Connecticut Historical Collections

and spent in the plantation, for tlie benefit of it. At his own expense he built a lartjc, film, (and fur Ihusi; days,) handsome stone house, which served as a fori for himself and many of the inhabilanls, upon tlie laiui allotted to him by the planters, in a \c'ry conspicuous and delightful place, having an extensive view of ilie sea in front ; auS, with a comparatively small expense, might now be made the mosi duiable and best house in the town : [That house has since been handsomely repaired :] A lasting me- morial of his greatness and benefactions lo the town. In the change of limes in Eng- land, under the commonwealth, he returned thither. Several ol the planters returned with him ; among whom was Mr. Desborow, (who was near relation of Colonel Des- borow,) Mr. Joidan, &c. It was then the general opinion that the whole plantation woulil be deserted, as they had opportunity to transport tliem and families. " In consequence of his own expenses in purchasing the plantation, and Mr. Fen- wick's gift of the eastern part of tlie town, Mr. Whillield had a large and very valua- ble allotment of suine of tlie best lands in the township allotted to him. " Upon his return to Eni;land, he offered all his estate to the planters upon very low terms; but jiarily from poverty, bui cliielly Irom a persuasion that ihey should all lol- low him, they did not make the |nii chase; but when it was toci late, they rejiented their refusal. After his return home, he sold his estate to major Thompson, to whose heirs it descended. No mention is made on record of ihe lime of Mr. Whitfield's removal ; the tradition is, that he lived in the plantaiion about twelve years. When he lelt them, lie left Mr. John lligginson, his son-in-law, their teacher. He was son to Mr. 11 ig- ginson, first pastor of Salem church. He preached first at Saybrook fort, as chaplain, about the year 1013; after which he removed to Guilford, was one of the seven pil- lars, and assisted Mr. Whitfield in preaching until his removal. He was never or- dained in Guilford; but Mr. Wliiitield left hiin to take care of the flock, as their teacher. In this work he continued about twelve years, and then determined to go to England. After iNIr. Hiuginsun's removal, the town was in a very unsettled state for about twenty years. 'I'here were several who ministered to them, particularly Mr. Bowers, u ho had a house and land in the town, but afterwards reinuved to IS'ew Haven and Derby. In this headless state of the church, they fell into great conliision, by diversity of opinions; many removed to Killmgworth, (about ten miles east,) whieh was then settling; some of them returned a/terwards, of whom was Doctor Kosseier. Afier they had waded through those troublesome times, about the year Mr. Jo- seph Elliott, son of the famous and pious Mr. John Elliott, of Roxbury, the Indian New England a[)oslle, was ordained over the church here. Alter he iiad preached about thirty years he died, May ;21, l(j'J-l. Some time after, in the summer of this year, Mr. Thomas Ruggles, of Roxbury, came anil preached as a candidate; and in the fall of the year 1G'J3 was ordained piistor of the church, under whose ministry the church enjoyed great peace, and religion nourished, though the seeds of division were then sowed. He deceased June 1, ITv-'ri. His eldest son, Thomas Ruggles, who was the author of this manuscript, succeeded him March 2G, 1729." Tlii3 following is a west view of the old Stone House in GuilforJ, wliicli is believed lo be the oldest hou.se now standing in the U. States. This building was erected by the company who first settled the town, about the year IG-^IO. The leader or head of the company was Ileiuy Whitfield, a tninister of the church of England, and one of the nimiber of those who were called Non-Conformists. This house was built for him. The stone of which the building is constructed was brought on band-barrows, from a ledge some considerable distance from the place where the house stands. The cement used in building the walls is said now to be harder than the stone itself. The walls were plastered 15 or 20 years since. Mr. Whitfield, and several others of the company who came to this place in 1(^39, returned to England in 1649. This bouse was usetl by the first settlers as a kind of fort for some lime, to defend themselves against the hostile savages. The first marriage which took place in this town was solemnized in this building. The sii|)per which was provided for the occasion consisted of pork and pease.* ♦ MSS. from Guilford. This house is now occupied, and in good repair. 