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 FORMATIVE PERIOD 
 
 1784-1791 
 
 Edited for 
 
 THE COMMISSION ON PAROCHIAL 
 
 ARCHIVES 
 
 BY 
 
 JOSEPH HOOPER 
 
 PRINTED FOR THE DIOCESE 
 I913 
 
THE TUTTLE, MOREHOUSE & TAYLOR COMPANY, NEW HAVEN, CONN. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Commission on Parochial Archives has the honor to present to the 
 Diocese and to all interested in the history of the Church in Connecticut 
 its third publication. 
 
 The period to which these letters belong was in the Church as in the 
 State, one of experiment, when the independence of the Church, as of the 
 former Colonies, was being tested. Hardship and suffering were the lot 
 of many. 
 
 The Clergy of Connecticut were ready to endure all things for the sake 
 of the establishment of the Church upon the best and surest foundations. 
 They had chosen, or rather designated a choice, of a fit person to be their 
 Bishop. The manner in which they met the difficulties of the situation 
 was admirable. 
 
 Letters in this series throw new light upon the meeting at Woodbury on 
 the feast of the Annunciation, 1783, and show true loyalty to the ancient 
 and catholic polity of the Christian Church, without regard to the expe- 
 diency of the hour or following the suggestions in a notable pamphlet by a 
 prominent clergyman to the southward. Dr. White, afterward Bishop of 
 Pennsylvania. 
 
 Jeremiah Learning, Bela Hubbard, Samuel Andrews, John Tyler, and 
 Ebenezer Dibblee, were true confessors of the faith whom we still delight 
 to honor. 
 
 William Samuel Johnson stands as a type of the well-instructed, devout 
 layman, serving ably both the Church and the State. 
 
 The friend to whom these letters were sent has been greatly misunder- 
 stood and misjudged by many of his contemporaries, but his brethren of 
 the clergy were near his heart and they repaid him with affection and 
 respect. 
 
 The preservation of the papers of Dr. Samuel Peters through many 
 vicissitudes until they found a permanent place among the archives of the 
 General Convention has made possible a revision and correction of our 
 history. 
 
 The editor has prepared the absolutely necessary notes covering the 
 essential facts in the lives of the writers of the letters and a few of the 
 persons mentioned in them. While fuller annotation was desirable it was 
 impossible within the limit set for the appearance of this volume. The notes 
 upon Dr. Bliss and Mr. Mann were courteously furnished by the secretary 
 of the Commission, Mr. F. Clarence Bissell, Deputy Comptroller of the 
 State of Connecticut. He is a recognized authority upon the genealogy 
 of the Peters family and the history of the Town of Hebron. 
 
 The half-tone illustrations of Dr. Peters and Dr. H\ibbard are taken 
 from the best known likenesses of these worthies. 
 
 June 5, 1913. J. H. 
 
JOHN BREYNTON. 
 
 The town of Halifax was laid out in 1748 under the auspices of the 
 Honorable Edward Cornwallis, Captain General and Governor of Nova 
 Scotia. It is situated on the western side of a deep inlet of the sea 
 known as Halifax Harbor. It was named in honor of George Montague, 
 Earl of Halifax, the President of the Board of Trade. 
 
 An ample plot opposite the Grand Parade was reserved for a church, 
 and a parish by the name of St. Paul's Church was organized. The frame 
 of a church building was ordered from New England, and it was estimated 
 that it would cost one thousand pounds to set it up. It was said by 
 Governor Cornwallis to have been a copy of Marylebone Chapel, London. 
 Those who know both buildings have declared! that it was identical 
 with St. Peter's Church, Vere Street, London. The Rev. William Tutty 
 was sent by the Venerable Propagation Society early in 1750 to be its 
 minister. On September 2 of that year he formally opened the building 
 although it was not finished. 
 
 In 1752 the Venerable Society sent the Rev. John Breynton to be his 
 assistant. Mr. Breynton had been a chaplain in the British Navy and 
 was at the siege and capture of the fortress of Louisburg in the summer 
 of 1745. He at once gained a high place in the affection of the people 
 of Halifax. He was earnest, active, sympathetic, and efficient. Mr. 
 Tutty soon after went to England on private business leaving his curate 
 in charge. He never returned and died in 1754. Mr. Breynton was then 
 made Rector of St. Paul's. Few men seem to have left a deeper impression 
 on a community than he did. 
 
 He was pastor to all sorts and conditions of men. He went into the 
 forests to show the squalid Micmac Indians the power and beauty of 
 Christian faith and life; he made himself familiar with the German 
 language that he might minister to the poor Germans settled at Lauenburg. 
 He was the friend and adviser of the Loyalists when they came from the 
 former American Colonies to find life in the British Province less ideal 
 than the glowing fancy of British under-secretaries had pictured it, and 
 to be sufferers in purse and person from the unfulfilled promises of the 
 government for which they had left their native land and made many 
 sacrifices. 
 
 His friend, Jonathan Belcher, the first Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, 
 calls him "a man of indefatigable labors, experienced assiduity, modera- 
 tion and perfect good acceptance." 
 
 Dr. George W. Hill, the fourth Rector and historian of St. Paul's, says: 
 "He was the personal friend and counsellor of the successive Governor 
 and Lieutenant Governor, the associate and adviser of all others in 
 authority, the friend and helper of the poor, the sick, and afflicted, 
 and the promoter and supervisor of education. He doubtless deserved 
 the high enconium passed upon him during his absence by a brother 
 
—6— 
 
 missionary, the Rev. William Bennett, that he never knew a man so 
 universally regretted by every individual of every denomination." 
 
 After his hard and successful work of thirty-three years Dr. Breynton 
 went to England upon a leave of absence in the fall of 1785, leaving the 
 parish in charge of his curate, the Rev. Joshua Wingate Weeks, formerly 
 missionary at St. Michael's Church, Marblehead, Massachusetts. 
 
 He fully expected to return but for some unknown reason did not, to 
 the great disappointment of the whole parish. 
 
 EXTRACT. 
 
 I have your favor of 5 & 17 feb. & M', Weeks informs me 
 I am to expect a thundering Episcopate by D^ Byles. I found 
 Col. Fanning has a Letter from you of a much later Date by 
 which we are informed of your Successful efforts for the worthy 
 Houseal. That measure will be attended with more salutary' 
 Consequences than are to be expected from the heaven horn 
 preacher & military Confessor — D', Seabury or Bishop Sea- 
 bury stay'd ten Days with us, was treated with great civility 
 by all that I & Col. Hannory could influence. He preached 
 here in my Church & performed very well. 
 
 John Breynton. 
 Halifax l!^ova Scotia 
 3 May 1Y85. 
 
 JOSHUA WINGATE WEEKS. 
 
 Joshua Wingate, a son of Colonel John and Martha Weeks, was born 
 at Hampton, New Hampshire. He was well prepared for College and 
 graduated from Harvard in 1758. He studied for the holy ministry, and 
 went to England late in 1762. He was made deacon and ordained priest 
 in the spring of 1763, and on April 17 of that year licensed by the Bishop 
 of London to officiate in the Plantations. 
 
 He was appointed by the Venerable Propagation Society as Missionary 
 of St. Michael's Church, Marblehead, Massachusetts. He served faithfully 
 and acceptably until the approach of the Revolution. The old seaport 
 was intensely patriotic, with the exception of a few wealthy merchants, 
 and the fishermen and sailors who made up the greater part of its 
 population tolerated no one who adhered to King and Church. In 1775 
 he took refuge with his brother-in-law, the Rev. Jacob Bailey of Pownal- 
 borougli in the District of Maine. He returned with his family in June, 
 1776. It is understood that he did not open the Church but ministered 
 
in private houses and to the sick and afflicted. In the summer of 1778 
 he was again compelled to flee from the violence of the patriots to 
 Rhode Island, leaving his family in the parsonage. Mrs. Weeks and her 
 eight children were provided with passage to Nova Scotia in the fall 
 of that year. They were courteously received at Halifax and through the 
 generous kindness of Dr. Breynton provision made for their support. 
 Mr. Weeks went from Newport to New York City in September and 
 soon after sailed for England. He was given by the Venerable Society 
 the mission of Annapolis Royal with a salary of one hundred and forty 
 pounds, vacant by the death of the Rev. Thomas Wood in December, 1778. 
 While in England he accused his former friend and neighbor, the Rev. 
 Edward Bass of Newburyport, afterwards the first Bishop of Massachusetts, 
 of disloyalty. As a consequence, after a blameless ministry of twenty-six 
 years, he was deprived of his stipend and dismissed from the Society's 
 service upon the verge of old age. The most impartial testimony shows 
 that he was a friend to the British government although in some particu- 
 lars Dr. Bass yielded to the request of his parishioners in the conduct of 
 the service; many of them being strong patriots. Mr. Weeks arrived 
 at Halifax July 16, 1779, and found his succession at Annapolis resisted 
 by a strong party having the support of many provincial officials who 
 desired the appointment of the Rev. Nathaniel Fisher who had for two 
 years been Mr. Wood's assistant. A friend. Colonel Rogers, made him 
 Chaplain of his battalion, known as the Orange Rangers. While the con- 
 troversy over the charge of Annapolis was in progress Mr. Weeks, after 
 paying one or two visits to the town, remained in Halifax, assisting in 
 St. Paul's Church and serving in turn with Dr. Mather Byles as Chaplain 
 to the garrison. In 1781, displeased at his neglect, the Venerable Society 
 dismissed him from their service and off'ered Annapolis to Dr. Byles or, 
 if he rejected it, to Mr. Bailey. As Dr. Byles refused, Mr. Bailey took 
 up his residence in August, 1782. An unpleasant controversy then took 
 place with his brother-in-law over the Chaplaincy to the garrison which 
 Mr. Weeks contended was his by right. It appears that for some time 
 Mr. Weeks received the salary and Mr. Bailey performed the duties. 
 
 In 1784 Mr. Weeks went to England, submitted an apology to the Society 
 and was once more admitted to their favour on condition that he would 
 resign any claim to the Chaplaincy at Annapolis Royal. Mr. Weeks was 
 in charge of St. Paul's Church, Halifax, after the departure of Dr. 
 Breynton for England in September, 1785, until the arrival of Dr. 
 Stanser in 1791. 
 
 In 1793 he took charge of the mission of Preston where he remained 
 until 1795 when he was transferred to Guysbo rough where he died in 
 1804. Mr. Weeks married in 1763 Mary Treadwell of Ipswich, Massachu- 
 setts. They had eight children. One of his sons, Charles William 
 Weeks, became a clergyman and served in 1799 Weymouth, Guysborough, 
 in succession to his father; Manchester from 1834 to 1836, and was visit- 
 ing missionary from 1837 to 1842. A grandson, Joshua Wingate, a son 
 of the Rev. Charles William Weeks, was ordained priest in 1829 and 
 
served Cornwallis and New Dublin. A daughter married October 5, 1789, 
 the Rev. William Twining, the missionary at Rawdon, She was the 
 mother of the Rev. John Thomas Twining, the friend of that Christian 
 soldier. Captain Hedley Vican. 
 
 MATHER BYLES. 
 
 Mather, a son of the Rev. Dr. Mather Byles of Boston, Massachusetts, 
 was born in that town January 12, 1735. His father was one of the best 
 known Congregational ministers of his day and noted for his pungent 
 wit and an intense dislike to prelacy and the Church of England. He was 
 well prepared under his father's direction for College and graduated from 
 Harvard in 1751. He studied theology and in November, 1757, became 
 the successor of Dr. Eliphalet Adams in the First Church of Christ, 
 New London, Connecticut. It had been formed in 1650 and had for its 
 first minister Richard Blinman. Mr. Byles was a man of great intellect, 
 a vigorous thinker and a clear and convincing speaker. The people were 
 charmed with him and admired his sermons which were profound, attrac- 
 tive and eloquent. Tradition says that he was "grand and lordly in his 
 ways," but the people were proud of him and fascinated by his brilliant 
 and powerful personality. 
 
 There was both incredulity and indignation when he announced in April, 
 1768, that he had become a convert "to the ritual of the Church of 
 England." There was much denunciation of him by his congregational 
 brethren, and scurrilous songs and lampoons written about him. 
 
 He sailed for England in May, 1768, was made deacon and ordained 
 priest by Dr. Richard Terrick, Bishop of London. He was licensed to 
 officiate in the Plantations June 29, 1768. He soon after received from 
 the University of Oxford the degree of Doctor in Divinity. Upon his 
 return he became the Rector of Christ Church, Boston, in succession to 
 the Rev. James Greaton. He was much admired and did an excellent 
 work. In 1775 he was appointed by the Venerable Society to St. John's 
 Church, Portsmouth, but never assumed that position owing to the dis- 
 turbances of the Revolution. He sailed with his family from Boston for 
 Halifax with the British fleet in the summer of 1776. He became Chaplain 
 to the garrison at Halifax and also assisted Dr. Breynton in St. Paul's 
 Church. Here he gained new friends and a high reputation for his 
 learning and adaptability to new conditions of life. In 1778 he was 
 among a large number of Loyalists proscribed and banished by the State 
 of Massachusetts. 
 
 The parish of St. John, New Brunswick, where a church had been erected 
 about 1783, of which the Rev. George Bissett in that year became Rector, 
 was vacant by the sudden death of its first incumbent, March 3, 1788. 
 A new church had been commenced to bear the name of Trinity Church, 
 the cornerstone of which was laid by Bishop Inglis August 20, 1788. 
 Dr. Byles accepted the rectorship in the spring of 1789 and took charge 
 on May 4 of that year. 
 
— 9— 
 
 He remained loving and beloved until his death, March 12, 1814, in 
 the eightieth year of his age. 
 
 BERNARD MICHAEL HOWSEAL. 
 
 Mr. Howseal had been for many years senior pastor of the Lutheran 
 Church in New York City. In 1776 he was among the signers of an 
 address of welcome to Lord Howe. 
 
 He went to Halifax with the British fleet in 1783 and took charge of 
 the German Congregation at Lunenburgh near Halifax. In 1786 he went 
 to England, was made deacon and ordained priest. He was then made 
 Rector of the German Congregation and served with rare devotion and 
 patience until his death, March 9, 1799. 
 
 He is described as a worthy man who suffered severely by the Revolution. 
 He was humble, devout and did great good. 
 
 EDMUND FANNING. 
 
 Edmund, a son of Captain James and Hannah (Smith) Fanning, was 
 born at Riverhead, Long Island, in 1737. His grandfather, Thomas 
 Fanning, had been a prominent resident of Groton, Connecticut. 
 
 He graduated from Yale College in 1757, as a Berkeley scholar. He 
 studied law and in 1760 settled at Hillsborough, then Childsburgh, North 
 Carolina. In 1763 he was Register of Deeds and Colonel of the Militia 
 of Orange County. He was highly esteemed and entered largely into the 
 political and social life of the Province. He was appointed by Governor 
 William Tryon in March, 1766, Judge of the Superior Court for the 
 District of Salisbury. He was also elected in that year to the Assembly 
 and sat in that body for five successive terms where he was useful and 
 active. A body known as the Regulators attacked in 1768 his house, 
 claiming that he exacted illegal fees as Register. Consequently he was 
 defeated at the next election as representative of the County. Governor 
 Tryon, however, allowed Hillsborough representation and Colonel Fanning 
 was returned from that town. In September, 1770, the Regulators took 
 Judge Fanning from the bench and after beating him destroyed his house 
 and household possessions. 
 
 Upon the removal in June, 1774, of Governor Tryon to New York, 
 Colonel Fanning accompanied him as private secretary. In 1774 the Gov- 
 ernor made him Surveyor General of the Province of New York which he 
 held in connection with that of Surrogate of New York City to which he 
 was appointed in 1771. 
 
 In 1776 and 1777 he raised a regiment made up of Loyalists, which 
 was named the Associated Refugees or King's American Regiment of 
 Foot. Dr. Samuel Seabury was the Chaplain. It is said by many writers 
 that members of the Regiment were rude, cruel and grasping. He 
 
—10— 
 
 remained in the British service until near the close of the Revolution when 
 he went to Halifax. 
 
 He was made Colonel in the British Army in December, 1782, and in 
 September, 1783, was appointed counsellor and Lieutenant Governor of 
 the Province of Nova Scotia. In 1787 he was made Lieutenant Governor 
 of the Island of St. John's, now Prince Edward Island, in the Gulf of 
 St. Lawrence. He was here charged with tyranny. The complaint was 
 brought before the Privy Council and dismissed in August, 1792. In October, 
 1793, he was promoted to be Major General and in June, 1799, advanced 
 to the rank of Lieutenant General. In May, 1806, he resigned as Governor. 
 In April, 1808, he was made General. His closing years were spent in 
 London. He died February 28, 1818, in his eighty-first year. A widow 
 and three daughters survived him. His only son, who was a captain in 
 the Twenty-Second Foot, died in 1812, leaving his father grief-stricken. 
 
 \^liile he is bitterly denounced by writers on North Carolina history 
 and the Revolution, others who knew him at a later period give him a 
 most exalted character. He was honored in 1774 with the degree of 
 Doctor of Civil Law by the University of Oxford and with that of Doctor 
 of Law by Yale and Dartmouth in 1803. In writing to his classmate, 
 the Rev. Eden Burroughs, asking for the honors, he claimed to have saved 
 Yale College when General Tryon in the summer of 1779 made his famous 
 raid along Long Island Sound, burning and pillaging several towns. 
 
 JOHN PETERS. 
 
 John, a son of Colonel John and Lydia (Phelps) Peters, was born at 
 Hebron, Connecticut, June 30, 1740. He was a nephew of Dr. Peters. 
 He graduated from Yale College in 1759. He settled at Hebron where he 
 opened a law office. In 1766 he removed to the new town of Bradford, 
 now in Orange County, Vermont. This was supposed to be in the Province 
 of New York. He held a very high position in the community and 
 was much respected by all the people. Grovernor Tryon made him, in 1770, 
 clerk of the new County of Gloucester and Associate Justice of the Court 
 of Common Pleas. In 1772 he was made Colonel of Militia and in 
 October, 1774, Lieutenant Governor Colden made him Chief Judge of 
 the Court of Common Pleas. He suffered much insult from the Green 
 Mountain boys because he was loyal to his King and in 1776 he fled 
 to Canada leaving his family and home. In 1777 he was made Lieutenant 
 Colonel of the Queen's Loyal Rangers. He took part in the battle of 
 Bennington in October, 1777, after which he escaped to Canada making 
 a perilous journey through the woods. He returned for his family and 
 established them comfortably on Cape Breton Island and then went to 
 London to prosecute before the Claims Commissioners his claim for losses 
 and back pay as Lieutenant Colonel. He spent three years without accom- 
 plishing his purpose. He died of gout in the head and stomach, January 
 11, 1788, in the forty-eighth year of his age. He left a wife, six sons and 
 one daughter. 
 
