USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history of ancient Windsor, Connecticut > Part 30
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Rev. HENRY MORRIS came to Wapping, July 10, 1829, to labor as a minister. He continued to labor here till the summer of 1832. The church here was organized during his ministry.
No minister bas labored here with so much apparent success as Mr. Morris. The following is Mr. M.'s account of the forma- tion of this church:
1 Previous to this, a Mr. Blakely of the Baptist denomination had preached here, in 1816 and 1817, with some success.
A Mr. Osborn, a Methodist, also preached about two years from 1826, and did much good. His denominational prejudices, however, were very freely exhibited. It is even said that he once took the Saybrook platform, and the Methodist articles of discipline, into the pulpit, and commented strongly upon them. This so embittered the Congregationalists, that they expelled him from the meeting. house ; and this act was followed by the formation of a separate Methodist society,
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WAPPING PARISII.
" A council of ministers convened at the house of Mr. Samuel Hall, February 2, 1830, and after discussing the subject, pro- ceeded to organize a church. The church, when formed, con- sisted of twenty-eight individuals - five males and twenty-three females. It enjoyed a precious revival in the autumn of 1831, which commenced at a protracted meeting of six days length, which commenced August 30, 1831." The number of hopeful conversions was not far from fifty at this meeting.
Rev. Samuel S. Whelpley, was moderator (the writer has been informed), when the church was organized.
July, 1832, the Rev. DAVID L. HUNN, from Sandwich, Mass., commenced preaching as stated supply. He preached till May Ist, 1835, when he discontinued his labors here; 27 were added to the church during his stay.
Rev. MARVIN ROOT first preached in Wapping, July 12, 1835. He commenced his labors as stated supply, August 30, of that year. He was installed the first pastor over the Third Church in East Windsor, June 29, 1836. The pastoral relation existing between him and the church was dissolved by mutual council, April 29, 1840. Twenty-seven (three by profession) were added to the church during his pastorate.
The church was visited by the special presence of the Holy Spirit about the Ist of August, 1841. Rev. Augustus Pome- roy then labored in the place, and from twenty to twenty-five were the hopeful subjects of the work of Grace.
In 1843, Mr. O. F. PARSONS commenced to preach here, and was settled on the 3d of Jannary, 1844. He was obliged by ill health to resign his charge, and was dismissed by act of Coun- cil, October, 1848.
The present pastor, Rev. WILLIAM WRIGHT, from Chicopee Falls, Mass., was settled and ordained, August 22, 1854.
Standing Rule of the Church.
At a regular organized meeting of this church, held Decem- ber 12, 1831,
Voted, That it shall be a standing rule in this church, that no individual shall hereafter be received into fellowship (or connection), who vends, distills, or makes an habitual use of ardent spirits.
can hada de de
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
Deacons of the Church.
ELWARD MINER was chosen first deacon of the church, December 12, 1831, and inducted into his office the 22d of the same month.
He afterwards removed to Hartford, and united with the Second Church there, but having returned to Wapping again, was re- elected to the office of deacon February 8, 1849.
November, 1832, ANSON BISSELL was chosen and inducted into the office of deacon. In the summer of 1835, he removed to the West, consequently vacated the office of deacon.
June 12, 1836, WILLIAM VINTON was chosen deacon by the church.
Note .- September 26, 1837, this church was consociated with Hartford North Consociation.
The first Sabbath School was organized, April 19th, 1829.
The first monthly concert for prayer was held, August 2, 1829.
The first person buried in the Old Burial Place of Wapping, was an Indian. "Molly Mohalk, died December, 1762, ae 28, a squaw." Her grave was opened by Oliver Skinner. The first sexton of Wapping was Timothy Skinner, who died August 31, 1777, ae 36 years. He was, also, a schoolmaster, and taught in the old brick school house, which the oldest inhabitants affirm was the only one in the parish, until 1775 or 1780, at which time Wapping formed one school district.1
His successor as sexton was Thatcher Lathrop.
1 He was the first husband of Mrs. Hannah Grant, who died Sept. 4, 1837, aged 89 years and four days. She called in a doctor, for the first time in her life, only the day before her death.
The records of burials here were in possession of Alfred Grant, passed into David Miner's hands, and are now lost.
CHAPTER XVII.
WINDSOR'S SHARE IN THE OLD FRENCH WAR. 1
1739-1762.
