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 29
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Mr. Leavenworth was considered a benevolent man, having
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a large heart in the right place. He was lenient to his poor parishioners who could not conveniently pay their rates, and was beloved by all. He was in habits of familiarity with his people ; could pass a joke and enjoy one even at his own ex- pense. A parishioner brought him a load of green poplar wood with which to pay his taxes. Mr. L. saw the swindle and complained of the " pople." "you sometimes preach pople."
" Well," said the other, When the new meeting house was building, Mr. L. took a lively interest in the enter- prise, and one day went down to give assistance. He placed himself astride a stick and commenced knocking ont a mor- tice. One of the workmen, noticing his position, (which the rules of the craft did not allow,) approached stealthily and nailed him by the slack of his trowsers to the timber. The mortice being finished, Mr. L. attempted to move, but found himself fast. By a stroke of the chisel he cut himself free, but damaged the instrument. In a mock trial which followed, the parties were both fined, the parson being sentenced to turn grindstone to repair the chisel.
Mr. Leavenworth preached the election sermon in May, 1772, in Hartford, which was printed. It is the only sermon of his which I have fallen in with, and is a respectable per- formance. Its main subject is charity. In the course of it, the author's love of liberty comes out. He repels indignantly the charges brought by the ecclesiastical dignitaries of Eng- land against the Puritans of America.
In 1794, Edward Porter of Farmington, who graduated at Yale College in 1786, began to preach in Waterbury, and in October was hired for a year for £90 and £10 in wood. In the year following, he received an invitation to settle as col- league pastor, with the offer of £100 salary and his wood, with the use of the parsonage after Mr. Leavenworth's death. He was installed Nov. 18, 1795. In December, 1797, how- ever, in consequence of failing health, he desired to be releas- ed from his charge. He was dismissed Jan. 18, 1798. After- wards, he continued to reside in Waterbury for many years, had some difficulty with another church-member, and at length removed to Farmington, where he died in 1828.
Holland Weeks, a graduate of Dartmouth College, was the
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next minister of Waterbury. In October, 1799, he signified his acceptance of the call extended to him, with £100 salary and the use of the parsonage lot. He was installed Nov. 20, 1799. In November, 1806, he made known his wish for a dismission. The society voted to unite with him in this object, bnt decided " not to submit pecuniary matters."*
January 2d, 1795, the society voted to build a meeting house by more than a two thirds vote, and appointed a com- mittee to fix on a plan and place. On the sixteenth of the same month the committee reported to build near the old spot, sixty by forty-two feet. It was decided that the house should have a steeple, should be covered the ensuing summer, and finished by the first of November, 1796. The committee were also directed to make a contract for the building with William Leavenworth for £850. To defray the expenses, a tax was laid of 3s. on the pound, on the list of 1794. The house was dedicated in 1796. A bell was soon added, which was to weigh from six hundred to six hundred and fifty pounds, which it was voted the Episcopal society should have the use of "on all proper occasions." A new bell was procured about 1813, to replace the old one which had been badly cracked. A new cupola steeple was added about 1811, the tall old spire having contracted a vicious habit of leaning eastward, as though earthward inclined. Its cost was not to exceed $60. The pews, with their high backs, (with open work under the rail,) were removed at a later date, and slips substituted in their place. The house stood in front of the present residence of Dr. Rockwell, looking southward, with roads running on all sides. The growing taste of the village, consequent on thrift, however, discovered that it had an un- seemly look in its then present position. It was consequently rolled back to the spot where the Second Congregational church now stands, the lot having been given by Mr. Scovill
* The early deacons of the Waterbury church were as follows, the date referring to the time of their appointment :- Thomas Judd, about 1695; Thomas Hickox, about 1724; Thomas Clark, about 1728; Joseph Lewis, about 1740 ; Thomas Bronson, about 1750; Thomas Bronson, 2d, about 1756 ; Samuel Lewis, before 1:63 ; Andrew Bronson, before 1770; Joseph Hopkins ; Timothy Clark, June, 1796; Stephen Bronson, December, 1797; Daniel Bronson, May, 1800; Joseph Bartholomew, May, 1800.
The early physicians of Waterbury Ist society were Daniel Porter, Ephraim Warner, Daniel Porter, 2d, Benjamin Warner, Preserved Porter, Timothy Porter, Isaac Baldwin, Frederick Leavenworth, Joseph Porter, Edward Field.
