash and £50 in provisions, each year; and £60 salary for two years, £20 cash and the remainder in wheat, rye, Indian corn, &c. After the two first years, the salary was to be £70 per year, £30 cash and £40 in wheat, rye and Indian corn, at the market price on the first day of January, annually, "allow- ing the expense of tranceport to market not exceeding in distance New Haven, Middletown or Hartford." Fire- wood was also to be furnished, and each "man" was to give two days' work yearly for two years. Mr. Storrs ap- appeared personally in the meeting and made known his ac- ceptance of the terms proposed. To make everything agree- able, a vote was passed " to chuse a committee to stand obliged for the payment of such purchases as Mr. Storrs shall make for a settlement."
Mr. Storrs became the settled pastor of the church and society Nov. 27, 1765, and was continued in that relation till his death, March 2, 1785. He was born in Mansfield, Conn., Dec. 20, 1735. IIe appears to have been indisposed for some time before his decease, so that a vote was passed, Dec. 16, 1784, " that the sosiaty committey should bee ortherized to assist Mr. Storrs to sopply the pulpit as far as it can be done by in- viting in the naboring jentelmen minerstors to preach."
Of Mr. Storrs, the Rev. Mr. Hart once said, in a manuscript sermon, " He is still remembered by our aged people with affectionate reverence as a wise and faithful pastor."
After the death of her husband, Mrs. Storrs was authorized by the society, March 21, 1785, "to use the wood got for Mr. Storrs." Authority was also given, June 6, to print 500 copies of the funeral sermon.
The Rev. Simon Waterman succeeded Mr. Storrs, and was installed Aug. 29, 1787. Ile was dismissed Nov. 15, 1809. The Rev. Luther Hart was his successor.
The early deacons of the Northbury church were Jeremiah Peck and Moses Blakeslee, (appointed 1740,) John Warner, David Dutton, Daniel Potter, John Sutliff, Eliakim Potter,“ David Smith.
* Dec. 9, 1774, " voted that Dea. Eliakim Potter shall read the Psalm for the future.' (Society Record.)
,
270
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
The people of Northbury, before they were incorporated as a distinct society, had built a house, designed for the common uses of the people but called a school house, in which they met for public worship. The land on which it was erected, ap- pears to have been owned by John How. This land How conveyed, Sept. 6, 1738, "for a valuable consideration," to John Southmayd, clerk. Southmayd, "for good causes and con- siderations," quit-claimed the same, at the same date, to Mr. John Sutliff, Ebenezer Richason, John How, Thomas Blakeslee and Barnabas Ford and the rest of the inhabitants living within two miles and a half of said Barnabas Ford's now dwelling house," &c. The land is understood to have been a donation to the future society from John How. It is described in South- mayd's deed as
One acre near sd Ford's dwelling house in Waterbury on which said inhabitants have already set up a house under the denomination of a S[chool ?] house for the sd inhabitants to meet in to carry on the publie worship of God on the sabbath, [&c.] bounded to the west on land left for a highway and How's land, south on Barnabas Ford's land, east and north on said How's land. [Land Records, Vol. V, p. 15.]
Soon after the settlement of Mr. Todd, the Churchmen of Northbury obtained a majority of the votes, and took exclu- sive possession of the house of worship .* The votes are alledged to have been eighteen, of which eleven were on the . side of the majority ; but this number could not have com- prehended all the legal votes in the society. As a conse- quence of this movement, the Congregational minority were obliged to look for quarters elsewhere. The society therefore voted, Oct. 6, 1740, to apply to the General Assembly for a committee " to stake a place to set a meeting house," and ap- pointed John Bronson agent to take charge of this business. The Assembly did nothing, and in the following May, (1741,) another petition was presented by Moses Blakeslee, Thomas Blakeslee and John Bronson, a committee. They asked for the interposition of the Assembly, saying "your honors are something informed of our circumstances which are truly
* This house stood in Plymouth Ifollow, at the intersection of the north and south (or river road) and the east and west road running through the center, near the spot where the school house lately stood.