In the latter part of 1739, England declared war against Spain, and the American Colonies were called upon to assist in the proposed expeditions against the Spanish settlements in the West Indies. Four regiments of troops werc to be raised in the north, who were to form a junction at Jamaica with the largest fleet and the most powerful army which had ever been sent into the Gulf of Mexico. The colony of Connecticut seconded the wishes of the royal government with her usual alacrity. The governor issued a proclamation for volunteers, recruiting officers were appointed in each county, and every influence was used to forward the objeets of the expedition. In October, 1740, the armament, under the command of the able and popular Lord Cathcart, sailed for the West Indies. At Dominica, Cathcart fell a victim to the climate, and the command devolved upon his second, Wentworth, and vice-admiral Vernon, whom they were to join at Jamaica.
"The enterprise, instead of having onc good leader, had two
1 We have endeavored, as far as possible, to designate the parishes of Ancient Windsor, to which individuals belonged, by the following abbreviations : E. W., East and South Windsor ; Ell., Ellington ; Wby., Wintonbury, now Bloomfield. All others are supposed to have belonged to Windsor proper. The Wintonbury names are mostly gleaned from the MS. pastoral records of the Rev. Hezekiah Bissell, first minister of that parish. The others from town and church records, and the State Archives.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
bad ones." Wentworth lacked experience and resolution, Vernon was arrogant and impetuous. There could be no unity between such different temperaments, and the fate of the expedition was virtually sealed before it fairly commenced. Time was foolishly wasted, and when the splendid fleet of over 100 vessels, with 15,000 sailors and 12,000 troops, fully provisioned and equipped, at last set sail, it was on a fool's chase after the French and Spanish fleets, which had already left the fatal climate.
Then, instead of attacking Havana, which was the keystone of the gulf, although poorly defended, Vernon preferred to at- tack Carthagena, the strongest point in the Spanish power. A brave but rash attempt to storm the town was repulsed, with heavy loss to the assailants; then the rainy season set in, and the fever of the marshes began a havoc among the English troops more deadly and rapid than the heaviest fire of artillery. In two days there died three thousand four hundred men. Of nearly 1000 New England men who left their homes but a few months before, scarce one hundred survived, and before the return of the fleet to Jamaica. in November, 1741, it was estimated that 20,000 lives had been lost, mostly by the pestilence. In every town, and in almost every family in this and the neighboring colonies was heard the voice
" of farewells to the dying And mourning for the dead."
Several citizens of Windsor enlisted in this unfortunate ex- pedition. 1
"July 6, 1740. Volunteers appeared in Capt. Henry Allyn's company for Cuba, alias the West India settlements, viz:
THOS. ELGAR, ALEX. ALFORD, CYRUS JACKSON, ASAHEL SPENCER, AARON COOK.
From the State Archives we glean the names of RETURN STRONG, NATHANIEL HAYDEN, ROGER NEWBERRY.
The latter gentleman was a distinguished citizen of Windsor, and his death is thus quaintly recorded on the town books:
" ROGER NEWBERRY, Esq., Capt. of one of His Majestie's Com- panies belonging to Connecticut, and Listed in His Majestie's Service in ye war against ye Spanish West Indies dyed (accord- ing to the best account that is yet given) May 6, 1741, In his
1 Timothy Loomis's MS. records.
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THE FRENCH WAR.
Return from Carthagena to Jimica about Three days before ye Transport arrived at Jimica."
The character of this excellent man is thus portrayed in the following obituary notice, found by us among some ancient manuscripts in an old garret in South Windsor, and reprinted here verbatim et literatim.
" Windsor, July 29, 1741. Last Monday we had the Melan- choly news of the Death of the Worthy Capt. Roger Newberry who went from this Town on the Expedition. He was well de- scended. The Honorable Major Benjamin Newberry, that had adventured his Life in his Country's Service in the Indian war, and sate several years att the Councill board, was his Grand- father. Capt. Benjamin Newberry, who died of Sickness in the Expedition formed against Canada, 1709, was his father.
" This Gentleman had a Liberal Education Bestowed upon him which he was careful to Improve and was an accomplished mathematician and Good Historian. He always Carryed about with him a Lively Sense of the Divine providence and of man's accountableness to his Maker of all his tho'ts, words and actions, and gave his Constant Attendance on the Worship of God in the Public and Private Exercises of it, was Just in his Dealings, a Sure friend and faithful Monitor.
" He had a very Quick and Clear apprehension of things, a solid Judgement & Tenaceous memory ; his Discourse and Con- versation was affable and Instructive and so Peculiarly win- ning that most were his Real friends, as were acquainted with him His mind was formed for Business, which he followed with an Indefatigable aplycation by which he not only dis- charged to Good Acceptance the public Trusts that were put upon him, but also advanced his own Estate.
