History of Fairfield County, Connecticut

"A Mr. Cole, whose name often occurs in the filed accounts of this Bociety, was a blacksmith. Ills shop was near the residence of llcv. Mr. Bcxford. He in sjiid to have been a singular or very peculiar man. He, for some rejLson, in hardening iron neemed to have hardened his heart, }Iis family were interested in and attended church. "Deacon Wheeler, of Ripton Parish, was committee on land-titles, then a great and resi>onsible business. He hatl, from liis ofhce, a 8]>ecial in- fluence in this town. He was a prominent man, — a num of integrity and promptness, au<l shrewd iu trwle. *' His son, Nathan Wheeler, the father of our respected friend, Deacon Nathan Wheeler, of this church, purchased the Monson — originally the Capt. Bloore — estate, and removed to this place. He lived and died in the Monst^n liou^e, the ruins of which mark the noi-theast corner lot of the green. These grounds are still iu possession of the family, being owned by Deacon Wheeler. "A deep interest has ever been felt by this family in this church and society. The valuable lot on which this edifice stands was given to the society in 1847 by Deacuti Nathan Wheeler, who generously added a sut>- scription of one hundred and thirty-five dollars towards its erection. The sister of Deacon Wheeler, Mrs. Betsey Smith, was also a contributor to this object, and has in times |)ast and recently manifested a deep and valimble interest in the house itself, and in the general welfare of the church and M)ciuty. "Thus the owners of the Capt. Moore estate have twice furnished a spot of gixtund u]>on which this our ark of God has rested, lleliove me, ns blessings came ui>on the house of Obed-e<lon> fur attentions to the ark uf the LonI, so will blessings come upon all who in love and faith sustain ttic house of God and its worship. " Samuel Wheeler, Kin\., was a cousin of Deacon Natliau ^Vhcoler and son of Mr. Joseph Wheeler. Ho for years traded in this place. He was father of Mr. Henry S. Wheeler, who was a dovolcil mcnilter of this church anil society. He genenmsly remembered its necessities in his will, and bxlay speaks to us in the continued ministrations of this pul- pit, and will continue so to speak while years, and even centuries, roll by. A memor>- thus embalmed in the 8er\ices of the house of God is fragrant indcc^l. "The mother of Henry S. Wheeler, the first wife of Sanuiel Whoeler, Esq., was, I am informed, a daughter of Dr. Kitch, of Norwalk, and sister of the mother of the late celebrate*! Pnife-iwir Knight, of Yale College. " In this conue''ti<tn it is pn>|>er and just that reft-n^ttre be nnute to Mr. IIcnr>' T. Curtis, whoso ilonations and laltors in behalf of this edifice and this church and society shine so conspicuously on mir reconls. He Is connected by marriage with the fandly of Henrj- S. Wheeler, and has most effectively co-oiK)nited witli that devoted man In elevating and i>er- potuoting the ser^'lces of this our sanctuary. Though gone from our town, ho lives in our gral*^ful romembrances. Such bouovolonco aud Buch laltors never die. They have their rewanl. " 1 haveheard, too.of ai^ingularand eccentric, and yet talented, kind of genteid and eIo<inent imiuimt |H>rlpatetii- or stn-et-nnimerwho years since came to this town from Windham, iu this State. Ho was nutetl for his somewhat imiM»siug drow, — hlsockei) hat, buckskin brooche«,and largo knee-buckles in antique stylo. He had gn'at remnirces for convunniitlou and cxtem|K)rur>' addn^^scs, was keiMi at an Impnmiptu and lightning retort, was full of curious tigiirtt* of speech and rennirks, and by original nod not always reven>ulial tooches tendtnl to unko up. if not tt) astonish, more stupid thinkcm. As be pametl a m-h(H>l house such was his power, I have been t^dd, Uiat Uio lioys would at limits forui in a line and, |taying him their rcaiHJcts, ho would wldreas thent and poas on his way. He was a friend and admirer of Mr. Rexford, of whom lie once remarked, in hU quaint and significant style, that he was a good man, a peculiar man: he was the friend of lK>th worlds. "This man was a poet, and the following is given as a sarcastic im- promptu Comment upon a careless lawyer after his being summoned as a witness in a case before Justice Adams, in Kipton, and which went by default of the writ : " ' \ court were had, The writ was bad. And could not be amended ; The plaintiff lost His oxpecte<I cost, And 60 the matter ended.' " This strange genius, around whoso historj" a deep mystcriousnoss gathers, was, through disapp*)intment iit his early hopt-s, proliably insane, and was thus lost to the standing and influence which his talents and connections in life rendered him signally capable of sustaining. We refer to him to remind you what a lafiting intluenco the most pennilosa and obscure person may have upon the thoughts and mannera and char- acters of a community. " My