271
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
great and very distressing," &c. It appears that the previous meetings of the society and the votes appointing the officers had been irregular. In consequence of this fact, and of the " broken and confused state of affairs," the Assembly appoint- ed Benjamin Hall of Wallingford and John Riggs of Derby, a committee, who were authorized " to call and conduct a so- ciety meeting and to advise and give an opinion about a place for a meeting house." The committee, in pursuance of instruc- tions, warned a meeting to be held on the 10th day of June, 1741, at which meeting, Joseph Clark was chosen clerk, and Deacon Moses Blakeslee, John Bronson and Serg. John Warner, com- mittee. The Assembly's committee, also, " advised and direct- ed them [the society] to meet on the sabbath for ten months in the year at the house called the school house, and the other two months at the dwelling house of Joseph Clark, namely January and February." They made a report of their doings at the October session, which was " approved and accepted." At the same session, the society again petitioned for a commit- tee to locate the meeting house. Several influential persons disapproved of this movement. Certain of them, to the num- ber of ten, to wit, John How, Ebenezer Elwell, Barnabas Ford, John Sutliff, Thomas Blakeslee, Daniel Curtis, Samuel Frost, John Sutliff, Jr., Abel Sutliff and Caleb Humaston, signed a remonstrance. They did not want a committee called, because-" 1. The committee sent from the Honorable Assem- bly last May viewing our circumstances advised us not to build, and we well know that their advice was good considering our poverty." 2. Only nine were in the vote for sending for a com- mittee. 3. The meeting was not warned " to confer about any such thing."
Notwithstanding the opposition, Capt. John Riggs and Capt. John Fowler were appointed to designate a place for a meet- ing house. At the next session, in May, (1742,) the commit- tee reported that they had selected a place and set a stake " twenty rods on the westward side of the One Pine Swamp," and thirty rods south of the road leading from the river east- ward. The report was accepted and approved ; but nothing was done, immediately, in the way of building.
Dec. 3, 1744, the society voted to build a meeting house at
272
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
the committee's stake, and resolved for the ensuing year to meet for worship at the houses of Daniel Potter, Samuel Todd and Caleb Weed. At a meeting held Sept. 24, 1745, in con- sequence of a pending vote, "Barnabas Ford, Thomas Blakslee and David Blakslee declared their decent from their land being taxed for the building a meeting house for the decenters open- ly in the meeting." A vote was then passed to apply to the Assembly for a tax on land of 6d. per acre for four years, the lands of the Church-of-England men to be exempted. It was also agreed that an attempt should be made " to have the middle stake confirmed for the meeting house." John Warner acted as the agent of the society, and in his memorial presented in Oct. (1745) represented that about one third of the society had declared for the Church of England, and that the western inhabitants, for whose accommodation the old stake had been set, had " generally " so declared. In the name of those who sent him, he desired that the stake might be placed "farther east where the middle stake was set up," and that a tax be laid, &c. The prayer was granted and a resolution passed as follows :
Resolved that the middle stake erected by sd Committee standing by the path leading from Dea. Blakeslee's to Isaac Castle's dwelling house, about twenty rods eastward from the brook that runs from the north end of the hill called One Pine toward the river, shall be and hereby is established to be the place whereon to build a meeting house in said parish-And that all the unimproved lands in the ' limits of said parish (exclusive of those belonging to such persons as have profess- ed for the Church of England) shall and hereby is taxed at the rate of 6d. old tenor currency per acre, for the space of four years next coming, to be paid by the owners of such lands, and to be improved for the building of sd. meeting house and for the support of their minister.
Much difficulty, however, was experienced in the collection of the tax ; and in Dec. 1747, the society voted to pay all necessary charges for law-suits against Caleb Humaston, (col- lector,) for distraining for taxes.
Dec. 9, 1745, there were signs of decisive steps in the way of building a meeting house. Dea. Moses Blakeslee, Lieut. Dan- iel Curtis, Ens. John Warner, Joseph Clark, Jr. and Caleb Humaston were then chosen building committee, and it was determined that the house should be forty-five feet by thirty- five, on the ground.
Erfurtfully
letoun Bronson
,
273
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
At a town meeting of Waterbury, held Dec. 8, 1746, the town voted "upon the request of Northbury parish with respect to the place to set their meeting house upon, to pur- chase the place as it shall be stated as to length and breadth by a committee chosen by the town." Capt. Timothy Hop- kins, Capt. Stephen Upson, Serg. Thomas Porter, Capt. Sanı- uel Hickox and Capt. William Judd were appointed the com- mittee. Their doings are recorded under date of Dec. 10, 1746. They " set out a place or green convenient for a place of parade and burying place if need be," eight rods south and eighteen rods north "from the stake appointed by the Court for the meeting house for said parish," (of Northbury,) "and sixteen rods west at each end from the east line of John Brins- mead's farm," being twenty-six rods in length and sixteen in breadth .- [Land Records, Vol. VI, p. 252.]