2\) G U I I. K O R D , Ancitiit House at Giiiljurd ^ Conn. Guilford is IG miles cast of New liavcn, nnd .'3() south from Hart- ford-, bounded n. by Durliam, w. by liiardbrd, k. by Madison, and s. by liOng Island sound. Its lenj^th fiom nuitli to south is about eleven miles, and its breadth averages about four. The township is divided into two parishes or societies, Guilford ami North Guilford. In the fust society is the borough of Guilford, which was incorporated in 1815; it is handsomely situated upon a tract of alluvial or maritime plain, about two miles back from the sea, and near a small stream, called the Me- nunkatuc. Its limits embrace the ancient town plot, which is laid out with considerable regulaiily. In the center there is an extensive open pul)lic s(iuare. The borough is compactly built, consi>ting of about 150 dwelling houses, 'J cliiuidies, I ('ongregatioual and 1 lOiilscopal, and a tdwn honsi'. Many of the houses are ancii'ut in their appearance, and the people have retained, more than most others in the Slate, the an- cient manners of the New England colonists. Tlie following is a view of the Congregational chmch, situated on the north side of the j)ul)lic square. The first building north of the church is the academy, the next is the town house ; the last two buildings formerly stood on the stjuare. About sixty rods west of the church, the cellar in which Gofi'e and Whalley were secreted for a time, is still to lie SL'cn ; (Jovernor Lcele's stoi'c formerly stood i,\v.v it. The tradition is that they remained in this cellar three days and nights. "A .iaui^li- ter of Governor Leele afterwards married in New Haven to Mr. 'I'row- bridije. It is an anecdote still preserved in that family, that she often used to say that when she was a little giil these good men lay cont:ealcd under her father's store, but that she did not know of it till afterwards: that she well remembered, that at the time of it, she and the rest of the children W(?re strictly prohibited i'rom going near that store for several days, and that they woiulered at it, and could not conceive the reason GUILFORD. 'J 1 3 of it at the time, lliougli tliey knew it afterwards. Tradition says that they were however constantly supplied with victuals from the gover- nor's tahle, sent to them by the maid, who long after was wont to glory in it, that she liad fed those heavenly men." Congregational Church at tiailjord. Guilford is a place of considerable resort during the warm season of the year, for the benefit of the sea air, &ic. There are two establish- nienls for this pur|)ose ; one about a mile and a half below the Congre- gational church ; the other at Sachem's Head, about three and a half miles to the southwest. J3oth these places are accessible to steamboats. The scenery in the vicinity of Sachem's Head is wild and picturesque. Agricultvue is the principal business of the inhabitants. The following is from Ku;:gles' IMS. history of Ciuilfoiil, in the 10th vol. of the iMassuchusetts Historical Collections. " S.) iMily as KIlll, II i;<)ii;,'rc'j,'rtnuh;il cliurcli was gnilicred, or rallicrthfy lln-n coni- MikmI into a visiblecliuiclKslait'. They iulupli'd ]\lr. Davenporl's noiiuiis ; and Aniiied the chiML'ii by covenant ii('uii fcvin jjHIhis, as thi.-y leiiiu'd it. 7'lic uanics of llie .seven piHars were Ml-, rti-nrv Whitfield, Mr. William Lcctc, Mr. Julm IVIipbam, and " John Hiu^'inson, " Jacob Shcele, " John lloailly j " Sauuicl Desbor.iw, and on the iiineleenth day of the niutiih of Apiil (indbably the very day tlie church was ilius SL'illcd) the records .say, the feodccs in tiiisl I'ornia'lly in uiitine resigned tlio lanil purelus.'d by them to the ehnrcli, &e. " The manner of j^'atiicrin^ or lonnm^' the chnrcli was this, viz. a doctrine of f;iiih M'as dia\i n lip and a^scnled to as liie foundation of their coiiiie.xioii. i\iitl then ilicy inuliially euicred into covenant, fust with God to be his jieople in Jesn.^ Chusi ; ijicn one u itii anoiiier, to waih' loijclher in attending all the dnlies of the clirisiian reli,:.;ioii, and enjoyment of all the ordinances that belong lu a particular visible clmrch. Their doririne of faith was judicion^ly drawn. It is short, comprehensive, and lalioiial, ii|).- I iriie jiiimilive, < 'alvinisiical, and ("Congregational pi iiiciple.s. This doclrineof fiiit/i with ihi' c.nciiaiit is eonlinned and made nse td" con.-.tantlv in admitting church members to this day by the first <linicb." * ' * » Mr. llig'^m^dii ronlinued in the iiiiiiiNirv at Ci'iiiWoid about twelve veais, "and then deiermined t..g,, lu luigland lo Mr. ^Vhulicld. iUcortlingjy he shipjied himself and family, and ^all(■d. l!ut meeting with liiid weaihcr, the ves"cl pnt into Salem for harbor. Going a^l]llre i.i his lather's people, thev u anting a pastor, j)revailed with him to preach, and then nn^hip his family and gocids, and settle wiih them. lie aceejited then- call; was ordained their jiastor; and left a niuncroiis pos- .y 214. GUILFORD. lerity, wliicli liave been in renown in their several generations. TLis is the account lie giv'e.s ol liiniseirin a book of sermons prinle^l by liini in lus old a^c, and dedicated by him to the eliurch and people of God at S;ileni, Gnill'oiJ and Saybrook, where he preached at first in the lime of the Peciuod war."