Connecticut Historical Collections

"The third Episcopal minister was Ihe Rev. Richard Clark from Milford. He was settled here in June, 17G7, and left the town in 1787. The society was then vacant for a few years. The foiinh b.piscopal minister was the Rev. Truman Marsh from Litchfield. He was sellle.l here in November, 1790, and lel't the town 9ih of Nov. 1799, and rernovetl to Litehlield. He was minister here just 9 years. Since then the society has been vacant. — The next religious socieiy in the order of time, is the Strict Congregaiionalist, commonly called Separates. This sprung out of the other societies in conse()uence of what is called the great reviiuil of religion, or by others the New Light lime, between the years 1710 and 1750. Their first elder who preached statedly here, though he never was ordained over them, was Mr. Elihu Marsh. Their second was Mr. Robert Campbell, wlio vi'as ihe first that was ordained over them. He was ordained here 29 years ago, continued about 12 years, and was then dismissed and left the town. Their third elder was Mr. Barnabus Lathrop, who came here about 10 years ago, and preached to them about two years. He afterwards joined the Presby- terian society, and died in lliis town April lOth, 1796, aged 57 years. Their fourth NEW M I I, F 0 H D , 479 and now olTiciating elder, is Mr. Daniel Iline. lie has been ordained over ihem 1 years. [This society continued to maintain a sepaiate woishi)) till about llie year 1812, when liavmg become very .small, the niembeis, un the lecommendatinn (a.s it is understood) of elder Iline, dissolved the society, and the juineipal part of them joined either the Presbyterian society or the Baptisis.]— The next reii^'ious denomination that may be mentioned are the Baptists. It is but quite lately that communion as- sumed the appearance of a regular society here. A small eluirch was loimed, and a house of worship built in the lower end of the town, called the IN'eek, [now Bndge- valer society,] about 11 or 12 years ago; but they never had an elder settled over them, and within a few years past they sold their house and chielly removed out ot the town. A few scattered individuals remain, but no stated worship is perlormed. South view of Neiv Miljhrd, {central part.) incwhidi is eis, 'J'hevi ison. Betw the town, Jul iuctfiouilhe town, ihv J''ricu<h, called Jf- 1:') and 20 }ears ago, a 'd in thai ct)inmuniun, " The last deninnination we shall mention is but not many years since existed in some nnml Mi)/(rt!/fi-, gathered here by one Jemima WilK'i number of families m the northeastern part ol .... j---- ■ - ^ and built a hou,e of worship, but shortly alterward> they sold their house and pi iv.. estates and moved away m u body uilh iluir leader, into the western part ol the st.rie of New York, called the Genesee, in Ontario County. Their settlement was un or near the western shore of the Geneva Lake, about 20 miles south ol the town ot Ge- neva where though occasionally abandoned by some of her followers, Jemima con- tinued for many years to maintain her ascendancy over her remaining loloweis, ami even it is said until her death, since which nothing has liere been heard ol them, and it is suppo.sed that the society as such has become extmcl^-A lew individuals ot oihc persuasions have been or still are in the town, such as Seventh Day baptists, fecolch Presbyterians, Glassiies and Methodists, but no society of these has been lormed "Tiius have I endeavored to sketch something of the ecclesiastical Jiislory ol ihe ^'■'(Vlere follows what the preacher sti'les the civil and mililary history of the town but containing nothing peculiar, and consisting priueipally ..I the names ol the civil and military olHeeis of the town, m eluonolugi.al ordei, this part ol the cxuact is omitted in this copy.] "The first bridge that was ever built over the Housatonic river from the sea to its source, was built in this town, and was finished in July, 1737. The first .school that was set up in this town, was in the year 1721 : it was to be kept four months in the year, and the town to pay one half of the expense. At this time there are 2-2 school districts m this town, exclusive of those in the parish of New Preston ; and it is computed that about 700 children attend in them through the winter season." 480 N t: v.