—11- 
 
 JOSEPH PETERS. 
 
 Joseph, a son of William and Hannah (Cheney) Peters, was born at 
 Dedham, Massachusetts, in that part of the town now Walpole, December 
 11, 1729. He settled in Mendon and removed to Watertown, Massachusetts. 
 As he was a staunch loyalist he went after the Revolution to Halifax, Nova 
 Scotia. Here he received much consideration and served for many years as 
 postmaster-general of Halifax and afterward Judge of the Supreme Court. 
 He died February 13, 1800, in the seventy-first year of his age. He married 
 Abigail Thompson. Their children were: Abigail, who died in Medfield, 
 Massachusetts, December 30, 1829, at the age of seventy-nine years. She 
 was unmarried. Moses, born at Waterford, Massachusetts, April 26, 1752, 
 died at Mendon, Massachusetts, December 29, 1810. He married Eleanor 
 Penniman. 
 
 EXTKACT. 
 
 I received your highly esteemed favor of the 19th February, 
 by his Grace the Right Reverend &c Bishop Seabury — whom I 
 have heard Preach, but I fail'd in obtaining what I thought a 
 reasonable Share of his Company, he being perpetually dragged 
 about while he was here — his Preaching is highly esteemed 
 here, and I my self am much pleased with his person as 
 a man, a Gentleman and Divine — God send him success — but 
 I am afraid he will not meet the treatment he hath a right to 
 expect from the blue Connecticutites. I wish I may be found 
 in a mistake. 
 
 Our Printers are the most dastardly Sycophants I ever saw — 
 I did not chuse to be seen in the affair for some reasons, but 
 I Wrote the matter out and sent it first to one and then (upon) 
 his omitting it) to the other, one being a Kew England Saint 
 and a disciple of the Holy Sandiman, and the other a Ger- 
 
 who professes to be a Saint of Luther ; 
 man, neither of which had Courage to show to the World so 
 innocent a piece of Intelligence — His Grace is gone by Water, 
 to Annapolis and New Brunswick. 
 
 Joseph Peters 
 
-12- 
 
 SAMUEL ANDREWS. 
 
 Samuel, a son of Samuel and Abigail (Tyler) Andrews, was born in 
 Wallingford, Connecticut, April 27, 1737. His father's farm occupied a 
 tract of land "about a mile west of the present railroad station in 
 Meriden" near the famous Hanging Hills. 
 
 Through the influence of a son, Laban, who had been apprenticed to 
 Captain Macock Ward, the family had conformed to the Church of Eng- 
 land. Captain Ward was a prominent man in the town, a staunch sup- 
 porter of Union Church, as it was then called, built near the North 
 Haven line so as to accommodate the Churchmen of North Haven, 
 Cheshire and Wallingford. 
 
 The family early determined that the youngest son, Samuel, should 
 become a clergyman. He was given as good an education as was then 
 possible in the common schools and graduated from Yale College in 1759. 
 He acted while in College and for two years after as lay reader. He 
 went to England in April, 1761, and was made deacon August 23 and 
 priest August 24 of that year by Dr. Thomas Hayter, Bishop of London, 
 and in October licensed by that Bishop to officiate in the Plantations. 
 
 After his arrival home in March, 1762, he took charge of St. Paul's 
 Church, Wallingford, with Cheshire and North Haven. He was already 
 known and respected and under his care the Church in each of the three 
 towns grew. 
 
 Mr. Andrews was a Loyalist but when the proclamation was made 
 of a Fast Day in July, 1775, he opened the church and preached a 
 sermon from the text: "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will 
 not dwell in your solemn assemblies." Amos 5:21. In the course of the 
 sermon he urged his hearers to consider the power and resources of Eng- 
 land and beware how they aroused the ministry and people of the mother- 
 land. The granting of liberty and equality, he said, is absurd when so 
 many are held in slavery in various parts of the colonies. 
 
 The sermon aroused much resentment, althougli there is in it no violent 
 denunciation but a calm and plain setting forth of political principles which 
 he thought right and just. Only his positive goodness and high Christian 
 character and the regard in which he was held saved him from violence. 
 As it was, he was placed under heavy bonds and confined within limits. 
 No services were held in the Church until 1778, when the Bishop of Lon- 
 don allowed churches to be opened and the prayers for the King and Royal 
 Family omitted. 
 
 When the Revolution ended, Mr. Andrews with others who had remained 
 true to their convictions found the greater part of their congregation not 
 only in poverty but also enthusiastic adherents of the new Republic. 
 The offers of parishes with ample salaries and glebes in the British pos- 
 sessions were attractive. Mr. Andrews although he loved his home and 
 birthplace thought the needs of his family required him to accept one of 
 them. He removed in the spring of 1788 to the town of St. Andrews on the 
 St. Croix River. From his house he could look across to the shores of 
 Maine. In 1791 he purchased the island of Chamcook in the St. Croix 
 
—13— 
 
 River, where he built for himself a pleasant home. It is now known as 
 Minster's Island and has been greatly improved by Sir William VanHorn, 
 who has a summer home on it. 
 
 The parish of St. Andrew's, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, was organ- 
 ized August 2, 1786. A church was built in 1788, fifty-two feet in length 
 and forty in width. After recovery from a severe paralytic stroke which 
 unfitted him for duty for some months he was the busy and venerated 
 pastor of a devoted flock until his death September 26, 1818, in the eighty- 
 second year of his age. 
 
 Mr. Andrews married September 13, 1764, Hannah, a daughter of James 
 and Anna (Wheeler) Shelton of that part of Stratford now Huntington. 
 She died in her seventy-sixth year, January 1, 1816. His eldest son, Samuel 
 James, was a graduate of Yale College in 1785, a shipping merchant in 
 Derby, Connecticut, and subsequently a pioneer in the present city of 
 Rochester, where he attained large wealth and great prominence. A 
 staunch churchman he was a founder of St. Luke's Church and carried the 
 sound Connecticut churchmanship into western New York. 
 
 Mr. Andrews published several sermons which in style and matter are 
 superior to many of those printed by his contemporaries. 
 
 Wallingford May l7'^ 1785. 
 My dear Sir, 
 
 I have received your very friendly and obliging Letter of 
 the 27*^. of last March by M^ Killbey — I am very glad to 
 hear of your Health, and that you are settling at Cape Breton, 
 as it is near to Milford Haven on Chiclabucto, where the 
 Company I represented last Summer are going to reside — 
 Should they meet with Disappointments with Regard to that 
 Place, your Patronage would probably lead them to Cape 
 Breton, could they obtain a Settlement there. 
 
 With regard to myself, I think it probable that I must soon 
 seek other Quarters, as well thro' a want of Support, as a 
 Wish to enjoy Brittish Government — should this Event take 
 place, Nothing could be more agreeable to me than what you 
 Suggest in a frollic indeed, concerning a Clergyman in your 
 Settlement, as it would restore me to the Company, and place 
 me under the Protection of an old Friend and Classmate — • 
 Should you desire it, you will doubtless be able soon to pro- 
 cure the Clerical Appointment you mention, and you will 
 Essentially Oblige me, if you will Correspond with me upon 
 the Subject, and inform me what Encouragements are to be 
 
Expected by a Clergyman both from England and the Settle- 
 ment itself — is the Country where you Settle all together in 
 its Natural State, or is any part of it Cultivated ? will it pro- 
 duce any Grane or Grass ? in a Word it is a Land which will 
 eat up its inhabitants, or must they eat that for want of other 
 aliment ? Excuse these Freedoms, and 
 
 believe me to be dear and Respected Sir 
 your antient and Sincere 
 
 Friend and very Humble 
 
 Servant. 
 Saw}. Andrews. 
 CoP. John Peters. 
 
 WILLIAM SAIIUEL JOHNSON. 
 
 William Samuel, the eldest son of the Rev. Samuel and Charity (Floyd) 
 Johnson, was born at Stratford, Connecticut, October 7, 1727. His father 
 was the well-known Rector of Christ Church, Stratford, justly called "the 
 father of Episcopacy in Connecticut," missionary, theologian, educator. He 
 trained the boy very carefully both morally and mentally and at the age of 
 thirteen sent him to Yale College, where he attained a high rank and gradu- 
 ated in 1744 as a Dean Berkeley scholar. Upon leaving College his father 
 directed his further studies. He served for some years as lay reader in 
 St. Paul's Church, Ripton, now Huntington. Determining that his vocation 
 was not the ministry Mr. Johnson turned his attention to the law. He soon 
 became one of the most skilful lawyers in the colony and his reputation 
 went beyond its borders. He served in the General Assembly in 1761 and 
 1765 and was a member of the Stamp Act Congress which met in New 
 York in 1765. He was made in 1766 a member of the Upper House, known 
 also as the Governor's Council. In October, 1766, he was chosen by the 
 General Assembly as the special agent of the colony at the British Court in 
 the famous Mohegan Case, which involved the legality of its title to the land 
 held by the remaining members of the Mohegan tribe of Indians. The 
 matter had been in controversy for seventy years and involved some very 
 abstruse and knotty legal problems. Dr. Johnson, during his agency, 
 wrote many letters to the Governor of Connecticut, which are models of 
 good English and lucid statements of the difficulties encountered by him 
 as well as vivid pictures of the political state of England. The final 
 hearing was on June 11, 1771, and the decision was given in favor of the 
 colony. Dr. Johnson returned home in the fall of that year and resumed 
 his seat in the Council. In 1772 he was appointed a Judge of the Supreme 
 Court of the Colony but served only a few months. He was appointed a 
 delegate to the Congress of 1774 but declined on account of professional 
 engagements. 
 
 He lived in retirement at Stratford during the Revolution and was 
 unmolested, although opposed to a war with England. At the return of 
 
—15— 
 
 peace he resumed the practice of law. He was a member of the Con- 
 tinental Congress from 1784 to 1787. He was placed at the head of the 
 delegation to the Constitutional Convention which met in Philadelphia in 
 October, 1787. In that brilliant assemblage of statesmen and men of affairs, 
 Dr. Johnson was considered as the ablest lawyer and was always accorded 
 a respectful hearing. In several disputed matters his voice was potent. 
 It is largely to his exposition of the Connecticut system that the plan 
 of equal representation of the states in the Senate is due. 
 
 The reorganization of King's College, New York City, of which his father 
 was the honored first President, took final shape under the name of Colum- 
 bia College in the spring of 1787 and Dr. Johnson was in May of that 
 year elected as President. Under his wise administration a university plan 
 was adopted and carried out as far as circumstances would allow. Dr. 
 Johnson was again a member of the Connecticut Assembly from 1787 to 
 1789 when he was elected the first Senator from Connecticut to the Congress 
 of the United States, his colleague being Oliver Ellsworth, afterwards 
 Chief Justice of the United States. 
 
 He resigned the presidency of Columbia College in July, 1800, as his 
 health was seriously impaired. He then went to Stratford where he 
 received with cordial and gracious hospitality m his spacious mansion his 
 friends and all who sought him out. He was consulted by many and his 
 advice was both sensible and sound. 
 
 He died November 14, 1819, in his ninety-third year. 
 
 Dr. Johnson married November 5, 1749, Anne, a daughter of William 
 Beach of Stratford. She died at New York, April 24, 1796, in her sixty- 
 seventh year. He married December 11, 1800, Mrs. Mary Beach of Kent, 
 Connecticut. She died in April, 1827. 
 
 New York Sepf. 22^ 1788 
 
 At length your Son, after many delays is embark'd with 
 Cap\ Woolsey & is to sail tomorrow. I most heartily commend 
 
 ing 
 him to the divine Protection, wish him a safe & agreeable 
 Passage, & that you & he may soon have a happy meeting 
 together. The Capt"^. did not wish me to pay for his Passage, 
 as I should readily have done, but will receive it of you at his 
 arrival in London. He goes off cheerfully, but while he has 
 resided with me here at the College he seems to have contracted 
 some affection for the place, & to wish that it may be agreeable 
 to you that he may return again ere long & receive part of his 
 Education, at least, in this Country. He has asked me very 
 many questions upon the subject, I have constantly referred 
 him to you, assuring him that he may rely upon it that you 
 
—16— 
 
 will certainly do what is best for him. But when he repeatedly 
 pressed me for my Opinion, I could not avoid telling him, as 
 I really think, that if he is to spend his Days here, that it is 
 best he sho'd be chiefly Educated here, & this he earnestly 
 desires me to mention to you, which I accordingly do merely 
 in compliance with his wishes, knowing very well at the same 
 time, that you need none of my suggestions upon the subject. 
 
 Eleven States, having adopted the proposed Constitution, 
 our Congress have now published their Ordinance directing the 
 necessary steps towards the Organization of the new Govern- 
 ment, & that it commence its Operations in this City on the first 
 Wednesday of March next — Very many are extremely sanguine 
 in their Expectations that we shall derive great Blessings from 
 it, while many, on the other hand, are aiming at, & expecting 
 soon to obtain great alterations & emendations of the plan — 
 Both sides will as usual, probably be in some measure, disap- 
 pointed, & how it will finally operate is known only to the 
 allwise disposer of all Events. 
 
 As M'■^ Kneeland is not now with me, I cannot at present 
 pursue the directions you have favour'd me with, to write to 
 the Abp on her affair. It must therefore be deferr'd to another 
 Opportunity, but indeed, so inattentive are they grown to the 
 calls of Justice, that it seems to little purpose to make any 
 application to them. I am with the sincerest wishes for your 
 
 welfare 
 
 Eev*^. & Dear S^ 
 
 Your most obedient 
 
 humble Servant 
 
 W"". Sam\ Johnson. 
 
 Eev'' 
 
 . M^ 
 
 Peters. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Rev''. 
 
 M" 
 
 '. Samuel Peters 
 Pimlico 
 
 Westminster. 
 
 Johnson D^ W^. S- 
 
 - 
 
 
 Sep*. 
 
 22- 
 
 -1788 
 
 
 
 rec''. 
 
 E'ov- 
 
 -16— 
 
 
 
 Ans"*. ITov 17- 
 
—17— 
 
 Kew York May 5''' 1791. 
 Eev"*. & Dear S^, 
 
 The Trustees of Columbia College are delicate with respect 
 to granting the higher Degrees, & conceive that many Colleges 
 both in Europe & America, have injured their own Reputation, 
 and done disservice to Literature, by the facility with which 
 they have conferr'd them. They declined granting the Degree 
 of M.D. to D^ Stearns, 
 
 1^^. Because I could give no Information with respect to the 
 Medical Docf who signed the Certificate transmitted to me, & 
 you not being of that Profession, your signature alone, they 
 considered, would not be a ground upon which they could 
 determine that he had Medical Knowledge sufficient to entitle 
 him to that Degree. 
 
 2^^. Two of the Gentlemen had seen a Publication (which I 
 had not heard of, nor have yet seen) by the D"". of a Tour to 
 France, of which they had conceived a very indifferent Opinion. 
 3^^ One of the Corporation, himself a Phyfisian of Character, 
 declared that he had known D'. Stearns where he resided 
 during the late War on Long Island, & that neither his Knowl- 
 edge in that Science, nor his conduct at that time, did in his 
 Judgment by any means qualify him for that Degree. It is 
 highly probable that these Objections might have been obviated, 
 but I had no Information or means, not being aware of them, 
 by which I could do it effectually. 
 
 The Georgian & Jacobite Bishops will I trust amicably 
 coalesce, & occasion no Discussion or Controversey in this 
 Country. 
 
 I am happy to hear of your Son's health, & that he is to 
 pursue his Studies at Oxford or Cambridge. I pray God he 
 may become an accomplished Scholar, & a good Man, & am 
 with affectionate Compliments to him. 
 Rev^ & D^ S^ 
 
 Your most obedient 
 
 & most humble Servant 
 
 W". Sam\ Johnson. 
 Rev"^. D'. Peters. 
 
 The Rev"*. D^ Samuel Peters, 
 
 Grosvenor Place 
 
 London — 
 - Johnson D"". 
 
 May 5''' 1791 
 re"^. June 28— 
 
—18— 
 
 WILLIAJVI ABERNETHY DRUMMOND. 
 
 William Abernethy was born in 1719 or 1720 at Saltoun, Haddingtonshire, 
 Scotland, where the family had long been established. He studied medicine 
 at the University of Edinburgh and after practicing for some years took a 
 theological course, was ordained, and took charge of a Chapel of the 
 Episcopal Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. He was consecrated Bishop 
 of Brechin at Petershead on September 26, 1787. He was soon after elected 
 Bishop of Edinburgh. His Episcopate was remarkable for its energy and 
 the part he took after the death of Charles Edward Stuart in causing the 
 removal of the disabilities of the Episcopal Church of Scotland. He 
 resigned his see of Edinburgh in 1805 in favor of Dr. David Sanford. 
 
 He died at his seat, Hawthornden, August 27, 1809, in the ninetieth year 
 of his age. 
 
 Upon his marriage with Mary Barbara, the widow of Robert MacGregor, 
 and heiress of William Drummond of Hawthornden, he took the name of 
 Drummond. 
 
 Eev^ Sir 
 
 Your obliging letter of the 5*^ came safe to hand, & I 
 take this opportunity of returning my hearty thanks for your 
 kind communication anent our friend Bishop Seabury. The 
 consecration of Madison & the other two Bishops refusing to 
 unite with him in the promotion of M'. Bass, behoved to make 
 him uneasy; but I trust in God, that these gentlemen will 
 soon open their eyes, & see it to be their Duty to promote the 
 peace of their Jerusalem, by a happy agreement with their 
 worthy Brother. Indeed, I think the Archb^. of Cny's answer 
 cannot fail to have that effect: or if not, they must be blind 
 beyond the possibility of seeing, & much will they have to 
 answer for at the Great Day of Accounts — The Chancellor, thro 
 the good Bishop of St. David's means^ has at last agreed that 
 a bill be brought into Parliament for the relief of the Scotch 
 Episcopal Clergy, & I expect to hear immediately after the 
 Easter recess, that the Lord Advocate has apply'd for leave to 
 bring One in accordingly. I give you joy of M^ Jarvis's 
 success, and heartily wish you & all your friends health & 
 with the blessing of the approaching high Festival : 
 
—19— 
 
 happiness commending you & them to the Grace & protection 
 of God's Holy Spirit, I am 
 
 K. Sir 
 
 your affect. Brother 
 W™. Abernethy Drummond. 
 Edn^ 20'^ April 1791. 
 
 The Kev'^. 
 
 Samuel Peters Grosvenor Place 
 
 near London. 
 
 April 20*^ 1791 
 
 rec^ 23*^ 
 
 Thurs. 
 JOHN TYLER. 
 
 John, a son of John and Mary (Doolittle) Tyler, was born in Walling- 
 ford, August 15, 1742. The family had been prominent in the town, as 
 Eoger Tyler, its ancestor, had been one of the original proprietors in 1638. 
 