father was in his early ministrj' pastor for ten years in Windham, and the family name of Maiming was of note there. The name is now of note in Western New York, and descendants of this same strange man known here have charactt;r and induence. How and why a descendant of that family should so live and die here in this town is a mystery. Be- lieve me, there is a cause for all this, and it may well lead us all to i>onder our ways lest our descendants be, like him, mere mysterious wanderers or paui>ers in the world. " ' Ho sleeps the sleep of death. Gone to his long and last account. Unknown to us, but known to God.' "The regularly reported pastoi'S and acting pastors of this church are eleven in nnnd*er, and as follows: Klisha Itcxford, John Noyes, .Vsahel Ncttleton, Channcey G. Lee, Amos Bassetl, Daniel Jones, James Kant, Robert D. Gardner, Lewis M. Shepard, Edward B. Emerson, George C. Pruddon.* " The church, as reported now, numbers thirty-four males and seventj* one feutales ; total, one hundred and five, — the largest number ever on its list. Thus is the seal of God's covenant love visiblu ui>on the event ot its organization, one hundred years ligo. The little vine then planted in this wllilerncss still lives anil flourishes, from its branches rich clusters have been plucked for the ujiper sanctuary, while its influ- ence in beloved members gone hence fur and near is widespread. There is scarcely a family in the congregation which has not iu il one or more members of the church ; in some instances all the members of the family aro members of the church. In not a small portion of the familit-s in the congregation Intth heads of tliL^ family are In covenant with us. Most, too, of the youths over fifteen years of age arc one with us in Christ. With rare exceptions, the families of the congregation are reg- ular attendants upon the sauctuar}* and contributors to the support of the same, and to different benevolent olyects, " l>uriug the current year, the bist of this one hundred years of our history, our contributions for home and other objci'ts have equaled, il Is computed, six huudi-ed dollars. During this year, tbruugli the enter- prise anrl l>enevolence of the general conwniltce, — Mr. Charlo* T. Cnme, David A. Nichols, and Samuel C. R-ardslee, — the Int^-riorof tliis house has Wen handsomely and beaulifully refitteil. In tlit> the niemlK'P' of the chnnb and society and of the female sewing society have cheerfnlly ami generously ciuitribuled. Such sonicesand benevolent aid live od- This day, too, gruels us a united church and people. Pence and Joy. brotherly love, and friendly co-o|>eration iu a remarkable degree bore reign, tlie language of each, one and all, being — "' I love Thy kingdom, Lord; The house of Thine abode; Tlie Church our blest Redeemer maile M'ith His own prei-Ious bloml.' " These are pleasing comments n|H>n the fniits of the orgaoiMtioo which has lived one hundred years this day all told, ami whirli, we trust, will live with increasing faith and unity and zeal centuries on cenlurie* ,vet to come. • The sncccasors of Ur. Pruddon have boon T. T. Watemwo, 0. S. St John. William B. Curtis, .\lfrvd Wotorman, Dighton Mtises, and lleT. Chalea 1>. Hultert.— Ko. MONROE. 431 " The preacliing of tlie word has tlius not been void. Tlie faithful preacliitig of tliat word, as it has bet-nhere seen and hunorod, is a stand- ing testimony in its efti-cts to the life-giving energies and joys thereof. Honored and hai>i)y is tlie people who thus sustain ami rejoice in a dis- tinctive, searching, and nnconipromieing dispensation of the word of God. "Nor lias this church been blessed only in its ministers; it hits been epecially so in its deacons. Of these, as recorded, theie have been six- teen: Henry Hawley. Edmumi Lewi.s, Peter Curtis, Elijah Curtis, John Jndson, Peodate Sillinian, Daniel Wilcoxson, John Wllcoxson, James McEwen. Agur HeanUlee, Elihu Curtis, I)aniL-l Tonilinson, Ebeuezcr Lewis. Nathan \V. Wheeler, Daniel Nichols, and Isiai; Itarr. " Of Henry llawley and John Juilson wo have before spoken. " Peter Curtis was an early settler on Bagburn Hill. In intelligence, enterprise, patriotism, and faitli as we infer, a leprrsentntivo man. Ho was sound in the faith and in practice, — a man of prayer and constant in his attendance upon the sanctuary; a lover of the chunh. He was the great-grandfather of Mr. William Curtis and C'harh's Curtis, still residents on portions of tlie original estate. "Thi* name Curtis is iili'ntified with the past and priMut history of ■our church and town. It i:^ titled in Church and State, in law, iioiilics, education, medicine, agriculture, and military display. Some five liun- dred and ninety dollars is credited to tliis name in behalf of tbf -ii'ition of this church. Whether Deacon Peter Curtis iscc^nnectcd witii the ;iii- cestrj- of all this numerous generation I am not infoinnd.