Litchfield County CT Archives History - Books .....The Episcopal Church 1882

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Book Title: HISTORY OF THE TOWNS OF NEW MILFORD AND BRIDGEWATER, CONNECTICUT, 1703-1882

CHAPTER X.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 
1743—1827.

IN 1708, the General Assembly of Connecticut passed what was called the Act of
Toleration, by which all persons who soberly dissented from the worship and
ministry by law established,—that is, the Congregational order,—were permitted
to enjoy the same liberty of conscience with the Dissenters in England, under
the act of William and Mary. That act exempted Dissenters from punishment for
non-conformity to the established church, but did not exempt them from taxation
for its maintenance. And therefore, by appearing before the County Court, and in
legal forms declaring their sober dissent, any persons in the Colony of
Connecticut could obtain permission to have public worship in their own way; but
they were still obliged to pay for the support of the Congregational churches in
the place of their respective residences, in which the law followed the example
of the mother country.

  The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts was chartered
in England, June 16, 1701, and among its first acts was that of sending to this
and other British colonies on the American continent, a missionary to itinerate
and make personal observations. The individual selected for this purpose was
George Keith, a Scotchman by birth, who, in connection with the Rev. John
Talbot, a chaplain of a ship, visited New London, where they passed a Sunday;
and both of them preached, being invited to do so, by Mr. Gurdon Saltonstall,
then the Congregational minister in that place, and afterwards the governor of
the colony. He "civilly entreated them at his house, and expressed his good
affection to the Church of England." In general they reported of Connecticut
that it contained "thirty thousand souls [in] about thirty-three towns, all
Dissenters, supplied with ministers and schools of their own persuasion."

  The Rev. George Muirson was ordained by the Bishop of London in 1705, and sent
as a missionary to the church of Rye, N. Y., and in the summer of 1706 he, with
the Hon. Caleb Heathcote of New York, set out upon a journey to explore the
shore towns from Greenwich to Stratford, at which latter place Mr. Muirson
preached to a very numerous congregation, "and baptized about twenty-four,
mostly grown people."

  The Churchmen of Stratford were organized into a parish, with wardens and
vestrymen, at the visit of Mr. Muirson in April, 1707.

  Episcopal services were held in Newtown, as early as 1724, by the Rev. Dr.
Samuel Johnson, then pastor at Stratford, and in 1732, the Rev. John Beach was
established as pastor in New-town in that denomination. [4]

[4] Beardsley's History of the Church in Conn.

  As to the introduction of Episcopal service into New Milford, the Rev. Stanley
Griswold, in his centennial sermon, says: "Some individuals of this persuasion
came into town at an early period; but no stated worship was held here till
somewhere between the years 1740 and 1745. Worship was then carried on here
first by the Rev. Mr. Beach of Newtown. One Mr. Barzillai Dean read service here
for some years, then went to England for orders with a view to settle here on
his return, but died in his passage."

  Episcopal service was most probably held in this place as early as 1742, and
perhaps several years earlier, for the Rev. Mr. Beach of Newtown attended a
wedding service here in 1739. This seems quite probable, also, since early in
1743 there were-a considerable number of Churchmen in the place, and a movement
was made towards building a house of worship; and in view, probably, of
supporting the preaching of the gospel after the manner of their own church,
they objected to paying for the support of the Congregational minister, and
hence the subject came up in a special town meeting, February 6, 1743-4: "Voted
that the Churchmen shall be brought into the list to make up the minister's
rate, according to the directions of the law." This "Rate" was for the regular
salary of Mr. Daniel Boardman; but his health soon failed, so that additional
moneys were to be raised for the maintaining of preaching, by calling in other
ministers, when the following order was established. "June 6, 1744. Voted, that
those of us that are of the Church of England shall be freed from paying any
charge that shall arise by hiring any minister to come into the town to preach
here, for the space of one year, provided that our circumstances remain as they
now are; but if, by the providence of God, our reverend pastor should be taken
away, so that we are obliged to call another minister for settlement within one
year, then this vote to cease and be void, and the said Churchmen to be under
the same regulations as the other inhabitants."

  More than a year previous to this last vote, the interests of the Churchmen
had been put into a definite form, according to the following record: "March 17,
1743. Voted, upon the desire of,

1. HENRY GARLICK,
2. OBADIAH WELLER,
3. JOHN WELLER,
4. JOHN PRINDLE,
5. SAMUEL PRINDLE,
6. DANIEL PRINDLE,
7. THOMAS NOBLE,
8. GEORGE MECUEN,
9. CHARLES DUNCOMB,
10. DANIEL PICKETT,
11. WILLIAM HUTCHINGS,
12. PARTRIDGE THATCHER,

to grant them a piece of land in the street east of Mr. Samuel Prindle's house,
upon the hill near where the old pound used to stand, sixty feet in length and
forty feet in breadth, in order to build a Church of England upon, and for no
other purpose.

