The Ancient Historical Records of Norwalk, Conn.

That we are all glad of an opportunity now to signify the great respect and value we have for ye Revd. Mr. Moses Dickinson, and the satisfying prospect we have of his well answering ye necessities of this desti- tute society, and with all cheerfulness assure ye good people thereof, of our good approbation of this society's having their eyes upon the Revd. and valuable gentleman for ye work of ye ministry here, whensoever it appears to us that ye condition or proviso of ye Presbytery re- leasing him from a pastoral relation to ye people of Maidenhead, &c. appears absolutely & in fact to be by judgment of that Presbytery completed. A true copy. Samuel Cook, Scribe. The society by a vote of Eighty eight, none appear- ing in the negative, do invite and call ye Revd. gentle- man to ye work and labor of ye ministry among them. Agreed and concluded to defray the charge of trans- portation of ye sd Mr. Dickinson and family, whenso- ever he may be obtained to move unto us. (A committee appointed for this purpose and to pro- vide a house, &c.) * * Appointed ye Worshipfull Joseph Piatt, Esq. to attend ye Revd. Mr. Dickinson home into ye Jersies, and also to endeavour the obtaining from ye Revd. Pres- bytery there, the Revd. Mr. Dickinson's discharge from ye Chh. and people of Maidenhead. (On the society book is recorded at length the min- utes of the Fairfield Association, in a meeting at Wilton, 1738.] SOCIETY RECORDS. 155 Aug. 29, 1727, in wliich they approve of tlie doings of the council at Norwalk ; and it appearing that Mr. Dickinson was now dismissed loj his Presbytery, the as- sociation advise the society of Norwalk to repeat their call ; which they did in full form on the 1st of Nov. 1727. Difficulty with Mr. Buckingham. Jan. 10, 1727-8. The society grants ten pounds to Mr. James Brown, for his service at ye General Court, in answering ye memorial against the select men, pre- ferred at New Haven in October last to the General Court by Mr. Stephen Buckingham. (Also granted 20s. to Lt. Samuel Comstock, which he paid to Mr. Fowler, lawyer, to assist in ye cause abovesaid.) May 10, 172S. Made choice of Joseph Piatt, Esq., to represent the inhabitants of ye said society, to an- swer ye memorial of Mr. Stephen Buckingham. Made choice of Thomas Fitch, Esq., Mr. James Brown, and John Copp, Committee to prepare what is needful to be sent to Capt. Piatt, who is now at ye said Assembly ; by a safe hand, if such can be obtained, or else to send a man directly from hence to Capt. Piatt. At a meeting of ye Prime ancient Society of ye Town of Norwalk, convened May 7, 1729, * * Made choice of Mr. James Brown and Thos. Fitch, Esq., to appear in behalf of the society at the General Court, to be held at Hartford this present month ; there to an- swer a Petition exhibited to sd court against the town of Norwalk, by the Revd. Mr. Stephen Buckingham. The society impowers Mr. James Brown (that if he finds ye abovenamed Mr. Fitch engaged on ye petition- er's side), to employer improve (if he see it needful) an 156 NORWALK. [1729. attorney at Hartford to aid and assist Lim in ye premi- ses. Rev. Mi. Caner of the Church of England.* Dec. 22d, 1729. The society, by major vote, deter- mines that a receipt from nnder the hand of ye Revd. Mr. Caner, brought by any of ye church of England in this society (so declaring themselves, and attending as ye law* in that case mentions) for so much paid him as * At a General assembly held in Hartford, May, 1127, it was enacted * * That, " If it so happen that there be a society of the Charch of England, where there is a person in orders according to the Canons of the Church of England settled, and abiding among them, and performing divine service, so near to any person that hath declared himself of the Church of England, that he can con- veniently, and doth attend the public worship there ; then the col- lector, having first inditferently levied the tax as aforesaid, shall deliver the taxes collected of such persons declaring themselves, and attending as aforesaid, unto the minister of the Church of England living near unto such persons; which minister shall have full power to receive and recover the same, in order to his support in the place assigned to him." (The same Act gave power to any society of the Church of Eng- land to levy on themselves greater taxes at their own discretion, for the support of their minister.) " And the Parishioners of the Church of England, attending as aforesaid, are hereby excused from paying any taxes for the build- ing meeting houses for the present established churches of this Go- vernment." The General Asseiubly held at Hartford, May S, 1727, enacted, " That where there are such dissenters as ai'e commonly called Cluakers, who do attend the worship of God in such way as is al- lowed by said act [in the 7th of Q,ueen Anne, A. D. 1708], within this colony, or are so situated that they may and do attend the ser- vice out of the limits of this government, in any such meeting aforesaid ; and shall produce a certificate from such a society, of their having joined themselves to them : and that they do belong unto Iheir society; that he or they shall be excused from contributing to niG.j SOCIETY RECOItDS. 