USA > Connecticut > Tolland County > Columbia > The story of Columbia > Part 2
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At the same time they "voted that Samuel Woodward, Israel Wood- ward, William Simes, Noah Dewey, Samuel Wright and Preserved Wright shall have Liberty to build themselves a seat or seats, a pew or pews for them and their families in the front gallery behind those seats that are allready built to be built at their own charge and allso be debared from any other seat in the meeting house, they to have all the room that is behind the seats that are now built."
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COLUMBIA CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH Built in 1832.
In less than a month on February 8, 1733, they met again with the only item of business apparently to vote "that the pew by the great door in the meeting house shall be reckoned Equail to the fore seat and eorner pew." Whether the degradation was attributed to the pew or the oceupants, we have no way of knowing.
November 27, 1733, they "gave Liberty to Joseph Loomis, John Simes and Benony Loomis to build themselves a pew over the women's stairs not hurting the stairway nor the window" and in November of 1742 they "impowered the parish Committy to Grant Liberty to Nath. White junr, John Pain with sundry others to build a seat or pew over the men's stairs as they think proper." At this same meeting they "Granted Liberty to Ensign John Doggit and Benajah Bill to build a stable or stables for their horses near the meeting house according to the direction of the Parish Commity."
It would seem that by this time the meeting house must have been completed, repairs had been made, seats assigned, and the Society should have been able to slacken their efforts. But the "Great Awakening" of 1741 had swept over New England and Mr. Wheeloek was hard at work in his new parish. The throngs returned caeh Sabbath to fill the pews as fast as they were added and the building soon became inadequate. On November 21, 1745 they voted "to make some provision for Building a new Meeting house" and "to repair the meeting house for present comfort."
A committee appointed by the Legislature of 1747 selected the site of the new meeting house by placing a stake about ten rods south of the first - "the sills to enclose the stake." This would place it in front of the house now owned by Miss Marion McCorkell. The building, aeeording to a vote on November 11, 1747, was "sixty four foot in Length and forty six foot in
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COLUMBIA GREEN LOOKING SOUTH Taken about 1910.
width and the height twenty six foot from the top of the sill to the under side of the plate." At the same time they "voted to get the timber hewn and frame and raise the meeting house and cover the Roof and Board the out- side and provide timber either pine or Cedar for the window frames by the first day of December 1748." On August 18, 1748, they "voted to Claboard the south side and both ends of the meeting house with Ceder. At the same time they voted to Claboard the back or north side of the meeting house with Chesnut." November 17, 1748, it was voted to "collour the new meeting House the body of it with sky collour," also to "Glaze the new meeting House and provide stuf for and finish the inside all the lower part Except the plaistering." October 5, 1749, "voted to improve the old Meet- ing House toward finishing the new one" and November 23, 1749, voted "to provide stuf for and lay the gallary floor and to finish the breast work in the gallary to be done by some time next fall." September 18, 1751. they chose a committee to seat the meeting house and "Impowered the Parish Committy to Erect a signpost at some convenient place on the fore side of the meeting house and that proper notifications set on sd. post for parish meetings shall be accounted Legal."
In December, 1753, they decided to "allow to those persons that have given anything towards the building (of) our meeting house a scat in the meeting house," and to "pave round the meeting house either by round stones or flat ... " November 20, 1752 during Mr. Wheclock's pastorate it was "voted to have part of the money they raised this year to be expended in buying a cushin for the pulpet."
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They "voted to Allow Mr. Wheelocks Indian Girls Liberty to sit in the hind seat on the Womens side below" on November 30, 1761.
It wasn't until the year 1792 that money was raised through the circu- lation of a subscription paper (their means of financing special projects in the early days) to erect a steeple and install a bell. For a period of thirty six years, until his death in 1828, Mr. David Huntington was ringer of the bell. No man was more attached to his work and he tolled the hour faith- fully cach day at twelve o'clock noon and nine o'clock in the evening, year in and year out. He was greatly plagued by youthful pranksters who de- lighted in sneaking into the church to indulge in a little unscheduled bell ringing and he always made every effort to apprehend the offenders, but seldom did he enjoy the pleasure of catching up with them.
In June of 1827 the Society voted to have the bell recast and this was apparently done for the bell still in use today having survived time and hurricane, is inscribed, "Cast by G. H. Holbrook, Medway, Mass., 1827."