"In May 1740, he being then a member of the Generall As- sembly was pitcht upon by the Governor and Councill, yea, he had the suffrage of the Assembly to Invite him to Lead one company of the Troops from this Collony in this Expedition. He took it into Consideration and after Sometime appeared Inclined to undertake it, whereupon Some of his Relations to Dissuade him from it Laid before him the Dangers of his own Life and the Great Loss his family would Sustain if he should mis- carry. He answered
"I can Leave my Family with the Divine Providence, and as to my own Life Since it is not Left with man to Determine the time or place of his Death I think it not best to be anxious about it. The Great thing is to Live and Dy in our Duty. I think the War is just and my Call is Clear. Somebody must venture and why not I, as well as another." So he took out his commission and Proceeded to fill up his Compiny, and there appeared such a Readiness to serve under him that he said he thought he could have made up his Compiney in [his] own Town.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
" He was att the Takeing of Boto Chico, from which fort two Days after he wrote a chearful Letter to his Wife Expressing his Great Hopes of Takeing the Town of Carthagena and thereby finishing the Expedition and opening a way for his Return.
"Butt soon after this he was Taken Sick and Languished untill the fifth of May. When he had almost Completed the thirty- fifth year of his age, he not far from Jamaica Departed this Life and wee Shall see his face no more untill the Sea gives up the Dead that are in it.
"He hath Left his antient mother to Lament the Death of this her only Son. His own Widdow with seven small Children, one att her Breast, a Family to mourne under this heavy Bereave- ment and Combat with the Difficulties of an unquiet World."
In March 1744, France, long suspected, by England, of assist- ing Spain, boldly threw off the mask, and war was mutually declared between the two nations. In the hostilities which fol- lowed, success for a time attended the French, who captured Canso, and whose cruisers took many vessels and completely broke up the English fisheries. This of course deeply touched the interests of the New England colonies, who were largely engaged in the fish trade, and it became the general desire of the country that Lonisburg should be taken. Having unsuc- cessfully applied to the home government for assistance, they at length resolved to undertake it alone. The deliberations on the subject were weighty and divided, but the war party pre- ponderated, and preparations were accordingly made. None of the colonies outside of New England would join the hazardous undertaking, but nothing daunted by this or the manifold obsta- cles which presented themselves, an army of 4000 troops, to- gether with a fleet fully equipped, was raised within the short space of two months. Of this force Connecticut contributed 500 men, under command of Lieutenant Governor ROGER WOL- COTT of Windsor, who was also second in command of the united colonial army. On the 23d of April the army was joined at Canso by Commodore Warren, from his station in the West Indies, with a fine fleet of large ships ; and full of joy and enthusiasm the army and fleet set sail for Louisburg. It is needless here to recount the details of that eventful siege. Suf- fice it to say that after numerous successes by land and water, which seemed like special interpositions of Providence; after miracles of labor, bravery and endurance, Louisburg, the appa-
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THE FRENCH WAR.
rently impregnable Gibraltar of North America, capitulated to the brave New England troops. Not until the victorious army entered the gates of the city, did they know the extent of their achievement, nor the difficulties which their bravery had over- come. Wonder struggled in their hearts with emotions of adoration to Him who had given them the victory. " God has gone out of the way of his common providence," said they, " in a remarkable and almost miraculous manner, to incline the hearts of the French to give up, and deliver this strong city into our hands." God had indeed granted to an undisciplined army of mechanics, farmers and fishermen, led by a merchant gene- ral, a victory almost unparalleled in history. The news was received in England with exultation, and in New England with a frenzy of popular joy. Words can not express the enthusiasm which was everywhere felt.
It was a proud day for Windsor when she welcomed home again her brave son, the Lieut. Governor. His journal affords us a pleasant glimpse of the scene.
"Tuesday 30th. Col. Whiting with his troops and sundry Gentlemen from Hartford and Wethersfield came to me at my lodgings from whence they attended me to my own Home at Windsor, where we arrived about two afternoon. Here we had a Good Dinner, Drank some bowls of Punch, &c, and after the Discharge of the Great Artillery and small arms Gave 3 Huzzas, and parted Good friends."1
Windsor contributed many of her best citizens to this enter- prise, but it is impossible to ascertain the names of all.
ALEXANDER (afterwards Dr.) WOLCOTT accompanied the Con- necticut troops as surgeon's mate.
ISRAEL STOUGHTON.
