Litchfield County CT Archives History - Books .....The Half-Way Covenant Church 1882

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

CHAPTER IX. 
THE HALF-WAY COVENANT CHURCH.
1744—1752.

HALF-WAY Covenant was a term denoting that persons, not members of the church,
acknowledged their faith in the doctrines of the church and gave their pledge to
train up their children in that faith, and the privilege secured by these
declarations was the baptism of the children of such persons. The old
Congregational and Presbyterian rule was to baptize no children except one or
both of the parents were members of the church.

  This question of the Half-way Covenant was agreed upon at the meeting of the
ministers at Saybrook, Ct., in 1708, and soon after was sanctioned by the
General Assembly, and hence became a legalized method of church relationship.

  This method was in practice in New Milford, during Mr. Boardman's ministry, in
a moderate way, without any trouble or apprehension of evil results.

  In 1740 and '41, this subject became a topic of general discussion, and was
objected to by many who became very much engaged at that time in what was
denominated "the great awakening," and also the "New Light" movement. There was
no particular religious excitement in New Milford during these years, but the
people became acquainted with the discussions and became divided somewhat in
their judgments, and were thus prepared for a conflict whenever an opportunity
should occur, which was reached immediately upon Mr. Boardman's decease.

  The first intimation of Mr. Boardman's failing health is found in the record
of a town meeting held on June 6, 1744, to advise with him about calling in the
neighboring ministers to preach for him, and several names were proposed:
"Voted, that the Revs. Mr. White of Danbury, Mr. Ingersol of Ridgefield, Mr.
Leavenworth of Waterbury, Mr. Trumbull of Westbury, Mr. Judson of Newtown, Mr.
Lewis of New Fairfield, Mr. Humphrey of Derby, Mr. Woodbridge of Amity, shall be
desired to come to preach here, with the consent of the Rev. Mr. Boardman."

  Mr. Boardman's disease was of the lungs, and his health failed rapidly (as is
often the case when active work ceases), and provision was made for the unusual
expenses, with a special vote to excuse the members of the Church of England
from any part in these costs, but nor from bearing their legal part in the
salary of the minister; and a Mr. Newton was obtained to preach for a few Sabbaths.

  As Mr. Boardman's health continued to fail, the prospect of calling another
pastor awakened the two elements of church order in the community, and the
spirit of the parties took stronger form on the 20th of August, 1744, when a
vote was taken to submit the nomination of candidates to the New Haven County
Association, which body was strongly pledged against the New Lights, and in
favor of the Saybrook Platform. At this time, however, there was a majority in
favor of a nomination by the town, and to this they held for months, but finally
yielded the point to the association. On the same day it was voted to give Mr.
Newton a call to preach on probation, and if he would not accept such a call, to
hire him for a time to supply the pulpit. This was on the 20th of August, and
five days later Mr. Boardman departed this life to his future reward, leaving
the flock without a shepherd.

  On the 18th of the next September the town voted to send a committee to the
meeting of the association, to make known to them "the broken state of the
church and people in New Milford, and entreat their advice, direction, and
assistance under their difficult circumstances." This committee consisted of Mr.
Samuel Canfield, Capt. Nathaniel Bostwick, Lt. James Hine, Lt. Paul Welch, and
Mr. Ebenezer Fisk; and the town made the nomination at this time, of Mr.
Jonathan Lyman, Mr. Dorr, Mr. Rowland, and Mr. Barker to come and preach,
provided, "it be agreeable to the association." But that dignified body did not
see fit, under such dictation, to render any assistance, and on the 8th of the
next October, the town voted again to hold their right to nominate instead of
the association; against which Paul Welch, Samuel Canfield, Ebenezer Fisk,
Joseph Weller, and Jehiel Hawley protested. They then voted to call Mr. Dibble,
if agreeable to the association, or a Mr. Williams, or Mr. Noah Wells; but, if
neither of these could be obtained, that the committee should then apply to the
association. While in council in this same meeting, a change of proceedings was
determined upon, whereupon they rescinded all former votes upon this subject,
appointed a fast day, and voted to call in "neighboring Elders and Messengers,"
for "advice under our difficult circumstances."