Much of the business of the early Society meetings was that of the annual sale of "slips" or pews, the chief means of raising money to mect current expenses. On a scheduled day each year, the slips were put up for sale, the bidding on each pew starting at the figure at which the pew had been appraised.
Again, the thoughts of the Society turned to bigger and better things and as carly as 1829 talk of a new meeting house was prevalent, and on April 25, 1831 it was voted to erect a new one. The present church building was started in June of 1832 and dedicated November 21, 1832. It measured 58
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feet by 42 feet and many of the timbers from the old building were utilized in the new. Cost of the building site was $75, contract with Weber & Newell for the actual construction $1900, laying foundation $29.67, door steps $71.67, contingent expenses $15.08; making a total of $2091.42.
On February 20, 1832 it was voted that "the Town of Columbia be permitted to build a basement story under the meeting house to be used as a town house provided sd. house is located on S. T. Hosmer('s) land." This of course was not carried out and on November 26, 1832 it was voted that "town and election meetings may be held in the vestibule or gallery of the meeting house."
In the Spring of 1850 the meeting house was thoroughly repaired - roof reshingled, outside painted, windows on cast end closed up and chimneys built (probably for the first stoves), supports placed under the steeple, the ceiling relathed and plastered and white washed, the desk re- modeled and the inside painted and varnished.
In addition the house was completed and the desk trimmed by the Ladies' Benevolent Association.
On October 30, 1852, seven young Elm trees were planted in front of the meeting house, most of which still shade the green today.
On August 12, 1870, after the original steeple had been blown off about 1868, it was "voted to instruct committee to employ Messrs. Chappell & Potter of Willimantic to put a spire on meeting house after their plan & price of $300.00." The spire was again hurled to carth by the hurricane of 1938, the present one being the third to grace the edifice.
The meeting house was renovated, side galleries removed, and an "orchestry" or "singer's gallery" built on the cast end in the summer of 1879. Also, a furnace was installed, all at a cost of $3100. The interior was furnished by the Ladies' Benevolent Association at a cost of $838.
The church was again repaired and remodeled during the summer of 1910. A new metal roof was put on at a cost of $182.22. The walls and ceiling were newly painted and decorated, floors carpeted and seats re- upholstered at a cost of $934.09.
The building has been painted and redecorated twice since that time. In 1937 the job was done by the Ladies' Aid Society and again in 1952 the interior was transformed into the vision of beauty we enjoy today. An efficient and modern heating system has been installed to environ the wor- shiper in physical comfort and a new organ placed in the "orchestry" to instill the mood of reverence.
Early in 1870, the Society "voted that Soc. Committee be authorized to receive a deed of D. D. Little (for the consideration of 100 dollars) for 50 ft. square in his west front corner as a site for proposed conference house." Thus the first step was taken toward the erection of the Chapel. The building was completed during that year and financed entirely by subscription, the donors having contributed $1346.50 for the job. The ladies of the parish contributed over $100 to furnish the building including chairs and a Bible.
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The proceeds of an Old Folks Concert were used to furnish blinds and door steps.
Of the parsonages, we know there have been at least three. The oldest one is the house now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Francis Lyman and this was used until 1926 when the house directly across the street from the church was given to the parish by Mr. Howard Yeomans. After the pastorship of Rev. Ralph Rowland this large Victorian house was sold and the smaller one now in use was purchased from the estate of George Champlin who for many years served as Sexton of the church.
PASTORS
Rev. Samuel Smith was a native of Glastonbury, Connecticut and was one of three members of the class of 1713 at Yale College where he also tutored. He served Lebanon North Parish as the first pastor from 1720 until 1724 and died the following year.
Rev. William Gager was also a Yale graduate and served this parish from 1725 until 1734. He died in May 1739 at the age of thirty three.
Rev. Eleazar Wheelock, D.D. served from 1735 to 1770. His story is related in a chapter to follow.