  "Voted, that the above named petitioners shall have liberty to use a piece of
land eastward of Samuel Prindle's house of sixty feet in length and forty feet
in breadth, the length to be east and west, to build a house for the worship of
God during the time the house shall be kept on the land; also that Mr. Nathaniel
Bostwick, David Noble, and Daniel Bostwick shall be a committee to set .out the
bounds of the said land."

  The names of these twelve petitioners call to remembrance the twelve names of
the first petitioners to the General Assembly for "Society privileges" in
October, 1711, a little more than thirty-one years before, when there were,
probably, only twelve families in the plantation; now there were in the
neighborhood of one hundred and twenty-five families in the town, for, in a
town-meeting three years later, in a time of much interest in regard to the
settling of a new minister, there were one hundred and fifteen legal voters
present, who voted,—sixty-three for one candidate and fifty-two for the other.
Here then is the SECOND TWELVE, long to be remembered, because they were the
movers in the first public act which was to establish the sacred forms of
worship in this denomination, in which the generations of this community for
many ages should be blessed;—a tree planted by the river of waters, growing
strong and grand in centennial epochs, until its shadowing branches should
invite thousands to its secure repose and safety. Feeble and faint, possibly,
were these hands first lifted to plant this tree, but, after one hundred and
thirty-eight years, a strong church bears testimony to the nobleness of the work
begun so long ago. Could those plain but earnest twelve men have seen the
foundations laid of the new edifice of granite, now rising in its symmetrical
and beautiful proportions on the east side of the village-green, instead of the
middle of the street, they would have felt stronger in their efforts in the days
of seed-planting, and been able to say, with joyful hope of abundant golden
harvests, Now lettest thou thy servants depart in peace, for we have seen a
little of Thy glory. But little do the seed-sowers know what the harvest shall
be. Since memory might fail of her duty to the departed great, it is well to
pause here to make some little record as to who those twelve men of 1743 were.

  1. Henry Garlick was in Milford, where his eldest child was born, in December,
1718, and he was in New Milford in March, 1721, when his name occurs in
connection with the Common Field. He bought several small pieces of land between
1724 and 1730; had a large family, seven of which were sons. Rev. Stanley
Griswold's sermon says he came from England. His eldest daughter was married to
William, son of Dea. James Prime, by the Rev. John Beach of Newtown, in 1739,
and the family had an honorable standing in the community. Henry Gar-Hck did not
join the Congregational Church, being, probably, an adherent to the Episcopal
Church from the first, and was glad, doubtless, when he saw a probability that a
house of worship according to his own faith was likely to be erected. The land
he purchased was on or near the Aspetuck, a little northeast of the old Nathan
Gaylord place.

  2. Obadiah Weller was the son of John, one of the first twelve settlers in New
Milford. He was born in 1699; came with his father's family to this place,
probably, in or before 1710, and at the time of the above petition he was
forty-five years of age, and had a family of three children. He united with the
Congregational Church in 1726, and seems to have been in good standing in 1731,
when he was one of the nineteen who withdrew from that church, and united with
the Quakers; and in 1743 he joined the Church of England.

  3. John Weller., eldest son of John, Sen., born in 1694, came with his father
to New Milford, as early as 1710, and married Lydia Waller of Woodbury, in 1723,
and had a family of five sons. He united with the First Church in 1727.

  4. John Prindie, born about 1705, was the son of Samuel Prindle, one of the
first twelve settlers in  this town. John's dwelling-house, at this time, was on
"the west side of the Great River, on the west side of the Great Plain," near
his brother Samuel's home, at the "Goose Pond." So said his father in a deed to
his daughter. He united with the First Church in 1726, and in 1729 was suspended
from communion for abusive language in regard to Rev. Daniel Boardman. In 1731
he united with the Quakers, and, after twelve years, gave his adherence to the
Episcopal Church.

  5. Samuel Prindle, son of Samuel, Sen., was residing at the time near his
brother John Prindle's dwelling-house, on the west side of the plain. He united
with the First Church in 1720; in 1731 he was one of the nineteen who left that
Church and united with the Quakers, and, in 1743, he became an Episcopalian,
according to this list, with his two brothers.

  6. Daniel Prindle, brother of John and Samuel, had a family of four children,
and resided, probably, with his father on the west side, south end of what is
now the public green in New Milford village. He united with the First Church in
1727; with the Quakers in 1731, and with the Church of England in 1743.

