.N73 B7 ♦^ • * \ ^ c • .0 4.^ 1^ .* ^^^^ o > • ^*. .♦"•^^ .^•*°-- ,-1 o. •^^f>^ % •'"• ^^ V "oTo' .V«^ ^O ^^-;^. ^o ..''•n . *- *^0< j.^ S: 0"- '\< V '' ♦' «^ c -* .< r. F 104- ^^ ^ New Milford, ^A. (i M EMORIAi p iSCOURSE. W) isTe J /ae-givioVcKcyctex;' ^: ■ 'cK£y36-feg»^t W)t>v£^-ci^;^'« -«" "cri^yfye.xiK NEW MILFORD. DELIVERED IX THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, N£\V MILFORD, CONN.. Sunday, July 9, 1876 —BY- JAMES B. BONAR. Pastok. PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY. 1876. M. L. DELAVAX, Printer. Nbw Milford, Ct. HISTORY Town and Churcli of New Milford, Conn. MEMORIAL SEHMON. "One generation shall nrai^e thv works to another, and shall declare Ihy mighty acts,"— Ps. 145: 4. The past is full of interest and instruction, so that all concede the value of history. Its importance is ininifest from the fact that about two-thirds of Uod's Holy Wora is historical. The history of any and every part of the earth is inter- esting; but our own Co'.intry and State, tlie town in vvliich we reside, the Cliurch to which we bilon^?, and the fami- ly whose name we bear, are to us of the greatest interest. To-day, therefore, we turn our attention to the historj- of this Church, Society and town. The sources of information on these subjects, though bulky, are meagre and imperfect. We have 1. Minutes of the Proprietor's Meetings from 1706 to 1801. 2. Records of Town Meetings from 1713. 3. Minutes of the meetings of the First Ecclesiastical Society, from December, 1753. 4. Ecclesiastical Society's Treasurer's booics from 1802. 5. Church R.'cords from December 27th, 1727. These are not complete; the book kept by Mr. Rood is missing. 6. MSS. Notes of Rev. W. H. Moore. 7. Records of Baptist and MetUoaist Churches. 8. Memoir of ]Vrrs. 3Iary A. Boardman, b}-- Rev. Dr. Schroeder. 9. And the memory of persons still ilvins'. In 1703, Col. Robert Treat and others representing 111 persons, all of Milford, obtained a patent to a certain tract of laud in New Haven County, formerly called Weanti- nogue. This tract contained 84 square miles, embracing what is now Known as the towns of New Milford, and Bridgewater, with parts of Brookfield and New Preston. It cost the Proprietors about 8 mills an acre. The fir:t settler, though not a Proprietor, was John Noble, who came here from Massachussetts, in 1707. The Indians were then and long afterwards numerous, but see.*-!! al- ways to have been on friendly terms with the settlers. The Proprietors held their meetings at Milford until 1715. The first Town Meeting seems to have been held in 1713, 2 A MEMORIAL DISCOURSE. The town was first represented in the Legislature in 1725. The first record of freemen was made in 1744, The town belonjxed to New Haven Colony until the incorporation of Litchfield County, in 1751. The first bridge over the Housatonic, between the sea and its source, was built here in 1737. The first school in the town was opened in 1721, and was taught 4 months in the year, the town paying half the expense. la 1707 two persons came into New Milford. In 1712 there were here 12 families or between 60 and 70 persons. A census, taken in 1756, reports 1137 in the town ; another taken in 1774, reported 2776, while in 1800, after pans of the town had been ceded to Brookfleld and Washington, the population was 3198. The census of of 1870, gives the population of the present New Milford, as 3588, while Bridgev/ater, formerly a part of this town, has 877 inhabitants. New Milford has always been loyal to the cause of free dom. In 1779 the town voted 4 bushel?* of wheat a montii to every man who volunteered for six months, and three bushels a month to tha militia mjn who inarcU:;d when ordered; but, if thay failed to report within eight days after marching orders, they forfeited this premium. The town also supported the families of men while absent in the Continental army. In 1778 the Articles of Confedera- cy proposed by Congress, styled " The United States of North America," were adopted in town meeting, except part Ol the 5th article, which respects the mode of choos- ing Delegates to Congress It .vas "Voted that the Free- men will always hold the prerogative and sole power of choosing our Delegates in Congress by vote." Subsequent- ly, "said Articles of Confederacy were adopted in full by the meeting without a dissenting voice." In 1783 it was voted, and a Committee was appointed to enforce the res- olution, that all refugees, or "skedaddlers," as they would now be termed, as well as all who had voluntarily gone over to the enemy during the war, should be prohibited from returning and settling in the town. The Adjutant- General of Connecticut, reports the names of 222 men from the town of New Milford as having served in the armies of the United States during the Civil War of 1861- -65. This does not include the 37 who deserted nor the one who was dishonorably discharged. A MEMORIAL DISCO ruSE. d The town, as such, lias always upheld the causs of mo- rality and good order. In 1787 certain persons were fined " for brin.i>;ing into the town and entertaining un- wholesome inhabit; nts." So early as 1729 it was voted in town meeting that "James Hiue have oversight of the fe- male sex during exercises" in Church. And' so late as 1821 a certain person was fined $1.67 for "breach of the Sabbath," but this fine was remitted. Tile way in wliich they cared for the poor and guarded the interests of the town, appears from the vo:e of 1771 — " That a bhick bormet, a red woman's cloak, and a worst- ed gown be kept for the daughter of Hannah Baeman ; if she die under age, the town to have them." Tlie first sermon was preached here by Col. John Reid, who had studied for the ministry in his youth. Mr. Dan- iel Boardman, a preacher of the Gospel, came liere in 1712. The next year it was vot€d that the inhabitants should pay all the expense