Rev. Thomas Brockway was born in Lyme, Connecticut and grad- uated from Yale College in 1768. He also served the parish for thirty five years from 1772 until 1807. and ministered to the community through the trying Revolution years and the ensuing recovery period. The terms of his settlement were as follows: "Voted also to give Mr. Thomas Brockway . . two hundred pounds settlement, one hundred to be paid at the end of the first year ... , and fifty pounds at the end of ye second year and fifty pounds at the end of ye third year. Also voted to give him ninety pounds (less than $440) salary annually so long as he shall continue in the work of the ministry and that they would get him as many cords of wood yearly at six shillings per cord as he desires not exceeding thirty cords, to be re- ducted out of the above sd. ninety pounds." During the war years, Mr. Brockway proposed "to give in fifteen pounds a year till the enemy with- drew, and ten pounds a year till the Continental debt be paid." When news of the burning of New London reached the Crank, he "started off with his long gun and deacons and parishioners to assist in doing battle with the enemy." At the start of his pastorate, the church consisted of sixty nine members. Religious revivals added thirty members in 1781 and thirty five in 1801. He baptized about 421 children and believers during his service and lost 446 by death. He returned to his birthplace in Lyme to recover from an illness, but died suddenly on July 4, 1807.
Rev. Thomas Rich was born in Warren, Massachusetts and was grad- uated from Dartmouth in 1799. He was settled here in March of 1811 and served until 1817. It was during his ministry that the form of Covenant and Confession of Faith used for many years was adopted by the Church.
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COLUMBIA GREEN LOOKING NORTH Taken about 1910.
Rev. William Burton of Washington, Vermont was ordained here on February 24, 1818 and dismissed at his own request because of poor health June 23, 1819. He was a Dartmouth graduate.
Rev. David Dickinson was the seventh pastor and was installed here January 19, 1820. He was born in Conway, Massachusetts and was engaged in the medical profession for six years. During his seventeen year pastorate 123 members were united with the church, 103 of them by confession of faith. Forty onc were added during the revival of 1831. Rev. Dickinson ended his pastorate on July 4, 1837 and again resumed his medical practice.
During the pastorates of Rev. Wheelock and Rev. Brockway, morality ran high and the church was generally filled. About 1800 there was much political excitement and many converted to other denominations out of town and the membership of the North Ecclesiastical Society dropped decidedly.
Rev. Charles Kittredge served from March of 1839 to April 1841. He was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts and was a graduate of Dartmouth.
Rev. James Wheelock Woodward was a fourth generation descendant of Dr. Wheelock. He was born in Hanover, New Hampshire in 1805 and graduated from Dartmouth in 1826. He served the church from 1842 to 1848.
Rev. Frederick Avery was the tenth pastor and served for forty five years, from 1850 until 1895. He was born at Groton, Connecticut in 1818, obtained his early schooling there, and prepared to enter the cabinet- maker's trade. Subsequently, he decided to enter the ministry and grad-
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uated from Yale College and Yale Theological Seminary. After substi- tuting in several towns, he was called to Columbia April 29, 1830 and ordained the following June. It was here that he married and seven years later buried his first wife by whom he had a daughter, Miss Julia Avery. He married again and they were blessed with a son, Frederick H. Avery. Mr. Avery was beloved by all who knew him and affectionately called "Father Avery" by many. He was conservative as a preacher, yet firm in his convictions and unafraid to voice them. At his farewell sermon he remarked: "My continuance in this parish has been of unusual length. I have never had a thought or desire to seck and find any other field of labor. ... I have had great comfort in this pastorate .... You have saved me from the distractions and waste of a scattered ministry."
The parish voted to honor him with the title of "Pastor Emeritus," and in 1901 a bronze tablet, suitably inscribed, was erected to his memory by Mrs. Mary B. Yeomans and still can be seen on the east wall of the church. He died in 1908 and his funeral was held in the church he served so well.
Rev. Jasper Harvey was installed in 1896 and served until 1905.
Rev. W. A. Shelton was the twelfth pastor and served from 1906 until 1908.
Rev. William H. Harris served two years from 1908 to 1910.
Rev. Elliott A. Foster was pastor from 1912 to 1915.
Rev. Thomas Owen served eight years. 1915 to 1923.
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Rev. C. C. Haun was the sixteenth minister, serving from 1923 to 1925.
Rev. Duane V. Waln was minister from 1926 to 1928.
Rev. John Howell served from 1928 to 1930.
Rev. Asa Mellinger was pastor from 1930 to 1937.
Rev. Ralph Rowland served ten years from 1937 to 1947.
