Middlesex County CT Archives History - Books .....Millington Congregational Church 1887

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Book Title: The Old Chimney Stacks Of East Haddam

          CHAPTER IX. 
MILLINGTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

  The first meeting house was erected in Millington in 1743. It was fifty by
forty feet, and stood on the Green, a few rods south of the present church. The
building of the present house was proposed in Society meeting, January 21st,
1832, when it was "voted that the Society build a meeting house 32 feet by 44,
from 16 to 18 feet posts, with a steeple not exceeding 60 feet in height." The
house was built by Mr. Edward Worthington and dedicated to divine service on the
23d of January, 1833. The Society tendered Mr. Worthington a vote of thanks for
faithful discharge of his work. For the excellent bell on the church the Society
were mainly indebted to John Chapman and William H. Cone—to the former for his
liberal subscription; to the latter for his great activity in the matter.

  The first minister in Millington was Rev. Timothy Symmes, of Scituate, Mass.,
who was ordained December 2d, 1736. Dr. Field says: "In the great revival of
religion which spread in New England a few years after his ordination, his
feelings were extravagantly raised, and he prosecuted his work with a zeal not
according to his knowledge. This gave rise to difficulties which ended in his
dismission in 1743."

  He was succeeded by Mr. Hobart Esterbrook, son of the Rev. Mr. Esterbrook, of
Canterbury. He graduated at New Haven in 1736, and was ordained in Millington,
November 20th, 1745. He was a steady, judicious and faithful minister, and is
remembered with respect and affection by his people. He died January 28th, 1766,
in the 50th year of his age and 20th of his ministry. (For a record of their
descendants see chapter eight.) His first wife was Miss Hannah Williams, of
Mansfield, by whom he had two daughters, who died young. His second wife was
Jerusha Chauncey, daughter of the Rev. Isaac Chauncey, of Hadley, Mass., by whom
he had four children. She died June i7th, 1776, aged 62 years, and was buried
beside her husband in Millington burying ground.

  The next minister in Millington was Mr. Diodate Johnson, who was ordained July
2d, 1767. He was a son of the Rev. Stephen Johnson, of Lyme, was educated at
Yale College, where he took his first degree in 1764, and became a tutor.
Endowed with superior genius and learning, and animated with fervent zeal for
his work, he entered the ministry with the fairest prospects of usefulness. His
labors, however, was soon ended, for consumption closed his life January 15th,
1773, at the early age of 28. He was sitting in his chair reading an article in
"Doddrige's Rise and Progress," entitled " A Meditation and Prayer suited to the
Case of a Dying Christian," when struck with death.

  Rev. Eleazer Sweetland was installed May 21st, 1777. He was a native of
Hebron, and graduated at Dartmouth College, in 1774. He died March 25th, 1787,
aged 36 years, much beloved and respected by all who knew him. He left a wife
and three children, who moved soon after from Millington.

  Rev. William Lyman, D. D., was ordained December i3th, 1787. He maintained his
pastoral relation with the church at Millington for thirty-five years, and was
known as one of the most popular and eloquent preachers in this part of the
country. He had a powerful voice, an easy flow of words, and all his writings
were stamped with vigor and power. In the latter part of his ministry he became
afflicted with hypochondria. This, with his independent manner, finally aroused
an opposition among his people, and at a society meeting held on the 23d of May,
1822, it was voted "that a committee of five be appointed to consult the
interests of the society, especially as it respects our relations with Dr. Lyman
as our minister." William Cone, Esq., Deacon N. B. Beckwith, Deacon Israel Cone,
Russel Dutton, Esq., and Captain Hobart Esterbrook, were appointed as said
committee. The committee reported against the Doctor, and on the last Wednesday
in August, at a meeting of the Ecclesiastical Council, the relation between
pastor and people was dissolved. His farewell sermon, replete with denunciations
of the sins and shortcomings of his flock, was delivered with such vigor and
eloquence that the long years which have intervened have failed to obliterate
its impressions from the minds of those who heard him, and his hymn about the
conspiracy of "wicked men" was in keeping with his sermon. Many anecdotes are
related of Dr. Lyman's dry humor and eccentricity, which he often carried to the
pulpit.

  In his day the temperance agitation had scarcely commenced, and the indulgence
of the social glass among the higher class was much more common than now. The
clergy and the elders were wont to meet and discuss grave matters over their
toddy with a freedom that would be quite scandalous in these days. Mr. Elijah
Parsons used to call regularly upon an old lady of the same name who lived where
Charles Babcock now resides in the Landing and get his mug of "flip." The old
lady, knowing his hours, used to have her "flip-iron" hot, and concoct his
favorite beverage with dexterity and skill. Dr. Lyman and Rev. Mr. Vail, of
Hadlyme, who were his cotemporaries, were wont, at regular intervals to meet him
at the "Blacksmith's Arms," (the house north of Maplewood Seminary), and discuss
grave matters belonging to their profession over their "mugs of flip." So, too,
in those days, the General Assembly used to open with an election sermon, which
furnished an occasion for a general gathering of the clergy throughout the
State. Great dinners were furnished at the expense of the State, and "Santa
Cruz" was a prominent feature of the bill of fare. It is related of Dr. Lyman
that at an Ecclesiastical Council held in Westchester, when the company, being
invited to refresh themselves at the sideboard, one of his ministerial brethren
suggested that their first refreshment should be to wash off the dust of travel,
the Doctor decided the matter by the following epigram:

Our fathers of old 
First washed their eyes, 
And then their throats; 
But we, their sons, more wise, 
Will wash our throats, 
And then our eyes.

