USA > Vermont > Addison County > Cornwall > History of the town of Cornwall, Vermont > Part 12
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a preliminary measure, designed to obviate all obstacles to harmony of action, the town passed the following vote :
" That upon any person or persons appearing in a legal town meeting, and there in a public manner before proper authority, making solemn oath that to support a minister, or to build a meeting house by tax, is contrary to the dictates of their conscience, they shall thereby be released from any rate or rates that may, or shall be laid for the above purpose."
It will be borne in mind by the reader that most of the early settlers of Vermont, those of Cornwall among the rest, adopted the sentiment common in the States from which they emigrated, that the support of religion was indispensable to the prosperity, if not to the existence of a community, and that government ought to require all citizens to pay their proportion toward its support. As the majority of the settlers coming from Connecticut and Massa- chusetts entertained Congregational views, the laws were very nat- urally shaped accordingly. This came to be called the "stand- ing order," and the inhabitants were required to pay taxes for its support unless they made it appear that they already supported some other denomination .* The vote above cited proves that the people of this town were more liberal than the statute, since they required only as a ground of exemption, that the citizen should
These persons, among whom are David Parkill and Zadoe B. Robbins, perfectly harmonize in the recollection that the lot was the same, or nearly the same, as that which Father Bushnell, for many years, cultivated alternately in corn and wheat, lying south of his house, and west of the highway, on which the Red School House formerly stood. The present school house and Mrs. Potter's garden occupy portions of the lot. The common Was first enclosed by Mr. Bushnell.
This statement is corroborated by the fact that about the time of Mr. Bushnell's purchase in 1803, the meeting house on this lot ceased to be used for public worship, and the meet- ings were transferred to the house then in the process of completion, which with modi- cations and improvements, continues still to be used. From that date the common was not needed by the public, and was naturally enough diverted to private use.
* The following were the main provisions of the law of this State respecting the sur- port of religion, previous to 1801. When any number of inhabitants of a town or parish, exceeding twenty-five, being of' a similar sect or denomination of Christians, might think themselves able to build a meeting home, and otherwise provide for the support of the Gospel. a meeting of said town or parish might be called and two-thirds of those assem- Het. being not less than twenty-five in number. might provide for erecting a meeting house, and hiring or otherwise agreeing with a minister : and might assess the necessary taxes to defray the expenses. And it was further provided, "that every voter in town or parish shall be considered as being of the religious opinion and -entiment of the ma- jority in such town or parish, and liable to be taxed for the purposes aforesaid, unless he shall procure a certificate, signed by some Minister of the Gospel, Dearon, Elder, Mol- erator or Clerk of the Church, congregation, sect or denomination, to which he belongs. making known the person procuring the same to be ct the religious opinion or sentiment of the signer thereof, and to what iret or denomination he belongs. This certificate
was to be recorded in the Town Clerk's office.
A
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make oath that he had consciencious scruples_about supporting re- ligion by tax at all.
This attempt having been made to disarm the opposition which might arise from a fear of taxes, the meeting proceeded to the fol- lowing action :
1. Voted to build a meeting house, and support the Gospel by a tax on the town.
2. Voted to lay a town tax of seventy pounds to be paid in wheat at 5 s. per bushel, by the first of January next, to defray town charges, and to pay Mr. Tolman's settlement. John Rock- well, Roswell Post and Sam'l Blodget, appointed collectors of said rate.
3. Voted to accept of the doing of our committee for setting & stake for the meeting house, viz : Eleazer Claghorn, Benj. Cooley and James Waters.
4. Voted to build a meeting house 50 feet by 20 near the stake stuck by the above committee, by the first of May next .- Appointed Ethan Andrus, Benj. Sanford, Stephen Tambling and Stephen Holley, for a committee to build said house.
5. Voted to meet at Sam'l Benton's on the Sabbath till the first of May next.
6. Voted to adjourn this meeting till the 17th day of instant December.
Attest. JOEL LINSLY, Town Clerk. Dec. 17, 1787. According to adjournment the meeting was opened, and the committee for building the mecting house made their report, that in their opinion, it will cost £48, and €8 must be paid in wheat directly.