  After this fast day, the town surrendered completely to the dictation of the
Association of New Haven County, which was an unfortunate decision, for, from
that day, the progressive portion of the town seems to have given up all hope of
changing church proceedings from the Saybrook Platform, although they made one
more effort.

  At the annual meeting, Dec. 10, 1744, Mr. Stephen Williams was preaching for
them and was desired to continue "upon probation some time;" but soon after, Mr.
Noah Wells was sent for, and on the 2d day of July, 1745, Mr. Wells was invited
by a majority vote to settle in the work of the ministry, there being
eighty-seven votes in the affirmative, and thirty-five in the negative. They
then voted him a settlement of six hundred pounds money, and two hundred pounds
salary, annually, but passed the following: "That in case Mr. Noah Wells shall
be instrumental in revaulting or deviating from the established order of the
gospel ministry which he shall engage in, according to the Saybrook Platform,
all the land so made over, shall return to said town for the use of the
proprietors."

  Before this meeting adjourned, a written protest against its proceedings was
signed by thirty-five men, who demanded to know whether the meeting was called
for the purpose of calling Mr. Wells on probation, or to settle him; but the
leading party would give no explanation, whereupon Mr. Joseph Ruggles and
William Drinkwater bound themselves, under a bond of twenty pounds money, to
prosecute the matter before the County Court. This proceeding ended all
negotiations in regard to the settlement of Mr. Wells, and, in August, they
again invited Mr. Newton to preach for them.

  The next canditate for settlement was Mr. Stephen Johnson, the votes standing
77 in his favor, and 40 against him; and with this one-third vote against him
the meeting proceeded to vote a settlement and salary, but to state that, if the
candidate should deviate from the Saybrook Platform, the settlement should
return to the town.

  In a meeting, nearly two months later, they voted for two candidates, Mr. Noah
Wells and Mr. Stephen Johnson; the former having 52, and the latter 63 votes.
Previous to this vote, they pledged the town to sustain the candidate who should
have the highest number of votes, and hence they proceeded to give directions to
the committee as to the settlement, and, as if apprehending a failure to settle
either, they directed the committee in such a case to apply for another
candidate. For four months negotiations were continued in view of settling Mr.
Johnson, at the end of which he reported his acceptance, and the town made
arrangements for his ordination, where the matter stands to this day; it being
rather doubtful if anything further will be done about it.

  Whatever occurred during the next year may not be known, since some of the
leaves of the book containing the records of the town-meeting have disappeared
by the wear and tear of 130 years. One of them may be seen in a volume of the
land records lately re-bound. On this stray but imprisoned leaf is recorded
that, in October, 1747, they gave Mr. Freegrace Leavit "a call upon trial in
order for a settlement—75 votes in the affirmative, and three in the negative."

  The next vote to be found was dated Dec. 14, 1747, that the committee should
apply to "Mr. Taylor of Danbury, and hire him to come and preach the gospel with
us. Every voter in the said meeting voted in the affirmative." This record is
made, apparently, with surprise and great gladness in regard to the unanimity of
the vote. What were the facts? Simply that all who were opposed to the Saybrook
Platform method of church government (about fifty) had withdrawn from the
contest, and left the others to do what they pleased. One of Mr. Taylor's
sermons, still preserved, is dated as preached at New Milford, Oct. 11, 1747,
and therefore he had been preaching here probably some two months when the above
vote to hire on probation was passed.

  Here, then, was the beginning of the "Separate Congregational Church" in New
Milford, the calamity of which might have been saved, with very great ease, by a
little more grace and a little less law, just as well as to have had all the
trouble which took place during the next sixty years. Just those principles of
doctrine and church government which the Saybrook Platform adherents rejected in
1750 became, after forty years, the leading features in the Congregational
churches throughout the State and country.