  7. Thomas Noble, born in 1712, the eldest son of John Noble, 2d, married Mary
Curtis, in 1737. He erected the first house north of Gallows Hill, where he
resided until his decease, in 1783, aged 71 years. He united with the First
Church in 1727, was an active man in the town, and for many years one of the
owners of the Iron Works, and was one of the principal supporters of the
Episcopal Church. But few deserve more praise than he as a steady, true, and
faithful Christian.

  8. George McEuen came from Scotland, and had been in the town but a short time
when he signed this petition. The first land he purchased was in 1745, near
Plank Swamp, and he continued to purchase small pieces until he had secured a
comfortable farm on the road to Merryall, where his descendants still reside. He
was a very strong Churchman, so much so, it is related, that he objected to the
Congregational people having a steeple on their meeting-house, saying that in
England the law forbid dissenting churches to have steeples to their houses of
worship. He is also reported to have said that he did not know, but by hearsay,
that the Congregational meeting-house had a steeple, for he had never
condescended to look at it, although often passing within a few rods of the
building. Such energy of sentiment indicates the possession of great joy and
delight in his own Church, against which no one at the present day objects. Mr.
McEuen (now spelled Ewen), was a very upright, valuable citizen.

  "Dec. 9, 1745. Voted, that a committee shall lease to Mr. George Mecuen one
acre of land in the highway in New Milford at the south end of Plank Swamp, so
called, for the term of two hundred years, for a sum that the said committee
shall appraise the said land at, and measure and lay out said land; Mr. Samuel
Canfield, Capt. Nathaniel Bostwick, and Mr. Ebenezer Fisk, were chosen the
committee for the above said work."

  9. Charles Dimcomb resided in the town but a few years.

  10. Daniel Pickett, son of Doct. Thomas Pickett, born in 1719, was twenty-four
years of age. He married Margaret Beardsley, in Stratfield, September 16, 1741,
and died in 1794, having many years to work for the enterprise he so early
espoused. He left a son Daniel, who had a family, and his descendants remained
in the town until within a few years.

  11. William Hutchings, married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Prindle. No
family record of his has been seen. He purchased several pieces of land in 1742
and 3, and appears to have resided on the west side of the plain south of the
Indian burying-place, but afterwards resided below the Great Falls, on the east
side of the river.

  12. Partridge Thatcher, a lawyer, was a somewhat celebrated character in
Litchfield county. He came from Lebanon, Windham county, and bought of Joel
Hervey, of New Milford, a tract of land lying at or near the mouth of Rocky
River, with a dwelling-house and barn, and three-fourths of a sawmill standing
on it, with all Mr. Hervey's "Right" in the township, for £815, January 4,
1742-3, and the other one-fourth of the saw-mill he bought nine days after, of
Joseph Seelye, for £40. He purchased two other pieces of land soon after, for
£165, and established himself very fairly as a farmer and business man, and as
such was successful for many years. In 1774 he liberated one of his slaves, in
1780, two others, and in 1781, two more; an account of which may be seen
elsewhere in this book. He possessed great energy of character, with decided
religious and moral convictions, and, being such, and united to the Episcopal
Church, he was just qualified to be, in the Revolutionary War, as he was, a
full-blooded Tory; nevertheless, he possessed some very admirable qualities, and
coming at the time he did into the town, he gave a decidedly favorable impulse
and influence to the Church of England, as the Episcopal Church was then called,
and the result was the erection of a house of worship in a few years. As to the
liberation of his slaves, a pleasant story is still rehearsed as coming from one
of those slaves, who, ever after the act of freedom, took great delight in
repeating the story to her children and friends, as an act of great renown to
Partridge Thatcher. She is said to have closed the rehearsal of the story always
with this remark: "You see, children, it was this way; you would all have been
slaves to this day if it had not been for Partridge Thatcher and God Almighty."
He died January 9, 1786, in the seventy-second year of his age. The inscription
on his tombstone was composed by himself.

  Through Mr. Thatcher's efforts particularly, a lot of land was purchased in
the Indian Field, in 1751, to the amount of £200, and deeded to the Wardens of
this Church as a fund "for the use and benefit of the Church forever." In 1772
the Churchmen voted to sell this land, called a "Glebe lot," and purchase a
house and lot of Mr. Imus, "for the Rev. Mr. Clark to live in," and to pay £60
for the property.

  He was the architect and builder of the second house of worship for the
Episcopal Church, and probably for the first one also.