 As a young man Mr. Tyler conformed to the Church of England. He 
 graduated from Yale College in 1765, having the high honour of delivering 
 the valedictory oration. He pursued a post-graduate course at King's 
 College, New York City, now Columbia University. This procedure was 
 then almost unknown. Its president was the witty and brilliant Myles 
 Cooper. The young scholar then studied theology under the Rev. Dr. 
 Johnson at Stratford and became lay-reader in Christ Church. Some of 
 the congregation were in favor of making him assistant to the Rector, 
 the majority, however, thought him unfitted for such a prominent position. 
 He was recommended by Dr. Johnson to the churchmen in his native town, 
 Guilford, as a suitable successor to Bela Hubbard, the minister who had 
 been reader in Christ Church for some years previous to his ordination in 
 1764. Mr. Tyler was acceptable and permission was sought for him "to go 
 home for orders." H« sailed May 10, 1768, bearing with him a petition for 
 the erection of Guilford into a mission by the Venerable Society. He was 
 made deacon June 24, and ordained priest June 29, 1768, by Dr. Richard 
 Terrick, Bishop of London. The request of Guilford was refused, as the 
 Society had determined to erect no new missions in New England. 
 
 Mr. Tyler was appointed to Norwich, from which John Beardsley had 
 removed to Poughkeepsie, New York. Mr. Tyler commenced his work at 
 Norwich, November 1, 1768. Without the brilliance of some of his con- 
 temporaries, there was a sweet earnestness and inflexible purpose in all he 
 said or did. He had a most musical voice and in his intercourse with his 
 parishioners and others was mild and benevolent. His knowledge of medi- 
 cine was freely given to the poor and gained him many warm friends. 
 During the Revolution although threatened by the Committee of Safety and 
 others he was practically unharmed. Traditionally his well was poisoned or 
 
—20— 
 
 attempted to be. The Church was closed from 1776 to 1778 but the Rector 
 of Norwich continued his pastoral work and held some informal services 
 in houses of parishioners. 
 
 He fell into disfavor with some of his brethren because of the report 
 that when Jolm Murray, the advocate of universal salvation, visited Nor- 
 wich in 1778 he declared his acquiescence in his views. Such startling 
 reports of his views and their advocacy by him in sermon and conversation 
 reached the clergy in other parts of the Diocese, that he was in August, 
 1786, formally cited by Bishop Seabury to appear before the Convocation 
 of the Clergy "at the house of the Reverend Mr. Richard Mansfield, on the 
 twentietli day of September next, to see whether mutual explanations may 
 not remove that oflFense which your proceedings at Wallingford and 
 Norwich have, we conceive justly given to them and myself." He could not 
 attend at Derby but was summoned to meet the Bishop with Dr. Abraham 
 Jarvis and Dr. Bela Hubbard at New London in October. He appears to 
 have satisfied them that he had not transgressed the authorized liberty of 
 opinion on a matter upon which there was no formal declaration. 
 
 His friendly relations with the Bishop and other clergy continued. The 
 sudden death of the first great Bishop of Connecticut on February 26, 1796, 
 brought to Mr. Tyler the sad duty of officiating at his funeral on Sunday, 
 February 28, and burial in the public cemetery at New London. 
 
 Mr. Tyler continued his quiet, effective work until past his three-score 
 and ten years. His young friend and assistant, the Rev. Seth Birdseye 
 Paddock, the father of two Bishops, in his declining years took all care and 
 anxiety from the old Rector. Mr. Tyler died January 20, 1823, in the 
 eighty-first year of his age and the fifty-fourth of his ministry. He was 
 the last survivor of the Connecticut clergy ordained in England. 
 
 Mr. Tyler married May 6, 1770, Hannah, a daughter of Isaac and Eliza- 
 beth (Bushnell) Tracy of Norwich. She died at Norwich, January 19, 1826, 
 in the seventy-fifth year of her age. A grandson, the Rev. Dr. Alfred Lee 
 Brewer, established on the Pacific coast the well-known St. Matthew's 
 School, first located at San Mateo, California, near San Francisco, now 
 at Burlingame. 
 
 Mr. Tyler published several sermons, notably that at the opening of 
 Trinity Church, Pomfret, in 1770, and one adapted from Bishop Seeker 
 on Peace. Six sermons on The Law and the Gospel, attributed to him by 
 undoubted evidence, were published in 1798 and 1815, anonymously. They 
 advocated universal salvation. 
 
 ISTorwich in Connecticut Jan^ 9 : 1784. 
 Kev^ Sir, 
 
 I received your kind Letter of August 4, 1783, by M'. 
 Chandler Wattles ; who expected to return to Europe in about 
 six Weeks, and was to call on me for a Letter: but contrary 
 to Expectation, he called I think, the very next Week, in Haste, 
 
—21— 
 
 and went unluckily I had no Letter written — I should have 
 wrote long before, had I known where to direct: but now 
 perhaps I may write again. 
 
 I have taken the whole Care that has been taken of Hebron 
 Church ever since you left it: though I must confess that I 
 durst not go there for some Time after you went away; so 
 bitter was the Spirit of some People: but since, I have been 
 three or four Sundays there every year. — Your Estate is not 
 confiscated, as by your Letter I see you had supposed: and 
 your Friends in Hebron since the !N^ews of Peace expected your 
 Return ; and are not a little disappointed. — Strange Alterations 
 have indeed taken Place since you left this Country We are 
 in general become a poor People — the Episcopalians are most 
 impoverished : but all groan under the Burden of heavy 
 Taxes. — And I need not tell you that the Missionaries have 
 suffer'd much most every Way, in Name, Person, and Estate. 
 I have been obliged to sell Bills as low as twenty per cent 
 under par, when I actually purchased Wheat at three Spanish 
 Dollars per Bushel: and even now, the Necessaries of Life 
 are on an Average, one quarter dearer than they were when 
 you left the Country ; though Money perhaps was never scarcer 
 than at present — New York was very full of money when the 
 News of Peace came: but the Narrowness of our Policy drove 
 from thence about thirty Thousand Refugees, and with them 
 most of the Money; and the Remainder is gone to Europe 
 for Goods. By this you may have some Idea of the Present 
 State of the Country. 
 
 As to the Episcopal Church in America, it has Reason to 
 expect an Establishment; nor can it be Prudence for her to 
 subject herself to a Presbyterian Head : this, I am determined 
 to oppose with all my Might, if any Proposal of this Nature 
 should appear. No: the episcopal Church in America, like 
 primitive Christianity, must be a Kingdom of its own — a 
 religious Polity distinct from the civil. And if she can enjoy 
 equal Toleration or Liberty with other religious Denominations 
 in general, must think herself upon the best Footing she can 
 expect. T'would be absurd to the last Degree, for the episcopal 
 
—22— 
 
 Church to look up to the sons of Jack Presbyter in the civil 
 Chair, as to I^ursing Fathers. There is good Reason to hope 
 that the episcopal Church here will he tolerated, considering 
 fcer ISTumbers on this Continent; and that civil Policy has so 
 engrossed the Attention of x\nierica in general, for eight or 
 nine Years past, that Religion has very little thought of; and 
 the dissenting Clergy, by preaching little else but Politics, have 
 lost their religious Influence past Recovery: and the leading 
 People are now, I believe, much more bigotted to Money, than 
 to any religious Denomination. But what fickle Mortals are 
 a People, when once their Polity is unsettled! — First in Pre- 
 tence, horribly afraid of Popery — then full of Candour towards 
 it — at last rather indifferent to all Profession. — You can hardly 
 imagine how the People here are altered. 
 
 It is the prevailing Opinion here, that the Missionaries now 
 in their Missions, will have their Salaries continued to them 
 during their Lives; though we doubt much of having the 
 vacant Missions continued. But if the Salaries of the present 
 Missionaries should be discontinued, after sacrificing every 
 temporal Interest to their Fidelity, and being unfortunate in 
 the Issue, their Fate would be hard indeed. All the episcopal 
 Clergymen in Connecticut, have been uniform and persevering 
 in their Fidelity, and have thereby kept a good Conscience, if 
 no more; but the Consideration of having one's Virtues 
 immortalized in historic Page, while he lives in Want of the 
 very N'ecessaries of Life, and must die in Poverty, is but a 
 poor Consolation. I much Question whether Hannibal, who 
 after the Destruction of Carthage, was hunted from N'ation to 
 Nation, struggling with the Hardships of Poverty and Con- 
 tempt, was much comforted by the Prospect of having his 
 military Skill recorded in History. I know it is not uncom- 
 mon for the World to neglect and despise the Unfortunate 
 while alive, howsoever virtuous they are; and then to speak 
 mighty well of them when they are dead and gone, and can 
 receive no Benefit from it. So the Jews killed the Prophets, 
 and their Sons built their Sepulchres, and decorated them with 
 many ornaments. 
 
—23— 
 
 The false Papers, you say, we signed versus you, I believe 
 you must be under a Mistake concerning them, if my Memory 
 serves me. I never saw them but once, and that was about 
 five months after they were signed. Either you must have been 
 imposed on by a Forgery, or have drawn very remote Con- 
 sequences. After you left the Country our Clergy were con- 
 tinually threatened, and endured many Violences ; and at a 
 Session of the Assembly of Connecticut at 'Hew Haven, several 
 of the Members told Parson Hubbard, that the general Opinion 
 was, that our Clergy were in a Combination or Conspiracy with 
 Mr. Peters, to rob the Country of their Liberties; which 
 Combination Hubbard denied. Those Members then advised 
 Hubbard to call in some of the neighboring Clergy, to sign 
 a Denial of any such Conspiracy; and then the Members of 
 the Assembly would use their Influence to pacify the People 
 to desist from Violences towards the Clergy. Accordingly 
 Hubbard called in several of the Clergy ; who, in the Presence 
 of many Members of the Assembly, at Hubbard's House, signed 
 Papers the whole Substance of which was, that we, the episcopal 
 Clergy of Connecticut, are in no Conspiracy with the Rev**. 
 M': Peters against the Liberties of the Country. This was, 
 to the best of my Remembrances, all that those Papers said 
 concerning you, and as near as I can remember, in those very 
 Words. I was not present; nor did I hear so much as a 
 Word of it for near Six Months. — I saw your Letter to Doctor 
 Inglis respecting this Matter, and from that strongly suspected 
 that a very fallacious or forged Account of this Matter has 
 been made use of against you. But if those Papers really did 
 contain any thing more than I have said, it is my Mistake. 
 
 As to the Petition that Doctor Seabury may be made our 
 Bishop; at the IsTews of Peace, the Clergy suddenly met 
 together, without notifying either Fogg or me, and did as you 
 have heard; and no Doubt as they thought for the best; and 
 I believe, without the least Idea of the Clergy of iN'ew York, 
 or any other Place, having any party or personal Views to the 
 Prejudice of the Connecticut Clergy ; for you know, those who 
 mean no evil, are apt to suspect none. 
 
As to our Convention signing Petitions by our Secretary, I 
 have several times objected against it, because we are not a 
 Body corporate in Law: but it has been answered that this 
 is common to voluntary Associations; and that thus we have 
 often done, when we have wrote to the Society, without any 
 Appearance of their Disapprobation, and that the Society under- 
 stand us : and I have replied, that there may be Occasion for 
 showing our Petitions to Persons not acquainted with our Cus- 
 ton of Subscribing, who may ask, how came these Clergymen 
 to be a Corporation and the Explanation cannot be much to 
 our Advantage, vis. that as Children ape the Adult, so we ape 
 Bodies corporate. — I was not present when the Clergy petitioned 
 for Jarvis, &c. to be made Missionaries. — I am not willing to 
 petition our sovereign States to permit the Residence of Bishops 
 here; because I think we have the same Right to Bishops as 
 to Presbyters; and to ask Permission to enjoy our religious 
 Liberties or Privileges, before we are forbid, looks too much 
 like an Acknowledgment of our Subjection as a Church, to the 
 Control of those civil Rulers who profess a different Religion : 
 and if we seem to acknowledge, that presbyterian civil Rulers 
 have a Right to say, whether the episcopalians shall have Bis- 
 hops or not; can it be supposed that those Rulers will think 
 that we need Bishops? But if we procure Bishops, the civil 
 Rulers here, cannot refuse their Residence, without a manifest 
 Violation of religious Liberty; which would injure their 
 Reputation in the Eyes of all Europe; and would divest them 
 of all Pretence of patronizing religious Liberty, which is a 
 Character they much affect, since the Alliance with France. 
 So that the best way for the Episcopalians to preserve their 
 religious Privileges, is, I think, to use them freely, without 
 appearing to fear any Control. — ^But after all, I am of Opinion, 
 that we shall not obtain a Bishop in Connecticut at present; 
 but that there will be a Bishop sent out to l!^ova-scotia first. 
 
 You seem determined not to see this Country again. — I know 
 you was ever fond of a City Life: but possibly when you 
 come to know the State of your Affairs here, which you will 
 
—25— 
 
 learn by the Letters from your Friends at Hebron, you may 
 alter your Mind ; at least so far as to make us a Visit — I should 
 be sorry to see you no more. — You have some Inducements to 
 come again, if not to tarry. — You have an Estate at Hebron 
 worth looking after; and a Son at Stratford, who I believe is 
 in good Health. — and whom you must wish to see, and his grand 
 Parents will not be willing to part with for Life. — I should 
 suppose you were by this Time weary of the Hurry and Noise 
 of a City; though in a good Degree compensated by many 
 Things that are agreeable. To this Country, I know you have 
 now two capital Objections, which I need not name. — I will 
 be much obliged to you for a Letter as soon as may be after 
 you receive this. But first I wish you to obtain the Perusal 
 of my Letter to the Secretary of the Society, which is of the 
 same Date with this to you; and which contains Something 
 that very nearly concerns me ; and if you can be of any Ser- 
 vice to me in the Matter, and will befriend me, you will not 
 doubt my receiving it very kindly of you. And then I wish 
 you to write me, by the first Opportunity, what Reception my 
 Letter meets with, or is likely to meet with. To give you any 
 tolerable Idea of the Matter in this Letter, would render it by 
 far too long. What you will think of the Matter, I cannot 
 conjecture ; but I think you cannot doubt my Sincerity. 
 
 Our old Friend M'. Griste is gone to Rest — old Mrs. Lan- 
 caster also — Mess'"^ Holden, Lancaster, Bushnells, Cook, Lef- 
 fingwell &c. much as usual, except what it common to us all 
 here become poorer, and low spirited. — Many of my Parish- 
 ioners have moved away, within the four last years, several are 
 dead, and several new ones have conformed. — M". Tyler joins 
 me in respectful Compliments to you and your Daughter. — 
 
 I remain your Friend and Brother, 
 
 John Tyler. 
 
 The Rev^. Samuel Peters,) 
 
 ) 
 Pimlico, London. ) 
 
 Rec*. May 14th, 1784. 
 
—26— 
 
 E^orwich in Connecticut December 2, 1784 
 Rev''. Sir: 
 
 I take this Opportunity of writing to you, by Cp*. Gurdon 
 Bill, a ISTon-con. who is about to sail from ISTorwich Landing 
 for London. I have heard of several Letters from you since 
 last Winter, but have seen none. I heard that in one to Doctor 
 Sutton, of the 1^\ of March last, you proposed to go to France, 
 and should not correspond with America for some years. 
 Again, I heard of Letters from you to M"". Birdsey of Stratford : 
 and this Fall past, I heard of Letters received in Hebron from 
 you, in which you mentioned the Receipt of Letters from some 
 one in Hartford, and from Doctor Bliss in Hebron, who were 
 of Opinion that you could not return in Safety, perhaps they 
 did not wish to encourage your Return. However, the vindic- 
 tive Spirit of the Country is almost totally altered in the Space 
 of one Year past : and though, if you had returned last Spring, 
 some few Curs might have growled a little, and I am confident 
 that would have been all yet now I can assure you, that the 
 fierce Spirit of Whigism is dead: and it is the general Sense 
 of the People of Connecticut, Rulers and all, that the old Spirit 
 of Bitterness is now the worst of Policy. ISTot one word of 
 Whig and Tory appears now in the I^ews-papers ; and even the 
 fiery Darts at General Arnold, which lasted longest, are now 
 totally out of Fashion. Those heretofore call'd Tories, and who 
 were treated with the greatest Bitterness, are now in as good 
 Reputation as any. Doctor Johnson is chosen a Member of 
 Congress — M^ Semour Mayor of the City of Hartford, — and 
 Cp\ ]^athaniel Backus, who was much harrassed in the War, 
 for being a bold Friend of Great-Britain, is now the Second 
 Alderman of our City of I^orwich. And if you should incline 
 to return, I am sure that not one Dog would move his Tongue 
 against you. And you would be much more at Peace here, than 
 you was even seven years before the War. — Our Friend Ebe- 
 nezer Punderson, is returned to Pamutanoc with his Family, 
 and our general Assembly have returned to him all his Estate ; 
 and he is well received, — and not a Mouth opened against him. 
 
—27— 
 
 In my Letter to you of the 9th of Jan'', last, which I con- 
 clude you must have received, I mentioned a Letter of mine to 
 the Society of the same Date ; but I did not send it forward 
 'till the 20th of last April ; and suppose you have seen it. But 
 I have not heard any Thing from the Society in Consequence 
 of it : and I wish you to write me by Cp\ Bill, or sooner than 
 his Return if you have an Opportunity, and inform me all 
 you know of the Matter, that is, what Reception my Letter has 
 met with. What you think of my Opinion, respecting the 
 final Salvation of all Men, I know not: but if you can render 
 me any Services, with Doctor Morrice, and will be kind enough 
 to use what Influence you have, that I may not be cut oif from 
 
 merit 
 the Society's Eavor, you will my sincerest Thanks. After 
 what I have said of my Opinion, in my Letter to Doctor Mor- 
 rice, of the 20th. of April last, which I suppose you must have 
 
 it 
 seen, will be to no Purpose for me to attempt in this Letter, 
 to explain to you the Reasons of my Opinion. 
 
 I have not heard how Doctor Seabury proceeds ; but expect 
 to hear soon. — The Motion of the Philadelphia-episcopal Clergy, 
 with their Lay-Delegates, respecting the founding of our Amer- 
 ican-Episcopal Church, you have, or will no doubt hear by 
 other Hands. But our Connecticut Clergy look totally askew 
 at their lay-Delegates, and will never I believe, admit those 
 Tobacco-cutters with them. The Pennsilvania, l!^ew-Jersey, 
 and N'ew-York Clergy met lately at l^ew-York; and the Con- 
 necticut Clergy sent a Letter, and a Representative, to put off 
 Matters, 'till we have a Bishop ; pleading that we cannot act 
 in founding a Church, 'till we have a Bishop, and so are 
 organized, as a Church. 
 