  The peculiar features of doctrine propagated by the Separates, especially
those relating to a mysterious, and sometimes claimed to be miraculous,
conversion, held a powerful and almost marvelous sway, from 1770 onward, for
seventy-five years; but quietly the reaction "has set in," as a powerful tide,
that threatens to carry everything before it, and that, too, with very much of
solid reason and substantial character. The question now is becoming more
important as to how a man lives, and what he does, rather than as to what he
professes to have experienced.

  The situation of the people as to these troubles in New Milford was not
peculiar to this place, and the difficulties were not imaginative, but real; for
quite many of the leading men were in the half-covenant relations, and would not
vote against themselves in adopting the stricter methods of church relations;
and, if they should refuse to admit any children to baptism, as the New Lights
held to be the only right way, this would fill the Episcopal Church with zealous
adherents; a matter which was regarded then as far from the best way. Also was
it true that many who held to the New Light methods were the most zealous and
active members of the church.

  Such were some of the influences which led, finally, to the organization of
the Separate Congregational church, in 1753.

  After Rev. Nathaniel Taylor had been settled as pastor, he made the following
record in the church book: "January 3d, 1748, Nathaniel Taylor was called to
preach the gospel:—ordained June following, 29th day, pastor of the Church of
Christ in New Milford, by the Rev. Mr. Isaack Stiles of North Haven, the Rev.
Mr. John Trumble of Westbury, the Rev. Mr. Nathan Birdseye of West Haven, the
Rev. Mr. Cyrus Marsh of Kent. The Messengers were Eliphalet Bristow of West
Haven, Timothy Hatch of Kent, Timothy Judd of Westbury. Mr. Stiles gave the
Charge; Mr. Trumble the right hand of fellowship."

  The amount of his "settlement" was one thousand pounds to be paid within three
years; four hundred pounds the first year, and three hundred each the second and
third years. His salary was fixed at three hundred pounds a year for the first
three years, or until the settlement was paid; after that it was to be four
hundred pounds a year.

  This, compared with the salary Mr. Boardman received, seems very large, and
almost surprising; but the matter is quite changed when the money with which
they proposed to pay him is compared with silver and gold as standards. When
this amount of salary was promised it was coupled with definite explanations:
"Then to give the said Mr. Taylor four hundred pounds old tenor money per year,
computed with wheat at twenty-two shillings per bushel, rye at sixteen shillings
per bushel, and Indian corn at thirteen shillings per bushel, to be paid in
money or species [grains] as above."

  The following were the prices in 1715, by which Mr. Boardman's salary of about
thirty pounds, or one hundred dollars, was paid: Wheat, 4s. per bushel; rye, 2s.
and 8d.; Indian corn, 2s. Hence, wheat was worth five and one-half times more,
in name, in 1748, than-it had been in 1715, which was only the difference
between silver and the paper money then used.

  In December, 1743, when Mr. Boardman's salary was settled the last time, it
was made £145. Then wheat was 12s., rye 8s., and corn 6s.

  On December 9, 1751, the town voted that "Mr. Taylor's salary for the present
year shall be £500, old tenor, to be paid in money, or wheat at 30s. per bushel,
or rye at 2Os., or Indian corn at 15s." And a year later they voted that "David
Ferriss shall be allowed fifty shillings, old tenor, per day, for warning the
non-resident proprietors" to pay their taxes.

  This inflation of currency continued until 1760, when England stopped the
issuing of bills, and everything went down in price to where it started forty
years before.

  "Dec. 10, 1764. Species to defray town charges: wheat three shillings pr.
bushel, Indian corn two shillings, rye two shillings and four pence, and oats
one shilling and three pence."