  "December 13, 1756. Voted [in town meeting], that eight pounds old tenor money
shall be and is given to Mr. Partridge Thatcher out of the town which he
borrowed of the town a little before his mill was burnt. Voted in the
affirmative by a great majority."

  He is said to have been uncle to Jared Lane, who married in this town the same
year Mr. Thatcher did.

  The location of the first house of worship for the Episcopal people was at the
extreme south end of the Green in New Milford village, and was erected probably
in 1744, the next year after the vote to give them the privilege of locating it
on the town street.

  After Mr. Boardman's decease, and soon after the town vote to bestow a part of
the Parsonage land upon the next Congregational minister who should be settled
in the town, the following was passed in the Proprietors' meeting:

  "Proprietors' Meeting. March 4, 1744-5. Voted, that those proprietors who are
of the Church of England in this present day, and those of the Friends, in said
New Milford, shall have their equal proportion of the Proprietors' Right,
according to their Proprietee, set out to them, which shall be disposed of to
encourage or support the Gospel in said New Milford; that is to say, their equal
proportion with those of the Presbyterian order that is now given or disposed of
in quantity and quality.

  "Voted, that a committee shall be chosen to set out the land that is granted
for the Churchmen, and those called Friends, for quantity and quality, according
to their grant aforesaid; and at the same meeting Capt. Nathaniel Bostwick,
Joseph Ferriss, and Ebenezer Fisk were chosen a committee for the above work."

  Rev. Mr. Griswold says, in his centennial sermon (and he had the best
opportunity for knowing), that services were first "carried on here by the Rev.
Mr. Beach of Newtown, between 1740 and 1745," and that "one Mr. Barzillai Dean
read services here for some years, then went to England for orders with a view
to settle here on his return, but died on his passage." The following is a
sample of the accessions this church received from time to time up to the
Revolution: "Dec., 1748. In ye same meeting, Jonah Dayton declared himself to be
of ye Episcopal order."

  Rev. Solomon Palmer was the first Episcopal minister residing here. He was a
Congregational minister in Cornwall; changed his views, and united with the
Episcopal Church; went to England, where he received ordination in that
denomination, and returned as a Missionary, stationed at New Milford, with a
number of other towns as his parish. He purchased on May 27, 1755, the house and
lot of Samuel Adkins, at the northern end of Aspetuck Hill, for £1,250, and also
purchased land a little east of the old Pickett place,—where Mr. Henry Booth now
resides,— on the hill, but where he resided is not known. He settled here in
1754, and removed to Litchfield about the year 1760.

  Rev. Thomas Davies was the second settled minister in this church. He was sent
here as a missionary in 1761, and, by the arrangement of the society under whose
directions he labored, he was pastor of the churches of New Milford, Roxbury,
Sharon, New Preston, and New Fairfield. Litchfield was added to his circuit as
early as 1763, with occasional services at Washington, Kent, Woodbury, Cornwall,
Salisbury, and Great Barrington, Mass.

  He wrote on June 25, 1764: "In New Milford our church edifice is too small,
and we have gathered most of the material for a new one, which we shall begin to
build early next spring." In June, 1765, he wrote: "Our church in New Milford
was raised this spring, which, if we can possibly finish, will be a very
commodious building, having a steeple and chancel. To put forward this church, I
have taken unwearied pains and expended all the money, not only that I could
spare, but all I could get; and I am fearful, considering my farther capacity to
help, and the present distressing circumstances of our country, that after all
it will not be fit for service in some years." It was not wholly finished until
1793, when it was consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Samuel Seabury, D.D. This building
stood on the green, about thirty rods north of the first one, and near the
locality of the present band-stand on the green. The architect and builder was
Partridge Thatcher, Esqr. "The number of families under Mr. Davies's care was
72, and the number of communicants 43." [1]

[1] Rev. Mr. Acly's Historical Sermon.

  Through his efforts the gift of a library was obtained from the Missionary
Society. Mr. Davies overworked himself, took a severe cold, which produced a
lung disease, from which he died May 12, 1766, a complete sacrifice to his
energy and the difficulties around him. In his brief career as a minister he had
become well-known; had been invited to settle at Hempstead, L. I., in 1764, and
was mentioned quite extensively as the probable candidate for the office of
bishop, when the Church in America should be allowed to elect one.

  At his death Mr. Davies was the father of two children. The elder, William,
resided with his grandfather Joel Hervey, of Sharon (formerly of New Milford),
until he was thirteen years of age; then engaged in business, and, in 1799, went
to Poughkeepsie, N. Y., where he became the wealthiest man in Dutchess County.
He died there about 1857, aged 94 years, leaving two sons, Thomas L. Davies,
Esqr., and William Davies, both of Poughkeepsie.