that had been incurred in obtaining a minister, also to lay out a pas'.or's lot, to dig and stone up a well for Mr. Daniel Boardman, if he became a settled minister in New Milford. Meanwhile, the town allowed OS. 6d. a week for the minister's board. In 171o the town agreed to petition the General Court to " attain liberty for the settlement of tlie worship and ordinances of God among us." This was the subject that then came up at every meeting of the inhabitants. It was not until 1710 that they made arrangements for laying out a burying ground of two acres ; but for four years before tiiat tliey had been contriving and planning for the religious in- struction of themselvx^s and families. The poverty of the people aj)pears in the resolution adopted as to Mr. Board man's salary, one third of which was to be paid in grain, two-thirds in labor, linen, or pork ; the established price of wheat was then 4s. a bushel, .rye, 2s. 8d. corn 2s. and oats Is. ; part of the agreement being that Mr. Boardman sliould sell the grain which he had to spare at the same prices to the inhabitants. In accordance-, with a vote of the town, Mr, Boardman was ordained November 21st, 1710. So far as the records show, there was then entre unanim- ity of religious belief and opinion among the people. The Ecclesiastical Sociely and the Town were practically one and the same. Everything regarding the building and fi 4 A MEMOKTAL DISCOURSE. nances of the Society was detc rniined in Town Meeting The first division occurred in 1731-2, when 20 persons' withdrew to form a Quaker Societ^^ Tliey built a house in 1743 and have continued their woisliip from that time until the present, though at this date there is but one fam- ily of them residing in the town. In 1743 the inhabitants of "Newbury" were set off for a separate religious Society, and in the division of the Parsonage lands in 1755, £98 3s. G|d., was given to this So- ciety, £13 14s. GJd. to Newbury, and £5 12s. 7^1. to New Preston Newbury was the ancient name of Brookfield, and was formed into a town in 1788, from parts of New ]Milford, Danbury, and Newtown. The Church at Brook- field was therefore organized, not in 1757, as heretofore reported, but in 1743-4. The inhabitants of the "Neck," as Bridgewater, was originally called, early made repre- sentations to this Society of the inconvenience of attend- ing worship here during AVinter months. Part of their tax was remitted on condition that they provided preach- ing for themselves during the Winter ; and for a number of years Mr. Taylor and Mr, G"iswold spent one Sabbath in each of the three Winter months at the Neck. Tlie Church at Bridgewater was organized in 1809. Bridge- vater was set off as a town in 1856. There m^st have been Episcopalians in town earlier, but the first allusion to them occurs in the record of a town Meeting in 1744, just previous to the death of Mr. Board- man : " Voted, That those of us who arc of the Church of England shall be free from paying any cluirge for a min- ister for one year, if circumstances rem; in as they now are ; but, if in the providence of God our Reverend Pas- tor should be taken away, then the said Church men to be under the same regulation as the rest." The Pev. James Beach, of Newtown, visited New Milford occasionally be- tween 1740 and 1745, and a lay reader read service for some time. The fiist Episcopal clergyman who resided here was Rev. Solomon Palmer, wdio came in 1754. This So- ciety continued feeble for many years ; but under the 20 years pastorate of the Rev, Charles G. Acly, just closed, it has grown strong and health3^ It has now 132 families and 265 communicants. The Separatists, or Strict Congregationalists as they were called, built a meeting house, in what is now the old cem- A ]MEMOrxTAT; DTSCOUnSE, eteiy, in ITGl. Tliey disbanded in 1812, uniting some Willi tills Societ}' and some with the Episcopalians. Between 1780 and 1785 the followers of Jemima Wil- kenson, who is described as a remarkably comely woman, with dark hair and sparkling black eyes, built a house in what is now the old cemetery, on the hiU on the road to- wards New Preston. They soon sold this building to the Episcopalians and moved to Genesee, New York, where Jemima resided. The Baptists formed a small Church and erected a house of worship in the lower end of the town called the Neck (Bridgewater) in 1788-90, "but never had a pastor.and soon moved elsewhere " The Baptist Church at Northvilki wa^ organized Febru- ary 9th, 1814, with 7 males and 16 female members, most of whom had previously been connected with a Baptist Church in Roxbury. Its present membership is4G. Tlie Baptist Church at Gaylordsville was formed about 1830 and hiis always been small. Its present membership is 33. Somewhere about 1830 a Union Church was built at Mer- ryall, winch was used chiefly, but not wholly, by the Bap- tists. No Society was ever formed, and no service has been held in the house for 20 years. The Rev. Elijah Hebard, from Stratford circuit, seems to have been the first Methodist Episcopal miu ster who visited New Milford. In 1815 he preached at John War- ner's in Pleasant Valley. Others followed, and in 1825 a Society rt-as formed in Gaylordsville; that Society still ex- ists and has now GG members. In 182G the Methodists erected a Church at Northville ; and in 1828-9 they erect- ed another on the Plains at a cost of $3,000. It is to be regretted that these organizations at Northville and on tlie Plains are both extinct and have been so for twenty-five years. The Methodist Church in tlie Village was erected in 18-10 and dedicated by Bishop Janes in May, 1850— the Rev. Wm. M'Allister, then being the Preacher in charge, lis present membership is 130. The Roman Catholics opened a place for worsliip in 18G0-G1, but had no resident priest until 1872. They have now a large congregation, composed almost