  Much, if not all, of the settlement made to Mr. Taylor was paid in land, and
the land was furnished out of what was denominated "Parsonage land."

  "Jan. 22, 1744-5. Voted, that the house-lot, so called, and the ten acre
division laid out in the township of New Milford to the Parsonage or
Proprietors' Right shall and is hereby given to the first gospel minister that
shall be regularly settled in the work of the ministry in said New Milford,
according to the laws and constitution of the Colony, and according to the
Platform agreed upon at Saybrook, in way of settlement, except the above said
minister shall renounce the laws and rules above mentioned, and if so, then the
above said land to return to the proprietors of said town.

  "Jan. 22, 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
Proprietie 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.

  " Sept. 20, 1748. Voted, that some part of the Proprietors' Right shall be
disposed of for the propagation of the gospel in said New Milford. Voted by a
universal vote.

  "Voted, that the whole of the Proprietors' Right shall be sold at a public
vendue, to the highest bidder, in some proper method, as the Proprietors shall
hereafter direct."

  The Committee for this matter consisted of Capt. Nathaniel Bostwick, Lieut.
Paul Welch, and Joseph Ferriss, and arrangements were made for the sale of the
lands and the giving of deeds for the same.

  "Samuel Canfield, Dobson Wheeler, Thomas Noble, Lt. James Hine, and William
Drinkwater, shall be a committee to adjust the account-with the former committee
in respect to the sale of the Proprietors' Right, and to make distribution of
the money according to the proprietors' act; that is to say, the aforesaid money
shall be distributed upon this present list of the Proprietors, Churchmen, and
the Friends; and when divided as aforesaid, that part which belongs to the
Presbyterians shall be delivered to Mr. Taylor, and take his receipt as it
becomes due, and if there be any overplus, the committee shall use it to the
best advantage as aforesaid. Voted in the affirmative."

  The following description of the location of some of this land will preserve
several local names, if nothing more:

  A parsonage lot, laid in 1714, "a home-lot upon the easterly side of Aspetuck
hill, butting west upon the highway upon said hill south upon a highway running
east and west, north upon the lot formerly owned by Jonathan Buck, east upon,
ten-acre division or poplar highway, being sixty rods in length and twenty rods
in breadth." This land is now owned by Mr. William D. Black. The ten-acre
division was laid directly east of this home-lot, "allowing eight rods more for
that highway that runs across to Poplar Swamp."

  In 1724, seventy acres of this Right was laid "in one piece, lying west of
West Aspetuck upon Long brook, a little below that place called the Middle Wolf
Pit." This was west, across the valley from Mount Tom.

  In 1727, they laid the fifth division of fifty acres "lying on the east side
of the brook called Rock House brook, or the West Aspetuck river, bounded south
on land formerly laid out to the Parsonage Right."

A Remarkable Pastoral Letter.

  It seems proper to insert here, at the expense of considerable room, a
Circular Letter sent to the churches in 1752, it being so remarkable a
deliverance for such a body. It was entered in full on the church record in New
Milford, by Mr. Taylor, and for that reason seems to have been highly esteemed
by him; but how any Consociation ever consented to such extravagant statements
is the mystery.

  " To ye Churches of Christ within ye county of Litchfield; the Elders and
Messengers in Council at Bethlehem on ye last Tuesday of September, 1752, wish
grace, mercy, and peace from God .ye father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Dr'ly
Beloved having taken into consideration Dispensations of heaven towards ye Land,
both formerly and more lately, and viewing ye present deplorable state of
Religion in our Town Societies and Churches, it seems meet to us to put you in
mind of ye following particulars, and to send you our Christian advice and
Counsel!.

  1 This Land was by our fore Fathers professedly settled, not upon a worldly,
But a religious desire (viz.) yt they might enjoy ye gospel in its purity,
Sabbaths without prophanation and ye worship of God without ye mixture of human
ceremonies.