  On December 14, 1767, the town voted to "pay out of its treasury £14. 10s.
lawful money, to the Church of England, for their old church for a Town House,
and that the town will this present year repair the Town House." This house was
used for a town-house twenty years, until the old town and school-house that
stood at the north end of the green was built.

  Rev. Richard Clark., from Milford, was settled here as missionary pastor of
this church in 1767, and remained twenty years, until 1787. In 1772, the "Glebe
lot," in the Indian field, was sold by vote of the Churchmen, and a house and
lot purchased of Mr. Innes for £60, for Mr. Clark to reside in, which house and
lot may have been in the southeast part of the village, east of the old Pickett
place.

  The records of the doings of the Church of England were made in part by the
clerk of the First Ecclesiastical Society for many years, in the same book with
the doings of the First Society. The officers for the Church Society were
appointed by the First Society, such as committee-men and collector of the
minister's salary, and also meetings were called by the First Society,—as a
matter of legality,—for the church to transact its own business, and the
following is a record of such a meeting:

  "November 26, 1773, the society meeting then opened according to adjournment.
Voted, that the Church-wardens shall hire a house for Rev. Mr. Clark for the
year ensuing, and shall let out the present Glebe house and lot, and what the
hire of a house shall cost more than the Glebe lot will let for shall be made up
in the minister's rate.

  "Voted, that the Donation notes they called in and laid out in the Glebe house
and lot, if any overplus, be laid out in land for the church.

  "Voted, that Daniel Pickett shall be a committee-man to assist the
Church-wardens in laying and selling and calling in the Donation notes for the
benefit of the church.

  "Voted, that Abel Gillett shall be a committee for the same purpose.

  "Voted, that the Church-wardens and the above committee, or the major part of
them, shall have liberty to sell the present Glebe house and lot, and purchase
some other house and land that they shall think convenient and proper, and lay
out the money that the Glebe lot sells for, and to pay the same as far as it
will go, and to pay the remainder out of the Donation money."

  According to the above instructions, Daniel Pickett and Abel Gillett, as
church-wardens of St. John's Church, purchased, on February 7, 1775, of Smith
Clark and Jane Clark, of Litchfield, the house and lot known for many years as
the Glebe, now occupied by Mrs. Eli Mygatt,—the present house having been built
since that time.

  Mr. Clark was here during the Revolutionary War, and did well, so far as
known, under the very great difficulties which surrounded him. The church fell
behind in paying him, as appears by the following record, made in the First
Society's records:

  " Dec. 27, 1784. Jesse Noble and John McEwen, Jr., chosen to collect the rate
payable from the professors of the Church of England to the Rev. Richard Clark,
made upon the lists of 1778 and 1779, and William Gillett, Jr., and the said
John McEwen, Jr., to collect the rate on list 1780, and John McEwen and Elnathan
Noble to collect the rate on the list 1781, and also Ephraim Richmond and
William McEwen to collect the rate upon the list 1782; all the above-named
collectors to collect the several sums legally made upon each of said lists
respectively, and pay the same to the society treasurer by the day of May, 1785."

  But Mr. Clark, after long years of patient work amidst great darkness of
circumstances, became disheartened just at the dawn of day, and removed to Nova
Scotia, taking with him all the books of the library Rev. Mr. Davies had
secured. This conduct has seemed strange to many, but it will not, if it is
remembered that at that time it was quite generally supposed that the Episcopal
Church would be speedily banished from the United States. Mr. Clark, most
probably, supposed that unless he took the library with him, it would soon fall
into the hands of the Congregationalists, and that therefore, he, as a faithful
Churchman, should secure it for the church to whom it belonged, to be used
elsewhere.

  Rev. Tillotson Bronson officiated about one year following, some little time
after Mr. Clark.

  Rev. Truman Marsh was settled in this parish in 1790, and remained nine years,
when he returned to Litchfield, where he died March 28, 1851. In the autumn of
1790, he married, in Litchfield, Clarissa, daughter of Moses Seymour of that
place. She was aunt to Chief Justice S. O^ Seymour, and Gov. Horatio Seymour of
New York. The wedding party left Litchfield in the morning after the wedding
services, and proceeding toward New Milford, were met by a number of carriages
as an escort to the parsonage (where the Treadwell house now stands) in the
village, where the ladies had provided an introductory dinner and greeting.
After dinner, Mr. Marsh and Mr. Griswold, being-college classmates, devoted the
passing hours to a review of earlier years, and the company adjourned to the
rooms of the old Town House, which stood at the head of Main street, where, with
appropriate music, the party enjoyed the afternoon in dancing,—the two
ministers' wives having the honor of leading the company at the first dance.

