History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

" It \\i\s been ttmught that the disniituiou of Mr. Morgan was the last action of the tt>wn iik occlesiastical offain*. There were, howt-ver, votes of the town iu 1701) and 1711 f>r provMing a parsonage fur the West I StKJety, auil also a vole in 17U1 assigning a location for their church, which was near the site wo now o:;cnpy. Three years later, December, ' 171fi, we find tho town holding a meeting iu the new house, which shows that the building is erected and so far advanced towards coniplclion as I to bo occupied. It also indicates that tho centre of iH>pulatiou was changing from tho east to llio west side of tho river. We ascertain, thou, \ with tolerable certainty the following fa'ts: That on the 5th of Slarcb, 170'», the two congregations be^-iune distinct by mutual agreement. Of courxo wo must presume that this churrh was at that lin>e regularly or* ganizod, with Joseph Morgan for ltd acting pastor. Its flivt house of worship was built by tho town cloven years nftorw*ards, in 171G. Its erection was voted through a series of yearv, from 1(>IM to 1713; the building itself, however, nu^inwhilo made no progresa. It would l»e difllcnlt to say at what time its foundations were actually laid; prvlwbly, however, it was sixm after the vote of 1713, which fixe»l its site l>etween the dwellings of Joseph Close and Rphralin Palmer. That house stotsl fnun 17Hi to Jan. 7. 171>V>, a period of eighty-lwo years. During tho lat- ter part of this time it was iu a very diliipidutod state. At length the * IjottcrlcB were at tliot time Icgnl. t This is understtMid to bo In tlio cast settlement, now called Old Green* wich ; and it nuiy here Ik« noteil that in all early votes " tho town*' de- scribes this settlenu-nt, then the seat of power. J They add, "Wo think it txmvenlont to give Mr. Morgan acquaint* ance that u'o w«iuld not have him preach at Horsoneck, but continue in the town." g The evout hero monlionod took place ouo hundred ond fifty years jliieo, — u iktIlmI so far remote as to render It not impntper to intmduco nn amusing Incident snitetl to illustrate those early times. Wi* find on the reconis of tho town a very significant vote. In Janmiry. 17().'>, the inhabitants in the west settlement hal granto<l 3Ir. Morgan, to aid in his supjwrt, a tide-mill, now owned ljy Mr. S. Paris, Throe years afler this Elionezer Mead. Joshua Knapp, and Caleb Knajip wi-re sent to liiiu OS A committee "to see if ho would cease tending his mill in imtsou, and pmvldo a miller, si> that he might attend to the p«»ple;" and if he wouhl not, the pnK,*i»ss of relief was to l»e of a sumiuary character; "The 0(»m- mlttcc wore to consider the pulpit vacant, and at onco proceed to pnjvlde another minister." GREENWICH. 383 house wo arc now in was rovorcJ, ami I>y tin- u-nioval of llie ?cats (Voin tlio oKl lioiiM- to til." new was lJl-._-iialv,l so as to l.o oc.ni.ii-.l. It was .Iwliiatoil .Ijin. 7, IT'J'.i, liv tin- tlien i.astor, Isaai; I,i-wis. Sr. His ilisi-onrsi' on tliat occasion was fonnilcnl on ("Joncsis xxviii. IT : ' Anil Iio ^\;ls afraid, and saiil, Ilow ilreaillul is this place] This is none otlier than the hoij.e of Go.l, anil this is the gate of ileavoi.'" Eveivtilillg shous that III.' ol.l hilihiins hail heeoine unsightly and uneonifoi lahle, and that it liad lieeu used to the liist niunient. Hence the hurry of the lelaoval. The hnild- ing was (iiiished ttiree yeal^ afterwards, the funds f.