The above two acres and six tenthis, belonging to Mr. Brins- mead, or Brinsmade, of Milford, were paid for by the town. In order to enlarge the green, certain individuals, as it ap- pears, purchased of Mr. B. four tenths of an acre adjoining. To the whole, Mr. Brinsmade seems to have added one acre as a donation. These four acres and one acre more, making five acres, Mr. B. conveyed, April 1, 1747, to Caleb Humas- ton for "£15 old tenor." The land is described as lying " north of the hill called the One Pine." Of this tract, Hum- aston deeded the four acres intended for a green, Dec. 3, 1747, to the society's committee of Northbury, said land being situated "about the meeting house," the same to be taken off the five acres had of Brinsmade, beginning at the south- east corner, thence running west twenty-two rods by the highway, to be twenty rods wide at the north end, butting west on Brinsmade's land, north on Humaston's land, east on Mr. Todd's land, south on highway, and running north and sonth far enough to make four acres .- [Land Records, Vol. VI, p. 257.]
Sept. 22, 1747, the society voted that any man of the Inhabitanee may build a sabbath day house for conveniency so will, prouided he sets it on ye green on which the meting house stands, prouided he sets it on the outside on the line whare the society commity then standing shall say fit, and at sd meting they voted to eleer the meting house green by cuting brush and clearing it away.
18
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Dec. 26, 1749, a vote was passed to finish the lower part of the meeting house up to the girts, and to have a Pew upon each side of the pulpit and owne each side of the fore door, all 4 in number, and the rest fitted up with seats.
From the last vote I infer that the new house was nearly ready for occupation in 1749. It was not completed, how- ever, for many years.
At last, Dec. 4, 1752, the business of seating was taken up. Stephen Curtis and William Curtis were placed in the fore seat ; Ezekiel Sanford and Phineas Royce in the pew by the pulpit stairs ; Samuel Curtis and Benjamin Upson in the pew next to the north side of the pulpit ; Jonathan Cook and John Humaston in the second seat ; William Andruss in the third seat.
Under date of Dec. 7, 1753, I find a classification of the seats, according to rank, designed as a guide to the seating committee. Here is the record :
Dignifying ye meeting house by sosiaty meeting as followeth-first, the fore seats ; 2d ye pews by the pulpit stares ; sd ye pews ioining to the pulpit north ; 4th ye pews by ye fore dore ; ye second seat ; the Little pew ; ye pew at the South end windo and the pew in opposition at ye north end ; corner pew at ye South west corner and the pew at ye north west corner ; the 3d seat and the pew by the south dore and the pew by the north door ; the 4th seat ; the pew by the South stares and the pew by the north stares and next ye hind seat ; ye front seat in ye galery next to ye 3d seat and ye fore seat in ye galery next to ye pews by the north dore.
From what can be gathered, I conclude that the meeting house was probably begun in 1746 ; that it was occupied, in mild weather, in 1750 ; that it was glazed and the lower part put in order for use throughout the year in 1753; that the galleries were not fitted up till 1762, and that the house was not finally finished till 1768.
Early in 1783, the question of erecting a new meeting house was agitated, and in April, a vote (63 to 20) in favor of building was passed. At the same time, a committee was cho- sen to apply to the County Court to say where it should be placed. But there was delay, and another Committee was se- lected for the same purpose, in Jan. 1788. In March, 1790, it was decided that the house should be sixty-five feet by forty- five, and a tax be laid of 1s. on the pound, to be paid in sheep, neat cattle, grain and building materials, the price of the lat-
275
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
ter to be fixed by a committee. Daniel Potter, J. A. Wright, Isaac Curtis and Zachariah Hitchcock were the building com- mittee, and were directed to inquire what the house would cost-the work to be done by the "jobb." They reported that Capt. Thomas Dutton and his son, Thomas Dutton, 3d, proposed to erect it, sixty-five feet by forty-five, for £727, 19s. ; or, if it was made two feet smaller each way, for £700. The last proposition was accepted. In November, the society directed a committee to contract with Capt. Dutton and his son to add a steeple to the house, provided £150 could be raised by subscription for that object. In December, 1792, the building appears to have been nearly finished.