  When Mr. Marsh was settled here, the Episcopal house of worship was in an
unfinished state; it being the second one built for this church, and was erected
in 1765, under Mr. Davies's pastorate. In September, 1790, just at the time Mr.
Marsh commenced his labors here, the town entered upon the work of selling the
superabundance of land in the wide highways in the town, for the benefit of all
the ecclesiastical societies in the town. The Proprietors of these lands and the
town meeting passed votes to this effect, and these lands thus donated were
called Donation Lands. The whole amount of money realized from these sales,
effected during several years, was a little over £295, which, being divided
according to the tax-list of each society, gave to the Episcopal society £46. A
part of this money had been obtained, and was divided to the societies in June,
1793, the Episcopal body receiving then £27, and with that and other
contributions their house of worship was finished, and was the same year
consecrated by Bishop Samuel Seabury. Rev. Mr. Davies, in a report, said of this
edifice, in 1765: "Our church was raised this spring, which, if we can possibly
finish. will be a very commodious building, having a steeple and chancel." This
house, when finished, had a" front gallery, a high pulpit with winding stairs,
slips for the body-seats, and pews on the sides of the house, and in this house
the congregation worshipped until 1837 or '38.

  The Episcopal Church was prosperous during Mr. Marsh's pastorate, but the few
years immediately following, under the remarkable popular labors, of Mr.
Griswold, the Congregational Church was very successful, and the Episcopal,
being without a pastor, lost ground so much that the next minister in the parish
could be supported by it only in part. At the time,—1799,— that Mr. Marsh
returned to Litchfield, the fever-and-ague prevailed in New Milford severely,
and Mr. Marsh and his wife, being ill with it on alternate days, went each on
the well day, one going one day and the other on the following day.

  Rev. Benjamin Benham was installed in St.John's parish in March, 1807, after
preaching here several months. His engagement was for one-third of his time in
this parish at a salary from it of $500, and New Preston and Roxbury were
annexed to St. John's, and afterwards he took the additional work of the
Episcopal Church in Brookfield; but, during his labors of twenty years, the
parish so increased that for several of his last years here St. John's parish
supported him, and he gave all of his time to it. When under Mr. Elliott's
labors in the Congregational Church here, all the old Half-way Covenant members
were dropped, about 1810, it was the day of strength and prosperity to the
Episcopal Church. There can be but little doubt, also, that many of these
Half-way Covenant members who were thrown out, were just as good and true
Christians as any who had ever joined the Church before or since that day.
Having served here just twenty years, Mr. Benham resigned his place in March,
1827, and removed to Brookfield, where he died Oct. 3, 1854. During his
pastorate, a fund was established, the interest of which was to be applied for
the support of public worship, and in 1815 the first bell was procured for this
Church.

Public Schools.

  If a consecutive history of the public schools of the town could be given, it
would be a most interesting chapter, and would develop the characteristics of
the citizens in a very correct degree in the general; but the records are so
meager, and the men and women who might have given a fair report on this subject
being all gone, the best that can be done will be only fragmentary, and will
give but little real account "of what has been accomplished. It is interesting
to know, however, that when there were but about twenty-five families residing
in the town a public school was ordered in the following action in town meeting:
"Sept. 21, 1721. It was by vote agreed that there should be a school maintained
for four months this winter following, the town to bear half the charge of said
school." The following statements are taken from the records of town meetings:

  "Dec. 11, 1721. It was agreed that a committee be chosen to hire a
schoolmaster, and the committee are John Bostwick, Sen., William Gaylord, and
Stephen Noble, and they are empowered to do their work.

  "Dec. 10, 1722. Zechariah Ferriss, Benjamin Bunnell, and Stephen Noble were
chosen a committee for a school and empowered to raise so much money as they
shall find necessary in sending out and hiring a schoolmoster for three months
in the winter, and a schoolmistress or master for three months in the summer.

  "Sep. 28, 1723. Wm. Gaylord, John Weller, and Roger Brownson were chosen a
committee for a school, and they shall raise money for the school as the law
directs. It was agreed that the scholars shall find themselves wood by an equal
proportion.

  "Dec. 11, 1724. Voted, that children from the age of seven years to twelve
shall pay to the school hire in New Milford.

 "Dec. 22, 1724. Voted, that children that are above twelve years of age or
under seven, shall pay to the school according to the time they go in equal
proportion with other scholars for the time they go, and Sergt. James Prime,
Ens. William Gaylord, and John Weller, Sen., were chosen to order the
prudentials of the school, to hire a schoolmaster, and to hire a house and other
necessary things; and that the school shall be kept three months in the winter,
and three months in the summer.