  One day, being met on the street by a friend, he was accosted with:

  "Good morning, Doctor;_what is the news?"

  "There is great news," replied the Doctor; "I just saw a man up here at
Boardman's store swallowing a dozen ax-helves !"

  "I declare! how did he do it ?"

  "Why, it seems very easy; he had traded his helves for liquor, and when I left
he had poured nearly all of them down his throat."

  At a time of great drought the Doctor arose in his pulpit one morning and
prayed for rain in this wise: "Oh, Lord, we pray Thee to send down copious and
refreshing showers, that the parched earth may revive and bring forth grass—-for
geese!"

  Dr. Lyman moved to Western New York, where he died several years ago. Soon
after his dismission a wonderful revival of religion occurred in Millington,
under the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Saxon, called to this day by the good people
of Millington "The Great Revival."

  Dr. Lyman was succeeded by the Rev. Hermon Yail, who was ordained April 6th,
1825. In September, 1827, Mr. Vail asked for a dismission from his pastoral
charge, which was granted by the Ecclesiastical Council soon after. For nearly
three years afterwards the society was without any regular pastor. In 1830, the
Rev. Nathaniel Miner received a call from the society, which he declined,
principally on account of the dilapidated condition of the old meeting house. He
occupied the pulpit, however, as a stated supply for three years, and was
installed as their regalar pastor May 28th, 1833, which was after the erection
and dedication of the new meeting house.

  Mr. Miner was born in Stonington, Connecticut, educated at the "Literary and
Theological Seminary" of Bangor, Maine, and received the honorary degree of
Master of Arts from Amherst College in 1840. He was ordained at Chesterfield
(Montville), October, 1826; went to Millington from Bozrahville in 1830. His
salary was at first $375, then $450, and finally $500 per year. Near the close
of his ministry in Millington a small farm was purchased, formerly owned by Rev.
Hobart Esterbrook, and on it was erected what is now known as the Millington
parsonage.

  Mr. Miner married Emeline S. Ransom, of Salem, by whom he had five children.
Three of them are living, "two are not and yet are." He was dismissed from his
pastoral charge in Millington at his own request by the Middlesex Consociation
at their annual meeting held at Essex, October, 1858. Since that time he has
resided in Salem, and has retired from active service.

  Mr. Miner occupies a large space in the affectionate remembrance of his
parishioners. As a minister, he was ever earnestly devoted to the service of his
Master, and the welfare of his flock; as a neighbor, his genial kindness, his
sociability, and the hospitality of his home made his religion a practical
reality instead of an abstract theory. For the young (and in this relation the
writer's recollection of him will always add pleasure to memory,) he ever had a
kind word and a helping hand, which wielded an influence for good.

  Mr. Miner was succeeded by Rev. A. C. Beach, from Wolcot, Conn. He was born at
Orange, N. J.; a graduate of Yale College, in 1835, and was installed as pastor
of the church in Millington in 1859. He was dismissed in 1876, and was succeeded
by the Rev. Mr. Griswold, who is still in charge.

  The deacons of the Congregational Church in Millington since its organization
have been as follows:

Name.                    Elected.               Died.              Age.
Samuel Emmons,           Oct., 1736
Daniel Gates,            Oct., 1736
Gen. Jos. Spencer,       Nov. 20, 1767          Jan. 13, 1789       75
Samuel Button,           July 4, 1771           Dec. 30, 1790       87
Ebenezer Dutton,         Feb. 26, 1778          Moved to Lebanon
Benjamin Fuller,         Feb. 26, 1778          Nov. 10, 1815       93
Nathaniel Cone,          May, 1789              Apr. 15, 1790       78
Barzillail Beckwith,     June 4, 1790           Feb. 22, 1818       79
Isaac Spencer,           April 1, 1796
Diodate Lord,            Aug. 26, 1816          Moved away.
Israel Cone, Jr.,        April 17, 1818
Nathaniel Beckwith,      April 17, 1818         1858
Wm. E. Cone,             Moved to Moodus.    Deacon in 1st Congregational Church.
Samuel Arnold,           April 30, 1841         Now in office.
Epaphroditus Gates,      Aug. 27, 1858
Charles Miner,                                  Now in office.


Additional Comments:
Transcribed from:

THE OLD CHIMNEY STACKS OF EAST HADDAM, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, CONNECTICUT,
BY
HOSFORD B. NILES,
Author of Genealogy of THE NILES FAMILY.
NEW YORK: LOWE & CO., Book and Job Printers No. 210 Fulton Street.
1887


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