157 ho or tliey aro assost by tliiB society, in tlio minister's i-ato of said soeiety ; which receipt or receipts, so deli- vered to ye collector of the minister's rate, shall he a suf- ficient discharge to ye said collector, as if gathered by T^aid collector and paid the said Mr. Cauer, and thereby obtained his receipt for the same. Meeting with the Professors of the Cliurch of England.* At a meeting of ye Prime Society in Norwallc with the Professors of the Chnrch of England inlijibitants of said society, legally warned, and being convened at ye [old school house in said society, Feb. 2d, 1746-7 * * * Grant a rate of one penny the pound on all polls and ratable estate of all the inhabitants within ye limits of said so- ciety, towards completing ye town house ; said house to be improved for school society's meetings of ye inha- bitants in said society, as pr grant of ye town at their last annual meeting. the support of the established ministry, and rjoiu euntribiUing or paying any tax levied for the building any meeting house or houses, in the soeietj; where they dwell." The General Assembly held at New Haven, Oct. 9, 1729, also granted, " That for the future, the same privilege and exemption from the charges aforesaid as was granted by this assembly in May last unto the people called Cluakers, is hereby allowed unto Ihem J the people called Baptists], under the like regulations ; any law, usage, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding. " At this time," says Prof, Kingsley, p. 95, " there were in Con- necticut, but two or three congregations of Episcopalians, and two of Baptists, all of whi«h were small ; and no congregation of Ctuakers." ♦ The schools were managed by the Prime Ancient Society; their votes concerning districts, school houses, &c., at their annual meetings being put on record from time to lime. y 158 NORWALK. [1755. [The authority pew, Dec. 14, 1747. Voted, that Saml. Fitch, Esq., shall sit in ye pew next ye pulpit stairs, with the rest of ye authority. Meeting House Windows. Dec. 17, 1750. Determine to glaze the meeting house with sash glass 7 & 9 inches * * A commit- tee appointed to perform the same ; and are impowered to sell and dispose of ye glass and lead belonging to ye windows, in order to purchase glass and other materials for ye same. His Honor, the Governor. At a meeting of the Prime Ancient Society in Nor- walk, assembled Dec. 25, 1754, * * The society by vote manifest their willingness that his Honor the Governor should choose any place in ye meeting house to erect a pew for himself and family. Ye society send 3 men to treat with his Honor in the affair. At the same meeting, ye said society grants the head of two fore seats in the meeting house, on ye women's side, to erect a pew for his Honor the Governor to sit in ; which is left to the discretion of David Benedict, Doct. Uriah Rogers, and Mr. Joseph Piatt, a commit- tee appointed to build said pew at ye society's charge. Seating the Justices; Dec. 10, 1755. The society by vote desire the Jus- tices to remove and sit in the pew with their wives. Adorning the Governor's Pew. At the same meeting, the society desire the committee appointed to erect the Governor's pew to do what they 1765.] SOCIETY RECORDS. 159 shall think proper, to adorn the pew where the Go- vernor now sits, in lieu of building a pew. A colleague for Mr, Dickinson. [In Feb. 1764, the society, with the concurrence of Mr. Dickinson, voted to take measures to procure a col- league ; provided that means for the support of such col- league could be furnished by subscription, without lay- ing any burden upon the society as such. In March report was made to the society that such subscrip- tions were furnished.] Rev. William Tennenl. [Mr. Tennent having preached some Sabbaths on pro- bation, the society by vote, unanimously invited him to settle as colleague with Mr. Dickinson, Nov. 13, 1764.] Mr. Learning's Rate. Dec. 17, 1764. Thomas Hanford appointed to col- lect Mr. Leaming's rate. The Presbytery of New Brunswick. [Mr. Tennent wished to retain his connection with the Presbytery ; which the society, by mutual under- standing, allowed, provided Mr. Tennent should "unite with us and with the Association in the Ecclesiastical constitution of the colony." The Presbytery, however, understood it otherwise, and appointed a time, and a committee of their own, for the installation. Where- upon, June 12, 1765, after a suitable preamble, the society voted thus] : — " This society, by a copy from the minutes of the Presbytery, are informed, that Mr. Tennent declared his acceptance of the call of the society, upon condition that he shall still continue a member 160 NORWALK. [17G5.