  "Jan. 14, 1725-6. Voted, that there shall be a school-house built this next
spring.

  "Voted, that the house shall be twenty feet long and sixteen feet wide and
seven feet between joints: and Sargt. Benjamin Bunnell, James Prime, and
Jonathan Buck were chosen to order the building of said house; and they are
empowered to raise a rate to defray the charge of this house.

  "Mar. 3, 1728—9. At a meeting of the proprietors of the Common Field, it was
voted that the meetings should be holden at the school-house until it was
finished."

  The location of this house has not been ascertained. In 1729, the regulations
fixed by the town allowed children from seven to twelve years of age to pay in
proportion to the time they attended, but older ones probably paid an equal share.

  About 1732 a school was established at the "South Farms," an account of which
may be seen in the chapter on Brookfield. The first school-house at that place
was near Capt. John Warner's house, but soon after another was built at the Iron
Works.

  In 1745, a school-house was established "in the highway eastward from David
Camp's house-lot, at the north end of Plank Swamp, about six rods northward from
said swamp;" and on the same site has been a school-house ever since, a new one
having been built in 1881. This locality was first called Poplar Swamp, next,
Plank Swamp, then for many years Pug Lane, but now Park Lane.

  Besides all that was done by public moneys for the schools of the town, a
legacy in land was left by Benoni Stebbins, who died in 1758, to the First
Society, which land, or a part of it, was sold to Mrs. Stebbins and Zachariah
Sanford in 1759, for two hundred pounds, money. Then the society voted to
establish a new school district, which -included what is now the northern part
of the village of New Milford, with considerable territory extending southward
nearly to the Falls. At that time what is now Park Lane was as much of 'a
village, if not more, than where the village now stands, and in obedience to the
directions of the Stebbins Legacy, a school-house was erected in harmony with
the following:

  "Voted, that there may be a school-house built between Doct. John Carrington's
dwelling-house [which was a little way west from Mr. William Bostwick's present
dwelling] and Daniel Burritt's shop, to keep a school in for improvement of Mr.
Benoni Stebbins' donation, given to this society, for that purpose."

  In 1760, the town on the west side of the Housatonic was divided into only two
school districts, and the distance for some of the children to walk must have
been nearly three miles.

  The school kept at the Stebbins school-house was a kind of free academy some
years, as indicated by the following:

  "Voted, that the school-house built by Messrs. Amos Northrop, Samuel Canfield,
and their associates, near the widow Susannah Carrington's dwelling-house, which
said school-house is known by the name of Stebbins' School-house, that the sole
property of the same does rest in the proprietors that built the house; and that
the proprietors of said house shall have the use and improvement of Mr.
Stebbins' donation given to this society, provided said proprietors shall use
and improve said money between the first day of April and the last day of
October annually, and that the school shall be free for any of the inhabitants
of this society to send to said school."

  By certain acts of the General Assembly, several townships of "Western Lands"
in Connecticut were sold, and the proceeds devoted to aid the public schools of
the State. The last of these lands, the town of Norfolk, was sold the second
time in 1754, soon after which (in 1762) New Milford drew her proportion, and
from that time the schools of the town were conducted with more energy and
liberality. The large territory of the town was divided again and again until
the Revolution, and in several instances three or four families, at a distance
from any school-house, were allowed to unite together in holding a school among
themselves, and to draw their proportion of public funds for the support of
schools.

Ecclesiastical Society meeting, Jan. 3, 1782.

  "Voted, that the several school districts in said society be each one numbered
and named, by which they shall hereafter be called and known."

1. Centre District.
2. Northrup's District.
3. Pinchgut District.
4. Second Hill District.
5. Neck District.
6. Bennitt's District.
7. Dunning's District.
8. Noble's District.
9. Chestnutland District.
10. Down Town District.
11. Buck's District.
12. Boardman's District.
13. Cranbury District.
14. Woodcreek District.
15. Townhill Brook District.
16. Paine's District.
17. Stilson's District.
18. Long Mountain District.
19. Gaylord's District.
20. Mount Tom District.
21. Zachariah Ferris's District.

  "In town meeting, Dec. 24, 1787, Voted, that the town will give £60, L. M'y
[lawful money] out of the Town Treasury to the three centre districts and also
the old town house as it now stands, for the purpose of building a new town
house, as some of the members of said districts propose to build a school and
town-house both under the same roof,—in consideration of the town giving them
£60 and the old town house as aforesaid. [The old town house was that which had
been the first Episcopal Church.]

  "Also voted, that Messrs. Stephen Chittenden, Jabez Worster, Martin Warner,
Elizur Warner, Rtuben Bostwick, Dea. Benj. Gaylord, and Benj. Buckingham be and
are a committee to agree upon and affix the place where said house shall be
built, and also to determine the dimentions and construction of said house, and
that they meet on next Monday for said purpose.

  "Also voted, that one person from each of said districts viz.: Mess. Reuben
Booth, Josiah Starr and David Northrop, meet with the abovesaid committee to
agree upon the dimentions and manner in which said house shall be built.

  "At the desire of the town of New Milford and according to the within votes of
said town, we the subscribers met on Monday the 3ist day of December instant, at
the house of Col. Josiah Starr, and having heard the arguments for and against
the several places which are proposed to have a town and school-house set upon:
having viewed all the different proposed places proper for said building and
having weighed the arguments, do adjudge that it will be the most convenient
place to have the town and school-house built at the north end of the town
street, north of the cross highway, south of Dart's shop, a little easterly of a
large rock in the street at a heap of stones made by us; and that the said house
be built thirty-six feet long and twenty-two feet wide with eighteen feet posts,
with a chimney at each end; the first story to be eight feet high, the second
story to be ten feet high and arched, the roof to be straight.

Benjamin Gaylord,
Jabez Worster,
Stephen Chittenden,
Benjamin Buckingham,
Reuben Bostwick,
Martin Warner,
Elizur Warner,
David Northrop,
Josiah Starr,
Reuben Booth."

  After this report a subscription -was arranged and circulated to secure the
necessary additional funds to complete the building. The heading of the
subscription is a recapitulation of the town vote, and the above report of the
committee; the following are the names attached to it:

Daniel and E. Boardman,        £14
Thomas Hayes,                 7
Samuel Bostwick,              7
Oliver Bostwick,              2
Lemuel Thomas,                3
Ebenezer Baldwin,             7
Benj. and Bradley Seelye,     5
William Clark,                7
Nathaniel Taylor, 3d,         7
Thomas Wells,               2 10s.
David Northrop,               3
Josiah Starr,                 5
John Comstock,                3
Angus Nicholson, three
thousand feet of oak
boards at mill,               6
Elisha Noble,                 2
Sherman Boardman,             4
Abel Weller,                1 10s.
Abel Gunn,                  1 10s.
Edward Howel Prime,            6s.
Noah Bunnel,                   6s.
Jonathan Baldwin,             18s.
Abel Buckingham,               6s.
Nehemiah Platt,                6s.
N. Beecher Fisher,             3s.
Nathan Stilson,                8s.
Andrew Hendrick,             1 4s.
David Fairchild,               6s.
Eleazer Fairchild, Jr.,        6s.
John Baldwin,              11s. 3d.
Abiel Baldwin,                12s.
Lemuel, Jr., and
Solomon Bostwick,          £1 10s.
Samuel Garlick,               16s.
Richard Bristol,              2
John Bailey,                   6s.
P. ______ Garlick,          1 10s.
Abijah Bennett,              1 4s.
Nathaniel Taylor, Rev.,           3
Abraham Williams,             12s.
Daniel Noble,                 1
John Welch, three
days work,
John Cole,                  1 10s.
David Camp, Jr.,               8s.
Jonathan Mygatt,              2
Enoch Buck,                    6s.
Eli Todd,                     1
Daniel Hines,               1 10s.
Stephen Miles,                15s.
Daniel Everitt,               4
Nathan Daton,                 11s.
Nicholas Masters,             3
Wm. Taylor,                   3
Noah Mygatt,                1 10s.
Isaac Beach,                  12s.
Stephen Chittenden, Jr.,       7s.
Samuel Couch,                 1
Amos Collins,                  6s.
Ben. Starr Mygatt,          1 10s.
                           ________
                         £128-14-3

  The building was erected, and, in December, 1787, the town voted that the
upper and lower parts should be finished; and in 1794 seats were put into the
Town-House part, and a desk for the moderator.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF THE TOWNS OF NEW MILFORD AND BRIDGEWATER, CONNECTICUT, 1703-1882,
BY
SAMUEL ORCUTT

AUTHOR OF THE HISTORIES OF TORRINGTON, WOLCOTT, AND DERBY, AND THE INDIANS OF
THE HOUSATONIC AND NAUGATUCK VALLEYS, CONNECTICUT.

HARTFORD, CONN.: PRESS OF THE CASE, LOCKWOOD AND BRAINARD COMPANY.





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