  2 God has abundantly increased and blessed ym since yr first settlement.

  3 In ye midst of all our prosperity we have greatly forgotten ye Lord God of
our Fathers, and in great measure dropped ye pious design of their forsaking
their Native Country, and coming into a howling wilderness, and deeply back
slidden and degenerated.

  4 Therefore a just and holy God who has an infinite abhorrance of sin, has at
divers times testified his righteous displeasure, more especially in ye Last 3
or 4 years, wherein we have been distressed with drought and mortal sickness,
and yet for all yt we have not turned unto ye Lord, therefore neither hath God
turned away from his anger but his hand is stretched out still.

  But what is still more awful:—

  5 There seem to be great, and sore Spiritual judgments upon ye Land, many
renouncing ye purity of worship and falling in with those Separations and
ceremonies yt were ye very burden which our Fathers were not able to bear, many
renouncing ye Doctrines of ye first reformation, and ye Standing Creeds of all
ye Protestant Churches, and turning arminians, many from error of judgment, or
spirit of Licentiousness, turning antinomians and Separatists, and with much
bitterness crying down all ye Churches and ministers of Christ in ye Land, and
setting up to themselves teachers of ye meanest and Lowest of ye people, to
which and as a natural consequence whereof, how awful and great a Spirit of
security is sin, want of family government, great neglect of ye instruction and
education of youth, a growing neglect in many places, of family prayer, great
prophanation of God's Sabbath, a great contempt of Civil and Sacred authority,
intemperance, uncleanness, rioting, Chambering, wantonness, backsliding, and
slandering, cheating, extortion, pride, covetousness, with many other like
abominations, Like a Deluge overflowing ye Land, all which may justly provoke
God to punish us yet seven times more for all our iniquities;— wherefore we do
earnestly advise, intreat and beseech ministers and civil officers, Chh-members,
heads of families and all baptized persons to arise as one man and return to ye
Lord by repenting and reforming every thing that is provoking to a holy God in
themselves, and endeavoring in their proper places to reform others, yt so
iniquity may not be our ruin; and particularly we would recommend it to ye
several Churches and Societies within our Limits by a Circular fast [1] in ye
current year, to implore a spirit of repentance and reformation, and that God
would yet pardon us and own us for his people and not cast us off.

  This Consociation as a good expedient to prevent ye great abominations
Committed on ye solemn public occasions of ordinations, do heartily recommend to
all ye Churches and Societies within ys county yt ye ancient apostolic practice
be received by ye Church and Society where an ordination is to be, as well as ye
ordaining Council, strictly keeping ye day as a Day of fasting and prayer.

                        A true copy—JOHN SEARL Scribe."

[1] Holding fast days from one church to another throughout the county. 2O

  Query: Was this the way to help people out of a bad life into a good one?

  If the statements were literally true of the churches (for to them the letter
is addressed), then they ought to have repented in the severest way, but never
again to have made a public profession of the Christian graces; and if the
statements were not literally true, the Council had no right to make them.

  So far as the denominations or peoples against whom the shafts were hurled, we
are reminded only of the old fable:—the wolf up stream, the lamb down stream,
and the wolf complaining that the lamb roiled the water, and therefore the wolf
had a justification for eating the lamb.

  These ministers and their predecessors had been in possession of the whole
country a hundred years,—offices, officers, churches, schools, and all,—and if
what they say here was the result, it was time to "arise" in some way "as one
man," or as a million, and make a change. But it is difficult to read these
charges without feeling that they were a marvelous exaggeration of religious
defects that never were intended to be taken as literal truth. It was a kind of
religious, theological mania in those days, to indulge in very severe
self-condemnation as the proper method to attain the better or higher stages of
Christian character and Christian experience; which method had grown up from the
preaching of the New Lights; and this paper was, probably, the first manifesto
put forth by any council in this part, and perhaps any part of Connecticut, by
which the old churches assumed or assented to the platform of the New Lights,
and which, Dr. Bellamy maintained more and more to the end of his life.