-r that |air|.ose Ipeing raised hy a tax. The Irrst renting of tin' [lewsf was llecendter, I."<U'2. The rental amounted to ahout Sinn. The wh.d.' .■,.st*..r tlie church is tluMiglit to have heen IMJt far from ?i;{ ,— a lieavier tax U|~in the ]uo- perty of tlie congregation than $'.n,ll»n woulil l-e no« ," Tlic following is a list i>t' tlif ]inst(irs nftliis iluift-li: Rifliunl Sackc'tt, Sleiilieii Jldiistui, Daniel ( iraii<riT, Alirttliuni Toild, Joiuithan Murdock, Isaai- Lfwis, Sr., Tstmc Li'wis, Jr., Jucl Mann, J. If. Liiislcy, F. (!. Clark, C. K. Troiit. The first cIuiitIi edifice was ererteil in tilicmt 171ii, tlieseeonilin 1730, and the thinl in 171IS. 'J'he jiresent chnreli edifiee was cinnpleted in 18")S, at a eiist of abont fifty thousand dollars. The jiresent detieons of the ehureh tire C'Inirles Mead, Elktintih Meatl, Mtjses Cristy, T. S. rinneo, M.D., William A. Jlowe. The jollouing: is a list of nieiiibers IVmu 172^! to ISOd: 172S.— JcMialhan Il.dihy, James Pratt, .Tomithan ll..hli>'s wif.-, Ennin- Jle.id, Mary Mead, .Miigail lieyncdds, Ahigail Itniidle, lla\ id M,ad, Peter Ferris, .lolin Sloe, wif.' of .lolin .Moe, Sarah Ferris, Ke/ia Ferris, Joshua Knaipp, Jr., Ann Mead, Ilannali Jlead. ITnn.— JIartha Kmipp, Jahez Mead, wife of J.il !■/, .Mead, Mary lirush, Mimlwell liundle, Deborah foril, Sohunon ( 'lose, wife of Solo- mon Close. 1732.— Reuhen Itunolds, linth I!un..hls, I%liialhan Mead, J,.hii Ferris,Jr. 17:«.t— Ruth Itunolds. 1774.— EheifZer Mr-ad, Deacon; Elnatlian Mead, Deacn; Tlon].liilus I'eck, Tlieopliilus PecU, Jr., Benjannn Meail, Kliphalet .Mead, J.uias Slead (chosen deacon April 2.5, 1770], Odle Close, Heiija- min Peck, Caleb Jlead, Caleb Lyon, John Holmes, PhinejLs Knajilt, Jonathan Knapji, Joshua Reyindds, Kli Uiiiidle Ichosen deacon Seji. 22, 1774), Reuben Ferris, Sylvaniis Ferris, Nathaniel Mead, Horton Reynolds, Sauniel Rundle, Silas Mead (<hoseii deacon Oct., 178:il, Zehadiah Mead, Isaac Howe, Hanmdi To.Ul, Na.imi Mead, Eunice Mead, Sarah Mead, Elizab.tii Peck, Pru- dence Meail. Rebecca Peck, Hetliia Clo.se, l.ydia Reynohts, Mary Mead, Sarah Mead, Eunice Lyon, Hannah Mead, Ke/ia Ilowo, Abigail Mead, Martha Mead, Hannah Meail, Pli.-be Rnnillo, Haniaih Hays, Amos 5Iea<l, Samiud Peck, Mary Kuapl', Sarah Howe, Elizabeth Howe, Anna Mui^ey. 177-'t. — ISenjainiii Jlead, Mary Meatl, James -Alunlock, Miiuu- Hilliaul, Mciry Jleail, Martha Rich. -Ke/ia ^Iur<iock. Rachel Brown. -Tama Halt, Anna Abrahams, Sarah Mead, Ruth Mead. -Hannah Rich. -Eli Run.lle, Deacon; .Silas Mead, Deanui; Elijdialel Mead, Caleb Mead, Caleb Lyon, Zehadiah Meaii, Amos ."Mead, lienjaniin Mead, Thcphilus I'eik, Odlc! Cl.w, Caleb Lyon, .Samuel Peck, Benjaniin Peek, Horton ReyiK.lds, Saiinnl lUown, Samuel Run- dle, Mary Mead, Abigail Mead, Hetbiali Reynolds, Euidce Lyon, Hannah Mead, Abigail Kua])p, Rebekah Peck, Hetbiali Close, Rachel Lyon, Martha Meail, Kez.ia How.', Lydia Reynolds, Rachel Knapp, Elizabeth Howe, Mary Knapp, Hannah McAll, Hannah Mead, Sarah Mead, Abigail Jlea 1, Sarah Jlead, Slartha 177«. 1777. n7.s. 17S0. * The preacher's stand on that occasion was a joinei's beiadi, with the front of the old pulpit placed before him. The day was stormy, and the conKregjition is thought to have lunnbeied only about one liundred. t The pews joiiujd uiion the walls. The slips were free for many years. X No records were made of admission to the churcli fi-om Fell. 22, 1733, to June 3, 1774, when a list of ineuib.