Capt. DAVID ELLSWORTH (E. W.).
JOHN WARHAM STRONG, was a first lieutenant in service.
JAMES EGGLESTON, Jr. (Wby), was impressed into the service.
EZRA LOOMIS (Wby) died at Louisburg, aged about 24 years, Dec. 18, 1745.
THOMAS BARBER (Wby) died at Louisburg, aged about 24 years, 1745.
STEPHEN GILLET (Wby) died at Louisburg, aged about 34 years, Feb. 1746.
1 Coll. Conn. Hist. Society, I.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
CALEB CASE (Wby) died at Louisburg, aged about 34 years, May 10, 1746.
JAMES BARNETT (Wby ) died at Louisburg, aged about 22 years, April 24, 1746.
JEREMY ALFORD ( who lived on Cook's Hill) distinguished him- self by his bravery at Louisburg.
For a while America seemed destined to be the theatre of the Anglo-French war. France planned the recapture of Louisburg, but the fleet under D'Anville in 1746, was met by storms and pestilence, and, worse than all, left without a commander by the death of D'Anville, and the suicide of his successor - so that it never accomplished anything. Another French fleet, the next year, was captured by the English admirals, Anson and War- ren. The New England Colonies proposed a plan for the con- quest of Canada, but it was not seconded by the mother country. At length, a season of "masterly inactivity " was ended by the general peace of Utrecht in 1748; and England, France and Spain mutually restored to each other, the fruits of their con- quests. "Nothing was gained, humanity had suffered, without a purpose, and without a result."
The war which the colonies had entered into with such zeal and at great expense, had not brought them any special advantage. On the contrary, it had been an almost useless expenditure of resources, and a loss of thousands of their young men; it left them with a depreciated currency, a paralyzed com- merce, and that saddest accompaniment of war, a fearful dete- rioration of public morals.
The peace of Utrecht, however, procured but a slight cessa- tion of hostilities. France, always restless and intriguing, soon began to infringe on the British possessions in Acadia and Nova Scotia. She also, in direct violation of treaty stipulations, ex- tended her frontiers toward Crown Point and Ticonderoga on the north, and Virginia on the west, with the evident design of forming a connection between the head of the St. Lawrence and their possessions on the Mississippi. This, together with their relations with the Indian tribes, would have given them a com- mand of the extensive trade of the interior; and an opportunity
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THE FRENCH WAR.
to harrass and annoy the English colonies, which the latter could never consent to.
About this time a number of lords and gentlemen in England, and planters in Virginia, associated themselves under the name of the Ohio Company, and obtained a grant of 600,000 acres of land in the Ohio River country. This movement was immedi- ately resented by the French, mutual skirmishes and reprisals followed, and finally in 1754, the Virginians, who had com- menced a fortress on their patent, were attacked by an over- whelming French force, and driven from the ground with a loss of all but two of the English traders, and skins and property valued at £20,000. On the same spot which commanded the whole Ohio and Mississippi country, the French built a fortress which they named Fort du Quesne. As may be imagined this event caused much alarm and apprehension to Great Britain and her American colonies. Virginia, South Carolina and New York were speedily in the field, and Col. Washington (after- ward the hero of the American Revolution) having defeated a party of French belonging to Fort du Quesne, was afterward attacked by Villiers, the commandant of that post, with a large force; and after a brave defence in a hastily constructed for- tress, accepted honorable terms of capitulation, which his bravery had extorted from the French general. At this junc- ture a convention of delegates from the several colonies was held, at which was discussed the feasibility of a union of the colonies for mutual protection and defence against the French and Indians.
This necessary movement was warmly approved by the colo- nies, but, as might have been expected, was strongly opposed and denounced by Great Britain, whose whole policy was re- pugnant to any thing that savored of colonial independence. She evidently feared that the combined strength of the latter might some day be employed to sever the chain which bound them to herself. Consequently a meeting was proposed of the governors of the several colonies, who should in the large- ness of their wisdom, devise ways and means of defence, gov- ernment and protection; and the colonies were to be taxed for the expenses of the whole. It is needless to say that this plan
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
met with the most universal disapproval of the colonies them- selves; for they were as unwilling to trust their interests into the hands of kings and favorites, as the latter were to grant them any independent powers.
Hostilities between France and England had now proceeded to the extent of actual war. Four expeditions were planned against the former; one against Fort du Quesne, under General Braddock; a second against Nova Scotia; a third against Crown Point, and a fourth against Niagara. In the Spring of 1755, the northern colonies were alive with preparations for the coming campaigns. Special assemblies were held, and taxes levied to defray the necessary expenses of fitting out the army. It was proposed to raise in New England 5000 men, of whom Connecti- cut was to furnish one fifth, to attack Crown Point and occupy the country around.
