Connecticut Historical Collections

After Mr. lligginson's removal, "while they had no ordained pastor," and ''fell into great eonfuMon by tli\ersiiy of religions opiiiions, many of the planters removed, especially to Killinguorih, wliieh was then .-ic-uling, pailieularly Dr. Rosseler, Meigs, the SievL-ns family, and Chatlicld, &c. wlio were useliil in that town, and continue to be respeciable in ehnich and slate there. Some of these returned, especially Rosseler and Meigs, alter the louii was restored to a peaceable seltlemeni of a pastor." " After they liad waded through these troublesome times, providence provided for them a pastor after God's own heart, lo feed ihem with knowledge and understanding. For abuut the year 1GG4 or l(i(j5, the renowned Mr. Joseph Eliot, son of the famous and pious Mr. John Eliot of lloxbuiy, (the Indian New England apostle) was called and iniiodnced, and by the laying on of the hands of the pi'csbylery, was ortlained to the pastoral oJiice in the cluueh. Mr. Mather of Northampton, withvvhom Mr. Eliot had lived soine lime before became to Guilford, being the ehiel in tiie ordination. The church and town greatly llouii>hed under his succcsslnl ministry. " After this burning and shining light had iiiini.itered lothis good people about thirty years, he deceased Alay '21, ltj',11, to the inexpressible giief of his beloved flock, whose memory is not forgotten to this day. .Some time in tiie summer of this year, the Rev. and pious Mr. Thomas Ruggles, likewi.^e from Roxbury, was persuaded to come and jireach to tiiem as a candidate for the ministry, and in the fall of tiie year, IG'Jo, was ordained pastor of this church, by the laying on of the hands of the pri'sbyteiy." • * * " Afier he had faitlifnlly led the tluck, he deceased June'l, 1728, in the thirty fourth yenr ol' his ministiy. ai.d liliy-eigih year of his age." " His eklest son, Thomas Ruggks,* was called lo succeed him, and was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the prc-sbytcry, March "JG, ll'l'J. " Out of the first or \\esicin society the (Ji'iicial Assembly, ujion the desire of the inhalniantsanil eon.sent of the society, mad.; aiiL.thcr society, calling it North-tJuilford; and in June, 17-.'), the Rev. Mr. Samuel Russell from Bianford, was by the laying on of the hanils of the prcsliylery ordained ilie lli^t pastor of the new church gathered there. He proved a worihy and faiihliil nimister. lie deceased January li), I71G : and Rev. Mr. John RichaicU from ^V'alerl)lIl)■, was ordained by the laying on of the ' ■ asior of ilie church, in ll;e month of November, 17-18." <lained their pa.-.. „. , „.,. „ .,.,...-, ....^ , dain Mr. James Sprout, of Muliilclionuigli, their jMsior; who being dismissed Irum iluMii m iJeluber, 17i;--^,t they now aic d'siiti.ie ula -^/iticd pasiui." '• In Ihe year 17 i:!, a nun'iber of the inh.ilniants vi ilu I'ust Society decl;ire<l ihem- selvcs of the Chnich of l-ji-l.ind, and built a hou:,e l,.r ihcir pul)lic worship. They have no curate, their number small, but meet every saltlialh lo attend church service. And in 1718 a number al Noiih Giiilloid aNo derjarcd foi the church, having built a bouse, and meet on sabbaths for worship. Perhaps there may be about sixty or seventy m all, young and old, belonging lo the whole [o\\ n ol that communion." " It is uncertain who were the first or oiiginal planlets. The first account of names upon record is so laie down as 1G50. These loity-six peisons following are entered and named as such, viz. Henry Whitfield Thomas Jones Richard Bristow Samuel Desborow AVilliam Dudley John Parmelin, jiin. John Higginsun Thomas (Jook Jasper Stilwell William L.eete 1 lenry Kingsnoth George Bartlet Robert Kilchil John Slom; John Scranloui William L'hiltenden William Hall John Fowler Thomas Jordan John Pai melin, sen. Edward Benton George Hubbard Thomas Bells Abraham Cruttenden John Hodley Richard Gultiidge John Evarts ♦ The author of this history, who died November "20,1770. Rev. Amos Fowler was ordained his colleague, June 8, 17r)7. t He was resettled in Philadelphia, and afterwards became D. D. GUILFOllD. 215 John Bishop, jun. John Siepliens Stephen Eishop Francis Bushiiell Bt-njaniiii Wiiglit Thomas Hiophen.s Henry Dowd Jolm Wiiliain Burenum Richard John Sheder F.dwaid George Chatlield Samuel Blalchley George IJipj^iland William Slone Tliomas French Abraham Criilienden, jr. "It is a thing evident by this list of planters, that the account of all the original names is not ascertained; for some of the fust planters are not snentioned in it, partic- ularly Mr. Coliinge, who was one of the purchasers from the Indians. Tradition concerning is, that he soon died, leaving no other inenn>rial of his name but a small island in the salt meadow near the sea, called to this day Coding's island. And some thai are named it is certain were