Voted to accept of the report of our said committee. Accor- dingly,
Voted to lay a tax of $48 to build said house, £8 to be paid in wheat by the first of Jan. next, and €40 to be paid in labor by the first of April next.
Att., JOEL LINSLY, T. Clerk.
During these proceedings several persons appeared and made oath that to support the Gospel, and build a meeting house by tax, was contrary to the dictates of their conscience. The building committee proceeded promptly in the discharge of their duty, so far as to erect the frame of the proposed house, but for reasons which can only be inferred from the record, nothing further was done for months.
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
Sept. 2, 1788, a Town Meeting was held to take further action In this matter.
The question "whether they would cover the frame of the meet- ing house where it now stands," was decided in the negative.
The question "whether they would move the frame to any other place and cover it," was decided in the negative.
The question "whether they would sell the frame," was also negatived ; and finally,
The question "whether the town would give the frame to such 1root or persons as would cover it, on condition of owning it ahen the town should have done meeting in it," was decided in the affirmative.
The frame was covered and used several years as a place of wor- whip within the recollection of many persons still living, but the precise time of its completion cannot be ascertained. It was prob- ably in the Spring of 1791, as previous to this time the meetings of the Town and of the Church had been held at Sam'l Benton's, and at Jeremiah Rockwell's who bought out Gen. Benton. But for a Town Meeting held Sept. 21, 1791, the inhabitants were warned to convene at the meeting house. This is the first intima- tion of the readiness of the building for use.
At this period the town seems to have borne the entire responsi- bility of providing for public worship. They provided the place of worship-they supported the minister-they even appointed those a lo led the singing on the Sabbath, and I might add, those who boull guard the sacredness of the Sabbath, by reproving its viola- Dons as well in the sanctuary as out of it.
I have copied, and may still copy, somewhat largely from the records of the town, proceedings in reference to the establishment of public worship, both because they seem to constitute an inseparable fortion of our history, and because most of the natives of Corn- wall will love to be able to trace the. incipient measures of their flera. to secure for themselves and their posterity, what they regard- el na blessings of paramount importance.
The records of the Church indicate that during the ministry of Mr. Tolman, very considerable numbers were admitted to its com-
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
munion ; that discipline was promptly maintained, and the cause of piety apparently advanced, though we are not informed of any season of revival during the period. A "Confession of Faith and Platform of Order and Discipline " adopted by the General Con- vention of Congregational Ministers of Vermont, at their session, June 1788, was recommended by that body to be adopted by the Churches for the sake of uniformity. This, the Church of Corn- trall considered, and so far approved as to order its entry on their records. Whether wisely or not, this Confession of Faith was made designedly brief and general, so as to admit of some diversity of belief in reference to certain doctrinal points. The Church so far showed their independence of ecclesiastical recommendations, as to modify certain articles, to disapprove and reject others, retaining their own as substitutes.
In June, 1790, less than three years from his settlement, Mr. Tolman intimated to the Church, that the failure of his health would incapaciate him for serving them longer in the ministry, and the same intimation communicated to the town in August, led to the appointment of "a committee of five, to confer with him about the terms of his dismission." The inhabitants felt that it would be unjust for him; after having received the entire ministerial right of land (300 acres) and in addition a liberal "settlement," to leave them after so brief a ministry, without a return of at least a portion of the latter gratuity - the former having been the gift of the Charter, rather than of the people. Consequently, when at a meet- ing Sept. 22, 1790, Mr. Tolman presented a formal request for a dismission, the town voted to grant his request, "on condition that he should refund to the Treasury of this town, to be hereafter dis- posed of by the town towards the settlement of another minister, £70 out of the settlement which he received, by giving his note to the treasurer of the town, payable in grain, in cattle, or in land from off the minister's lot, which he received in settlement and now possesses, within two years or sooner, viz : on the settlement of another minister, if one should be sooner settled, or he should choose to make the payment sooner, without interest, - Provided the Coun- cil that we shall appoint think best." To this consideration, Mr.