Dr. George S. Brookes served as interim pastor from 1947 to 1952.
Henry G. Wyman, the twenty-second minister to serve the church, is the present pastor.
The academic training of this distinguished group of men represents the educative result of some of the finest institutions of learning. Most of the carlier ministers were graduates of Yale or Dartmouth. Their religious philosophies would be as varied as their number and if they could gather before us today, such a thcological discussion as we would hear!
CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS
The Sunday School was organized in May of 1820 with Deacon Benja- min Lyman as the first Superintendent. For the first thirty five years, classes were discontinued during the winter months. For a great many years. there were classes for all ages, from young to old. Now, as cver, it continues to play a most important role in church life.
Just prior to 1890, a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor was organized to take the place of the afternoon worship service. Originally, it too was attended by all age groups, but gradually developed into a youth group. The modern version known as the Pilgrim Fellowship is an active group today, cager to assume its share of responsibility.
Until 1917 when the church was incorporated, the business affairs of the church were handled by the Ecclesiastical Society. membership in which was restricted to the male members of the parish. They engaged, paid, and dismissed the ministers: built, repaired, and renovated the buildings: and raised the r.ccessary funds. They raised money by a direct tax, rental of pews, or subscription - or a combination of the three. They provided schools and roads at that time in history when it was the duty of the parish to do so. In 1725 the Society appointed a "Commity to look after the laying out of convenient highways," and on January 13, 1752 they chose a com- mittee to "view the land proposed for highway through sd. Pains, Loomis and Nath Whites Land and to agree with the owners Respecting the above sd. ways." The Society also sent representatives to the general assembly, especially when an issue was under consideration which directly concerned the parish - usually a disputed boundary line.
The church was one of several in this area which were united in a federation known as the "Consociation." This group often settled disputes between Societies and also supplied impartial judges or moderators when a controversial issue had to be settled within the Society. The Consociation played a large part in the ordination services of new ministers.
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It would seem that the women of the parish, though barred from the important business in the earliest days, have always found a way to provide financial assistance for a variety of projects. One of the earliest women's groups was the Ladies' Benevolent Association. The Ladies' Society, for- merly the Ladies' Aid Society, still plays an important role in church life after many years of service. The Women's Guild, now in its fifth year, is comprised of those women who can meet in the evening but are not free during the day.
Believing that nothing should be necessary to foster an attitude of worship but the bare necessity of shelter, early Protestant churches had even eliminated all music from the service. Gradually the Puritanical ideas were relaxed and worship through song became an increasingly important phase of the service. Ordination services were apparently the first to merit the added attraction of a choir, for early records show that special committees were appointed to recruit singers for such affairs. In October of 1864, S. H. Dewey and S. F. West were appointed a committee to solicit funds to purchase a Melodeon for the "benefit of the church and society." Choirs soon became a permanent part of the church organiza- tion. Musical accompaniment became necessary and choir leaders and organists played an indispensable role.
THE PIOUS PAST
Pages and pages of the early church records (many of them in Dr. Wheelock's own handwriting) were devoted to the accusations, testimonies, confessions, and disposition of discipline cases. At one such trial. accord- ing to the record of Asahel Dewey, Clerk, fifteen members met at the home of Rev. James Woodward in 1841 to hear a complaint against two members charging "neglect of duty for not attending meetings." All present agreed that something should be done. The suggestion was ventured that one of the accused was insane and the subject was brought to a vote with the unanimous decision resulting that he was not insane. A committee consist- ing of George Williams, A. Dewey, Sylvester Manley and Norman Little was appointed to visit the offenders and try "in a Christian manner to in- duce them to return to duty." It was also voted to keep Wednesday of that week a day of "fasting, humiliation and prayer to Almighty God in reference to their doings."
Lengthy details are given in the records of the meetings between the committee and the two offenders. To one of these the committee confessed their "unfaithfulness and that of the church in not watching over him as they ought to have done." They "earnestly requested" and even "demanded" his attendance and return to duty. The accused gentleman refused to answer questions and said he "wished the church would let him alone." At a subsequent meeting of the church, the unanimous vote was cast to cut off the offender from "full communion & fellowship with this church." The second offender told the committee he felt the new generation was
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not as good as the last and he had been ill treated by some of the members. The membership also voted to cut him off.