exclu- sively of persons of foreign birth. These are all the Religious Societies that have existed in the town. Out of a population of 3,580 there is to day 6 A MEMORIAL DISCOURSE. a Church membership, exclusive of the Roman Catliolics of 807. In 1871-2, this Churcli tlioroughly canvassed tlie town, exclusive ot New Preston Society, distributing Bibles and Tracts, and carefully reporting the Church attendance and preferences of the people by families. Of the 707 families reported, there were Congregational, 218; Episcopal, 156; Methodists, 88; Roman Catholics, 46; 2d Advent, (coloredJ 18 ; Baptisls, 15 ; Jews, 3 ; Lutherans, 2 ; Friends, 2 . Reformed Dutch, 1 ; and not attending any Church, 158. With this general review of the Ecclesiastical history of the town, we turn now to consider more minutely the history of this, the oldest and always largest Church and Soeieti'^ — the oldest but one and the largest in tiie Count3\ There was no Ecclesiastical Society until after 1750. Until then, the town was the Society. It was the town that provided for the supply of the pulpit, for the instal- lation of ministers,the erection and care of buildings, and all expenses connected with public worsnip. Tiie Church beld meetings for the election of Deacons, the discipline of members, and the spiritual interests of the people. But the town managed everything that now belongs to the So. ciety. It was the town that invited Mr. Daniel Boardman to labor here, and that settled him as a pastor, making all the arrangements for his installation. The town did the same in the case of Mr. Taylor. So far as the records show, the Church took no separate action in calling its pastors until the invitation to Mr. Griswold,in 1790, when it formally voted, as has been the custom ever since, to concur in the Society's.action. From 1713 to 1750 a large part of the business in Town Meeting was in regard to Ecclesiastical affairs. The first Meeting House, "40 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 24 feet between "gists," with suitable proportions,'' was built in 1718-19, but not opened for worship until 1720, and then it was in a very unfinished condition. In 1720 it was voted to wall up the gists before Winter and fill in between the lathe and studs with limber and mor. tar. The floor was not laid until 1723. This building stood on the highway on Town Hill, a few rods North of the present residence of JNIrs. J. P. Treadwell The second liouse of wors hip, " 64 ftet long, 44 feet wide, and 27 fee posts," nearly twice the size of the first, was erected in A MEMOKIAl, DlS(OUH8E. I 1754, the town applying to the General Assembly for pow- er to sell the old Meeting House, and to tax non-resident land holders for building the new one. This building stood on the Village Green, nearly opposite the present res- idence of iMr. Solomon E. Boslwick. The present editiee was erected in 1833, and though much larger than the for- mer, for several years persons wishing slips have been unable to obtain them. It would be a good Centennial work to enlarge the building. The Sabbath Day House was an institiition that is un- known to the present generation. In 1745 the town voted "that any farmers, inhabitants, have leave to build a small house to repair to on Sabbath day on the common land, provided the public is not damnified thereby." This building was located "North of the Meeting House on the side of the hill." After the erection of the Church on the Green, tiie S:ri)bath Day House was built on the spot where now siands the house so long occupied by tlie Rev. Mr. Acly. It is described to me by a lady still with us (^Frs. Eli Mygatt) who went through it more than 70 years affo. as a long, low building, with four large rooms, regarding which frightful stories were told of the ghosts that inhab- ited it. In this building, farmers, whose homes were dis- tant, stored loads tif wood, and barrels of cider, and here they warmed their bean soup, replenished their foot-stoves and regaled themselves in the iiour between services. Un- til 1870 the services were held morning and afternoon ; since 1870, the second service has been held in the evening. The Chapel was built by Individuals, with permission of the Society in 1838-9. The Meeting Houses were not heated until 1823-5, when two box stoves were put into the second Meeting House. In November, 1833, the So- ciety voted to obtain "2 of Dr. Nott's stoves and one ton of anthracite coal for the Winter." Furnaces were put in in 1860, when the Church was improved at a cost of $5,225, and land for sheds was bought. The organ was obtained in 1860, at a cost of $1,200. The Parsonage- was bought In August, 1870, at a cost of $6,000, paid for by subscription, and presented, with cer- tain conditions attached, to the Society. Oriirinally, the people were called to worship, as to all public meetinsrs, by the beat of a drum, for which an appropriation was made in 1716. For many years after the first Church 8 A MEMORIAL DIftCOUKSE. building was occupied, the town annually appointed a person to beat the drum and voted liim pay for his servi- ces. I have been unable to discover wiien the firsc bell was obtained. A Church clocii which hung in the steeple of the second Meeting House must have been bou>;ht about a centur^^ ago. In 1780 the liabilities of the Society are thus stated: "Arrears yet due on account of clock £7 3s. 5d. anddu.' Widow Prudence Collins, for sweeping the Meeting House £1 10s. Od. Until 1745 this was the only ^Society and every person in town was taxed for its support. From 1750 to 1790 persons who aided in supporting other Societies were by vote, relieved from the tax for t; e support of this Society. There Is no instance on record m which a request for re- lief on this plea was refused. Fiom 1800, though this So- ciety had the legal right up to 1819, to tax all, only the members