- m 1 1, k 0 k [1 . The village of New Mllford consists of about 60 dwcllinf;; liouscs and 5 mercantile stores. Tlie enc^raving shows the appearance ol" the cen- tral street, as it is seen from the south end. It is wide, and about 60 rods in length. The building which is seen on the right is the ancient Episcopal church, which was taken down tlie present year, and a new church is now erecting. The Congregational church, erected in 183-'J, is seen to the north : the old church stood in the street, about 30 rods southerly from the one seen in the engraving. This place is 18 miles s. w. of Litchfield, 36 n. w. from New Haven, and 48 from Hartford. Prcmi the Connecticut Journal, March ISth, 1708. We hear from New Milford, that a maiuifacloiy has lately been opened there, wherein were wrought, or rather imitated. New York 40:>. bills ol'ciurency, and Span- ish milled dollars, to a great degree ol' imperfection; but tliat, notwiihsianding the present prevailing scarcity of money, and loud call lor industry, it is ihoiight that branch of business may prove prejudicial to the public, and therefore the artilicers already labor under great discouragements J'rom every quarter, and near one dozen of them embarrassed with a close confinement in a distant cage, where a liill is prf- pared upon some obvious specimens of iheir ingenuity, to assert their title to the Royal Bounty. Strange! how variously mankind distinguish themselves ! no less by tlicii ;ictions than features. \cw Milford, Anrr.Bt/t, 177:'.. The Riflemen on their way from the southern colonies through the couniiy, admin- ister the new fashioned discipline of tar and featheis to the obstinate and reliactory lo- ries that they meet on their road, which has had a v>My good etfeel heie. Those whose crimes are of a more atrocious nature, they punish by sending them to General Gage. They took a man in this town, a mosl incorrigible tory, who called them d — d rebuls, &.C., and made him walk before them to Litchfield, which is '20 miles, and carry one of his own geese all the way in his hand : when lliey arrived there, they tarred liini, and made liim pluck his goose, and then bestowed the feathers on liirn, drnnimed him out of the company, and obliged him to kneel down and thank them for their lenity. The following inscriptions are from monuments in the grave yard in the central village. In memory of the Rev. Thomas Davies, a laithful servant of Jesi>s Christ, an active woilhv niissionarv frmu the venerable soi-ietv in l'nL,'hind, who departed this life May l-Jlh, 17lit!, in the :{()ili year of his nuc. lie met dealli with the greatest Christian for- tiiiulc, being supported by the rational luii)e of a blessed immortality. The sweet remembrance of the just k Does flourish now he sleeps in dust. ■ ' Vita bene actsejucundissima est recordatio. Mrs. Ann Bostwick, the consort of Samuel Bostwick, Esq., died Sept. 21st, 178.'^, in the 59th year of her age. Death's strong assault enervates the failing frame, The vault receives the pittance of an hour, The rising soul to God extends her claim. Brightens in bliss, and triumphs in his power. Samuel Bostwick, Esq. died Sept, 23d, 1789, aged 6G ycais. He was the bih son of Major John Bostwick, who was the son of John Bostwick, who was the son of Arthur Bostwick, M'ho migrated from ye town of Cheshire in England. — In death the rational mind cca.^es to commmiicate'to the living; a marble genealogy succeeds, and the grave becomes a monitor. In memory of Paul Welch, Esq., one of the first principal settlers of this town, and an original proprietor of the same, departed this life Aug. 26lh, 1778, in the 82d year of his age. — In his day he served the town in most oflices of trust and honor, gave good satisfaction, and died possessed of a large estate. N O II V O I< K . • 481 In memory uf Samuel Platl, ilit' liiM o! iliis inwii.and one of iis oiiginal proprietors, departed this lil'e i3"J(l Jiil\', IIM, in the Hist \L'ar of his age. — An honest uian, tliat ieared God ami hated wieketliic.-^s. Sacred to the Jiiemory of rarliid,t,'e Tliaclior, Esq., who ilopaitcd this life Jan. 0th, 1786, in the 7-2i.l year of his a,t,'e — Composed by tJie deceased 1'. Thaeher, Esij. : Rest here, my body, till the Archangel's voice, more soiioioiis far lliau nine Ibid thunder, wakes the sleeping dead ; then rise to thy just sphere, and be my house iminonal. NORFOLK. Norfolk is an elevated towushii), the ccnti-al part of winch is 35 miles northwest from Ilartforci ; hoiinJed iiortli hy the IMassachusetts line, west by Canaan, east by Colebrook and W^inchc.ster, and south by Goshen. It is nine miles in length from north to south, and four and a half in breadth. "The settlement of Norfulk began in 1711. This township, and several of (he adjacent ones, were owned by the ihtni colony of Con- necticut ; and they were severally sold at public vendue at IVliddle- town, in I74'2. Timothy lloisfonl uf AV'indsor took a deed of one right of 400 ticres, which he retained. All the other proprietors re- linquished their rights, and forleited their first payment, which was 40 shillings on a right. The town was oiiginally laid out in 53 rights, of which one was reserved for a parsonage, one for the benefit of schools, and one for the first minister. Timothy Jjorsford sold his I'ight to Titus Brown, who aftei'wards rcniDVcil to tliis town and died here." The names of the first settlers were Titus and Cornelius Brown, from Windsor; John Turner and Jedediah J\ic!iards, from Hartford. They lived on Brown's right. They were pious and exemplary families, and attended public worship in Caiuian.