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as an inducement for its removal. Scarcely, however, had it reached its resting place, when a project was started, and after considerable delay carried through, of putting up another and more fashionable house. The old building at length passed into the hands of Mr. Scovill above named, by whom it was fitted up for offices and public rooms. It re- ceived the name of Gothic Hall. Subsequently, it was re- moved again to its present site in the rear of the Second Con- gregational church.
CHAPTER XIX.
EPISCOPACY IN WATERBURY.
THE movement which terminated in the formation of an Epis- copal church and society in Waterbury commenced at an early period, when there were but few Churchmen and three or four congregations in the Colony. It is stated that James Brown, who came from West Haven, in 1722, who had probably heard the preaching of Dr. Johnson of that place, a distinguished con- vert to Episcopacy, was the first of that persuasion in Water- bury. At what time Brown, profanely called Bishop Brown, was converted to the English church is not known. Probably it was not till after his removal from West Haven. In 1737, according to the Churchman's Magazine for 1807, there were in Waterbury not exceeding six or seven heads of families (Trumbull says but two or three*) in all who were of the same belief. In the course of the year mentioned, divine service,
* Dr. Trumbull appears to have obtained his information from a manuscript letter of John Welton, Esq., of Buckshill, who was an early and influential member of the church, and who died in 1916, aged 89. This letter will be found among Dr. Trumbull's papers in Yale College Library.
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for the first time, " according to the rites of the church," was performed in Waterbury, by Mr. Jonathan Arnold, a mission- ary of the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, who was at first settled in West Haven . as Dr. John- son's successor, and who at the time was a minister in orders for West Haven, Derby and Waterbury. He baptized two infants, both of whom were living in 1807, one a respectable member of the church ; and after having officiated a few times, removed out of the mission. During the period be- tween Mr. Arnold's removal and 1740, Dr. Johnson, then of Stratford, and Mr. Beach of Newtown, visited Waterbury occasionally, preaching and administering the ordinances. Next, a Mr. Morris was appointed by the society in England to officiate in this and other places in the neighborhood ; but he did not like the country, and soon (about 1742) returned to Europe. Rev. James Lyon, (an Irishman,) another mis- sionary, succeeded Mr. Morris, about 1743. He had charge of the three parishes named above, resided in Derby, preached one third of the time in Waterbury, and after some four years removed to Brookhaven, Long Island, where he acted as a mis- sionary many years. Following his departure there was a vacancy for a time, during which printed sermons and prayers were read by some competent person, every Sunday.
In 1749, Mr. Richard Mansfield, (afterwards D. D.,) a native of the Colony, returned from England " in holy orders," and took charge of the parishes of Derby, Waterbury and West Haven, living in Derby and officiating one third of the time in each place. While under his charge, the church flourished much. He is described as a man beloved by his people and willing to make any sacrifices for their good. "No extremity of weather or badness of roads prevented his visiting the sick, baptizing children or committing to the earth the remains of his parishioners."" Mr. Mansfield continued in the mission till 1759, at which time he withdrew and occupied himself with the parishes of Derby and Oxford, with which he was con- nected many years.
The prosperity of the Episcopal church in Waterbury dates
* Rev. Chauncey Prindle ; MSS. published in the Chronicle of the Church, July 6, 1839. See also Churchman's Magazine, Vol. IV, pp. 128, 171.
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from about 1740. In January of that year, certain persons " calling themselves Churchmen " remonstrated, it will be re- membered, against paying Mr. Southmayd the £100 voted him. Their names, fifteen in number, were spread upon the town record and the list is interesting. Here it is :
Ephraim Warner, Nathaniel Merrill,
Caleb Thomson,
Daniel Porter,
Obadiah Warner,
James Williams,
Robert Johnson, Richard Welton, Thomas Barnes,
James Brown,
Joseph Smith, Abraham Warner,
Benjamin Warner,
Ephraim Warner, Jr.,
Samuel Brown.
[The above list is copied from the manuscripts of the late Bennet Bronson. There is no record of town meetings between Dec. 1738 and Dee. 1740. One leaf, perhaps more, of the record book is missing. It may have been lost in bind- ing. The missing portion was in existence some thirty years ago, as proved by the manuscripts referred to. ]
In this year (1740) came the great Revival, bringing in its train extravagances and disorders. The Episcopal church gain- ed strength as the divisions and animosities in the old society increased. Within a short time, it is stated, twenty-five heads of families were added to their numbers, and they re- solved, in 1742, to erect a church. The following persons were subscribers to a fund to defray the expense :
James Brown,
George Nichols,
Richard Welton,
John Barnes,
Thomas Osborn,
Richard Welton, 2d,
Thomas Barnes,
Daniel Porter,
Eliakim Welton,
Joseph Bronson,
Jonathan Prindle,
Ephraim Warner,
Nathaniel Gunn,
John Southmayd, [Jr.,]
Ebenezer Warner.