And so it goes - administering discipline was a major problem in the church. The charges were varied and ranged from failure to attend ser- vices sometimes for as long as a year to "Laughing and Irreverent Deport- ment in ye Publick Worship of God our Lord."
Many of the families living in Columbia now can be traced back through the records of baptisms, marriages, and deaths appearing in the church records. Though life in the world of today seems precarious in- deed, the roster of deaths is a grim reminder that no age has been without its hazards. There were many old timers in the early days and if you lived to be ninety three, it could safely be said that you died of old age. But infant mortality was especially high and it declined little as the years were added. No age was immune to the maladies of the day which ranged from "con- sumption" to "dropsy of the brain" and included scarlet fever, diphtheria, typhus and a multitude of other ailments. The railroads seemed to be the cause of most of the "traffic" accidents of the day.
The earliest worship services were held in an unheated, uncushioned, and uncarpeted meeting house. Few of the worshipers owned carriages and those who had to travel any distance rode horseback or went afoot. In winter the meeting house was icy cold and foot stoves gave little relief. The com- munion bread often froze. While the hour-glass silently measured the lengthy sermons, the tything men carried out their important job of keeping the congregation awake, alert, and solemn during the service. When the final "Amen" had been said, they went home to a cold meal, for no cooking or work of any kind could be done on the Sabbath.
THE "ROTARY" AT THE FOUR CORNERS As it looked in 1909.
POPULATION OF
COLUMBIA
1810 - 834
1820 - 941
1830 - 962
1840 - 842
1850 - 876
1860 - 832
1870 - 891
1880 - 757
1890 - 740
1900 - 655
1910 - 646
1920 - 706
1930 - 648
1940 - 853
1950 - 1329
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Eleazar Wheelock PASTOR AND EDUCATOR
One of New England's most famous pastors, the Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, came to Lebanon Crank in the carly days of its settlement. He was born in Windham in May 1711. Having been left a legacy for his educa- tion, he was graduated from Yale College in 1733, and licensed to preach the Gospel by the New Haven East Association in 1734. Rev. Mr. Wheelock was a handsome, middle-sized man, with light blue eyes, and his prominent features bore a pleasant expression. He carried himself erect and dignificd, although he suffered from poor health. He could melt his audience into tears with his full, harmonious and commanding voicc.
Eleazar Wheelock received a unanimous call to settle at Lebanon Crank in February 1735. In April of the same year he married his first wife, Mrs. Sarah Maltby, a widow from New Haven. He was ordained at Lebanon Crank the first Wednesday of the following Junc.
The terms of his settlement were as follows:
"Voted to give Mr. Wheelock that part of the minister's farm which they reserved in their agreement with Mr. Gager, which they suppose is something more than twenty acres, and two hundred pounds in bills of public credit, for a settlement. in case he settle in the work of the ministry among us.
"Also, voted to give Mr. Wheelock one hundred and forty pounds a ycar salary, to be paid in bills of public credit, or in provision at the follow- ing prices: viz. wheat at nine shillings per bushel, rye at seven, Indian corn at five, oats at two shillings and six pence, pork at six pence a pound, and beef at four, which are to be the standard by which his salary is to rise or fall proportionally as they in general rise or fall among us."
Mr. Wheelock was pastor at Lebanon Crank for thirty-five years. His first wife died in November 1746 at the age of forty-three. Her grave is near the center of the old cemetery, and their two sons who died in infancy, both bearing his name, are buried by her side. The inscription on her gravestone reads: "Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Sarah, the wife of ye Rev'd Eleazar Wheelock, who died Nov. 16 A.D. 1746, and in the 44 year of her age, and of a character too great and good to have any worthy of it inscribed here." They had one daughter, who became Mrs. Patton of Hartford. The second Mrs. Wheelock was formerly Miss Mary Brinsmade from Milford. This union was blessed with five children. Onc daughter, Mary, married Bezalcel Woodward, first Professor of Mathematics at Dartmouth. A second daughter, Abigail, was married to the Reverend Sylvanus Ripley. He was one of the first four graduates and the first Professor of Theology at Dartmouth. The Wheelocks' son John, also a graduate of the first class at Dartmouth, suc- ceeded his father as president of the college, and held that office for nearly forty years. Two other sons were Colonel Eleazar Wheelock and James Wheelock.
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