of the Society were, in fact, taxed for its benefit. The proposal to meet necessary expenses by the sale of slips was tirst mnde in 1851 and rejected 1)3^ a large major- ity. This plan was adopted In 1854 and has continued un- til the present. Previous to that, committees had from time to time " seated and dignified the Meeting House.'» Tiie resolutions of 1756, were, that "all persons of the age of 56 years and upwards should be seated in the first rank of seats, and all otlier persons according to the rates and taxes they have paid to aids building said Meeting House." But f(»r special reasons of honor or infirmity., persons were often, by vole, placed in the highest rank. In subsequent .seatings, it was usually voted that " no per. SOD should be placed lower than iie had previously been." This Society d<;es not seeni ever to have received pe- cuniary aid from sister Churches, or from individuals out. side of Its own membersliip. In 1719 :in agent was s^ni to Milford " to see what tiiey would do for ilic support of the Gospel here." Thai application was probably to the Proprietors, and there is nore(;ord of its result. The Pro- prietors set apart what were called " Donation" or "• Par- sonage Lands f«>r the support of the Gospel according to the Presbyterian C>)ngregational order, in the town." From these lands a 24 s. lot was given to 31 r. Boardman as pari of his settlement, and probably a similar lot to Mr. Taylor at his ordination. The remainder of this land was >old at dilffrenl times l-.-l'or.^ 1790, and ilie proceeds giveu \ VIKMOKIAL DIiSCO[JKSI-:. lo the various Societies witliin the town in proportion to the " List" of their members. And in 1790 the Propriet ns appointed a Committee to examine tlie roads belonging to them, to narrow tliem and sell the land thus obtained. This Cammittee completed its work in 1810. Piirt of the proceeds of the land thus sold from the hiiihways, \Aa.sdo nated to this Society, and carefully invested in iiartford Bank Stock, which it holds to this day. In 1792 Col. Josiah Starr, who had long been Treasurer, purchased some Hartford Bank Stock, for the Society, and to complete the payment advanced out of his own fuuds $192 24. Mr. Comstock, a later Treasurer, has recorded that this was never repaid. Col. Starr, doubtless, intend- ed this as a gift to the Society. September 13th, 1880, a vote of thaaks was passed to John P. Treadwell, Esq., then of Xew York, for the gift uf $500 toward the purclitise of an organ. September 19th, 1834, a vote of th:iuli"j to Miss Gi'atid M. Mervvin,for the donation of $100. March 3d, 1870, a vote of thanks to Roj^al I. Canfield, for $500, given for a permanent fund, the avails to be used for the support of the (juspel. Mr. Canlield had previously (1861) given additional land for sheds, which cost him $100. Mr. Homer Beard, who died February, 1871, bequeailied to the Society land w.-iich was sold for $1,030. And Mrs. Piiebe B'-.-ard, his widow, wiiodied September, 1874, left to the Society property which netted $832. This Society has always siiown a characteristic New En- gland thrift and prudence in regard to its linauces. So early as 1755, it appointed a committee to " take care of the money, coming from the sale. of the Parsonage lands, to loan out said money on good and sufficient security." From that time lo this, the Society has always had money loaned, invested in Government securities or in Bank stock. And in 1787, it was voted that only the interest over si.c per cent., should be used for current expenses. But til is rule has not been observed or the Society would now be rich. From 1752 until 1796, all the educational and religious affairs of tlie town were under the control of this Society. It located tlie Schools, lixed the tax, collected it, and su- perintended tlie Schools through committees annually ap- pointed. It was, in fact, the Scliool Rocieiy for the Town, 10 A MEMORIAL DISCOURSE. and as such received Benoni ^tebbins' legacy. It fixed and collected the tax for the salary of the ministers, " for the sweeping out of the Meeting House." It also, in some measure, managed the financial affairs of the Episcupal Society ; for in 1771, after appointing Ichabod Bostwick to gather the minister's rate, it appointed "Solomon Hod- kiss to gather a rate for Mr. Clark." And in 1772 this So- ciety issued a notice " to warn all the Cl)urch people to meet together on Monday, the 13th day of instant, April, at St. John's Church at 8 of the clock in the morning, then and there to consult such measures as they shall think proper to procure a Glebe house for the Rev. Mr. Clark, and to do such other business as sh.dl be thought proper." The minutes of the meeting thus warned are re- corded as "a meeting of the inhabitants of the 1st Eccle- siastical Society — holden by the Church of England." This was doubtless done, in a fraternal spirit, to give legal efficacy to the action of the Episcopal Society in dispos- ing of one Glebe and purchasing another. This shows the kindly feeling that then, as now and always, has gov- erned the members of this Society. The Church Revievv (vol. ii, p. 317, — See Hollister's Hist, of Conn. vol. ii, p. 545 — Note) states that " certain Churchmen in Nevv Mil- ford were fined for refusing to attend the meetings of the established Church. These fines were, by recommenda- tion of Mr. Beach, paid, and copie% of the proceedings taken to be forwarded to the King and council. The fact becoming known, the authorities refunded the money and granted permission to build a church, which before had been refused." I do not know the authority of the Church Review for this statement ; but I do know that there is no warrant for it in Town or Society's books. There is no record of any refusal to permit Churchmen to build, nor of the remittance of a fine upon any person for being ab- sent from the worship