Previous to 1780, Westbury and Northbury were indepen- dent ecclesiastical societies only. It was now proposed to form them into a distinct township. At a town meeting in Wa- terbury, March, 1780, a vote was passed to prefer a petition to the General Assembly, at their next session, that the socie- ties of Westbury and Northbury might be incorporated into a separate town and annexed to the county of Litchfield, said new town to quit-claim all right to the school and ministerial moneys, &c., &c. At the same time, Joseph Hopkins and others were chosen a committee to meet and consider the interests involved in the separation, and to arrange the details and report make at the next meeting. In May following, (1780,) the societies, for themselves, petitioned the Legislature for town privileges, and at the same session were incorporated, receiving the name of Watertown. Nothing is said in the act about school and min- isterial moneys.
Jan. 14, 1782, Messrs. Aaron Benedict, Ashbel Porter, Dr. Abel Bronson and Capt. John Welton were chosen on the part of Waterbury to meet the selectmen of Watertown, and run the line between the two towns. Their report may be found in the second Book of Highways.
In May, 1740, forty individuals, twenty-nine of them de- scribed as living in " Derby woods," (northwest part of Der- by,) five in "Southbury woods" (southeast part of Woodbury) and six in " Waterbury woods," (southwest part of Water- bury,) petitioned the General Court for society privileges. Those residing within the limits of Waterbury were Isaac
276
HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
Trowbridge, John Weed, Jonas Weed, Joseph Weed, Thomas Osborn and Joseph Osborn." They stated that they lived from seven to ten miles from houses of public worship, with bad roads to travel and a river to cross, and that they were £2,000 in the list. The Assembly appointed a committee to inquire into the grounds of the petition. They reported a boundary line for the society in Oct. The two houses disagreed, and a new committee was appointed, who recommended the same bounds. Their report was accepted and approved, and the society incorporated, May, 1741, by the name of Oxford.
In the same year, (1741,) Oxford parish voted to build a meeting house, and petitioned the Assembly to send a com- mittee to designate the place for setting it. The request was complied with, and the place selected was the south end of "Jacks Hill." In May, 1743, the people asked liberty "to enbody " themselves "in church estate," in order to settle a minister. In Oct. 1743, the clerk of the parish reported to the Assembly that the meeting house was " inclosed ;" in Oct. 1744, that it was " being finished ;" in May, 1747, that it was glazed and the floors laid ; in May, 1749, that it was plastered and the seats and pulpit " being prepared."
April 29, 1793, Joseph Hopkins, agent' of the town, was directed to oppose the application of the society of Oxford to the Assembly for town privileges. In October, 1795, a vote was passed to resist a renewed attempt having the same object. A similar course was taken in April, 1796, when still another attempt was made. In October, 1796, however, the desired act of incorporation was obtained, and the new town was called Oxford.
In May, 1757, certain individuals, thirty-three in number, living in the western part of Waterbury, first society, and the contiguous parts of Westbury, Oxford, Southbury and the old society of Woodbury, petitioned the Assembly for winter privileges.+ They pleaded that some of their number lived
* About 1760, the following persons bearing lists were inhabitants of the Waterbury portion of Oxford society. They were signers of a petition of the western people for a new society to be called Middlebury. Their lists are annexed :- Robert Hale, £18; Urah Ward, £89, 7s .; Dan- iel Hawkins, £37, 12s .; Samuel Woodruff; £41, 16s .; Noah Cande, £18 ; Andrew Weed, £21 ; Daniel Osborn, £31, 10s .; John Weed, £56, 15s .; David Judson, £8, 8s.
t Twenty of the petitioners are recognized as belonging to Waterbury, fourteen to the first society and six to Oxford parish. More of them may have so belonged.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
five or six miles and the nearest three miles from any place of public worship, and that it was extremely difficult for them and their families to attend the worship of God.
The request was not granted, and in May, 1760, the petition was renewed, this time for parish privileges. The first society of Waterbury sent in a remonstrance. In it they stated that their whole list amounted to about £8,000-that there were within the limits of the proposed new parish twenty-one taxa- ble persons, having lists amounting to £1,282, es. - that there lived in the east and northeast parts of the society, three miles or more from the center, twenty-eight tax payers, with lists equal to £1,312, 5s .- and that south from the center at the distance of from four to six miles, there were thirty-six tax- able persons whose lists footed up £2,226, 15s. The southern and eastern inhabitants, they contended, were, in each case, as much entitled to parish privileges as the memorialists, and might be expected to ask for them should the prayer of the lat- ter be granted. Should the society be thus cut up, the west- ern, eastern and southern portions, being taken away, there would be left within three miles from the meeting house [fifty- one] individuals, bearing lists in the aggregate of £3,117, 4s., without deducting £1,344, 4s. for the Church-of-England-men. " The effect" of dismemberment, the remonstrants continued, "would be to cut us up into mouthfuls ready for the devourer."*
* In connection with the remonstrance and to confirm its representations, the names of the taxpayers in the different sections of the old society, with their lists, were given. lIere is a copy of the document. (The shillings and pence in the original are omitted.)