 Our old Friend Cp\ Bushnell is dead — and our good Friend 
 M"^. Brimmer died in Boston last Summer — My Family has been 
 considerably visited with Sickness, at Times, for more than a 
 Year: and I have lost my oldest Son by Death the Summer 
 past, who was between eleven and twelve years of Age: which 
 was a grievous Stroak to me, and the Recollection is yet very 
 
—28— 
 
 painful ; and my Spirits are low. — I hear that M'. Man's Son 
 is return'd from you to Hebron ; but have not seen him ; and 
 have heard very little of the Accounts he brings. 
 
 M". Tyler joins me in her Compliments and kind Regards 
 to you and Daughter. 
 
 Sir, I remain you sincere Friend and Brother, 
 
 John Tyler. 
 The Eev"^. Samuel Peters) 
 
 ) 
 Pimlico, Charlotte Street ) 
 
 ) 
 N" 1, London. ) 
 
 Tyler Eev'^: 
 
 Dec^ 20, 1784 
 Rec^ FeV. 10, -85 
 Ans^ April 1, -85 
 
 By Cap\ Bill. 
 
 DOCTOK BLISS OF HEBRON. 
 
 Dr. Neziah Bliss of Hebron was a son of Rev. John Bliss of Hebron 
 (first settled pastor of the Congregational Church, afterwards conformed 
 to Church of England, and was one of the founders of St. Peter's Church, 
 Hebron), born March 21, 1737, graduated Yale 1760, one of the most 
 eminent citizens of Hebron, served fourteen terms in the Legislature prior 
 to the Revolution. "To him the American People owe more than sug- 
 gestion of their common school system; he was its founder in the state 
 of Connecticut where it was first adopted, and where he procured such 
 Legislation in its aid as nursed it through its incipient stages and gave 
 it vigor for the almost sublime descent it has accomplished." (Bliss 
 genealogy.) 
 
 He died August 31, 1787. 
 
 JOHN AND NATHANIEL MANN. 
 
 Rev. Samuel Peters wrote from London, October 24, 1786, to "John and 
 Nathaniel Mann of Hebron." "I have appointed you John Mann and your 
 son Nathaniel jointly and severally to be my attorney and attorneys, not 
 believing that the state of Connecticut is now graced with two other men 
 of equal virtue and honor." 
 
 John Mann married Margaret Peters, a sister of Rev. Samuel Peters. Dr. 
 Nathaniel, his son, nephew of Rev. S. Peters, graduated at Dartmouth, 
 completed his education in England as physician and surgeon. Was in 
 
liELA inr.I'.ARI) 
 
—29— 
 
 business as druggist and physician in Hebron for a time, finally going 
 to Georgia, where he died. 
 
 Dr. Nathaniel Mann writes to Col. John Peters at Quebec, September 21, 
 1783, "Your father and Dr. Sutton and my brother Andrew are become 
 Deists and most of the Church are Universalists, alias Murrianites." 
 
 BELA HUBBARD. 
 
 Bela, a son of Lieutenant Daniel and Dianna (Ward) Hubbard, was 
 born in Guilford, Connecticut, August 27, 1739. His father died when 
 he was only twelve years old. His mother married for her second husband, 
 Captain Nathaniel Johnson of Guilford, a j'ounger brother of the Rev. 
 Dr. Samuel Johnson of Stratford. 
 
 The boy was well brought up and thoroughly taught in the subjects 
 which would fit him for College and graduated from Yale in 1758. 
 
 He was under the direction of Dr. Johnson during his course in theology 
 in New York City, as the Doctor was then President of King's College. 
 After a year he returned to his home in Guilford and became lay reader 
 in Christ Church. He sailed for England in November, 1763, in company 
 with his dear friend, Abraham Jarvis, and William Walter of Boston. 
 They were most courteously received, but the petition of Guilford to be 
 made a mission and placed under the care of Mr. Hubbard was refused 
 by the Venerable Societj'. The story has long been current and rests 
 upon well-authenticated tradition, that when with his fellow candidates 
 he paid his respects, according to custom, to the Archbishop of Canter- 
 bury, and was introduced, his Grace in perplexity repeated his name: 
 "Bela, Bela, I never heard of that name." "Very likely not, your Grace," 
 said the young man, "it is in the Bible." 
 
 Mr. Hubbard, with his companions, was made deacon in St. James's 
 Church, Piccadilly, London, February 5, 1764, by Bishop Keppel of Exeter. 
 They were ordained priests by Bishop Lyttleton of Carlisle, February 19, 
 of the same year. He returned to take charge of Christ Church, Guilford, 
 and St. John's, North Guilford, where for three years he labored incessantly 
 and extended his ministrations to the neighboring town of Killingworth, 
 now Madison. 
 
 It was with very real grief that the people of Guilford learned in the 
 summer of 1767 that Mr. Hubbard had accepted an appointment from 
 the Venerable Society to New Haven and West Haven. Under the new 
 missionary. Trinity Church grew rapidly and Christ Church increased its 
 strength. Mr. Hubbard was a man who combined great patience and 
 capacity for work with a very high ideal of duty. Simple and guileless in 
 his manners, without the gift of eloquence, his teaching was plain, direct 
 and based upon the true conception of the Church of God. His goodness 
 and sincerity attracted and attached every one to him. 
 
 His attitude during the Revolution was most admirable, for while he was 
 firmly attached to the Crown he did not allow himself to be drawn into 
 controversy. 
 
—30— 
 
 Trinity Church was closed until 1778 but the minister continued his 
 round of visits and consolation to the sick and afflicted. He was one of 
 those who determined that the Church in Connecticut should have an 
 Episcopal head before any change in the English Book of Common Prayer 
 should be made or any united effort made for an independent branch of 
 Christ's Holy Church. As New Haven grew the Church grew and Dr. Hub- 
 bard won more and more the good will of all sorts and conditions of men. 
 Under his supervision the negotiations for a new Church building on the 
 Green were conducted. 
 
 In 1811 his failing health made an assistant minister necessary and the 
 saintly Henry Whitlock of Norwalk was chosen in June of that year. 
 
 Dr. Hubbard survived in great weakness of body until he departed this 
 life, December 6, 1812, in the seventy-fourth year of his age and the 
 forty-eighth of his ministry. His old friend and companion. Bishop Jarvis, 
 lived only four months longer, for he died on May 3, 1813. 
 
 Dr. Hubbard married in Fairfield, Connecticut, May 15, 1768, Grace 
 Dunbar Hill of Antigua, West Indies. She was a daughter of Thaddeus 
 and Elizabeth (Isaacs) Hill. She died in Farmington, Connecticut, April 
 27, 1820, in the seventy-third year of her age. 
 
 One of their sons, Thomas, became prominent in the affairs of Syracuse, 
 New York, as a man of public spirit and Judge. Another, Bela, was for 
 many years active in business life in Detroit, Michigan, and a strong and 
 liberal supporter of St. Paul's Church. 
 
 N"ew Haven January 2V\ 1784. 
 My very dear friend : 
 
 'tis a very long time since, I have been blessed with your 
 very agreeable society & converse, and the late destracted times 
 prevented me writing you — ^but you have not forgotten me, with 
 pride & satisfaction I received your letter written soon after 
 the peace, the Spirit of which did you honor & gave pleasure 
 to me & your friends, you appear to have had a perfect knowl- 
 edge of our political Situation, Law providence will determine 
 in the final issue, our Eclesiastical ; time will show, but certain 
 it is that the Church in America is more respected than I 
 expected. 
 
 The General Assembly now setting in this town seem dis- 
 posed to give full scope to the toleration of all religious parties, 
 and have in this Session passed some acts, that give equal 
 countenance to each religious denomination, which will help the 
 Church in particular, and was a bishop to come into this govern- 
 
—31— 
 
 ment, it is my real opinion, that every thing would be made 
 easy to him on the part of government provided th' v^as no 
 formal application made to them on that score. 
 
 Your Estate hath never been, nor will it he confiscated, 
 although I believe the Assembly have availed themselves of the 
 interest of it — your aged mother was alive as young Jones told 
 me at Christmass & sent a letter to be forwarded to you via IsT 
 York — your son I saw lately at M'. Birdseys, he with D''. 
 Johnson & myself concluded on the whole that your son had 
 better tarry for a season here, good care will be taken of him. 
 
 All old things are done away, but your brethren in their 
 
 conduct in consequence of your going away hath been altogether 
 
 misrepresented to you, I shall God willing soon convince you 
 
 ' by original papers that your brethren have in no instance acted 
 
 an unfriendly part with you. 
 
 A young gentleman I much esteem calls on me going to 
 morrow from this port to London which determined me 
 
 educated in y: College 
 to write you — the gentleman is M"" Jeremiah Townsend he 
 is in y marcantile line connected with M' Jeremiah Atwater 
 a good man uniformily, he goes I suppose to form some 
 connections in trade, is industrious, sensible, & of strict honor, 
 any civilities shown to him by you I shall consider as an honor 
 done me and shall not be forgotten by me — by him I send you 
 D'" Styles Election Sermon — I leave you to make your own 
 remarks upon it — I have another favor to ask & I conjure you 
 by the love I bare you, that you grant it me, which is to give 
 yourself the trouble to enquire out a proper person in London 
 to furnish us a neat good well toned Organ with a decent case 
 for about 100*^ Guinea's, we have now a subscription filling up 
 for the purpose and shall probably in the Spring forward the 
 money — you know my Church is small, but if we succeed as I 
 think we shall in filling up our subscription I shall write you 
 more particularly about the matter. 
 
 I had written so far & your favor of October 20*^ 1783 was 
 handed to me, I shall communicate the contents to my brethren, 
 and am obliged to you for your good advice respecting the 
 
—32— 
 
 Interest of the poor Church in this part of the World — we hope 
 not to fall under the leather mitten & be darned up in Utica 
 but yet to stand on good ground & have a bishop among our- 
 selves who are now y^ largest body of Episcopal Clergy in any 
 one Gov*, in America — what you say about the points N York, 
 whose influence, had ruined y^ clergy of Connecticut. If M'. 
 Leaming, Jarvis, Andrews & Scovil & myself c*^. have prevailed 
 at the convention & what follows is all a riddle to me wish you 
 to explain it to me, by the return of the bearer of this, and I 
 conjure you to tell me how you live, what are your hopes, this 
 side Jord'on, we shall no doubt find better on the other 
 
 side of it, pray how does your dear girl Miss Hannah who we 
 are told is much accomplished, speaks and writes French well 
 &c. &c. M''^ Hubbard the mother of six children & who hath 
 borne 8 desires not to be forgotten by you & your dear girl, 
 she hath a woman's anxieties to know whether or no Miss 
 Hannah is married & whether the Kev*^. Pimlico parson is a 
 single or a married man — tell me in your next all these things 
 & add many like words of things for our mutual curiosity — 
 you mention M". Cargil please to make our kind love to her & 
 husband & if she wishes to know the present State of New 
 Haven M'^ Townsend the bearer can fully gratify her — you men- 
 tion still a desire that M"". Birdseye would send you your son 
 I shall see him probably very soon and I will communicate to 
 him what you say on the Subject, but as I observed before D^ 
 Johnson thinks it would be better for you with respect to your 
 Estate in Hebron for him to reside here at least for the present, 
 he is truly a very fine child, he looks much like a cherry cheek'd 
 lad by the JSTame of S P — whom I knew in Y College some 
 20 years since, I have kissed Grace on your account & my own, 
 & she most cordially saluteth you, as does the worthy M'' 
 Leaming our good brother who happens to be here — the spirit 
 of the people oppressed with the burden of taxes, grows daily 
 more & more mild, hope in a year or two you will come among 
 us & make your abode with us, we are undoubtedly, we allways 
 were, & always shall be undoubtedly the best, the worthyest the 
 best natured loving & amiable Clergy in the World — it would 
 
—33— 
 
 now give your heart the utmost joy to be with us in one of our 
 Conventions, you shall yet be blessed no doubt with our good 
 Company, & Society, but if Heaven sho"^. determine otherwise, 
 hope we shall all meet in Heaven, whose King is Just, & among 
 whose subjects, mercy. Justice, peace & love forever reign may 
 we meet there never more to part is y® wish & prayer of my 
 very dear brother, your's aifectionately, 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 Assembled cordially in Convention at Wallingford at the house 
 of the Rev"^. Peter Lizzard the Rector of Rectors the 
 
 last week 
 Rev*^. Messrs Leaming, Scovil, Jarvis, Clarke Hubbard — 
 Scovil Andrews will probably go in the Spring to view the 
 ISTova Scotia world as agents for a company going thither — 
 Scovil hath 8 children Andrews 5 I have six how they are to 
 be provided for God knows, we are all confounded poor tho' 
 rich in good works & in love to one another. Clarke remains 
 at 'New Milford poor, Marshall still at Woodbury, but thinks 
 of Milford — Old Milford which place is destitute of ministers 
 of all denominations many of y® dissenting parishes are vacant, 
 & likely to continue so, their Ministers out preached themselves 
 & have very much lost their influence with their people, Viets 
 Roger, Dibblee, Tyler, Fogg, I^ichols, IsTewton, Mansfield & 
 Bostwick are all still above ground. Father Beach Dead — his 
 parish vacant, as is Stratford, Fairfield, JSTorwalk, l!^ London, 
 Hebron &c. My people are civil to me & my church gains 
 ground daily. 
 
 Once more God bless you faith. 
 
 Bela your friend. 
 Rev^ S\ Peters. 
 
 ISTew Haven March 19, 1784. 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 One good arises from the general evil that is brought on by 
 the seperation of the countries, — a door is opened for a freer 
 intercourse with ones friends, I acknowledge with pride & 
 
—34— 
 
 pleasure that I have received two letters which I have read to 
 hundreds of your friends, to my and their edification, in your 
 last you have been good enough to mark out a plan for the 
 Connecticut episcopate corresponding in the general with the 
 sentiments of your brethren in these goings down of the sun, but 
 the grand difficulty appears to lie in your dim climes of light, — 
 the spirit of our New england puritan brethren are mightily 
 cooled & cooling, poverty who can stand before, it hath produced 
 great alterations feeling its pains they are now projecting 
 plans to recal their banished brethren from Nova Scotia, the 
 strife and contention is between the City of N Haven & the 
 City of N London for you must know that both these places 
 have obtained charters from the general Assembly of Connect- 
 icut last January and are Incorporated City's. New Haven y^ 
 first with liberal privileges I expect M"^. Elias Shipman com- 
 mon-counselman of the City of N Haven & Cap*^. W™. Powel 
 a citizen of the same City will go to London in the course of 
 y® ensuing summer by whome I intend to write you about many 
 things & they will be able to tell you many more than I can 
 write — in the mean season to give you some faint Idea of the 
 spirit of our citizens I enclose a vote of y® Town of N Haven 
 as comprehending its parishes about which I say — The Charter 
 is as I told you a liberal one, & by y^ above named gentleman. 
 I propose sending it to you without expense, I wrote you some 
 time since by a M"^ Townsend with a Sermon of D"". Stiles 
 which I hope you have received also I asked your favorable 
 attention to a matter we have much at heart the procuring an 
 Organ for Trinity Church. Shipman & Powel will I suppose 
 bring with them one Hundred Guineas to procure the Organ 
 & case — they will probably tarry but a few weeks in London 
 & if the business could be forwarded any way beforehand so 
 that they might be able to bring it with them we should be 
 very much obliged — we have at this present writing some 70 
 or 80 £ lawful raised for y® purpose, pray dont fail writing me 
 by the return of Townsend. 
 
 We have had to grappel with the most severe frost the last 
 winter, that the memory of man can furnish us with an account 
 
—35— 
 
 of; our harbour for many months bound with frost but two 
 or three days ago broke up, how cold it hath been at IST Carolina 
 the last winter in the course of but a few weeks from Boston 
 to ]Sr York it has been said we lost not less than 1500 souls — our 
 commerce as yet is very far from making us rich most of our 
 people have come into the opinion that our Independence is 
 not the one thing needful, unless poverty is that thing, how 
 we are to get money is the grand question — if we go to N Scotia 
 meet we must the difficulties that always attend setlers in IsT 
 Countrys, if we stay where we are we can but only starve, we 
 shall not perish by the Sword that is Sheathed, in a word we 
 are on the ground and can get no lower — Scovel & Andrews 
 representatives to a company of adventurers to the Eastward 
 set out in the month of April to explore land for their settle- 
 ment, but I think they will return to their missions and probably 
 stay with them while inhabitants of this lower world & that 
 may be the case of the rest of your brethren of the Episcopal 
 Church in N England. — The dissenting clergy have no cause 
 of triumph the late struggle hath made them cheap & generally 
 dispised and as far as religion is thought of the Church is now 
 by far y'^ most popular. 
 
 Our Clergy of Maryland nominated D^ Smith for their Bis- 
 hop, but the Assembly, who imagined they should have a voice 
 in that affair would not approve of the candidate — this refusal 
 drew from the Clergy a Bill of rights &c. — this disagreement 
 at present retards the setling the Church in that quarter. — ]\F. 
 White a quondam chaplin to congress Philadelphia, goes on 
 another plan, & endeavors to get a B^. nominated by the General 
 Vestrys in that State — our pla7i you know but I cannot omit 
 the mention of the favourable attention of our general Assembly 
 to it, they declare they have no objection, but if we can support 
 him they will give us no trouble — hope your bishops will help 
 us at this lift — do you intend to spend all your days in Eng- 
 land ? You can return soon if you will — jour Son at Stratford 
 is well & your friends there. I shall trouble you but a little 
 more, but I must not omit an important matter or two and 
 will dismiss you — first for myself — in your future letters to 
 
—se- 
 me pray dont fail to direct to me thus — Rev. B. Hubbard 
 rector of Trinity Church in y® City of IT Haven in y® first 
 City of N England — be so good then as to pull off your canon- 
 ical hat in future to your canonical &, important brother of 
 y^ City, viz. The Rev. Rector Hubbard of the City of K 
 Haven — & as for my very good wife & of her I have to observe 
 that grace hath & still doth increase & for y' very honorable 
 mention made of her makes you one of her best a very low 
 City courtesy & she hath learned to make them for know you 
 that our City furnishes dancing masters, she prostrates herself 
 to the Rev. M'". Peters, pimlico, London begs she may not be 
 forgotten of him, & remembers his daughter & wishes she could 
 mention M''^. Peters, as likewise she remembers most kindly 
 ]\P^ Cargel, Miss Harrison & her good husband in which joins 
 the rector of the New City, let us all meet again on better 
 terms & in a more stable World. your old friend, who 
 
 hath the honor to subscribe himself the rector of &c. &c. your 
 friend. 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 Rev. S. Peters. 
 