John Judd,
The town was applied to to provide the land on which the new house should be set, and the following vote was passed, Dec. 13, 1742 :
Upon the request of Dr. Benjamin Warner and others, the town, by vote, gave liberty to set up a church on the high way, north of Edmund Scott's house lott against the apple trees in said Scott's lot by the highway, and appoint the present townsman with John Southmayd a committee to agree with the said Scott to get some of his lot, if they can have it upon reasonable terms, that the house may be better accommodated and the highway less ineumbered.
For some reason not now understood, the ground above designated, and which is the same as that on which the pre- sent Episcopal church stands, was not obtained or not im-
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proved, and a year afterwards the town gave to William Selk- rigg the liberty to place a house on it.
At another meeting, held April 10, 1743, in answer to a petition from those who " were about to set up a church," the town "did by vote agree that provided they purchased a place of any particular person to set their house upon and set it accordingly, they might have liberty to draw twelve pounds in money, old tenor bills, out of the town treasury to pay for the same."
A few days after the above grant from the town, or April 20, 1743, when the church had already been commenced, John Judd, who had recently become a Churchman, for £12 money," conveyed to James Brown, Richard Welton, Benja- min Warner, Moses Bronson, John Barnes, Richard Welton, Jr., Robert Johnson, Jonathan Prindle, Nathaniel Gunn, Jos. Bronson and George Nichols, and " to others of the denomi- nation of the Church of England, or professors thereof," a piece of land, " to accommodate the setting up of a church," described as the southwest corner of his house lot, "where they are now raising a church," being forty-five feet on the south side, next the main street, twenty-eight feet on the west side, next to Willow street, fifty feet on the north, and thirty- nine on the east side. The church stood on a line with the east and west street near where Mr. C. C. Post's dwelling house is.
At this stage of proceedings, or in February, 1743-4, the Church-of-England-men determined on a movement to obtain parish privileges. Without such privileges they could not lay taxes for building a church. Before going to the Legislature, however, they applied to the town to secure its good will. The town, in a liberal spirit, resolved that it would not oppose them in their application. Their petition, signed by thirty- eight persons, came before the Assembly in October, 1744, and was rejected. Here is the paper :
* It is understood that this land was a donation by the grantor to the Episcopal church, not- withstanding a consideration is mentioned in the deed, and this consideration corresponds with the grant which had just been made by the town to purchase ground on which to place the church.
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The Memorial of the subscribers being Professors of the Church of England and inhabitants of the Town of Waterbury in New Haven county, by their agent Doct. Benj. Warner of sd Waterbury, Humbly sheweth-
That whereas your Honours Memoriallists, being Professors of the Church of England, and bound in Duty to carry on the Worship of God amongst us from which there arises considerable charges that are Necessary in order thereunto, as building a church and Keeping it in Repair with many other things of the Like Importance, Which charges (as we your Humble Memorialists think) could be Defrayed More conveniently by a Tax upon each person according to their List, as such charges are in the Parrishes established by the Laws of this colony, And there being no Law of this colony Enabling us to Lay and Gather such Taxes, Humbly pray that your Honours, in your Great goodness, would be pleased to Grant us Parrish Preveleges in Every perticular (the School only ex- cepted) as the Parrishes have established according to the Constitution of this Government, and your Memorialists as in Duty bound Shall ever pray. Waterbury April 22d. 1744 .*
Jonathan Scott,
Stephen Welton,
Benjamin Warner,
John Barns,
Zebulon Scott,
John Judd,
Gershom Scott,
Eliakim Welton,
Obadiah Warner,
Gamaliel Terril,
John Alcock,
Jonathan Prindel,
Robert Johnson,
Joseph Brunson,
Isaac Selkrigg,
Thomas Welton, Jr.,
James Browne,
Nathaniel Merrill,
Timothy Porter,
James Browne, Jr.,
Richard Welton,
Nathan Hubbard,
Joseph Browne,
Joseph Judd,
Benjamin Prichard,
Daniel How,
Richard Welton, Jr.,
Thomas Welton,
John Browne,
Edmund Scott, Jr.,
Nathan Prindel,
Thomas Barnes,
Ebenezer Warner,
Ebenezer Judd,
Moses Brounson,
George Nikols,
Dr. Ephraim Warner,
Daniel Porter,
Josiah Warner.