of this Church ; yet the books con- tain records of scores of votes remitting fines for breacli of the Sabbath and other minor offences. From 1753 to 1819 this Society had all the legal rights in its own hand. But, in all the records there is no instance of anylhinor like intolerance, or a disposition to throw obstacles in the way of others ; while tljen; are numerous instances of its generositv, nnd readiness to aid those who entertained a faith different from its own. A ml:mouiai. discolum:. H This Society has uniformly treated it« ininistefs honora- bly and kindly. It has idway^ acted with a i:?ood degree of unanimity. In every instance, except the first, the Socie- ty has found it difficult to unite in the (aliinii- of a pastor. At such times feelin<; has often run hi-ih, and when a cmI! was voted, there has often been a few votes in the nega tiv<\ But the call once i,nven and the pastor settled, par- ties have disappeared fina all united in treatini^ tlie man WMth the respect due to his oflice. Of the 8 pastors who have proccded the present, 3— Boardman, Taylor, anwn than Mr. Elliot, The most extensive and irenuine revival ihat ever blessed this community, was un der his ministry. 5. Heman Rood was born in Vermont ; graduated at Middlebury College in 1819, and Seminary in 1825 ; vvas orchiined pastor at Gilmantou, N. H., June 12th, 18213-30 ; was p.islor in New Milford from 1830 to 1835. Mr. Rood's pastorate was the briefest this Church has ever had. He was afterwards piofessor in the Theological Seminary, at Gilmauton, N. H., 7 years. 6. Noah Porter, son of Rev. Noah Porter, D. D., of Farmington, was born December 14th, 1811; graduated at Yale College, in 1831 ; at Yale Seminary, in 1836; was or- dained pastor here April 27th, 1838, and resigned December 3lst, 1842 ; after serving the South Church, Springfield, Mass., 4 years, he then became a professor in Yale Univer- sity of which institution he was elected President, and in- augurated October 11th, 1871. 7. John Greenwood was born in Berwick, Yorkshire* England, June 5th, 1794, and was ordained pastor at Roys, ton, Cambiidgshire, June 20th, 1822— July 17th, 1836 : in. stalled pastoral Bethel, April 18th, 1838— February 1842; after serving this Church as settled pastor for one year, he was installed pastor April24th, 1844,and resigned May 19th, 1849. In 1843 he received the honorable degree of A.. M. from Yale College. 8. David Murdoch, was born in Glasgow, Scotland; grad- uated at I'nion College, in 1845 ; Union Theological Sem- 14 A MEMORIAL DISCOURKK. inary, 1848; ordained pastor here September 18th,18o0,and remained until September 28th, 1869. He was installed pas- tor of the New Haven Third Church, October lst.l869,and remained until May 15th, 1874 9. James B. Bonar graduated at Wabash College, 1853; at Union Theological Seminary, New York, 1856; ordain- ed by the Third Presbyterian Church, New York, ^larch 18th, 1857; installed pastor American Presbyterian Church, Montreal, Canada, June 6lh, 1857, and left in 1869 He was installed pastor at New Milford, June 30lh, 1870- The Church connected with this Society was organized November 21st, 1716, with 8 male and 5 female members. During the first pastorate 225 more were added by profes- sion and letter. During Mr. Taylor's ministry of 42 years> 301 names were added to the roll. Mr. Griswold kept a full record of Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths during his entire ministry. His list of admissions to the Cliurch is- only to January 1st, 1797. From that date he seems to have invited all persons to the Sacraments. Under his ministry only 34 persons united with the Church. At hi; ordination Mr. Elliott found only 43 members — showing how the Church had been broken up in the 8 3^ears pre- ceding. Nine years later, after the Church at Bridgevvater had been formed, Mr. Elliott reports a membership of 118 ; but this was before the revival that moved the town. Three hundred and nineteen meml)ers were added to tlie Church during Mr. Elliot's ministry — most of them on profession of faith. There were added to the Church un- der Mr. Rood, 153, ^Ir. Porter, 116, and Mr.Greenwood, 46 After the retirement of Mr. Greenwood Rev. E. W. An- drews was acting pastor for 6 or 8 months, and received 63 persons to Church fellowship. In the 19 years of Mv. Murdocii's ministry there were added to the Church, 243 persons; and under the present pastorate of 6 years 80 have been received. The number of names on tlie Church roll up to this date is 1593. In 1861 there was a reported uiem. bership of 476 ; but the roll had not been revised and cor- rected since 1836. A careful sifting of the list in the Fall of 1870, showed a Church membership of 310 at the begin- ning of the present pastorate. The actual me.'iibership to- day Is 332—27 of tliein over 75 years of age, and one of th.mi over 100 years. At the head of the list is Mrs. Polly Canficld who united in 1M12. Two persons are snid to have A MKM )KfAI, DlSC(JL'ltS::. 15 died in this town over 100 years of ;i<^e — H:irry Carpenter a colored man, and Noali oSTodine, who was born in the 17th century and died in the 19th. Miss Sally Northrop, who celebrated the anniversary of her 100th birthday on the 28th of June is still living. Durino^ the last century, the Church was sensitive as to the character of its Deacons. Instead of electing biethren at once to the office, it choose them to serve durinjj the Clmrch's pleasure. If acceptable after one or tvvo years trial, they were, by vote, " established as Deacons." And in 1750 the Church voted that one brotlier, who had thus been on trial for two years, " should not be established in the office of Diiacon." Twenty-one persons have so far served the Church in this office viz : — Samuel Brownson, James Prime, JohnBostwick, Job Terrill, Samuel Canfleld, Bushnell Bostwick, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Gaylord, John Hitchcock, Sherman Boardman, Elizur Warner, Joseph Merwin, Dobson W. M'Mahon, John Beecher, ITicanor Stilson, Geo. W. Wiiittelsey, Geradus Roberts, Seymour B. Green, William Hine, John J. Conklin, and Ethiel S. Green. From 1716 to 1803, the Lord's^ Supper was administered 4 times a year ; since 1808, every two months. Nineteen men from this Church have entered the Gos- pel ministry, viz : — 1. David Bostwick, born here January 8th, 1721 ; was ordained pastor at Jamaica, L. I., October Oth, 1745, where he stayed until 1748. He was installed pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, in New York City, in 1750, and died in 17(33. His work on Infant Baptism was published here and in England, and republished in 1837. 