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Tolman assented, and executed his note for the sum named, which was deposited in safe hands, to be delivered to the Treasurer, in case of Mr. Tolman's dismission by the Council, otherwise to be returned to him.
The town appointed a committee of six to agree with Mr. Tolman on a Council, and on the time and place of its meeting. The Coun- cil consisting of four ministers and three delegates, met Nov. 11, 1790, and unanimously voted his dismission, together with full tes- timonials of his good character and standing in the ministry.
Of his history previous to his residence in Cornwall, we know but little. He received approbation to preach from an association in Bennington County, and came to this town with ample credentials. Hle probably assented to the polity of the Independents, as according to their usage, he united with the Church of which he became the pastor, subjecting himself, like other members, to its discipline. During his pastorate, and part of his subsequent residence in Corn- wall, for aught that appears to the contrary, he enjoyed the confi- dence of the people, as a man of piety and orthodoxy. But owing, perhaps, to mental alienation, he fell, during the latter part of his residence in town, into errors which bordered on deism. He was, however, regarded as sanc. Grieved by his defection, the Church commenced a process of discipline in Dec., 1794, which, though he removed from town early in the following year, was prosecuted to his excommunication. It is pleasant to be able to add, that subse- quently he came to himself and returned to the Church in Corn- wall, with full and satisfactory evidence of his conviction of bis errors, and of penitence, entreating restoration to their confidence and fellowship, having previously given similar satisfaction to the Church in Greensboro, where, at the time he resided. He was restored to his standing in the Church. Mr. Tolman, at a later period, held some civil offices, among them that of Engrossing Clerk of the Vt. General Assembly, - an office for which he was peculiarly qualified by his beautiful chirography.
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL,
CHAPTER XVI.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY CONTINUED-CONTROVERSY RESPECTING LOCA- TION OF MEETING HOUSE -- SETTLEMENT OF REV. BENJ. WOOSTER -- HIS MINISTRY AND CHARACTER - HIS CONNECTION WITH THE ARMY AT PLATTSBURGH.
. The town being without a minister, the proposition was revived, which had been several times agitated but had never met with gen- eral favor, to divide the town into two societies ; and if this might not be conceded, to dismember it, as had been previously urged, by annexing a portion of it to Weybridge, and another portion to Whiting. The reasons for this persistent effort to dismember the town, do not appear on the record, and are of course matter of inference. As the character of those towns, like that of Cornwall, was forming and undetermined, the settlers on the borders of Corn- wall might have supposed, that being thus annexed, their prefer- ences as to religious worship would be more readily secured, while in other respects, their condition would be equally favorable.
At a meeting held Dec. 14, 1790, the town voted "to give lib- erty to any number of persons to form into a society, agreeably to the late society articles drawn up by the committee appointed by the town for the purpose." These articles are not recorded.
و جر.
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HISTORY. OF CORNWALL.
During the years 1791-92, the town provided by tax for the sup- port of preaching, without much effort to settle a minister. Mr. Tolman in the meantime repeatedly urged upon them a request that they would release him from obligation to repay the portion of his settlement he had promised to refund. His request met a steady denial. They, however, exhibited their spirit of accommodation, by allowing the claim to remain several years without interest.
Some of the voters being dissatisfied with the location of their meeting house which had been occupied since 1791, in May, and again in Nov., 1795, agitated the questions anew in town meeting, whether they would agree upon a centre for public worship, and if not, whether they would divide into two societies. Both these questions were answered by the following action-"voted that the town is satisfied with their present centre for civil and religious purposes." But the question so often settle ! would not "stay" settled ; for, in 1796, it was again brought up, and the town appointed Ethan Andrus, Nathaniel Blanchard, Benj. Sanford, Eliphalet Samson and Joel Linsly, a committee to consider the subject. They reported that "in their opinion, the meeting house ought to be set about six or eight rods west of the road, about half of the way between Joel Linsly's house and barn :"-a site very nearly the same which is now occupied by the parsonage of the Congrega- tional Society. At a meeting held a few days later, in connection with the annual March meeting, 1796, the Town "voted to agree to a centre, for to erect a house for public worship, as near the south line of the burying yard as may be convenient." The spot designated by the vote, is nearly the site of the present meeting house. At this meeting, measures were also adopted to secure for six months the labors of Mr. Benjamin Wooster, who had already been preaching, as a candidate for settlement a short time. But as his engagements did not allow him then to continue his labors, the town renewed their request in May following, that be would pro- tract his labors through an entire year-a period of probation, which in these days of steam and electricity, would by most candidates be deemed inadmissible, though in accordance with the good old Con- necticut custom, "to summer and winter a candidate," before giv-
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HISTORY OF CORNWALL.