-rs was made by 31r. Murdock. Riib. .Ternsha Peck, Abi-ail Ibdioe.s, Abigail Husled, Ruth Holme.s, Amah Hobby, Elizabeth Close, Amah Palmer, Eunice Knapli, Ruth .Mead, Mary Mead. 1787,- David Mead, Aniie Blead, Eiieuezer Mead Ichosen dcaiou June 7, 17'.IS), Rachel .Mead, Henry Mead, Jlary Mead, Hannah I.rwi-, Abigail Sackett, Abraham Peck, Nathaniel Reeve, Alualoim Mead (chosen deacon Sept. ',l, 17.s!n, Kezia Mead, Ruth Jliad. 17SS.— .Solomon Kmipp, Deborah Hibbaril, IJilbert Peck, Dcboiali Peck. 17S9.— Gideon Peck, Eunice Peck, Ezekiel Halsted, .S.dly llal.-li-d, .lolin Hibbard, Lydia Mead, Sarah Fletcher, Ezekiel llalsled, Nathan Drown, Hannah Jliller, Sidomon Peck, Mary Lyon, Aligail Ferris, Ruth Iviialip. Robert Jleriilt,. lames Kiiajip, Ann Daytmi, Susan Rich, :Mary Rich, Hannah Knapp, .Saiah Miles. 17ilO._Mary Lockwood, Rachel .Mcriitt, Abigail Reynolds, Maty Ann Rich. 17'.I3.— Jonah Mead, Yolk Felmeote, llaiuiuh :\Iiad, ll.innah Parsons, Martha Jlead, Polly Lyon. 17H4. — .\nios Lyon, (ieorge Lockwood. 171.I0.— Jeiusha Graham, Jonathan Mead, Ann Hibbard, Deborah Mea 1, Rachel Close, Elizabeth Fletclu-r, Isaac Loofborow. 17it7— Jo.shua Mead, Mary Mead, Cahin Mead, Abigail Armour. 17<.l.s.— Daniel Smith, Samuel Peck. 17'.i'.l.— Mary Mead, Hannah Lyoii, Amos Green, JIartha Jlead. Isnn.— Martha Me.ad. CO.NCIlEllATlONxVL CIIirRCII, .'^TANWICII ^ The ehureh was orpmized in June, 17:io, with thir- teen members. The tir.st pastor was Rev. I5enj:iniin Strong, who served until March :l, 17(!7. The pastors from the orc;aniz;itiiiii of the chiireh to the present time are ;is follows: P>ev. l!eni:iiniii Strong, .June 17, 1735, to March 3, 17t)7 ; Rev. William Seward, Feb. 24, 1774, to Feb. 4, 17',14; Rev. I'latt Riilfett, :\Iay 2'), 171»(;, to June 30, 183.-); Rev. Daniel Butts, Oct. 2, 183'J, to Dec. (), 1842; Rev. Alon/.o B. Rich, Ajiril 20, 1S4S, to Nov. 3, 1854; Rev. Ileiiry (i. .lessup, Ajiril 20, 1853, to Sei)t. 30, 1802; Rev. John S. Bayne, May 18, 1800, to (.)ct. 8, 1872 ; Rev. Homer IhMailwell, 1875-78 ; Rev. F. C. Potter, Dec. 10, 187!t, present incumbent. The present officers of the church are as fidlows: Pastor, F. C. Potter ; Deaetms, (iein-ge Derliy, Ale.'C- ander Lockwood, and Lewis M. Close; Clerk, Ueorge A. Lockwood. For information concerning this church we tire indebted to Rev. F. C. Potter. CONtiREtJATIONAL CIIUIICII, NOlU'll i; RKKX WICII H This church was organized Dec. 25, 1827, with eighteen members, tis follows: Hanntih (Close), wife of Lewis Mead; Rebecca (Holly), wife of Seyimiur Hobby; Sarah (Knapp), wife of Isaac Peck; Ciilviu Mead and Deborah, his wife; Hannah (Pe;'k), wife of Diirius Mead; Abigail (Rundle), wife of Levi Mead; Obadiah Mead and Alia, his wile; Lutlier Mead and Annis, his wife; Thizz:i (Mead), wiilow of James Palmer; William Loundsberry, Lewis Mead, Silas H. Mead, Huldah Mead, Hemau Mead, Susau Loumlsbcrry. LIST OF MINLSTERS. The pastors have been: (.'hamicey Wilcox, .Tune 25, 1828, to May 5, 184G ; Frederic Munson, Si'pt. 22, 1847, to April 22, 18.50; John Blood. Nov. 11, 1850, to Oct. 12, 18.58; William II. Knouse, M;iy 4, 1S.")<», § The records of this church were destroyed by fire in 1S21. II Contributed by Rev. Richard I!. P.ull. 384 HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT. to May 3, 1863; AVilliam P. Alcott, Feb. 18, 1868, to Aug. 4,1874; Alplieus Winter, June 27, 1876, to Aug.