 New Haven Connecticut June 1. 1784. 
 My dear Sir: 
 
 I wrote you sometime since and amongst other things men- 
 tioned a matter of business I wished you to transact for my 
 little Church, viz. the procuring for it an Organ. 
 
 In an application of this sort I would much sooner consult 
 my friend y" a mere Stranger, partly impelled by necessity 
 to procure an organ we wish it may be a well toned and well 
 made one with such a number of stops as will make it proper 
 for excellent Church musick from the common Psalm tune to 
 the Anthem — Voluntary &c. & we wish you to get an honest 
 unprejudiced organist in London or Westminster to play on 
 this organ and determin whether it will answer our purpose 
 or not before it is sent over. 
 
 You know the Church building is but small the inside 40 
 by 60 feet, the Arch &c but what the maker need to know 
 
—37— 
 
 about this will appear by the little plan of the space of the 
 Church that is to contain it — which is enclosed — 150 guineas 
 will be paid for the first cost to the maker of the organ &; the 
 case, my meaning is that the organ case & shipping expenses, 
 without the freight should cost 150 guineas, and the case we 
 wish a neat Oak case, neatly varnished, but would have no 
 extravagant work put on it and my good friend ]\P. Isaac Beers 
 who forwards this business from ]^ York sends you £100 pounds 
 sterling & the remainder will be compleated in smaller sums 
 in six months, at furtherst — a very able gentleman has prom- 
 ised us that as soon as advice is received of its being shipped 
 he will advance us as far as £50 sterling immediately so that 
 we are sure of the money at all events without the aid of the 
 Churches property or rents which also hath secured us the 
 ballance. — 
 
 Further, we should wish to have a full direction in writing 
 describing the members & parts of the organ, & how they are 
 to be put together as such an instrument is new to us, also 
 a book containing such instrumental music as is necessary for 
 Churches, & the whole if got ready soon enough to be shipped 
 & sent out by one of the autumn ships to X York that we may 
 hear the sound by Christmass. — and now when our Church in 
 these goings down of the sun shall rise in importance & flourish 
 our free City & port may be the seat of an Archbishop should 
 it be his grace Samuel not Hugh — pray remember your friend 
 the underwriter & let him be an Archdeacon and let this self 
 same organ do your Grace's choice do your Grace much honor — 
 and further if you should happen to stumble on some poor 
 but yet honest English lad that would come out & bring with 
 him a small venture in Books of Psalms, & that could play 
 skilfully the organ & hath an English School & Musick altho 
 I dare not promise or engage any thing yet I think he might 
 procure a decent support here, think of this my friend and 
 be not backward in this whole business & you may depend 
 upon it that myself and all your musical friends will love & 
 thank you. 
 
—38— 
 
 Praj let me know what is said & all that is said about an 
 American bishop in these times of unhappiness on your side 
 of the water in my next letter which I intend to write you 
 from N" Milford where a meeting of your brethren in Trinity 
 week will be held I shall give you a picture of our present 
 State & condition both in Church & State till then I must 
 take my leave and beg you to believe me, with M''^ Hub- 
 bards best love & to Miss Hannah yours faithfully & most 
 
 affectionately 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 
 IST.B. Since the writing the above our good friend & Brother 
 M". Leaming came to my house from Stratford (where he is 
 building up the ruins of that Church) and brought in with 
 him your little Son who is in perfect health & looks as you 
 did when you was 16 years old — M''. Birdseye wishes you & 
 daughter to send over to him or any other person a power 
 of attorney to take possession of your & her interest which is 
 not confiscated & is safely yours, but is at present let out by 
 the high Sheriff of Hartford. 
 
 Yours as before 
 
 B. H. 
 Eev"^ S. Peters. 
 
 COPY. 
 
 Ko. Exch. £100 " - " - Sterling, ITew-York, June 10th, 1784 
 Forty Days after Sight of this draft per Exchange, (second 
 
 and third unpaid) 
 
 pay M^ Isaac Beers or Order, 
 
 One Hundred Pounds Sterling 
 
 Value received, and charge the same to Account, with or 
 without advice from 
 
 To 
 
 John Rivington Esq. James Rivington 
 
 & Sons 
 
 London. 
 
—so- 
 New Haven N'ovember 25'\ 1784. 
 Reverend & dear brother, 
 
 I am sincerely obliged to you for your letter of the 21^^ of 
 July handed to me by M"". Townsend & for your polite & kind 
 attention to him he speaks of it with gratitude — your ideas 
 of T)\ Ezra Stiles & his piece which his Son called pop-rohin 
 perfectly agree with those generally entertained on this side 
 the water. 
 
 The reception his piece met with from the public is a 
 sufficient mortification to the poor man. 
 
 I acknowledge with the same gratitude likewise yours of 
 July 14**^. via I^ York enclosed in which was a letter for your 
 friend D"". Sutton which I forwarded to brother Abraham and 
 doubt not but he hath carefully forwarded it to the Doctor, 
 by the way brother Abraham hath been the Father of one child 
 by Sister !N"ancy but deceased from after its birth whither this 
 took place before, or since your departure from America I 
 forget, the good old man remains rector of Christ Chh in the 
 City of Middletown & hath the satisfaction of seeing his con- 
 gregation grow in numbers & importance — tis pleasurable fur- 
 ther to tell you that I have been highly delighted with yours of 
 August & the pamphlets and 30 odd pages in manuscript. — 
 you have bought an Organ for £157. Ster: & endorsed 
 the £100 bill to M"". Henry Holland, we hoped to have had 
 it at Christmass but by M''. Austin's arrival without it 
 which was at N York on the 14*^ of the present month & 
 who left London about the 24*''. of September we think 
 whether it will not be too late to send it out this winter, he 
 saith about ten days previous to his sailing he called at your 
 house to see you but did not find you at home, I had been 
 flattered with an expectation of receiving by him a fresh 
 packet from you — your letter by y^ way of Rhodeisland to 
 M"". Isaac Beers hath not as yet come to hand — I think we 
 mentioned a wish to you to get the Organ ensured out you 
 will be kind enough to do it when you send it. you mentioned 
 in your last to me that there remained due to the late M''. 
 
—40— 
 
 Kneeland from the Society £25. Ster. enclosed I send a bill 
 of exchange endorsed to you with Letters f™ D^ Johnson & 
 Learning if the bills are honoured by the Society as I trust 
 they will be, wish you to be so good as to pay the contents to 
 M"", Henry Holland for the organ, & what further will remain 
 due to him, we shall endeavor in the course of the Winter to col- 
 lect & transmit to you, mean while I hope M''. Holland will 
 be under no uneasiness for the rest due as he may depend 
 on it shortly, although Church work as old S*^. Roger said, 
 is slow-worh — your humane and polite attention we do not 
 forget but you will hear further on these matters. 
 
 I was much surprised to hear that the late M'. Kneel ands 
 character as a Loyalist had suffered with the Society, wish I 
 could know from what quarters the accusation came, to his 
 death you may depend on it he remained a loyal & firm friend 
 to his Majesty & government, no suspicion to y^ contrary was 
 ever hinted here. 
 
 Brother Bostwick was here in September last he never hinted 
 y® least suspicion of his entertaining a thought of your 
 unfriendliness to him — I doubt on your side the water you 
 have too many stirrers up of difficulty — and with regard to 
 the information you had of the conduct of your brethren here 
 in the late distracted times it was unjust & cruel — when your 
 letters were Seized they were brought to l!^ Haven by Hosmer 
 now no more, who called on me & pretended friendship, I sent 
 for several of the brethren & they were met at my house by 
 more than 60 I believe of y^ lower house of Assembly who 
 were clamourous to get us publicly to condemn your conduct 
 & to say that we did not think y^ was a necessity for your going 
 away, we persisted in it to y® last y* you could not get pro- 
 tection from Gov"". Trumbul after an application to him for 
 it, and that therefore we did think you justified before God 
 & man in going away & that we shod have done the like in 
 the like situation, and all that we did in effect say ultimately 
 was that we did not at that time know of it, a short piece of 
 this tenor & importing in short our political creed was inserted 
 in the newspapers w*^** I have taken pains to get & send you — 
 !M^ Isaac Beers told me sometime since that he had seen it 
 
—41— 
 
 among his papers & would hand it to me, but upon a further 
 search he was not able to find it, but I hope yet to procure it 
 & I will send it you & our conduct will then appear to you 
 in a very different point of light from the representation of 
 it on your side of water possibly by some members of the 
 then Gen\ Assembly, t'was but lately we had any hints of foul 
 play in this matter, but if you have any remaining uneasiness, 
 I can assure you with great sincerity that at that time, & at 
 all times your character stood high & altogether unempeached 
 by any of your Brethren of the clergy or laity on our side of 
 y® question & still doth, but enough of this for y® present. 
 
 M'. Leaming has placed himself at Stratford & doubtless 
 gives you information of the condition of your son. — 
 
 I send you likewise the doings of a convention & premising 
 that the Connecticut Clergy are no friends to the lay represen- 
 tation, & if we are ever so happy as to have a bishop at our 
 head we shall be able I trust to preserve our Church in Con- 
 necticut decent — W. Smith always busy hath published a 
 Sermon & written some remarks on the proceedings of the 
 clergy & laity of Maryland for the establishment of a bishop 
 in that Province I will try to get & send it you. 
 
 Lizard Peter, the rector of pauls hath received yours in 
 answer to one written by deacon Scovel & himself f™ Nova 
 Scotia — M^ Bowden I think will settle himself at Norwalk 
 where y'' remains still a respectable body of Chh people but 
 my dear Sir this country is really poor and will remain so at 
 least through the present generation. I think with you that 
 our best days are gone, I shall endeavor for myself to get 
 through life with as much ease to myself with respect to any 
 Gov*^. as possible. I have been heretofore anxious & distressed 
 I leave it all & hope to meet you where good gov*^. obtains & 
 where friendship will by no means be interrupted — in the 
 mean season I shall always be happy to hear of any good 
 that awaits you & yours & as to support (Src, all that I am able 
 to collect is that the Rev**. ]VP. Peters resides at Pimlico in 
 his own hired house & that he entertains all that call on him 
 with much hospitality & elegance — you are not married nor 
 your dear Hannah it shod seem, I wish when that event takes 
 
—42— 
 
 place you & she may be as happy as you wish & that your hap- 
 piness may increase & multiply upon you continually as long 
 as you wish it, & that at last the fervent S*^. Peter may open 
 to you a gate which will let you in to a scene of happiness 
 too great for description — Grace D. Hubbard my good Spouse 
 yet lives & hath been y® mother of 9 children of which 6 are 
 now living 4 sons & two daughters viz. John James, IsTancy, 
 Bela, Elisabeth, Frederic, & Thomas Still, James & ISTancy 
 begin to remind us of our old age, this comfort of mine doth 
 not forget you & yours & wishes to see & tell you what a 
 sense she hath of the very kind notice you take of her, she 
 begs her best love to you & Miss Hannah D® ve Peters, & like- 
 wise we present our love to M'. & M". Cargel whom we wish 
 happy, pray is old M^ Harrison her uncle yet alive? I wish 
 I could see your daughter touch y® chord of a musical instru- 
 ment & her feet & fine shape in a minuet tell her still to dance 
 & rejoice ! I believe we shall see one-another yet on this 
 side y® grave ! Grace wishes you to tell her how Miss Hannah 
 came by her new name she supposes it was given her in her 
 travils abroad you must let her know in your next, we are 
 all as we were poor & if y® Society drops us we are ruined, — • 
 I will endeavor soon to write you again, my Brother & Sister 
 Hubbard drove from Guilford in y^ fury of y® late times 
 lives here and loves you & I^ Caldwell who calls ready to 
 laugh & Bless you and your Letters. 
 
 Yours affectionately, 
 
 B. Hubbard. 
 
 ^ew Haven January 29***. 1785. 
 My dear brother, 
 
 I take this method, to introduce to you, my friend & parish- 
 ioner M^ Jared Mansfield, a young Gentleman of a liberal 
 education & of a mathematical genius a Son of the late M^ 
 Stephen Mansfield a quondam faithful Church Warden of mine, 
 now in Heaven, & when on Earth as loyal a subject of his 
 King as he was a faithful one to his God — he is in company 
 with Cap*^. French another worthy character & excellent 
 
—43— 
 
 parishioner of mine, these men will probably stay in your 
 overgrown City 8 or 10 weeks, and any civilities shown them 
 will be gratefully received by them & not easily forgotten by 
 the underwriter your ancient & present old fashioned friend. 
 
 They will I presume be very able to answer any questions 
 you may be disposed to ask them, about pil-garlie in particular, 
 and your own bamboozled brethren in general, in the States 
 in general — bamboozled by both countries — Our affairs are 
 in a very narrow circle, we are considered as of no conse- 
 quence, as nobody, are poor, contemptible & forgotten — ^your 
 world is mad ! — wish they would recover their senses, but I 
 presume however they will take th"^ own way & they must. 
 For myself I intend to meet you in heaven, short of that Coun- 
 try I expect nothing. — But why doth England refuse to meet 
 us on the ground of religion? Why will she not give us a 
 bishop, did they once but open y'" eyes they would certainly see 
 it just & very political, but if they will keep y^ eyes closed we 
 cannot help it! — Your premier I do not like, he appears to 
 be an unfeeling boy, & let C". Price be hanged, & go where 
 he belongs, I like him not — as a politician I am afraid he is 
 too much listened to & that the Presbyterian interest is a grow- 
 ing interest — tell me how that is and tell me every thing proper 
 for me to know by y® return of my friends — I believe in my 
 last I told you of the reception of your pamphlets & Lucuba- 
 tions they have afforded me much pleasure & your friends in 
 this part of the world. — 
 
 M^ Leaming I told you was setled at Stratford & ]\P Boding 
 at ISTorwalk, M"". Leaming hath resided principally with M'. 
 Birdsey where of course your little Son hath become an object 
 of his attention, he is really a fine child & when I see him 
 brings you to my mind as you looked at the age of Sixteen — 
 I have heard nothing from him some weeks although I presume 
 they are all well as lately I have had a line from M"". Leaming. 
 
 JVP. James Sayre hath settled with the people of Guilford 
 & Branford with a Salary of £80 p' annum & last Saturday 
 I had a letter from our Brother M' John Graves signifying a 
 wish to come into Connecticut, so that the old missions are 
 filling up & if we had a bishop at our head the Church would 
 
—44— 
 
 soon be numerous & respectible. I shall add no more at the 
 present but a wish for your & the happiness of your amiable 
 daughter whom God long preserve to vou. — M". Cargel perhaps 
 hath ere this been told of y^ decease of her good mother M". 
 Harrison at Ehodeisland which happen'd a few weeks since 
 our compliments of condolence to her & partner, and accept 
 M'■^ Hubbards & my familys best love to you & Miss Hannah, 
 which concludes me dear M^ Peters your affectionate Brother 
 & obliged humble Servant. 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 Eev"^. M^ Peters. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 Yours of the 6*'' of September via Boston came to hand, and 
 I wrote you a long letter in answer which I expected to have 
 sent by M^ Samuel Broome, and after having sealed it & got 
 a bundle of pamphlets & a letter from M"". Trumbul IT Haven 
 which are now on hand to go still I hope before winter is 
 ended perhaps by W"". Hillhouse, I was disappointed in Broomes 
 failing — if God Spares my life I will add many more words & 
 pamphlets to those already Sealed up which are by me, but 
 of this hereafter — at present I must trouble you with the 
 Postage of this on my own concerns. I have this day a 
 
 M^ Whitlock 
 letter from one of the wardens of S\ Johns Church 
 
 Cap^ 
 by the way poor Camp left this world eleven days after 
 his arrival at S\ Johns — I am behol" with a hint you furnished 
 some one at S\ Johns that Bayley would not be appointed to 
 that living & that I could have it for asking for it — I am here 
 as poor as Jobs hens or Turkeys, but if all other difficulties 
 were removed, how am I to get my expenses paid in removing 
 my family to that country and will the Society continue the 
 £50 for certain during my life — If I could support my great 
 family at S*. Johns as I think I cannot here if the Society 
 would be pleased to appoint me their missionary there why I 
 
—45— 
 
 think I would if too, in pity to my moneyless state bare my 
 expenses to the parish", venture to go to that cold country — you 
 know I love and allways shall continue to love that country from 
 which I am now seperated — but M^ Whitlock says he under- 
 stands that Bishop Inglis hath wrote a Second letter in favour 
 of D"". Bayley but if you will try to hold y® parish for me, I 
 will as early as possible, write to D"". Morice & lay my dis- 
 tressed condition before y® Society & beg an appointment of 
 me to S*'. John— what you wrote about M"". Dibblee being at 
 S*. John is altogether a mistake — he has never been there old 
 ]\F. Dibblee, and I never learned that he had any thoughts 
 of going there, he has not been there, — my eyes are Sore I 
 cannot write and my thoughts are I know not where, — pray 
 good Doctor Peters will you think Still of Bela & Grace & 
 :N'ancy & James & Bela 2*^ & Frederic & Thomas & Betsey & W. 
 Henry &c. — of Grace & all her children — & help the old couple 
 to be in a situation to scramble for them — pray do know of D"". 
 Morice too, whither the Government Salary will be continued 
 & whither any chaplinships can be tacked to that parish — in 
 short help me if you can, & I will write soon to the Society 
 meanwhile I rest your humble admirer altho' in the 
 State of Connecticut — with Graces love to you M''. and M". 
 Jarvis your own & your Grandson I am as ever your real friend 
 & very humble Servant. 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 
 N^ew Haven four days before Xmas — 
 
 be the blessings of that Season yours — 
 
 I shall write you soon — 
 
 Write me by y*^ first packet. 
 
 Kev'' D^ Peters. 
 
 Reverend Doctor Samuel Peters 
 Charlotte Street Pimlico 
 London — 
 Hubbard Bela 
 21 Dec^ 1788 
 rec^ March 2-89- 
 
New Haven Pecember 27*^ 1Y88 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 A few days since I wrote to you, but as a Vessel sails to 
 morrow for England I must still trouble you with another line 
 on my concerns only, I have weighed as well as I am able my 
 going to S*. John — and by this conveyance tell D^ Maurice 
 that I will if the Society say so — and will render permanent 
 the Salary of 150, from Gov°\ & them, and will be at y** 
 expense of removing me but will you dear Sir, be so good as 
 to trouble y' self further, & know if there is no chaplinship 
 obtainable to add to y*" comforts of a Mission as cold as Green- 
 land, if there is any thing in that way pray help me if you 
 can & I will pray for you & wish you well untill you shall have 
 no need of prayers & wishes, — Grace thanks you, — I shall 
 send you Trumbuls pamphlets with others soon, I can now 
 add no more as the Vessel I now find is going off only that T 
 am yours affectionately, 
 
 B. Hubbard 
 
 Your kinsman in College Dined with me yesterday is clever — 
 God bless you all — 
 Kev''. D'. Peters— 
 
 SAMUEL (ANDREW) PETERS. 
 