This catalogue of names may be supposed to represent nearly the entire strength of the new denomination at the date of the petition. I notice, however, the absence of three names which were on the paper of subscriptions for a church, to wit, Nathaniel Gunn, Thomas Osborn and John South- mayd [Jr.]; and of five names which are on the list of those who protested to the paying of Mr. Southmayd the £100 in 1740, to wit, Joseph Smith, Caleb Thomson, James Williams, Abraham Warner and Samuel Brown. Of these eight, John Southmayd, James Williams and Samuel Brown had died and Caleb Thomson had already, probably, removed to Har- winton. If we add the remaining four, all Churchmen, (and
* Of course, the Assembly could not grant this petition without abandoning their system of legislation which made Congregationalism the religion of the State. Other Churchmen of other towns petitioned for corporate privileges with a like result.
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all of whom were living in Waterbury in 1744, unless Joseph Smith is to be excepted,) to the thirty-eight petitioners, we have a total number of forty-two individuals, representing probably over two hundred persons, who were "professors [or adher- ents] of the Church of England," at this time.
At what period the church was so far finished that it could be occupied, does not appear. It was apparently used to meet in as early as 1744 or 1745 ; though it was probably not com- pleted till 1747, (or after,) in which year it is spoken of in a deed as " erecting and carrying on." It was a small building, much smaller than the Congregational house, of a mean appearance, with galeries above and pews below, and a single door next the main street. It is distinctly remembered by our old people, and stood till after the new church was built in 1795. By the courtesy of the society, the Congregationalists met in it for worship while their own house was being erected in 1795. The " sabba' day house " which belonged to the church, or to those who met in it, was standing in front and a little to the south of William Brown's house till, say thirty-five years ago.
In the mean time, accessions continued to be made to the church. A spirit of liberality animated its members, and several important donations were made to it. February 11, 1744-5, Oliver Welton, a minor, with the consent of his guardian, John Southmayd, "for £65 money old tenor " to be paid by Dr. Benjamin Warner and others, professors of the Church of England, conveyed to them and their successors, " as a gleeb for the use of the church forever," two acres of land orig- inally John Welton, Sen's, house lot, bounded east on Edmund Scott's house lot, west on said Southmayd's house lot, &c. This deed Welton* confirmed ten months afterwards, when he became of age. The land thus conveyed, it will be noticed,
* Oliver Welton, considered as one of the most important benefactors of the Episcopal church of Waterbury, (the land spoken of being regarded as a donation,) was a son of John and a grandson of John, Sen., (an original proprietor.) He was born Dec. 24, 1724; served through the old French war; held the rank of ensign and afterwards of lieutenant; was in the action at Lake George and (according to the Churchman's Magazine) at " the repulse at Crown Point when the gallant Lord Howe was killed." Of those scenes he would speak, in his old age, with the greatest emotion, till the tears flowed and his utterance was choked. He died Nov. 10, 1809.
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lay a little west of the present Episcopal church. March 6, 1644-5, Jonathan Scott and Daniel Scott deeded to the same committee, for the same purpose, (no consideration mentioned,) seventeen and a half acres of woodland, westward of the town, which is still owned by the parish, and is situated in the "Park," so called. April 19, 1745, John Judd, for £21, old tenor, decded to Benjamin Warner, Joseph Bronson, and Jon- athan Prindle and their successors, &c., " as a glebe," six and three quarter acres of land northward from the town, bound- ed west on the highway by the common fence, &c. The land thus described is situated on the east side of Willow street, one hundred rods or so north of Main street, and is still in the possession of the parish. At the same time, and in the same deed, Thomas Barnes gave nine acres and fifty-eight rods lying westward of the old town plot lots, (recorded in Book III, p. 326.)* Two years afterwards, (or March 25, 1747,) the com- mittee named in the several deeds, conveyed the lands men- tioned as follows :
In consideration of £700 old tenor money truly paid by Richard Welton and sundry other persons, professors of the Church of England, [we] do hereby give and grant the following parcels of land, intending the same for the first glebe lands to endow a certain parish church in Waterbury, erecting and carrying on, for the better accomplishing the endeavours aforesaid, in great reverence and re- gard to the Church of England as established by law, and her excellent doctrines, service, unity and order preferable to any other upon earth, for the honor of God,. the surest peace and comfort of ourselves, neighbors and posterity, have founded the parish church aforesaid for the use aforesaid, and for the endowment thereof do by these presents freely give, grant, convey and confirm unto the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts the following pieces and parcels of land and buildings in Waterbury, that is to say-two acres of land with a house and fruit trees, [here the several parcels are described, all in trust, ]-as soon as there shall be a rector according to the order of the church of England by law establish- ed, instituted and inducted, the premises shall be and inure to the use of such rector incumbent and his successors as the glebe lands of the said church in fee simple forever.