2. Joseph Treat ; graduated at Princeton College, in 1757. He was ordained pastor colleague of Rev. Dr. Bostwick, First Presbyterian Church, N. Y. City, in 1763, where he remained until 1784. 3. David Brownson; graduated at Yale College, in 1762, and was oraainud pastor at Oxford in 1764, staying until 1779. He died in 1806. 4. Benjamin Wildman ; graduated at Yale College, in 1758; was ordained pastor at Southbury, in 1766 and died ill 1812. 0. Whitmon Welch; graduated at Yale College in 1762, and died in 1776. 14 A :MEMORrAL DISCOURSK. inary, 1848; ordained pastor here September 18th,18o0,and remained until September 28th, 1869. He was installed pas- tor of the New Haven Third Church, October 1st, 1869, and remained until May loth, 1874. 9. James B. Bonar graduated at Wabash College, 1853; at Union Theological Seminary, New York, 1856; ordain- ed by the Third Presbyterian Church, New York, March 18th, 1857; installed pastor American Presbyterian Church, ]Montreal, Canada, June 6ih, 185 7, and left in 1869 He was installed pastor at New Milford, June 30th, 1870- The Church connected with this Society was organized November 21st, 1716, with 8 male and 5 female members. During the first pastorate 225 more were added by profes- sion and letter. During Mr. Taylor's ministry of 42 years. 801 names were added to the roll. 3Ir. Griswold kept a full record of Baptisms, Marriages, and Deatlis during his entire ministry. His list of admissions to the Church is- only to January 1st, 1797. From that date he seems to have invited all persons to the Sacraments. Under his ministry only 34 persons united with the Church. At h'n ordination Mr. Elliott found only 43 members — showing how the Church had been broken up in the 8 3^ears pre- ceding. Nine years later, after the Church at Bridgewater had been formed, Mr. Elliott reports a membership of 118 ; but this was before the revival that moved the town. Three hundred and nineteen members were added to the Church during Mr. Elliot's ministry — most of them on profession of faith. There were added to the Ciiurch un- der ]S[r. Rood, 153, ^Ir. Porter, 116. and Mr.Greenwood, 46 After the retirement of Mr. Greenwood Rev. E. W. An- drews was acting pastor for 6 or 8 months, and received 63 persons to Church fellowship. In tlie 19 years of Mr. Murdoch's ministry there were added to the Church, 243 persons; and under the present pastorate of 6 years 80 have been received. The number of names on the Cliurch roll up to this date is 1593. In 1861 there was a reported mem. bership of 476 ; but the roll had not been revised and cor- rected since 1836. A careful sifting of the list in the Fall of 1870, showed a Church membership of 310 at the begin- ning of the present pastorate. The actual me;;ibership to- day is 332 — 27 of them over 75 3'cars of age, and one of thvMii over 100 years. At the liead of the list is Mrs. Polly Canficld who united in 1812. Two persons are said to have ' died in this town over lOQ years of a<^e— H:irr\' Carpi^iiter a colored man, and Noali Nodiue, who was born in the ITtli century and died in tlie 19th. Miss Sally Northrop, who celebrated the anniversary of her 100th birthday on the 28tli of June is still living. Durini? the last century, the Church was sensitive as to the character of its Deacons. Instead of electing brethren at once to the office, it choose them to serve during the Church's pleasure. If acceptable after one or tvvo years trial, they were, by vote, " established as Deacons." And in 1750 the Cluirch voted that one brotiier, who had tiius been on trial for two years, " should not be established iu the office of Djacon." Twenty-one persons have so far served the Church in this office viz : — Samuel Brownson, James Prime, JohnBostwick, Job Terrill, Samuel CanSeld, Bushnell Bostwick, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Gaylord, John Hitchcock, Sherman Boardman, Elizur Warner, Joseph Merwin, Dobson W. M'Mahon, John Beecher, iricanor SLilson, Geo. W. Wiiittelsey, Geradus Roberts, Seymour B. Green, William Hine, John J. Conklin, and Ethiel S. Green. From 1716 to 1803, the Lord's- Supper was administered 4 times a year ; since 1808, every two months. Nineteen men from this Church have entered the Gos- pel ministry, viz : — 1. David Bostwick, born here January 8th, 1721 ; was ordained pastor at Jamaica, L. I., October 9th, 1745, where he stayed until 1746. He was installed pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, in New York City, in 1756, and died in 1763. His work on Infant Baptism was published here and in England, and republished in 1837. 3. Joseph Treat ; graduated at Princeton College, in 1757. He was ordained pastor colleague of Rev. Dr. Bostwick, First Presbyterian Church, N. Y. City, in 1763, where he remained until 1784. 3. David Brovvnson; graduated at Yale College, in 1763, and was oraainud pastor at Oxford in 1764, staying until 1779. He died in 1806. 4. Benjamin Wildman ; graduated at Yale College, in 1758 ; was ordained pastor at Southbury, in 1766 and died in 1813. 5. Whitmon Welch; graduated at Yale College in 1762, and died in 1776. 