not original planters or jiUichasers, particularly Hubbard and Fowler; they came from llartlbrd or Wetherslield, and as many others were, who came into the town afterwards, ai.lmiited planteis in it, and had land laid out and assigned to them. Among such was Dr. Bryan Uosseler. One of this Dr. Rosseter's daughtuis married a C'ottoii, aiul his posterity continue to this lime in town. Dr. Rossutcr purchased Dr. Desborow's house and lands of him when lie left the town with Mr. Wiiilheld, and returned to England. ' " As this plantation was connected with New Haven, so ihcy carefully conformed to the agreement in Mr. Newman's barn in all their aflairs religious and civil. Like their brethren at New Haven, they adopted and acted ujion that unhappy mistake, that it is a thing of more importance to save ami be governed by the steeple than the slate. " Besides [having meniinned the Magistrates' Court, and Town Meetings, or Ge- neral Courts, as in Coll. Hist. Soc. iv. 18j.] ihey held a Court of Probate. By which court, as often as there was occasion, wills as well as intestate estates were settled. The whole lands belonged tu the community. And the title to any particular lands was by order cd' the town in their meetings. So upon this principle that the fee was really in the community, they in settling estates someliines depajied from the rule of East-Greenwich tenure : And sometimes seltleil the intestate esialL-s ujiou the widow, sometimes on one of the children ; or sometimes on a stranger called tu the lamily, as best served the general good of the family, and the prosperity of the iufanl plantation, in its minority. " But neither this courtjior this practice continued long. As soon as New Ha- ven colony government became belter sealed ami mure fi.Kcd, settling estates was transferred and determined by the court ol assiritants at New Haven, agreeable to the present rules of the court of ])robate." " As the town was an immediate part of New Haven government, ihey were from the early times allowed an assistant or magistrate. Mr. Samuel Desboiow, who next to Mr. Whitfield was esteemed the iirst and richest of the planieis, was the lirst as- sistant. The next assistant in the town was Mr. William Leete. He came from England a young but a very hopelul nrau, as he proved to be afterwards both in New Haven, ami, ulier the union, m Conneeiieul ei)loiiy. The lamily tradition is, that in England he \wisaclerk in the (piaiiei sessions of the county, bred for the law. He vas ail excellent writer, and lor many years served as secrelaiy or clerk of the town, all the ancient records being written in his hand; and had a good underslanding in the law. His eldest son, Joliii Leele, it is said, was the first eiiild born in the town ; and has left a numerous posterity. He was deputy governor of New Haven colony, and after the union was governor of the colony. He removed to Hartforil, and there died and was buried. " The ne.xt magistrate in town was his second son Mr. Andrew Leete. He married a daughter of Mr. Jordan, one of the original planters. Like his father he j>roved au excellent man, who, it is said and believed, was the principal hand in securing and preserving the Charter, when it wns just upon the point of being given uji lo Sir Ed- mond Andross. In his hou'^e it foniul a : ife retirement until belter times. Ne.xt after Mr. Leete was Mr. Josiah Ilossetei. son of Dr. Rosseler, and since him j\Ir. Abraham Fowler, son of John Fowler. "The first jilanters who came to the town were of two ranks, viz. such who in England are called gentlemen and cnrnmonaliiy. None were poor men, and few oy no servants. The gentlemen were all men of wealth, and they bear the appellation of iVIr. as Mr. Desborow, &e. while according to the ])lain customs of those times thtv commonality were named only Giuulinaa or Ncii'/ibor, such or such an one. How greatly arc times now changed ! Every man almost is called Mr., every woman Miss, Mada7ii or Ladi/. Popularity desi.oys all civil distinction. "The first planters, whether Gentle men or Yeotnc/L, were almost all of them hiis- bandm^'n by profession: few tradesmen; not one blacksmith among them; it Mas with great cost the town obtained one to live among them. In lhl^3 respect ihey were 216 CUILFOUD. quite dill'erent from tlie fust settlers of New Ilaveu, altlioii^'h tliey came -with theiiJ. The good people who came with Mr. Davenport were Londoners, bred to merchan- dise, and fixed upon a place proper for trading,', which was their design. But Mr. Whitfield's people were quite the reverse, country people, and therefoie chose llieir lands for different ends. Milford and Guillord were some time under considerulion ; but at length they i\xed iheir choice upon Guilford. As they came from Kent^ &c. so they chose for their plantation land as near like those as they couM."- " And what