ing him a call. The town having also voted a tax sufficient to raise the necessary means for his remuneration, the votes were both fol- lowed by the statement, which, it is noticeable, was appended to every vote, in relation to religious affairs near this date, --- "there being more than two-thirds of the members present, and more than twenty-five legal votes in the affirmative."
During the autumn of 1796, several town meetings were held, at which the whole subject of building a meeting house, and of raising the means of doing it, was discussed, and a committee was appointed to prepare and present a plan for the structure. In No- vember, the committee reported a specific plan, and as a means of defraying the expense, recommended the sale, in advance, wholly or in part, of the pew ground. This report was adopted and Joe! Linsly, Wm. Slade and Ethan Andrus, were appointed a building committee, with instructions to sell the pew ground on the day after the approaching Thanksgiving, - " to sell the pews without assessing or dignifying one pew above another ;- to say what part of the money should be paid during the winter to provide materials for building," and to locate the house, "provided said commit- tee shall not set said house more than about the bigness of it from the south line of the burying yard" - the same site, as already intimated, or very nearly the same as that which is occupied by the present house. The committee were further instructed to raise and enclose the house, and lay the lower floor, by the first of October, 1797. By adjournment this meeting was again convened the first Tuesday of December, when the building committee was enlarged by the addition of several persons, "to assist in fixing the price of · labor and materials for building, and to advise in any matters re- specting the house."
On the 14th of December, 1796, before the period had elapsed for which Mr. Wooster had been employed, the town held a meeting to discuss the expedieney of inviting him to settle. They voted to make the following proposals :
" Two hundred pounds settlement in the following manner : sixty pounds to be paid at the time of his settlement, in money ; forty pounds in cattle next October ; fifty pounds the October following
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in cattle, and fifty pounds more in cattle by the first of October, 1799. The foregoing settlement is to be conditioned in the manner following : If the said Benj. Wooster shall die (or decease) within four years from the time of his settlement with us, he shall be en- titled to one half of his settlement, and no more. If he live four years, and die between that and six years from the time of his set- tlement, then he shall be entitled to three-quarters of his settle- ment and no more. If he live six years, and die between that and eight years, he shall be entitled to all his settlement, provided in the foregoing cases, he die our minister. But if the said Benjamin be dismissed he shall receive but twelve pounds, and ten shillings yearly of his settlement for the time that he continues our min- ister."
At a meeting held a few days later, by adjournment, the follow- ing alterations in the above proposals were voted, viz : "that part of the settlement which was voted to be paid in cattle, to be paid in cattle or wheat at cash price, and if not paid by the time above stipulated, to draw interest, and in case of his death or dismissal from his ministerial office, Mr. Wooster, or his heirs, shall have the same privilege in every respect, as to time and manner of re- funding any part of his settlement, that we have allowed to us to pay to him."
These conditions proposed by the fathers, seem in our day, sin- gular, but it is to be borne in mind that two hundred pounds was then a liberal sum to be voted as a settlement, and moreover that they had no other medium in which to make payments, as there was comparatively no money in circulation. They had cattle and grain, but no cash market for either, consequently so destitute were they of money that they were obliged often to receive grain on or- dinary town taxes. And in regard to stipulations respecting the refunding of settlement, &c., we are to remember that the minister's lot which was designed as a permanent endowment, or settlement, Mr. Tolman had already received as the first minister, and retained as his own, though he had continued with them but about two years, and would, if allowed, have retained the entire settlement which they had generously allowed him.