 Samuel (Andrew), a son of John and Mary (Mark) Peters, was born 
 at Hebron, Connecticut, November 20, 1735, 0. S. 
 
 He was educated in the common country school of the village and pri- 
 vately prepared for College. He graduated from Yale College in 1757. 
 
 He had conformed to the Church of England and studied theology under 
 Dr. Samuel Johnson of Stratford. He went to England in the fall of 1758, 
 bearing letters of commendation from Dr. Johnson and others. Soon after 
 his arrival he had a severe attack of small pox. The Archbishop of Canter- 
 bury and. the Bishop of London saw that he was well cared for and per- 
 sonally visited him when the possibility of infection was past. He was 
 made deacon and ordained priest in the summer of 1759. His license to 
 officiate in Plantations was given by the Bishop of London, August 25 of 
 that year. 
 
 He made full proof of his ministry, was affectionately regarded by his 
 parishioners and by the clergy of the colony was most highly esteemed. 
 He did much missionary work, notably in the New Hampshire Grant, now 
 
—47— 
 
 Vermont. In a letter to the Venerable Society, he describes one visit when 
 he took his clerk with him, and after prayer upon a hill top, from which 
 an extensive view can be liad, he named the region verd mont. 
 
 Mr. Peters was a thorough and consistent believer in a united British 
 Empire; in conversation and formal argument and in newspapers of the day 
 he showed his bitter detestation of any attempt at independence. So bitter 
 was his pen that in the summer of 1774, when there had reached 
 Hebron copies of the reports sent by Mr. Peters, as they thought, the Sons 
 of Liberty called upon him defiant and angry and demanded the retraction 
 of the malicious libels upon the cause of American freedom. Mr. Peters 
 stoutly refused, was hooted, jeered at and his house and furniture damaged. 
 After a second visit from the same persons he fled from Hebron to Boston 
 after having on Sunday, September 4, 1774, while all men were indignant 
 at the British troops for firing upon Boston. He sailed for England in 
 October, leaving behind him house, land and children. His daughter 
 Hannah joined him in London after some time. 
 
 Mr. Peters lived comfortably upon a pension from the Crown, engaging 
 in literary and political work, receiving hospitably the friends who in 
 those troubled times visited England. He hoped that he might be made 
 Bishop of Nova Scotia and friends solicited the honour for him. 
 
 The circumstances under which he was elected Bishop of Vermont in 
 February, 1794, were somewhat extraordinary, for Dr. Samuel Bass of 
 Newburyport, Massachusetts, had been elected a few months previously and 
 had not declined. 
 
 The efforts to obtain consecration for Dr. Peters in England were unavail- 
 ing. Xo request appears to have been made to the American Bishops. The 
 testimonials necessary could not have been furnished, for Dr. Peters seldom 
 oflaciated anj'where. In the course of the correspondence he suggested a 
 state ceremonial by proclamation of the governor and acknowledgment 
 of him by the clergy, citing passages from ancient writers to prove its 
 legality and feasibility In addition to an epistle to the Church in Vermont 
 which has been printed, there are found among his manuscripts two 
 charges and forms for letters of order and a device for the seal of the 
 Diocese. 
 
 A difference of opinion and controversy with William Pitt, the Prime 
 Minister, in 1804 caused that dignitary to strike his name from the pension 
 list. Broken in health, but indomitable in spirit, he returned to the United 
 States in 1805. He spent several years in Washington endeavoring to 
 obtain from Congress a confirmation of a grant of land near the Fall of 
 St. Anthony, now the site of Minneapolis and St. Paul, by the Indians to 
 the famous traveler, Jonathan Carver, who gave it to Dr. John Coakley 
 Lettsom and Dr. Peters. He failed utterly, but still persevered in his 
 attempt to have the Indians ratify it. He commenced a journey to the 
 Northwest for that purpose in 1817, but was taken ill and was tenderly 
 cared for by Indians at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, during the winter. 
 
 He died in the City of New York, April 10, 1826. 
 
 Dr. Peters married, February 14, 1760, Hannah, a daughter of Silas and 
 Elizabeth Owen of Hebron, Connecticut. Two daughters were born to them, 
 
—48— 
 
 Hannah, who died an infant^ March 2^ 1761, and Hannah Delavan, who 
 was born January 2, 1762. She married, in London, England, William 
 Jarvis, a son of Samuel and Martha (Seymour) Jarvis of Norwalk, Con- 
 necticut. Her husband was an officer in the first American Regiment and 
 served in Canada, where he held several civil offices, among tliem, that of 
 provincial secretary in the administration of Governors Simcoe, Hunter 
 and Gore. He died at York, Canada, August 13, 1817. Mrs. Jarvis died 
 at Queenstown, Canada, September 20, 1845. They had seven children. 
 
 Mr. Peters married for the second time, June 28, 1769, Abigail, a 
 daughter of Captain Samuel Gilbert. She died July 14, 1769. 
 
 He married for the third time at Stratford, Connecticut, April 21, 1773, 
 Mary, the only daughter of William and Eunice (Benjamin) Birdseye. She 
 died at Hebron, June 16, 1774. They had one son, born at Hebron, June 
 16, 1774, and named William Birdseye. He was brought up until his 
 fourteenth year by his grandparents and then completed his education in 
 England and France under the supervision of his father. He graduated 
 from Oxford University, studied law at the Temple, London, practiced in 
 Canada and Mobile, Alabama, where he died in 1817. 
 
 Dr. Peters' most famous work, though never formally acknowledged by 
 him, is: "A General History of Connecticut, By a Gentleman of the 
 Province," published originally in London in 1781 and republished in 1829, 
 and in a final edition in 1877 by Samuel Jarvis McCormick. The satirical 
 tone, the sometimes malicious amusement of the writer over the events of 
 Connecticut history, their treatment of all dissenters from Congregational- 
 ism, and his printing of certain alleged laws which he called the Blue 
 Laws, holding some of these up to ridicule, brought upon him much 
 vituperation and abuse. Writers upon Connecticut history even to the pres- 
 ent day speak of it as untruthful, unfair and exaggerated. It has, however, 
 been shown that the "laws" have a resemblance to some which were 
 enacted in the early days of the Colony. 
 
 He also published in 1785, a letter to the Rev. John Tyler on the Possi- 
 bility of Eternal Punishment and the Improbability of Universal Salvation; 
 A History of the Rev. Hugh Peters, 1807; besides articles in the English 
 magazines and papers. 
 
 Eev"^. Sir 
 
 I place my Confidance on your Goodness to pardon me for 
 offering my Sentiments concerning a Clergyman who is by you 
 to be named your Successor at Halifax — your acquaintance 
 with that People & your Popularity in that Country, your 
 Abilities, long Service & Great Merit were Keasons Sufficient 
 to have made you the Bishop of Nova Scotia in any Periods 
 of time before 1788 and after 1788. The Authors of this neg- 
 lect too late see their Error, and were they not Infidels or 
 
—49— 
 
 Dissenters from our excellent Establishment, thej would Mourn 
 for folly and for the Ruin of our Church in Kova Scotia under 
 a Redemptioner whose recent Conduct added to his former 
 compleats his character to the Disgrace of the Mitre — Qui vult 
 perdere &c. &c. — seems applicable to the Society as well as the 
 Civil Powers of Great Britain — they spend great sums of 
 money in their Colonies to support the Church & by ever send- 
 ing improper Clergymen & civil Rulers displease the Colonists 
 and turn from the Church & State — nothing appears so absurd 
 in my Opinion, as to consult only three or four leading Men 
 about who shall be the Clergyman of a town — this Conduct will 
 never increase the Church in America & it has almost emptied 
 the Churches in England — The Society have appointed D'. 
 Byles Missioner at S^ John's — & by it have made it necessary 
 for the People to shelter themselves under James & Milton 
 Lady Huntingdon's Chaplains — and the rest, in general, will 
 follow — and Sally Criecy or Mother Plantan cannot prevent, 
 them, nor hinder their Belief in D^ Califfs Reports. — 
 
 If you intend (as I believe you do) the Prosperity of the 
 Church in Halifax ; you will not be directed by any Individual 
 in that Town, in appointing your Successor — I know your 
 Character well, and that the People there esteem it highly — & 
 I know of no Man that can succeed to you with half the Repu- 
 tation you left, unless it be the Rev*^. Bela Hubbard of N^ew- 
 haven in Connecticut, whose voice, address, and politeness 
 exceeds all every other Clergyman ever known to me in IsTew 
 England. — His Character is perfectly known to M^ H. Loyd, 
 he is a good Scholar, & is Dean Barkley's Greek Examiner at 
 the University of !N^ew Haven — he was invited to succeed D'. 
 Apthorp at Cambridge, & D^ Cutler at Boston but he refused 
 both — he was a disciple of & a Convert of mine from the Dis- 
 senters — & excelled in perfections the Rev"^. M'. Kneeland — 
 who was known to you — & me — . If any man besides you can 
 unite the People of Halifax as they were when you left them, 
 M'. Hubbard for his own good & that of the Church you have 
 been forty years in building up. He has a large Family & 
 brought up in great politeness in a most delightful Town now 
 
—50— 
 
 oppressed with Taxes & Poverty & discontent with Congress — 
 M'. Hubbard has been always loyal, and good policy makes his 
 wish on December 27^^ 1788 worthy of J^otice, — his views are 
 not made known in Connecticut yet — If you should think 
 proper to recommend him for your successor at Halifax — he 
 Expects to be a Servant of the Society and not a dean to a 
 Redemptioner — One thing more, M'. Hubbard has a grateful 
 Heart, an Article understood by only few of the Clergy since 
 the Reformation — 
 
 I have the honour to be Rev^. Sir 
 
 Your affectionate Friend and 
 
 Most humble Servant 
 
 Samuel Peters. 
 Ye¥. S\ 1789 
 Rev**. D'. Breynton. 
 To 
 
 The Rev*^. Doctor Peters 
 
 Charlotte Street pimlico 
 
 London 
 p' Cap*. 
 
 William Miles 
 
 Hubbard Bela 
 December 27-1788 
 
 Brother Ab™ mutters & drops his lip that he is forgotten 
 by you & says he should write you but has never a private 
 conveyance, have pitty upon Ab"" The Israelite at Derby is as 
 you are wifeless & will continue so, — Your Nephew is a Stu- 
 dent of Law he was with me from the North last week on his 
 way to Hebron he is clever & bids fair to do honour to the 
 Name — Orace remembers you as does Levi, Anna, Caldwell & 
 Clarinda, but I think Clarinda is in a decline and may soon 
 go to heaven — We have been visited in the united States last 
 fall & this spring with the Influenza wch in many Instances 
 proved fatal especially to old people, it carried off my old Clerk 
 Joseph Browne a good old venerable man in his 89*'' year, if 
 
—51— 
 
 M^ Leavenworth, is y^ bearer of this he has been to London 
 before perhaps you know him, he is a Lawyer of this Town 
 Son to M'. Leavenworth of Waterbury he is a sensible man, 
 if it is Baldwin I dont know him but suppose he is a good man 
 by y® return of y® one or the other whoever it is pray write 
 me, and believe me as long as I live your sincerely attached 
 friend & obliged humble Servant. 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 After folding up my letter I find it is probable that W. 
 Baldwin will be the bearer who tho not a man of much address 
 is esteemed an honest worthy man — he may have some ques- 
 tions to ask you on the business he goes upon he is trusty & 
 clever. 
 
 Kev^. D'^: Peters. 
 
 Hubbard Bela Eev*^. 
 5 July 1790 
 22 August 1790 Eec^ 
 30 Octob'. Answr^ 
 D^ Baldwin. 
 
 New Haven October 30*^ 1790. 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 This moment M^ Broome called on me to let me know that 
 he sets out for Norfolk to morrow morning to embark once 
 more for England, and mentions to me the very kind and 
 gentleman like treatment he hath met with from you, & speaks 
 in y^ most handsom manner of you in all companies, as do all 
 our folks who visit your World — I wish I had known sooner 
 of this Voige, I would have sent you a New American prayer 
 hook the constitutions to w*^*" it pertains I send you with a 
 catologue of Yale College, the president of which tells me that 
 if you will send your signature, or rather the Name of the 
 College in w^^, or, from which, you received your Doctorate 
 he will be careful to do you justice — he is more friendly & 
 is sorry I believe that he ever has written any thing against 
 the Ch''. in particular — with regard to our ecclesiastical con- 
 
—52— 
 
 stitution lately adopted in this & other States I can only say 
 that it is the best we could get for the present — the door being 
 still open for amendments, it may yet be amended and I do 
 believe such as our Church now is it will be increased by large 
 additions from the Congregatiolists who are much pestured 
 by y® Methodists & Baptists who swarm in all parts of this & 
 indeed in most other States & will go near to win them, the 
 consequence will be that the better people who have any wish 
 for order & stability will in their own defence come into the 
 Church — I have been some time since expecting to hear of your 
 appointment to a Bishoprick of a Trait of country in the Kings 
 American dominions not far from Canady — Scovel or Andrews 
 wrote me last Summer some things about it, but I have heard 
 nothing since, wish most heartily that something may turn up 
 worth your accepting that may bring you once more into y® 
 Land of your jSTativity — I have dreamed often of seeing you 
 but when I awoke, it was a delusion — I wish it was a reality 
 that you was once more an Inhabitant of this part of it O, 
 I mean I wish so for myself and many many other of your 
 friends : — last week your I^ephew M". Peters Son of Jonathan 
 was at my house from Sharon where he keeps a School & read 
 Law, and thinks of pursuing that Study more effectually either 
 here or at IST Haven or Hartford, he is sensible & I think bids 
 fair to do honor to his Family is highly respected of his friends, 
 told me he had a letter from you in August I think — in which 
 if I remember you told him of your going to France, & of 
 y^ ill State of a M"". Peters a relation — ^you have omitted to 
 write me for a great while I am sorry, but will endeavor to 
 provoke you all I can to renew this business, and if you knew 
 how much satisfaction your letters give me Grace & a circle 
 of your friends in this Town I know your good & benevolent 
 heart would lead you to write oftener than you do — Jarvis, 
 complains, bitterly that he is neglected, & says he is incapac- 
 itated to write you by means of his situation, his Church is 
 as it was, but a Neiv Ch^ is formed at Chatham & is on y® grow- 
 ing Land where, Jarvis christened about one hundred on land- 
 
—53— 
 
 ing, adults & Infants at one stand — at present that Ch^ is 
 connected with Hebron where they have a young man a M'. 
 Brownson educated with your kinsman & put into Orders by 
 B^. Seabury but believe he will not tarry long with them — 
 M^. James Sayre is now at Stratford, in the place of our old 
 Friend D''. I. Learning, created a Doctor by the president of 
 Columbia College N York last Commencement, D^ Learning 
 has with his wife Phebe for y® gratification of her friends in 
 'New York viz : Aunt Hannah & others — removed thither Aunt 
 Hannah remains still Aunt Hannah & will continue to remain 
 Aunt Hannah for ever — Jarvis's boy is a fine boy, I mean 
 Isaac y® Son of Father Abraham & !N^ancy his Consort — whom 
 
 not 
 I have seen for some years — Nathaniel of Derby is yet a 
 Nathaniel indeed — a daughter of his is joined with a M'. 
 Blahesly in orders at Korthhaven in y® neighbourhood of your 
 Friend Trumbull, who boasts & vaunts himself on being a 
 correspondent with D"". Peters, take care that you do not burst 
 him — Congress you know have left N York for Philadelphia, 
 but wherever y^ go, they are not very likely to give much satis- 
 faction to y^ good people of y® States, having learned to take 
 care of themselves & forget their constituents the Six Dollars 
 p"" day w'^^ they have secured to themselves does not give our 
 frugal Farmers much affection for them, or Zeal for their 
 patriotism, from an Aristocracy we may get next a Government 
 more nearly resembling a limited Monarchy, but whatever shall 
 take place it will very little concern me, as I have little further 
 probably to do in this wayward World being now, an old man 
 with many wrinkles a pale face and a consumptive habit — 
 Grace my old fashioned & very good wife is in much Y^ same 
 condition, — but I hope she will live yet a good while she is 
 ambitious to be thought well of by you and therefore begs me 
 to thank you, and thank you again for your many & particularly 
 
 truths I mean 
 your late favors, forced upon you by M'. Broome & Hillhouse 
 I meant for her gowns &c. &c. — Hillhouse is your everlasting 
 
—54— 
 
 friend & y® old Philosopher I Mansfield — Levi & Anna, Cald- 
 well & Clarinda & a number of those old fashioned friends 
 still continue — & still continue your warm hearty & everlasting 
 friends, as do y^ present generation in Connecticut — pray did 
 you receive a line from me by y® hands of a brother in law 
 of Mark Leavingsworth Esq', a M"" Baldwin — if this reaches 
 you before he leaves England pray let me hear from you — 
 M'. T. Green your friend just this moment begs his love to 
 you & begs you to accept a Sketch of y® life of a certain Joseph 
 Mountain & if you can find out after y^ reading of his extra- 
 ordinary life that there is any truth in all, or any of the facts 
 recorded in it, that you would let us know it, — The General 
 Assembly now sits in this Town, a bill for a Divorce preferred 
 by I Strong Esquire, of our upper house of Assembly — and 
 likewise a Bill from his wife who was Susanna Wyllys daughter 
 of old Secretary Wyllys, has occasioned me to attend y^ house 
 e several days & will take up possibly two or three days more 
 before it will be finished, y® consequence if a Divorce takes 
 place, will be, that both, will remain, without help meats during 
 life, & y^ one dropped from all public entrustments, let them 
 pass — I do not wish you such a wife, but if you ever again 
 change your condition, may you have a better, yet I think her 
 far better than her husband — Our business in State Assemblies 
 grow less & less and will finally come to nothing — All your 
 friends here salute you — especially Levi & Anna, & W™. G. 
 