Soon after Oliver Welton's conveyance to the parish, a house for a parsonage was commenced by private subscription. Mr. Lyon reported in 1745, that it was then in the course of erection and was expected to be finished in the fall of that
* All the above mentioned tracts of land are considered as gifts to the church by the grantors, though a specific sum is, in some instances, mentioned as the consideration.
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year .* The deed to the Society for Propagating the Gospel, in 1747, mentions "a house," so the building was probably completed at the time anticipated.
The grand list of those connected with the Episcopal church amounted, in 1760, to £1,344, 4s.
The first known record of the Episcopal societyt of Water- bury is found in a copy, made apparently about 1770, of a former record, kept by Joseph Bronson. It relates to Mr. Scovill, to his visit to England for ordination, and to his pro- spective settlement as the minister of the parish. This is it :
July 11, 1758, at a meeting of the uestry [or parish] uoted that we would giue Mr Scouil twenty pound starling a year and the use of the Gleeb prouiding he Got nothing at hum [in England] and it was a Greed that we should have half he Got at hum - at the same uestry, uoted that we would Give Him £22-10 Star- ling to Carry him hum.
Rev. James Scovill was the eldest son of Lieut. William Scovill. His father lived on the Abner Johnson place, on the west side of Willow street, just above Grove, probably in the same house which is now standing, and which I believe to be the most ancient dwelling within the limits of the old town. I had supposed that Rev. James Scovill was born in it, (Jan. 27, 1732-3,) just before the father sold out; but the family tradition is that he was born in Westbury, (on Nova Scotia Hill,) though there are no traces of the father's residence there till Oct. 1733. James learned the weaver's trade, but some- what late in life became a member of Yale College, design- ing to enter the ministry. Before his graduation, in 1757, his father died, leaving him, by will, £200 to complete his education. He returned from England an ordained minister about 1759, and took charge of the mission, receiving from the society " at home," £30 annually. He preached one half of the time in Waterbury and the other half in Northbury and New Cambridge, (Bristol.)
With the exception of the copied record which has been given, the records of the parish, still in existence, begin in 1761. Here is the first entry, followed by others bearing later dates :
* Hawkins' Mission of the Church of England.
t It will be remembered that the Episcopalians were not organized into a legal society till after the Revolution.
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HISTORY OF WATERBURY.
At a uestre holdeein St Jemeses Church at Waterbury on the 6 day of aprel 1761 -At sd vestry Mr. Thomos Osborn was chosen Clark by the request [of ] Mr. James Seouel Timothy porter and John Welton was chosen Church Wordens- voted in sd uestry to give the widow harison £1-0-0 that was Due from her on account of sum work that her husband was to Due to the Church-voted in sd vestry that Ebenezar Warner should assist in tuning the psalm-voted in sd ues- try that Sam11 Brown should a sist in tuning The psalm-voted in sd uestry that hezekiah Brown Should a Sist in tuning the psalm-voted in sd uestry that we will meet in the Church on Sundays and read prayers when Mr. Scouel is absent- uoted in sd uestry that Mr. Scouil shall haue what is Due for the rent of the glebe.
[March 17, 1762, David Warner, Abraham Hickox and Eleazer Prindle were chos- en societies committee and Timothy Porter, Jr., collector to gather Mr. Scovill's rate. The parish also voted that] Mr. Scovell shall have the foremost pew next the Broad alley in the East End of the Church.
March 2d, 1763, the vestry [parish] voted that they will be at the cost of a uestry Book-and that the money belonging to the church shall be laid out to furnish the communion table and to get a choshan for the pulpit and other things neces- sary for the pulpit and reading desk .- voted that Abraham Hickox, David War- ner and John Welton be a committee to take cair of the prudentials of the church -voted to raise Mr. Scovill's rate this present year, and to give him 1} penny on the pound.
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