" Old Stump or Town Spot [Town Center]
James Hull,
£103 Samuel Scott, Jr.,
£60
Dea. Thomas Clark,
£144
Andrew Bronson,
93 Obadiah Scovill,
117 Benjamin Scott,
51
Elnathan Judd,
47 George Prichard,
49 Samuel Barnes,
31
Daniel Barnes,
23 Daniel Welton, 65 Ebenezer Waklee, 93
Dea. Thomas Bronson,
91 Joseph Hopkins,
90 Comfort Upson, 14
Capt. Thomas Porter,
149 John Cole,
29 William Scott,
41
David Crisse,
38 Timothy Clark,
44 William Hickox,
52
Lt. Obadiah Richards,
104 Capt. Stephen Upson,
114 Benjamin Harrison, Jr.,
29
Joseph Nichols,
53 Moses Frost,
11 Samuel Root,
43
Samuel Frost,
65 John Slawter,
58 Jonathan Baldwin,
45
William Rowle,
55 Benjamin Harrison,
46 Ezra Bronson,
12
David Prichard,
31 Aaron Harrison,
53 John Selkrig,
IS
Timothy Scott,
Elizabeth Porter,
17 Isaac Prichard,
51
Daniel Killum,
45 Thomas Upson,
64 William Adams,
91
Asa Scovill,
89 Elisha Frisbe,
Edmund Tompkins,
110 Ebenezer Bronson,
63 78 No. 51.
£3,117
Samuel Williams,
50 Reuben Blakeslee, 22
41 Samuel Warner, 60
Abijah Richards,
51 Stephen Upson, Jr.,
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
The petition was not granted. A like fate attended another presented in Oct., and still another in May, 1761. The last had fifty-four signers.
In 1786, the old society agreed to pay for preaching the then ensuing winter, eight sabbaths, at West Farms. In 1787, they appropriated £9 for the same object. In 1790, West Farms and the adjoining portions of Woodbury and Southbury were made into a distinet society by the name of Middlebury. The church was organized in 1796. Seth Bronson and Nathan Osborn were appointed deacons. The first minister, Rev. Ira Hart, was installed in 1798, and was dismissed April 5th, 1809. His successor was Mark Mead.
In June, 1800, the society of Middlebury petitioned the Assembly for an act conferring on them town rights. Wa-
West Branch three miles [or more] from meeting house. [These were the petitioners for parish privileges.]
Amos Scott,
£46 Benj. Wilmot,
£108 Abner Monson, £35
James Bronson,
76 Stephen Abbott,
82 Isaac Bronson, 140
Ebenezor Richason,
69 John Scott,
39 Isaac Bronson, Jr.,
41
Ephraim Bissel,
21 Edmund Scott,
24 Eunice Scott, 13
Dr. P. [Peter] Powers, 78 Stephen Miles,
63 David Miles,
29
Thomas Mallory,
60 Ebenezer Lawton,
10
Josiah Bronson,
163 Nathaniel Richason,
50 No. 21.
£1,282, 6s.
Benj. Bristol,
46 Thomas Richason, 56
East Branch [afterwards Wolcott] three miles [or more] from the meeting house.
Thomas Welton,
£83 William Cole,
£9 William Monson, £13
Benjamin Nichols,
34 Roger Prichard,
96 Daniel Alcock,
48
John Alcock, Jr.,
54 James Basset,
55
James Alcock, 42
John Alcock,
S1 Joseph Beach,
54 William Woodward,
6
Benjamin Benham,
40 Isaac Cleaveland,
29 Isaac Hopkins, 151
Seth Bartholomew,
52 Joseph Sutliff,
86
Barnabas Lewis, 36
Joseph Sutliff, Jr.,
7 Shadrick Benham,
26
Abial Roberts,
73
Cornel Johnson,
45 Josiah Adkins,
35
Josiah Rogers,
49
Eldad Mix,
22 William Hickox,
52
Edward Rogers,
21
Abial Roberts, Jr., 2 No. 28.
£1,261, 1s.
South Branch [afterwards Naugatuck] three miles [or more] from meeting house.
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