 & Elizabeth his wife 
 Hubbard who was Betsey Douglass, daughter of B. Douglass 
 Es(f. — Grace Nancy Hubbard my Daughter & all my family 
 begging the best love to you & your good daughter. Son in Law 
 own Son &c. — & believe me worthy & dear Sir yours unalterably 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 Rev*^. D^ Peters 
 
 Hubbard Bela 
 30 Octb 90 
 rec**. Dec'. 10— 
 
—55— ' 
 
 New Haven January 9'^ 1791 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I wrote you some time since by M'. Samuel Broome, and 
 learning this moment that, a Vessel is bound from this port 
 to London I cannot fail writing you, although I have nothing 
 that I can say to you that can afford you satisfaction. I told 
 you before that the Gentlemen from America who have been 
 so fortunate as to be recommended to your acquaintance, all 
 speak, highly of you, as not only a good and benevolent man 
 of a great Stock of Information, but as a warm friend to your 
 Native Country: & I think D'". Stiles begins to think more 
 favorably of you, yet he cannot forgive you for Writing (as 
 he says you did) the history of Connecticut' — ^but old Secretary 
 Wyllys who quarters in the Sessions of the Assembly two doorg 
 from me will not be a moment without it, he reads it y® last 
 thing when he goes to bed & the first thing when he arises — 
 but few people now are disposed to laugh with us, if they cry 
 not, they have the inclination at least to be serious, the expenses 
 of our Government & the duties with which our trade is sadled 
 are enough to make those furious, who expected our Inde- 
 pendence would be productive of every good — Our general 
 Assembly are now setting at New Haven — & they have per- 
 mitted a Refugee D'". Jos. Clarke late of Stratford but of 
 ]^ew-Brunswick to collect his debts in this State so that you 
 see that body begins to be inclined to open th'. Eyes to see 
 things as right & just which but a little while ago was other- 
 wise — I think in a letter sent you by M''. Broome I forwarded 
 our Ecclesiastical constitution, and before this, I presume you 
 have seen our iV^ew-common prayer hook. I would thank you 
 for your candid opinion both on the one & the other — the book 
 is adopted but not as yet gone into general use but suppose 
 it will — if I can send you one of these books I will — I think 
 the Church in Connecticut is on y® whole gaining reputation 
 old prejudices are daily giving way — and dissenters think more 
 justly of religion — Trumball is your friend, has sent you D'. 
 Edwards piece ag* Universalism, I think Fzm is not encreasing, 
 
—56— 
 
 though Tyler continues to preach it as heretofore and Murray, 
 but few of the Clergy in this Country of any denomination 
 have appeared on its side — but Arianism & Socinianism are 
 I think gaining ground in this Country, both to the Eastward 
 & Westward, our Clergy keep Connecticut to y® old orthodox 
 Doctrines — and we have in our Church a worthy set of young 
 Clergymen coming forward who I hope will make good y^ ground 
 of the Old-ones, of these there are Perry of Newtown, Baldwin 
 of Litchfield, Ives of Cheshire, Hull of Branford, Blakesley of 
 JSTorthhaven, Shelton of Fairfield, &c. &c., Foot of Rye, & lately 
 Ogilvie of ISTorwalk with others, at hebron & Chatham th' is 
 a M'. Tillotson Brunson a Scholar & man of sense but no great 
 preacher — D^ Walter I hear has left Shelbourn & about to 
 settle at D''. Cutlars Chh. in Boston & Cambrige — a M'. 
 Ogden is at Portsmouth an active Clergyman but why do I 
 take up your time in mentioning particular men, we have many 
 in the Country who do well in y' stations — Old Jarvis wishes 
 you would excuse his Indolence, & believe him at bottom your 
 friend, he is in truth an old man and his son & lllTancy to 
 take care of — Scovel & Andrews I suppose you hear of now 
 & then who are forever seperated from me — I wish you was 
 on this side the Atlantuk setled as a Bp. in some N^orthem Sea 
 & when that shall take place, I intend if Grace continues with 
 me & I with her, to do myself the honor to become one of 
 your Presbyters — with her best love in perfect union with mine 
 I subscribe myself dear Sir your very affectionate friend & 
 brother. 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 Rev''. D^ Peters. 
 
 Reverend Samuel Peters, L. L. D. 
 Grosvenor Place, 
 
 London. 
 Favoured by ) 
 Cap*. Brooks.) 
 
 Hubbard Rev**. 
 9 Jan^. 1791 
 rec"'. April 6,-91 
 Ans. May 2''-91 
 
—57— 
 
 New Haven April 5*^ 1795. 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 The bearer of this is Mark Leavenworth Esquire a Lawyer 
 of ITew Haven who with his wife an agreeable woman goes 
 to London on some business & to return, he has promised to 
 deliver this & the letter that accompanies it to you, and any 
 little Services you can in your way render him I have no doubt 
 you will afford him and his amiable companion he is a sensible 
 man & son of M"^. Leavenworth of Waterbury — The occasion 
 of my troubling you now is this, I have lately received a 
 letter from Bishop Inglis inviting me to accept the vacant 
 Mission of Cumberland in N^. Scotia — it seems it is an old 
 Mission and worth as he tells me £70 Sterling from Govern- 
 ment and £40 Ster. from the Society, I thought these Missions 
 had a larger allowance, it has likewise he says a good Glebe 
 pertaining to it, but no parsonage house built upon it, the mis- 
 sion is but a little better than my allowance from my present 
 Cure, but I believe I cannot engage the people here to fix a 
 Salary for life, and I think with a numerous family rendered 
 poor from a poor Salary & an expensive situation I ought to 
 accept a Certainty for an uncertainty — you know I can obtain 
 from the Bishop & Clergy in this State such Testimonials of 
 my good moral character & diligence in my clerical office as 
 will be fully satisfactory to the Society & the Bishop of Nova 
 Scotia as they may think needful — I have accordingly written 
 to D'. Morice, and asked his assistance with y^ Society to add 
 if the Mission is but £40 to add £10 Ster — to it & bare the 
 expense of removal of my family, or, if they have another 
 Mission in that quarter of the World with a larger allowance, 
 that they would appoint me to it — will you deliver the letter 
 that accompanies this to Jf. Morice, and use your influence 
 in my favour, it will be absolutely impossible for me to move 
 to Nova Scotia without the Societies assistance — and if they 
 would be so good as to advance a years salary it would be 
 of great use to me, as I might then lay in a years store of 
 provisions much cheaper here than there, I could have wished 
 
—58— 
 
 the vacancy had been in 'New Brunswick as those Missions have 
 £100 Ster from Government and £50 Ster — from the Society — 
 but believe me my dear Sir, my poverty calls too so strongly 
 upon me to do something for my family better y^ I can do for 
 them in this place, that I must I think accept of this Missions 
 but I hope that in consideration of my former long Services 
 for about Twenty years the Society will consider me, and in 
 their wisdom & goodness make the Mission at least equal to 
 any other in that Province, you will much oblige me in urging 
 my necessities which are truly pressing — since the receipt of 
 your letter by M'. Baldwin, our American papers have 
 announced the Rev**. Jy. Peters Bishop of Canada how is it? 
 let me hear from you as soon as may be, your friends salute 
 & greet you well here, & none more heartily than my old 
 companion — accept our best wishes for you, & present our best 
 love to M' and M"^. Jarvis with our congratulations for her 
 happy addition to her family, and enfold in your arms for me 
 your former image & likeness Birdseye Peters whom God bless 
 and make him good, useful & happy in this World & Eternally 
 blessed in another thus prays your old friend and most obed*. 
 humble Serv*. 
 
 Bela Hubbard. 
 I^.B. you recollect the Society allowed 
 
 Scovel Andrews &c. some back Salaries 
 Grace wishes you to hint if it will do something 
 of this for me assist me all you can & God bless you — 
 The Rev"*. D'. Peters— 
 To 
 
 The Rev^ D'. S. Peters 
 
 Grosvenor place or Charlotte 
 Street Pimlico 
 
 London — 
 Favoured by 
 
 Mark Leavenworth Esq^ 
 
 Hubbard Rev<*. 
 5'^ April 1791 
 rec^ 26 May — 
 
—59— 
 
 JEREMIAH LEAMING. 
 
 Jeremiah, a son of Jeremiah and Abigail (Turner) Learning, was born 
 in Durham, Connecticut, and was baptized by Nathaniel Chauncey, who 
 was the first pastor of the Church of Christ in that town, on May 12, 1717. 
 His father's farm appears to have been near the Middletown line, but the 
 family evidently attended service in the old Congregational Church on 
 Durham Green. 
 
 The son probably worked upon the farm in the summer and attended 
 school in the winter as was the custom in New England. He entered Yale 
 College when he was twenty-four and graduated with honor in 1745. 
 Among his classmates was Thomas Bradbury Chandler, afterward one of 
 the most noted of the Colonial Clergy and the pleader for an American 
 Episcopate. 
 
 It was while in College that Mr. Learning conformed to the Church of 
 England as many other young men of ability were then doing. He studied 
 theology under the Rev. Dr. Johnson of Stratford. He became lay reader 
 in St. Paul's Church, Norwalk, very much to the gratification of the 
 Congregation. They were desirous that he should become their minister 
 upon his ordination. But his eminent qualifications as a teacher caused 
 Dr. Johnson to commend him to the Vestry of Trinity Church, Newport, 
 Rhode Island, as a suitable principal for the school founded under the 
 will of Nathaniel Kay and assistant to the Rev. James Honyman. 
 
 Mr. Leaming went to England in the spring of 1748. He was made 
 deacon June 5 of that year by Dr. Gilbert, Bishop of Llandaff, and ordained 
 priest Jvme 19, by Dr. Hoadley, Bishop of Winchester. 
 
 Upon his return he entered upon his duties in Newport. He was very 
 acceptable and remained for ten years. During a vacancy after the death 
 of Mr. Honyman in 1750, he had full charge of the parish until the 
 arrival of the Rev. Thomas Pollen in 1754. In 1758 he became Rector 
 at Norwalk and missionary in a wide circuit. 
 
 To the development of the work in that growing town he gave twenty-one 
 years, in which the parish grew in every way and a new church was built. 
 
 The invasion of Norwalk by troops under the British General Tryon, in 
 July, 1779, completed the indignity and suffering he had received from 
 the Sons of Liberty, and the mob masquerading under the name of 
 patriots. He had been confined in a damp room at the jail, compelled to 
 take long midnight journeys to be examined as to his tory principles and 
 endured other outrages. 
 
 The disasters of that summer day when General Tryon burned Norwalk 
 were great. The church, rectory, library and nearly all Mr. Leaming'a 
 household goods were destroyed. With his family he took refuge in New 
 York City. He officiated in turn with other loyalist clergymen in the 
 City Hall, as St. Paul's Chapel could not hold all the people who desired 
 to attend. 
 
 It was during this period that he was offered in April, 1783, by Mr. 
 Jarvis, Secretary of the Convention, which met at Woodbury on March 25, 
 
—60— 
 
 the episcopal chair of Connecticut. His infirmities compelled him to 
 decline, for he had contracted a serious hip disease. 
 
 At Easter, 1784, Mr. Leaming became Rector of Christ Church, Stratford. 
 In that time of uncertainty while the Bishop designate was seeking con- 
 secration in England his wise counsel and cheering words encouraged 
 his brethren. With Abraham Jarvis, the Secretary of the Convention, 
 he conducted the correspondence with Dr. Seabury. He preached the sermon 
 before the Convention at Middletown on August 3, 1785, when they recog- 
 nized Bishop Seabury. 
 
 When the difficulties in the way of a continental union of the Church 
 in the United States seemed insurmountable, he was asked during a meeting 
 of the Convocation at Wallingford to go to Scotland to be made a coadjutor 
 to Bishop Seabury. He again refused for his infirmities had grown 
 greater. 
 
 In 1790 he resigned his parish and lived for some time in the city of 
 New York but spent the later years of his life at New Haven in the home 
 of Mr. James A. Hillhouse, an intimate friend of Mr. Leaming. 
 
 He died, September 15, 1804, in the eighty-eighth year of his age. 
 
 Dr. Leaming married in 1751, while in Newport, a relation to the Kay 
 family, who died a few months after. He married in 1755, Elizabeth Peck 
 of New York. She was the aunt of Hannah (Peck) Farmar, the wife of 
 Bishop Abraham Jarvis. She died after a few years. A life interest in her 
 large estate was left to her husband. It then reverted to the family of the 
 Bishop. 
 
 Dr. Leaming was a forcible writer and sustained well his part in a 
 controversy with Noah Welles upon Episcopal government. The letters 
 were published in 1765 and 1770. His Evidences of Christianity and Dis- 
 sertations upon various subjects are of value. 
 
 Upon his tombstone in the Grove Street Cemetery he is characterized 
 as "well instructed, especially in his holy office, unremitting in his labours, 
 charitable, patient, and of primitive meekness." 
 
 Stratford ITov. 8, 1784. 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I suppose you know, I have consented to take the Care of 
 this Church, which has been for many years, in a very broken, 
 unsettled State. It was supposed, that it was necessary in 
 order to collect this Church together, that an old man should 
 undertake the Task. I am old enough, if that will do, and if 
 I am not too old, I make no doubt, I shall accomplish it. 
 
 The Chh. at ITorwalk, all wanted me to return there, but 
 that Chh. is able to do without me. It would have been for 
 my advantage to have gone there. But it was supposed that 
 
—61— 
 
 the general Good of the Chh. required me to take the Charge 
 of this Chh. 
 
 I suppose you will taJce this, for a New England Cant: 
 because you have lately lived, where the Enquiry is. Who will 
 give the best Salary, not where can I do the most Good. 
 
 I understand it has been represented to the Society, that M^ 
 Kneeland, was an Enemy to the British Constitution. This 
 is certainly a very false report. And I hope you will rectify 
 the Error. 
 
 You must send over a power of Attorney, or come yourself 
 immediately, or you will be in danger of losing your fortune 
 in this State, a word to the wise is Sufficient. 
 
 Joseph Peters, Daughter claims an £100 of your Estate ; and 
 says you had it, at your Brothers death; and she is about 
 take your land and sell it, to pay the Debt. I am your sincere 
 friend. 
 
 J. Leaming. 
 Society 
 P.S. I wonder the have not let me know, 
 that approve of my Endeavor to raise up Doc"^. 
 Johnson, Chh — 
 
 We all join in Love to you and Hanah: M"". Birdseye is much 
 
 better with whom M''^ Leaming and I live at this time. Your 
 
 Son is well and has rec^. your Letter, July 20. 
 
 Leaming Rev*^. 
 
 mv. 8, 1784. 
 
 rec^ Jan. 25, 1785. 
 
 Ans"^. Feb. 17, 1785. 
 
 Stratford Feb. 15, 1785, 
 My dear Sir: 
 
 been 
 The Letters you have sent have answered. But many of 
 them were a long time before they came to hand. The Letter 
 
 'till 
 you wrote Aug^ 11*^. did not arrive at IsTew York the 19 
 
—62— 
 
 Jan^. this is last I rec*^. altho I had rec^. two before of a later 
 date. I have rec*^. the Letter directed to M^ Jarvis and the 
 committee, a few days before. That Letter is not answered. 
 But if you have rec^ the Letters we wrote before, you have 
 all that you wish to know — If you have not, you may be 
 assured that the Clergy will gladly receive you, in this State, 
 in case you bring Episcopal Authority, from a valid Line. 
 For the Clergy here are resolute to Support the Church, at all 
 Events. And they are upon so good Terms, with the other 
 Denominations, that we have their good wishes that we may 
 succeed. You will think this is strange, but the case is thus, 
 Infidelity is coming in like a flood, and they own that the 
 Chh. is a Bulwark against Infidelity: and say further, that 
 they (the Clergy) of this State will choose a mg"". for a Bp, 
 
 he 
 that would be as agreeable to them, as would be to the Chh. 
 That they can confide in the Clergy that will choose one that 
 is Orthodox in his principles, and regular in his Conduct. This 
 is what I have heard myself from some principal people. The 
 truth is, they have laid down their Arms. 
 
 It is a very melancholy thing, to find that some Bps. have 
 lost all their Influence, in matters of a religious Nature. But 
 it will not be long, if this is the case, before they will find 
 themselves in a worse Condition, than the despised Clergy of 
 
 may 
 Connecticut. If they lose their immense Riches, they be glad 
 to fly to America : But after all the slights they have cast upon 
 us here, we must be very humble indeed to receive them. If 
 
 not act 
 they believe that Episcopacy is necessary, they do according 
 to their faith. — 
 
 to 
 
 If they have Cond so wisely as live in friendship and 
 Amity with Each other, and have the love of the Clergy and 
 Laity, of whom they should be afraid. If they have not, every 
 Blast of popular Commotion must frighten them. 
 
—63— 
 
 But enough of 
 
 You must not come over without the Episcopal Character. 
 
 day 
 I have sent money to Miss Maria and I have this ordered 
 some more, and shall take care of her. I have been cut short 
 in my income by a set of people who went into N. York after 
 the peace ; took possession of my houses, lived in them till 
 the Rent amounted to more than £400 — and went out without 
 
 they 
 a Copper: indeed nothing could be expected, for went into 
 the City without any thing. And the City was forced to sup- 
 port with fuel and Bread; and my houses has a tax £100 — 
 to support those that lived in them without any Rent, so you 
 see, what is in the world. One third must maintain all the 
 rest. 
 
 Adue — dearest heart — 
 
 J. Leaming. 
 
 The Rev"*. 
 
 Doc^ 
 
 Seabury 
 
 To the Care of the) 
 
 
 
 Rev^ MI. Peters ) 
 
 
 
 Pimlico ) 
 
 
 London. 
 
 Rec*^. April 23 
 answe'^.— 23 
 Ship Minton Cap*. 
 I^^estrals. — 
 
 Stratford Feb. 15, 1785. 
 Dear Sir: 
 
 I now sit down to give you some Advice concerning your 
 Son. There is no Latin School in this Town; and I wished 
 to do something to help him in the Knowledge of the Latin 
 Tongue. But I was disappointed in my View; he does not 
 love his Book, and having no one with him to Stimulate his 
 Ambition, from a disrelish to Learning, he soon contracted 
 
—64— 
 
 is 
 an absolute hatred to it. There no such thing, as you know, 
 as forcing a Child to learn. He is an Active, Sprightly Boy; 
 and if he were placed among a iN'umber of other Lads, his 
 pride would lead him to be one of the foremost of them; and 
 
 him 
 his Abilities would Support in the Attempt. In this View 
 of the Affair I sent him back to his Grandfather who is exces- 
 sively fond of him ; and wishes to do every thing in his power 
 to make a man of him : but the old Gentleman, for the troubles 
 he has had have made him old indeed. His Son went away 
 after the Law was made, by which his whole Estate was con- 
 fiscated. And this lay intermixed with his Fathers, in such 
 
 the 
 manner, that old Gentleman was ruined, unless he bought 
 
 help 
 it. And doing this in his old Age, and no one to him, he 
 is embarrassed to a great Degree. If he had been able, he 
 would have sent your Son where he might had the best Advan- 
 tage. It is not want of good will to the Lad, but for want 
 of money. He has expected you would have given a power 
 of Atorney to some one, and that some of the availes of your 
 Estate would have been ordered by you for the Education of 
 your Son. You must see and know, that all M"". Birdseys 
 hopes are centered in those two grandchildren that are with 
 
 Gentlemans 
 him. You hurt the old feelings very much, in your last 
 Letter to him, in which you desired him to send you the 
 
 your Son 
 Account of what Expense he had been at, in bringing up, 
 and you would pay him. He says, he never gave you any 
 Reason, by his Conduct to you, for you to treat him, in such 
 a manner. And therefore was the more surprised to meet 
 with it. 
 