They were too wary to be caught a second time. Hence the above proposals, offering a liberal settlement, but so guarding the
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offer, that they could not be compelled, after a brief term of labor on the part of their minister, to make another considerable sacrifice. The sequel approves their wisdom.
The town, at the meeting last named, voted Fio give Mr. Wooster eighty pounds salary annually, and wood at his door sufficient for his family, not exceeding thirty cords, as long as he shall continue our minister ; to be paid one-half in money, and the other half in wheat at money price, by the first day of January annually. The price for wheat is to be prefixed by a joint committee agreed on between the town and Mr. Wooster, on the first Monday in Dec, annually."
Following these votes, and based upon them, the town voted Mr. Wooster a call to settle, and appointed a committee of five persons, Joel Linsly, Jeremiah Bingham, Wm. Slade, Ethan Andrus and David Foot, "to inform him of the votes of the town in regard to the settlement, salary and call, and if Mr. Wooster should close with our proposals, said committee are hereby authorized and em- powered to agree with him, and give and take obligations according- ly ; and also to agree on the time and place for ordination, and the ordaining Council."
"In the foregoing votes, more than twenty-five votes were in the affirmative, and more than two-thirds of the voters present."
I have drawn out at length the narrative of these proceedings in reference to the settlement of Mr. Wooster, presuming that the reader will be interested to be made acquainted with the modes of proceeding, adopted by the early settlers, who were equally deter- mined to secure for themselves and their families the privileges of the Gospel, by a liberal use of their means, and to guard themselves against any losses to which they might be exposed from cupidity or casualty.
The call was accepted, and Mr. Wooster was ordained Feb. 22, 1797. The Council was composed of the following :
MINISTERS. Eleazer Harwood, Lemuel Haynes, Increase Graves,
DELEGATES.
Calvin Dewey, Rufus Delon, James Gray,
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Sylvanus Chapin, William Jackson, John Griswold.
Ebenezer Hurlbut, Stephen Martindale, Joel Harmon.
Mr. Jackson preached the sermon and Mr. Haynes gave the charge to the candidate.
At the annual March meeting this year, a petition was presented from the Baptist society, then recently formed, "for a share of the public money belonging to the town, being part of Mr. Tolman's settlement refunded to the town." In answer to the request,it was voted "that the Baptists which have obtained, or shall obtain regu- lar certificates, and enter them on record in the Town Clerk's office, by the first day of April next, shall be entitled to receive their share of the said public money, to be divided out to them by the selectmen of the town, agreeably to, and on the list of 1796, when collected."
The preceding records would lead the reader to anticipate that the people of Cornwall had reached the end of controversy respect- ing the erection of a house of worship ; but the same causes which had operated for ten years, were still producing their effects. At a meeting of the town on the fourth of Dec., 1797, the preceding votes on that subject were all rescinded, by a small majority. We find nothing further touching the matter until near the close of 1799, when another effort was made to fix upon a satisfactory site, by the appointment, for this purpose, of three persons residing out of town. The persons named were Ebenezer Wilson, Samuel Strong and Thomas Hammond, Esqs. But they probably never came together, as there is no record of any report of their doings, or any further allusion to their appointment. From this time the subject appears to have been but little agitated till near the close of 1801, when a vote was passed appointing a committee to unite with Mr. Wooster in calling a Council for his dismission. The Council was called and he was dismissed Jan. 7, 1802. The reasons for this proceeding are not spread upon the record ; so that at this dis- tance of time, we are left to conjecture. It is not unreasonable to infer, supposing human nature to have been what it now is, that the disagreement of the community respecting a place of worship
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may have been very unfavorable both to his enjoyment and his usefulness. This supposition is favored by the fact that, in imme- diate connection with the vote for his dismission, another effort wa: made, with some carnestness, to fix upon a site for a meeting house. A committee of nine was appointed, who proceeded to reconsider the whole subject, and they at length reported that they could not agree whereupon the meeting was adjourned to the 22d of December fol- lowing; at which time the town voted to request Henry Olin, Abraham Dibble and Pliny Smith, Esqs., non-residents of Corn- wall, to fix upon a site, and if possible, harmonize conflicting opin- ions on the subject.
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