In the meantime the expedition against Nova Scotia under Col. Monckton was already in the field. Three several encoun- ters with the French troops, and their Indian allies, resulted in success to the British arms, and placed the whole of Nova Scotia in their possession. The Acadians, numbering some 15,000, were disarmed and removed to New England and other colonies, where they were distributed as prisoners of war among the dif- ferent towns. Some of them were sent to Windsor, but their names and subsequent history can not now be discovered.1 This event has received a new and romantic interest from Long- fellow's beautiful poen, entitled Evangeline, a tale of Acadie.
While this was going on at the north, General Braddock with 1500 regulars had arrived in Virginia from England, and com- menced, thoughi tardily, his preparations for the expedition against Fort du Quesne on the Ohio. The history of that expe- dition is written in letters of blood npon the page of our country's history as Braddock's defeat. The rashness and arrogance of its leader was atoned by his death, and redeemed only by the bravery and good sense of George Washington and the Virginia troops. Let us, however, turn from this scene to the
1 We can only learn that three men came here and lived for a while on Hinsdale Hill, as the little eminence was named, on which the present Sixth District school house now stands.
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THE FRENCH WAR.
operations of the expedition against Crown Point, and Niagara, which are more intimately connected with the purposes of our history. The former under the command of Gen. Johnson luck- ily intercepted the Baron Dieskau, who with a large force of French and Indians was advancing to cut off Fort Edward, which was garrisoned by New York and New Hampshire troops. The battle which ensued resulted in the complete defeat of the French, although with a loss to the British of some brave officers and men. The remainder of the fall of this year was busily occupied in building a fort at Lake George, and completing the works at Fort Edward, all of which had to be done in a trackless forest, and in face of many obstacles. All the colonial troops, except those in garrison, returned to their homes in November.
BENJAMIN ALLYN, Esq., of Windsor, was appointed Captain of the 4th Company in the 3d Regiment, in August, 1755. The following is the muster-roll of his company, nearly all of whom were from this town. 1
" Roll of Capt. Benj. Allyn's Co. Crown Point Expedition, 85 men enlisted."
Isaac Tucker,
Nath1 Gaylor,
Reuben Crow,*
John Japhet,
Zaccheus Crow,
Thos. Hawkins,
Levi Chapin, 1st Lt.
Reuben Cook,
Noah Hunt,
Zebulon Winchell,
Elijah Barret,
Robert Westland,
John Hosmer,
Benj. Baker,
Patt O'Conele,
Andw Shilling,
Chas. Burnham,
Jona" Pinney, Jr.,
John Abbot,
Daniel Filley,*
Hez. Welles,
Elijah Denslow,
Elijah Evings,
Elisha Williams,
Geo. Colton,
Jona" Buckland, Sgt.
Daniel Eaton,
Ephraim Parker,
Jacob Osborn,
Joseph Winchel,*
Gideon Loomis,
Ebenezer Loomis,
1 State Archives. War, vol. VI.
* Those thus marked remained in garrison during the winter of 1755-56, their names being found in "A Role of Capt. Noah Grant's company in Garri- son at Fort Edward Novr ye 26, 1756, their wages made out from ye 23 of Nov. 1755 to ye 26 of March 1756."
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
Capt. Allyn,
Giles Wolcott,
Zephanialı Snow, Asa Pimrey (or Perry),
Joel Soper,
Ely Parker,
John Eggleston, Jr.,
Appleton Hollister, Orvis, 2d Lt.
Ozias Grant, David Bissell,
John Strong, Drummer,
Jonn : Gillett,
Benj. Kinney, Corp1,
Joseph Moore,
Eliphalet Loomis,
Gideon Prior,
Charles Burnham. Drake, Sgt.
Silas Wells,
Zeb. Winslow,
John McMunnen,
Josiah Standliff,
Wm. Thomson,
Thomas Jarwell,
Eben Belknap,
Keup Perrigue (Indian).
Asher Isham,
ISAAC DRAKE (Wby) was buried at Lake George, Oct. 26, 1755, aged 22 years.
The Niagara expedition, commanded by Gov. Shirley of Massachusetts, was too tardy and too poorly provisioned to effect much. They, however, built a new fort near the old one (on, the site of the present city of Oswego), and leaving a gar- rison there, returned home in October.
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