 I have sent a Letter, to Tf. Seabury addressed to your care, 
 supposing that the Jf. may have left England before the 
 Letter may reach thither. If that should be the case, make 
 
—65— 
 the Letter your own property, my best regards to your Dear 
 
 Adue, my heart — 
 
 Daughter. 
 
 J. Learning. 
 
 Learning Rec"*. 
 Feb^. 15-1785 
 Rec^ April 23— 
 Answ*^. 23— 
 
 EBENEZER DIBBLEE. 
 
 Ebenezer, a son of Wakefield Dibblee of Danbury, Connecticut, was born 
 about 1715. He graduated from Yale College in 1734. The death in his 
 senior year threw him entirely upon his own exertions for a living. He 
 studied theology and on March 4, 1734-5, the Fairfield East Association 
 licensed him to preach. For ten years he occupied the pulpit of vacant 
 Congregational Churches in Fairfield County, but apparently had no call 
 to settle. 
 
 In 1745 he conformed to the Church of England and became lay reader 
 at Stamford. He went to England for ordination in April, 1748, partly at 
 the expense of the parish. He was made deacon and ordained priest in 
 September of that year by the Bishop of London. 
 
 In addition to his duties in Stamford and Greenwich he went into Litch- 
 field County and the destitute portion of Westchester County. His min- 
 istration at Sharon led to the building of a Church in that town in 1758. 
 He was instrumental in fostering the Church in Danbury and officiated at 
 the opening of a new Church building there in 1763. His work was of the 
 most arduous character but was always done with cheerful content. He 
 had the warm regard of the whole community in which he lived. He 
 remained at his post during the Revolution, and so great was the esteem 
 in which he was held that he was practically undisturbed by mobs or 
 patriot violence. He suff'ered, however, greatly from the necessary with- 
 holding of his stipend from the Venerable Society and the inability of the 
 congregations he served to give him a comfortable support. After the 
 declaration of peace the distress which was everywhere afl'ected him. He, 
 however, continued his ministrations without murmur or complaint until 
 the end of earth came in the eighty-fourth year of his age and the fifty-first 
 of his ministry. 
 
 Upon his monument is this eulogium: "He became endeared to all by 
 his unwavering devotion to their best interests, his holy life, and unre- 
 mitted zeal in the name of Christ and His Church." 
 
 Mr. Dibblee married in 1736, Joanna, daughter of Jonathan and Joanna 
 ( Selleck ) Bates of Stamford. 
 
—66— 
 
 His son Frederick was for many years a highly honored clergyman in 
 New Brunswick. 
 
 It is to be noted that the name is spelled both Dibble and Dibblee. 
 Usually the Rector of Stamford employed two ee's. 
 
 State of Connecticut 
 
 Stamford Aug^ 1, 1788. 
 Reverend and dear 
 Sir — 
 
 I have yours of the 24*^^^ of March before me, and note the 
 contents. 
 
 The forsaken Miss Sally Thorp, with your approbation, hath 
 this day in my presence, drawn a set of bills upon you for 
 £25 Sterling, payable at ten days sight, in favour of M^ 
 Moses Rogers merchant in New York. Uppon your honoring 
 the bill, he promises to her the money, with interest, at 5 or 
 6 p"" cent above par. 
 
 Miss Sally wishes me to give you this advice, with her tribute 
 of gratitude. 
 
 It is a seasonable favour to Miss, a promising young 
 woman for her years, and manner of Education. — Her parental 
 
 through 
 neglect hath been surprising, as it is reported, her father, 
 your kind influence, hath a pension and is not under needy 
 circumstances. Her friend's here, are ill able to support her 
 without her own industry. I say no more, in this case, as in 
 many others there is a whole within a whole. 
 
 Morice 
 
 I received your advice that Doctor had paid you my bill 
 of £25, and advised you that I had drawn a bill upon you for 
 £20 in favour of M"". Moses Rogers of ISTew York, wishing 
 £5 worth of books might be sent to his care for me ; as I 
 have heretofore mentioned ; of which, & concerning my son 
 and his prospects, I trust you must have received advice. — 
 Bishop Inglis was expected this month at New Brunswick, 
 and expect soon to hear if Frederick goes into Orders or not. 
 
—67— 
 
 I am not too much prejudiced in the Bishops fa-/, I have 
 no reason to be, from the character he sustains in many 
 respects, especially from his unpolite treatment of me just 
 before his departure from I^ew York, — Nevertheless since he 
 is honor'd with the Mitre, I sincerely wish and pray he may 
 do honor to religion, the Church of God, and the dignity of 
 the office he sustains. The hearts of Bishops as well as Kings 
 are in the hand of God, and he can turn them as the rivers 
 of water are turned — 
 
 Our English Jesuits, I think equal, if not exceed, any in 
 France & Spain — 
 
 Great are the expectations, pompous are the representations 
 of the same, of the increasing, flourishing state of the Epis- 
 copal Church in genal, in the united States ; in 'New England 
 in particular. Would to God it may be true. The prevailing 
 influence of honor, Power, Reputation, Interest, are against 
 us. Under the present load of public taxes, the unsettled state 
 
 be 
 of our Government I fear not likely to betterd, by the 
 
 or constitution 
 new revolution which will undoubtedly take place ; together, 
 with the incapacity of the Ch*" to support it self and their 
 dignified Clergy ; I can se no such happy & glorious prospect. — 
 
 My Church rises but slowly out of its ruins, labours under 
 uncommon obstructions, insufficient for my support, clogged 
 the third time with an expensive law suit, with my good old 
 friend M^ John Lloyd, demanding Hundreds, for what he 
 expended upon it from its infancy to its maturity and to the 
 baneful Independency of the United States — at which period 
 he renounced all connection with me and concern for the Ch^, 
 and seemingly with as much zeal endeavors to demolish it, 
 
 he it 
 
 as in a laudible manner endeavoured to raise up. 
 
 The adverse dispensations of providence are great to me and 
 mine. (Gods will be done) Doctor Morice's neglect to answer 
 my last letter to him, and address to the venerable Society, 
 
—68— 
 
 and your Silence, prognosticates ; I am in future, in the winter 
 of life, to end my days in want and its constant attendant, 
 contempt. 
 
 It is my dear friend, with reluctance I repeat my grievan- 
 ces — I know the goodness of your heart; can no method be 
 devised for my relief, in consequence of my declining, in the 
 winter of life, and cold climate of adversity, to remove to 
 Nova Scotia. Necessity not choice prevents. Heaven forbids 
 it, by my great age & M". Dibble's, now in her 80^^ year; 
 
 want of 
 and in the health in the family, the eifects of my persevering 
 in that line of duty allotted me during the late Rebellion ; out 
 
 to 
 of Loyalty to my Sovereign, and confirm & preserve his 
 Subjects, and members of my Church in dutiful Obedience to 
 Church and State; at the hazard of all that is dear in life. 
 
 I mean not to arraign the conduct of the Venerable Society; 
 but I sincerely thank them for their past favours, and pray 
 God to prosper, & succeed, & reward all their most pious & 
 
 ta 
 charible designs, but I see no more merit in fleeing from the 
 storm, than abiding it; nor any more inconsistency, in con- 
 
 u 
 tinning their vanted charity to such as remain unable to flee 
 under Royal protection, after the winds & rains abates, but 
 having suifered shipwreck; then in granting their favours to 
 such, as being in the Noon of the life can flee under their 
 Shadow or for the State to continue their Pensions to their 
 Chaplains, residing and officiating as ministers of religion in 
 the United States. Neither can I see why such Loyalists 
 
 suffered 
 have the loss of all things, for their Loyalty to their Sovereign, 
 
 constitution 
 and attachment to the british in Ch^ & State, are not equally 
 
 favour 
 entitled to Royal and recompense, as well as those that fled. 
 
—69— 
 
 not having taken an active part against Government; but 
 were Serving the interests of it effectually, by encouraging 
 persevering Loyalty, amidst the most fiery trials. God bless 
 you my dear Sir, for your past attention to my unhappy 
 
 do 
 Situation, readiness to good to the suffering State of your 
 countrimen in general, & your brethren in particular. — 
 I I 
 
 But if am forsaken in my old age, and while am grey 
 headed, by my best friends and Benefactors, mine integrity 
 1 will hold fast, my heart shall not reproach me so long as 
 I live; and the uncommon share of health, I am personally 
 favoured with, shall be employed in promoting the interest of 
 the best religion, and best constituted Ch^ in the World. — 
 
 My time is now short, the fashion of this world will soon 
 pass away ; I am sick of this world ; were it not for my tender, 
 connexions, am so worn out with trouble, that I could wish 
 to sing good old Simeons nunc dimittis. 
 
 All things continue in much in Statu quo. 
 
 Doctor Seabury continues to conduct with propriety. No 
 alterations in Ecclesiastical Polity hath taken place. — 
 
 Please to make my compliments acceptable to Doctor Morice. 
 IsTo Coalition with B — Seabury takes place. Bishops Provost 
 and White refuse to unite with him in constituting a Bishop 
 for Virginia. Brother Hubberd is meditating a Removal to 
 St. Johns N- Brunswick. Bowdon to West Indies. — 
 
 My Prayers & best wishes attend you. Affectionate regards 
 to M"". Jarvis & his Lady. His friends well. His Sister 
 Levina is addressed by M^ Todd in Deacons Orders. A likely 
 young Gentleman, a good Speaker. I prophesy a Match. 
 
 Eev^ Sir 
 
 Yours most Affectionately, 
 
 Ebenez'" Dibblee. 
 Rev^. Doctor Peters. 
 
—70- 
 
 Stamford, State of Connecticut 
 OctoV^ 22. 1789. 
 Reverend, Dear Doctor. 
 
 The 17^^ instant M'. Bates delivered your favor of the 4*^ 
 of August. I sincerely thank you for the advice you give 
 me, and that the venerable Society in their charity pay any 
 attention to the unhappy incumstanies of your aged brother 
 in Christ, and your most affectionate friend, almost worn out 
 with the troubles of life. 
 
 Last May I wrote you a long letter, as soon as I got the 
 affair of Miss Thorps bill setled ; with an acknowledgement 
 of the receipt of the books you sent. I have neglected no 
 letter I ever received from you, without a return of my most 
 grateful acknowledgements. I am happy to hear the candle 
 of the Lord Shines bright upon your tabernacle. May the 
 best of heavens blessings always attend you and yours &c. 
 
 I am chained down here, to suffer the inflictions of an angry 
 God. Your letter found my family in the greatest adversity. 
 
 never 
 My Daughter Polly, who had fully recovered the steadiness 
 and tranquility of her mind, since by the terrour of our 
 Sovereign Lords the Mob in the begining of our late troubles, 
 
 of 
 she was thrown into a state insanity; hath a third time, 
 gradually relapsed into it; for 3 months past I have been 
 confined to close attention to her, scarcely can go out but to 
 attend public duty. She is reduced to the lowest state, her 
 
 days 
 life not expected many; we thot her expiring this morning; 
 but she revived ; but still as discomposed. Gods will be done — 
 In this time of life, and scenes of adversity, how could it be 
 that possible for me to remove ? 
 
 I envy not M'. Moore, Beach, good M'. Leaming, their 
 deserved honors. The honour which comes from God, my 
 highest ambition is to obtain. 
 
 I can only advert a little to the concerns of the Ch°. Bishop 
 Seabury an ornament to the Episcopal character, is gone to 
 
—71— 
 
 an 
 Philadelphia, accompanied with Hnbbard & Jarvis to adjourned 
 Convention of the Southern States ; who have in ample man- 
 ner recognized his ecclesiastical dignity, a happy Condition we 
 hope will succeed; Unity, Uniformity, in doctrine worship 
 & government be established, without any mutilated Service. 
 But unhappy. Bishop Provost I hear refused to attend P Con- 
 vention, and treated Bishop Seabury at ]^ew York with entire 
 neglect. — I lay down my pen to attend my distressed child. 
 M^ Bowden sailed last Saturday week, with his family, 
 
 of so 
 for S*. Croix, West Indies, we lament the loss worthy and 
 good a man. Public annimadversions begin to appear, upon 
 the doings of our new Sovereigns the Congress. They treat 
 religion, and the publick support and encouragement of it with 
 neglect. The Ch*". must stand upon its own ground: and for 
 the want of a better establishment and support will rise but 
 slowly to a high degree of estimation. Sectaries of every 
 denomination, abound. 
 
 M^ Bates cannot he says furnish me with proper information 
 concerning the power of appointing you my Agent &c. I shall 
 soon forward it. 
 
 Our prayers & best wishes attend you. 
 Your ever most affec*. Brother 
 In adversity. 
 
 Ebenezer Dibblee. 
 Kind compliments wait upon IP. Jarvis and his Lady. 
 Reverend Doctor Peters. 
 
 Stamford State of Connecticut. 
 November 6, 1789. 
 My dear, and Worthy Friend : 
 
 Agreeable to the intimation in my last, I have it now in 
 my power to send you my power of Attorney, hoping it may 
 be of service. The kind offices you render me, meets with, 
 and merits, my most grateful acknowledgements. 
 
-72- 
 
 The melancholy distressed state of my family, in consequence 
 of my Daughter Polly's Insanity, into which she hath relapsed, 
 and continued in ever since, last June, engrosses all my 
 attention, scarce leaves room for parochial duty. 
 
 to remove 
 
 How could the Venerable Society think it practicable in this 
 time of life, encumbered with a family, ruined by the late 
 Rebellion; and reduced by oppression, for persevering in a 
 line of duty appointed me; or cruelly desert me in this day 
 of adversity and winter of life ? 
 
 Their charitable interposition and application to Government 
 for the relief of my necessities; which if not successful and 
 the encouragement you give of the renewal of their charity, 
 will merit, and meet with the most grateful resentments. 
 
 If there is in your hands or M'^. Jarvis's any money granted 
 by Government, or shall be granted, for the relief of the Widow 
 and children of my unhappy son, I wish it might be stopped 
 and retained for the discharge of a Debt of his to a consider- 
 able amount; to the payment of which, I am unexpectedly 
 liable and exposed. 
 
 His Widow inherits all the Lands destined to her husband 
 and his effects, &c. &c. &c. 
 
 The grand Convention at Philadelphia is broke up, we are 
 to have a federal Ch^. as well as State. I have received no 
 particular authentic account of their doings; am only told, 
 mutilations, omissions and alterations in our Service, are 
 inconsiderable &; of no importance. As they judged in their 
 superour wisdom. Poor Athanasius is beheaded, his Creed 
 condemned as heretical. Areans Socinians &c. may now fill 
 our Churches. 
 
 Bishop Seabury did himself honour, but returned with the 
 loss of a fifth part of his dignity; as four fifths of the lower 
 house of Convocation, made up with lay delegates, will carry 
 any point against the House of Bishops. I suspect this State 
 will not adopt the doings of the general Convention. 
 
 The Convocation here, has agreed and unanimously voted, 
 and adopted the Ch*". of England, as the Standard of Orthodoxy, 
 
—73— 
 
 her form of Government & worship, as the rule of their faith 
 and practice, unconnected with the State. 
 
 I may be able, perhaps, in my next to advise you more 
 minutely of the doings of the late council of Trent. 
 
 I cannot see how Episcopacy & Republicanism can well 
 coalesce. Bowdon, truly wrote well, as you observed in his 
 
 a 
 first and 2^. Letter to Stiles ; and the Weaver was just and good 
 rod of correction to the pedantick M'. Sherman. But I 
 cannot see the wisdom of reviving those religious controversies, 
 in our present unsettled state ; unless with an evil design to 
 prejudice Government here against the Ch''. as unfriendly to 
 the united States I impatiently wait for your next. 
 
 The best of heavens blessings attend you, and yours ; is the 
 sincere wish and fervent prayer of, 
 Reverend Sir 
 
 Your humble Servant 
 
 and most affectionate Brother in Christ. 
 
 Ebenezer Dibblee. 
 Reverend Doctor Peters. 
 
 Dibblee Rev"*. 
 6 :N'ov'. 1789: 
 rec^ March 9-1790. 
 ans*^. June 5-90. 
 
 Stamford State of Connecticut 
 SemV 27, 1790. 
 My Rev*^. dear Sir : 
 
 Your favour of the 5^^ of June 1790, I received the 25'^ 
 Instant. In which I have the melancholy advice, that nothing 
 as yet was done for me, either by the Commissioners of 
 American claims, or the Venerable Society — 
 
 I am full of anxiety to know my fate. Have you received 
 my power of Atorney &c. &c. ? If there be no prospect of 
 relief, I must, at least I can see no other way, to avoid con- 
 
—74— 
 
 tempt but throw my self upon the Societies Charity, & ask for 
 a living in Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick rather. 
 
 Your letter found me, still in the greatest family trouble, 
 Polly is no better, but remains insane, a miserable unhappy 
 object, engaging our whole attention. 
 
 The Church slowly & gradually rises out of its ruinous State, 
 but incapable of affording me & dependents an adequate sup- 
 port, & in character, and in this evening of life, & cold climate 
 of adversity to think of removing, it is impossible — Heaven 
 forbids it — I must have my distressed family — The Ch^ under 
 my care will crumble to pieces — No — I hope still, & will cast 
 my burden upon the Lord. 
 
 I pray God to still the tumults among the Nations, & prevent 
 the calamities of a general War. 
 
 Our Civil & Ecclesiastical Policy is upon no permanent 
 
 no 
 foundation. The bond of peace is broken, and cement to 
 Christian Union — Our new form of Ch'^ Government & puri- 
 fication of the Liturgy will take place — but not to the satis- 
 faction of the old English Churchmen — They court B"^. Seabury, 
 but will never coalesce with him in a Consecration of a 
 Bishop. Sectaries abound — Error is multiplied upon Error — 
 Division upon Subdivision — The Ch^. I fear will become a 
 scene of confusion, discordant forms of worship — Inconsistent 
 systems of faith — The Lord have mercy upon us, — Make my 
 Compliments acceptable to Harry Lloyd Esq'". & his Lady — 
 Mr. Jarvis & his agreeable Consort ; his Connexion® are well — 
 May you be honord with a Mitre — I hope to meet you in the 
 undisturbed delight of Paradise — My prayers & best wishes 
 attend you — I am with sentiments of unfeigned esteem 
 Eev''. Sir 
 
 Your aged, afflicted Affec*. B^°. 
 
 Ebenezer Dibblee. 
 N.B. I have wrote to the Society & Doctor Morice, Doctor 
 Chandler is gone, for heaven — Doctor Beaming returns to 
 OJV private life — 
 ■>r^ Sundry of B''. Seabury's Disciples cannot find Cures. 
 
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