16 A MEMORIAL DISCOURSE. 6. Gideon Bostwick was born here in 1742 ; graduated at Yale Collepje in 1762. He was a teacher of the Classical School established in Great Barrington, Mass., by Dr. Whiting, Col. D wight and olher members of the Episco- pal Church, in 1766. Invited to act as Lay reader, he went to England and received orders from the Bishop of Lon- don, and was Rector at Great Barrington, from 1767 to 1793. He died here while on a visit to Mrs. Boardman, who was Dr. Whiting's daughter. [See Schroeder's Me- morial of Mrs. M. A. Boardman.] 7. David Sandford was born in Miliord, December 11th, 1737 ; graduated at Yale College in 1755 ; was ordained pastor at Med way, Mass., April 14th, 1763, and continued there until April 7th, 1810. 8. John Stevens ; graduated at Yale College, in 1779 ; was licensed by Litchfield South Association, 1780, and died in 1799. 9. David Baldwin. 10. Daniel Marsh was born in 1762 ; graduated at Wil. liams College ; was pastor of Bennington, Vt., from 1806 to 1820 ; died at Janesville, New York, in 1843. 11. Nathaniel W.Taylor,grandson of the second pastor of this Church, was born here, June 13, 1786 ; graduated at Yale College, in 1807 ; converted in College ; was ordain- ed pastor at New Haven, on the first of April, 1812, and retained the position until December 1822. He was then Professor in Yale College Theological Seminary, and died in 1858. He trained nearly 700 young men for tiie minis- try. 12. Charles A. Boardman ; was pastor at New Preston- from June 1818, until March 1830 ; was installed pastor at New Haven, on the third of March, 1830, remaining until September 1832. He was also installed pastor at West- port, February 1833, and stayed until December 1836. He died in 1860. 13. Orlo D. Hine was born liere, October 28, 1815 ; graduated at Yale College, in 1837 ; was ordained pastor at Clinton, April 14th, 1841, laboring there until Octoi)er 25th, 1842. He was also acting pastor at Fair Haven, Vt., from 1843 to 1845 ; acting pastor at Pontiac, Mich., from 1846 to 1851 ; installed postor at North Woodstock, Jan- uary 6th, 1852, and stayed until November 5th, 1855; and was installed pastor at Lebanon the first of Mav 1856, A MKMOUrAL DISCOCIISF.. 17 14. Merrit S. Piatt w^tS born in 1805 ; .i,^r:iduate(l at Hamilton College ; was ordained pastor at Madison, K Y. Sept"ml)er 1837, remaininir until 1855 ; was acting pastor at Hamilton, N. Y., 1855, staying until 1864; was a^so acting pa&tor at Glassboro, New Field, Franklin, New Jersey, in 1864. He is still living. 15. Eliezur Beecher, ordained by the Baptists about 1814 ; was never settled ; preached mainly in this town. 16. Asahel Bronson was ordained about 1820 or 1825; supposed to be dead. 17. John Treat Baldwin ; graduated at Princeton Col- lege ; was ordained about 1820. He is still living. 18. George Todd ; graduated at Yale College about 1820 or 1825 ; supposed to be living. 10. George Sterling w^as ordained pastor at Wayland, Mich., December, 1874. At least four men in this town have been active in Na- tional affairs. The most distinguished was Roger Slier- man, a native of Mass., who came here in 174:1 He was clerk to this Ecclesiastical Society, from 1753 to 1761, and established in tlie office of Deacon i" 1757. Here he wrought as a shoemaker, aided his brother in the store, and in 1745 was appointed land surve\'or for tlie Count}'. Removing to New Haven in 1761, he became judge -^f the court of Common Pleas, a member of the upper House in tlie Legislature, and jndge of the Superior Court. In 1774 he was appointed a member of the first Congress, in which lie continued until his death, at which time he was in the Senate, to which he was electea in 1791. He was a mem- ber of the Governor's Council of safety, and Mayor of New Haven from 1784 to his death, July 23d, 1793. In the Congress of 1776 lie was a member of the Committee appointed to draft the Declaration of Independence, as well as of many of the other most important Committees, and he was also a member of the board of war, and of the board of treasury. His services to the Country were in- valuable, and few of his contempories left their impress more clearly upon American institutions. Elijah Boardman, third son of Deacon Sherman Board- man, and grandson of the first pastor of this Church, was born March, 7, 1760. In 1821 he was elected to the U. S. Senate ; he died August 18tli, 1823. Mi. Boardman's ear- lier years were in connection with this Societ}^; but hav 18 A MEMORIAL DISCOURSE, ing married a daughter of the aforementioned Dr. Whit- ing, a zealous Episcopalian who engaged in a pamphlet controversy with Dr. Bilhim3% he afterwards identilied himself with the Episcopal Church and died in its com- munion. Perry Smith, who died in 1852, was elected to the Uni- ted States Senate in 1836, and served one term. He was connected with the Episcopal Society. Orange Merwin, born here July 3, 1776, was in Con gress in 1826-7, during the admmi>tration of John Qnin- cey Adams. He died September otli, 1854. He was a member of this Society. The Sabbath School was begun In 1812 or 14 by Rev. Mr. Elliott, who for some time was the only teacher. The first appropriation of money for its benefit by the Church was in 1821. The present membership of the Sabbath School is 300. The Infant Class in the Chapel was begun, under its present teacher, Miss Isabella Wilson, in 1872, Under Mr, Elliott's ministry, prayer meetings became common in the town. They were held on Sundays be- tween services, in the Town House and in the school houses of the outlying districts. In times of religious in- terest many week day meetings were held in various places. A Saturday evening prayer meeting was held for years in the parlors of Mr. and 3Irs. Eli 3Iygatt, when ihey lived on the spot now occupied by the residence of Mrs. Sanford and afterwards in