"The Great Bridge."

  This was built across the Housatonic river first, in 1737, at what is now the
foot of Bennitt Street, and was, as stated by Mr. J. W. Barber, in his
Connecticut Historical Collections, the first bridge built over this river
between this place and Long Island Sound.

  The first settlers located on the east side of this river, at New Milford;
which is quite a mystery to this day, since the rich bottom land all ready for
cultivation, called the " Indian Field," was on the west side. The crossing of
this river so frequently, in attending farm-work, was a matter of great
inconvenience, and led to the building of the bridge thus early. The place for
fording the river which was most convenient, on account of the depth of the
water, was near the mouth of Rocky River, a mile above the settlement, and in
quite low water there was a place for fording below Wannuppee island.

  On December 7, 1720, the town voted to build a boat for the purpose of
crossing the river, the expense to be borne "by the polls." The boat was
probably built, and served its purpose about sixteen years, or to the time the
bridge was erected. It has been supposed that this boat was the one sunk in the
mud below the present bridge; but this is probably an error, since another boat
was built in 1802, when the bridge was carried away by a flood in September,
which is undoubtedly the one referred to as still preserved in the bottom of the
river.

  "May 4, 1736. Dea. John Bostwick, Capt. Stephen Noble, and Samuel Canfield
were chosen a committee to order all the prudentials in building a Bridge over
the Great River at New Milford in the place that Mr. Edmond Lewis hath pitched
upon, that is to agree with workmen to build the bridge, to receive the money
that shall be gathered for that use, and to pay out to the workmen.

  "At the same meeting Thomas Pickett, William Drinkwater, David Noble and
Joseph Collins were chosen to carry a brief [a subscription] under the direction
of the committee to try what they can get for the building of the Bridge.

  "May 15,1736. Voted that there shall be a memorial sent to the General
Assembly now sitting at Hartford for liberty to gather money by a brief for the
building of a bridge over the Great River at New Milford." In answer to which
the Legislature granted liberty to raise contributions to the amount of £200.

  "Oct. 11, 1736. Capt. Stephen Noble, Dea. John Bostwick, Samuel Canfield,
Sergt. Nathaniel Bostwick and Joseph Ferriss were chosen a committee to order
all the prudentials in building a bridge over the Great River in said New
Milford at the place the town hath agreed upon and the aforesaid committee are
hereby impowered to receive all the money that is contributed by any person or
persons by consignment or any other way and to lay it out for the building of
said bridge, and the aforesaid committee are hereby obliged to render a true
account of all their proceedings to a committee that the town shall appoint; and
Roger Brownson, sen., and Nathan Talcott were chosen that committee.

  "William Drinkwater and Thomas Pickett were chosen collectors to gather what
money they can in Fairfield county by contribution for the building of this bridge.

  "Sergt. David Noble and Nathan Collins were chosen collectors to gather what
money they can in New Haven county by contribution for the bridge.

  "Nathan Gaylord was chosen collector to gather what money he can by
contribution in New Milford for the building of the. bridge."

  Dec. 13, 1736. Committees were continued for building the bridge and for
collecting money.

  "Dec. 12, 1737. Nathan Gaylord, Daniel Bostwick and Azariah Canfield were
chosen a committee to take care of the bridge and they shall have power to
employ men on the town's cost to secure the bridge."

  This was not a toll-bridge, but free, and resisted the floods about three
years, when a part of it was carried away by a flood, and the town voted to
repair the breach, but to petition the General Assembly to grant the liberty of
a toll-bridge, and if this should be secured the toll should be distributed
among those who paid tax to repair the bridge. The privilege for taking toll was
granted, but it was so little that they petitioned the next spring for an
increase of toll.

  At the same time, they granted Rev. Daniel Boardman the privileges of the
bridge free of cost; and to several families the same privileges, on paying ten
shillings the first year; after that they were taxed as all others. By this
arrangement it has been ascertained when quite a number of families first came
into the town.

  At the same time, after appointing Mr. Samuel Canfield, Mr. Nathaniel
Bostwick, and Mr. James Hine a committee to take care of and order the affairs
of the bridge for a year, they ordered that "Gideon Benedict and Robert Bostwick
shall pass and repass over the said bridge toll-free, they paying to the said
committee, each of them, ten shillings old tenour currency, and also pay their
part in repairing the said bridge according to their said list of estate; also
Charles Duncombe shall pass toll-free over said bridge, he paying ten shillings;
and also John Nearing on the same conditions." And, being in a bridge-building
mood as well as in need of bridges, they ordered at this time that there should
be a bridge built over the Aspetuck near its month, and that the surveyors
should have "liberty of calling out-the inhabitants from Mr. Stephens' house,
taking the east lane so far northward as including Giles Oviatt's house and
extending southward as far as the Great Brook, including Mr. Nathaniel Bostwick
and Mr. Fisk and their families for one day, and all within said limits shall be
allowed one day for the said work, and also Nathan Gaylord, Capt. Stephen Noble,
and Joseph Welch are chosen a committee for ordering the affair of building said
bridge."

  Another vote for the freedom of the toll-bridge is found in March, 1743, in
favor of Mr. George Mecune, Mr. Partridge Thatcher, Mr. Justus Miles, and John
Comstock, provided they should pay ten shillings; receive no benefit from the
toll-money, and afterward sustain their proportion of the cost of repairs on the
bridge.

  In December, 1743, a dividend was made of the receipts from the toll-bridge to
the proprietors upon the list of 1740.

  "Dec. 1743- All persons that shall pass or repass on the Sabbath or Lord's
Day, between sun-rising and sun-set, in order to attend the public worship of
God in a lawful congregation in New Milford, shall pass free from paying toll
over the great bridge in said town for the ensuing year.

  "Feb. 6, 1743-4. Voted that Mr. Roger Sherman shall pass and repass over the
bridge and .his family; he paying ten shillings.

  "Dec. 1743. Voted that all Indian natives shall pass and repass over the
bridge toll-free."

  In 1750, the Assembly fixed, the toll of the bridge in "Proclamation money"
(quite different from old tenor) at "two pence farthing for each man, horse, and
load, one penny for each single person, and one penny per head for each horse
and neat kine, and an half for each sheep or swine, for five years."

  In 1755, this bridge was carried away, most of it, and a new bridge built by
the tax-payers of the town; and the Assembly granted, in February, 1756, the
privilege of taking toll of all persons except the tax-payers of the town; but
this bridge stood a little over one year when " a great part" of it went away in
a flood. The town became discouraged at this calamity, and made a public offer,
on certain conditions, to any company that would build a bridge and sustain it
as a toll-bridge; and "Paul Welch, James Hine, Roger Sherman and others," are
named as proprietors of the bridge. It is thought that it was at this time that
the location of the bridge was changed from the foot of Bennitt street to where
it is now standing.

  In 1766, the bridge, or a considerable part of it, was carried away, and
rebuilt; and, three years after, a part of it went off again; when, being
repaired, it remained not a year, and was nearly all of it carried away, and
they voted, in January, 1770, "that the town will relinquish all their right to
any of their part in or to the remaining part of the Great Bridge, to the
proprietors who shall rebuild the same in any place between the Little Falls and
Wannupe Island."

  It was after this manner that the people spent their money and labor to secure
a good crossing to this river.

  In 1802, after stages began to run for carrying the mail, the bridge was
carried away, and the stage-coach company sued the town for damages in failing
to make a crossing, and the town employed Homer Boardman to build a boat to be
run across by a long rope, to meet the emergency, and the next spring they
applied to the Assembly for the privilege of a toll-bridge.


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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