the Town house. But no regular mid-week Church afternoon service was establish- ed until during Mr. Rood's pastorate, when the Friday after- noon meeting was begun. The Tuesday evening meeting was commenced in 1865 or 66. The Mother's Monthly Prayer Meeting began in 1869. The gifts to the Church, so far, are these : July 14th, 1815, Deacon Dobson, and \V. ^['Mahon gave the Church $100, the interest to be used for relief of poor me:nbers,()r for books. February 26th, 1820, Deacon M Mah(Mi gave $400 to be used for the same purposes. In 1844 Miss Lois Wells gave the Church $200 for ihe relief of the poor, sick and destitute femaU? members. Mrs. Anna Fline, widow of Stephen, who died in 1851 or 2 bequeathed $200 to the Church. And in January 6th, 1860, Miss Sully Northrop, who completed her lObth year a few days ago, gave $200 to be added to the Church Fund. 19 A MEMOIIIAL DISCOURSE. The Benevolent Library originated in the gifts of Dea con M'Malion Col. Snraiiel Canfield and Philo N. Hea- cock, who took great interest in it. No additions hav^; been made to it for some years. It consists of about 600 volumes of standard works, and merits more attention than it has lately received. It is impossible to form any estimate of the amount of money contributed by this Church and Society, to relig- ious and benevolent objects. Until after the installation of Mr. Porter there was no system or regularity in its charities. Collections were taken up as the town was vis- ited by agents, or as necessity seemed to require. It is thought that contributions have be:3n made regularly to the A. B. C. F. M., and the Am. H. M, S., ever since these societies were formed. The oldest record of any contribution by this Congreg.ition is the receipt of the County Treasurer for £1)4 16s. Od. which this Society gave "for the suffering and distressed inhabitants of the towns of New Haven, Fairfield and Norwalk." This re- ceipt is dated September 1779, three months after the towns named had b3cn sicked by Mijor General Tryon. From 1836 to 1871 the Congregati jn contributed regu- larly to the Am. Ed., the Bible, the A. H. M., the Sea- men's F. & S. S. Union, the A. B. C. F. M., and the A. Tract Societies Since 1871 we have contributed annual- ly to the Bible S., CjngregUioa il Union, A. H. M. S., Fund for Disabled Ministers and their widows, the A. B. C. F. M., and the A. M. Association. The Rev. W. H. Moore states that, in the 17 years from 1859 to 1875, this Congregation contributed $18,876.53. Dividing this into two periods, lie finds tliat in the first nine years you gave $3,765.93, and in the last eight years $11,810.63, a gratifying increase, which, it is hoped we shall fully maintain. The Ladies' Mite Society was formed in 1817 as a Dor- cas Society. For 59 years it has annually contributed about $75, divided between A. H. M. S., Seamen's F. and A. Ed. Societies. The Auxiliary to the Woman's B. of Mi-ssions was form- ed in May 1872. " The Golden Links," and "Star Circle" a year later. These organizations last year, together,con- tributed $389. Such, in brief, brethren, is the story of your Church, 20 A MEMORIAL DISCOURSE. Society and town. It is one of .vhicli you need not be ashaineci. A careful study of these old records has in- crease:! my respect and reverence f^r tiie men of the past. Their coura.i^e in facing; difficulties, tlieir heroic endur- ance of privation ^thair sturdy indepsndence, their delisht in the ordinancj-i of the G.)^pel, their readiness to assist eacli other, ana their ,<;enerosity towards those wiio differ ed from them in opinion, are worthy not only of warm praise, but of careful imitation. And yet these men of the past were not all saints and patriots. In 177(3 there were some bitter torios here: One of these was compelled by a company of riflemen to wahi before them from New Milford to Litchfield carrjnng one of his own geese the entir.j distance At Litchfield they tarred him. made him pluck his own goose, bestowed the feathers upon him, and drummed him out of the place, after obliging him to kneel down and thank them for their leniency. And in 1757 David Ferriss was paid lls.out of the Society's treasury,to reimburse him for counterfeit money which he had received as Collector. This nest of coun terfeitors was not broken up until 1763, when a dozen of them were arrested. The old Church books show that immorality was not unknown among Church members. The pastoral letter which was issued to th'3 Churches by the Litchfield Soutli Consociation in 1752, reveals a state of tilings in these Churches worse than any known to-day. Sixty years ago (1816) there was a distillery in every town —169 in Litchfield County,— 26 of them in New Milford. To day there are three distilleries in town, and soon it is hoped thjse will disappear and the nine places licensed to sell liquors. There is abundant cause for gratitude. There has been progress in every direction. In our beautiful village— than whic'i there is not now a lovlier or a healthier in New England— with our system of concrete walks, lamns and water works.our substantial Town Hall and enlarged school privileges— we may here spend life as pleasantly and profitably, doing the will of God from the heari— as was could anywhere on the face of the globe. With all these blessings and privileges there is, of course, an in- creased responsibility. It become'* us to conserve and iraprove all that the fathers have left us, and hand down an unimpaired inheritance to tiie venerations that are to follow. 3477-251 Lot-3d -ov* •^^ •^< ^o ^01 •i* " « " At \ v* . t • N" » •^--0^ ;* *'7V.* <0 . o w o ti> . 0^ .-^J^r 'o. 'o • » '^ A ^-..^^ »^^\ ^>/ :^&°t "--^' : ?^°-^*^ s°^ ,* *K O. V °o c*"**.*^ •P"^ tl^J^% O. 'o • » * A '-'^^ °v: •-. -^o. '^'o vt '•^^.4 SEP, 77,0 .J '^m- ^^4. •.^^» *i''o ^..^ »• A^*-^ * 4.^ '^^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS