CHAPTER IX.

Church History of Berlin. Early History of the "New Ecclesiastical Society." The Divisions of the Society. History of Christian Lane Cemetery. The Reverend William Burnham and His Family. History of South Cemetery. Incidents in the History of the Worthington Church. Deacon Amos Hosford.

150

The story of the first settlement in Christian Lane in 1686, on land bequeathed to Ebenezer Gilbert, and of the Seymour Stockade, built of stakes, set sixteen feet high, with a fort within, and cabins for the settlers, who gathered there at night for mutual protection from the dreaded Indians, is familiar to us all, and we have been told that in 1705 permission was granted the fourteen families of Great Swamp village to have a minister and a meeting house of their own.

The new Ecclesiastical Society, which comprised parts of Farmington, Wethersfield, and Middletown, was formed in 1705, but seven years passed before the meeting house was ready. December 10, 1712, a church of ten members was organized, and on the same day the Rev. William Burnham was ordained and settled as its minister. Mr. Burnham was then twenty-eight years of age. He was the son of William Burnham of Wethersfield, was graduated from Harvard in 1702, and had already preached for the new society three years.

The "7 pillars" of the church were: Mr. Burnham, Stephen Lee, Thomas Hart, Anthony Judd, Samuel Seymour, Thomas North, and Caleb Cowles. These, with the wives of Stephen Lee, Thomas Hart, and Samuel Seymour, were the original ten members of the Christian Lane church.

Anthony Judd was the first deacon, confirmed and ordained by a solemn service, after a two-years' term of probation.

Soon after the church was formed, it was agreed "that the members should hold conference meetings on the first days of

151

every Month in the year, to begin about 2 hours before sunset at the Meeting house, and sd meeting shall begin with prayer by one of the Brethren, who shall propose a Text of Scripture, and a question or questions, on the same, in writing, then to be discoursed on, by his next brother, by House row, by word or by writing, if sd Brother shall see cause. And the Pastor of the Church, and the sd brother from whom an answer is expected at any Meeting, shall at the same meeting lay down the Text of Scripture, and the question or the questions thereon arising to be discoursed on at the next meeting, to his next neighbor successively, till every brother in the Church has taken his turn, then he shall begin again who first proposed the question, and so on successively."

It was also agreed that "none should be present at sd. conference, but those in full communion, but by liberty from the church."

It was taken for granted that the women, if present at those conference meetings, "kept silence."

Two years later, January 11, 1714, the society voted "To build a pulpit and seats in number and form as followeth, to say, two pues on each side of the pulpit, and three long seats on each side of the brode alley to be left from the pulpit to the east door of said meeting house, leaving convenient allies toward ye north and south dores." "The said pulpit and pues to be built batten fashen."

The work was not completed until 1716, when the "decent and fashionable cushing" was ordered for the new desk.

This little church, with four short pews and six long seats, soon proved inadequate for the growing congregation, and, in 1720, a contract was made with Richard Austin and Moses Bull, of Hartford, to put in galleries: They to receive in payment, "£31 in Bills of credit . . . . or else in good Mercha[ndise], Wheat, rye, or Indian Corn, at the price the Merchants generally in Hartford or Wethersfield will accept the said sorts of grain in way of payment of debt due to them." The contractors agreed to "put and trim decently 4 pillars to be set under the beams of said galleries .... the said committee providing suitable pieces of timber hewed square."

152

The galleries, with four seats in each side gallery and eight seats in the front gallery, were to be "finished workmanlike — after the manner of the work in the Galleries in Farmington Meeting-house."

The heartburnings caused when the meeting house was seated according to "age, list, and whatever makes a man honorable," have not been recorded. At the annual meeting: "7 Dec. 1724, it was voted & agreed that Thos Hart & Saml Bronson, jun. should oversee ye Youth on ye Sabbaths in the time of exercise, to Restrain them from unreverent behaviors therein, for the year ensuing." Not long after the new galleries were completed the house was again found too small. Families who had come into the Society and settled miles away from Christian Lane also complained that they were "under great difficulty to attend the public worship of God by reason of the length and badness of travel especially at some seasons of the year."

A vote of the Society was taken January 26, 1729, to build a new meeting house over on Seagt. John Norton's lot. The vote stood forty-two in the affirmative and thirty-six in the negative. This new location was near the Milo Hotchkiss place, more than a mile southwest from the old house. The troubles that followed have been told by the Rev. W. W. Woodworth in these words:

The seeds of forty years of strife were in that vote. Serious difficulties arose respecting the location. Recourse was had in the most solemn manner to the lot to decide the question. An advisory council was called to decide what the lot did not settle. The council advised that the site indicated by the lot was the place pointed out by Providence to build the meeting house upon; but the people would not build it there. The General Assembly of the colony was next appealed to. In May, 1732, that body appointed a committee to repair to the parish, view the circumstances, and fix the place for building the meeting-house.

The committee fulfilled their trust and "pitched down a stake in Deacon Thomas Hart's home lot." The society would take no measures for building there, and in October, 1732, the General court "ordered, directed, and empowered the constable

153

of the town of Farmington to assess and gather of the inhabitants of Kensington ninepence on the pound of the polls and ratable estate on said society, and deliver it to the treasurer of the colony; who was ordered, on receipt thereof; to pay out the same to Captain John Marsh, Capt. Thomas Seymour, and Mr. John Church, all of Hartford, who were appointed and empowered to be a committee, or any two of them, to erect and finish a meeting-house, at the place aforesaid, for the society aforesaid." Kensington Society at that time comprised nearly all of the present town of Berlin, and a part of New Britain.

This Hartford committee "speedily and effectually" did their work. They erected a house, "60 feet in length and 45 in breadth, containing in the whole about 1500 persons." This house, built "about one rod south of an apple tree, partly dead," in Deacon Hart's home lot, was on the north side of the highway leading from the Town house to the railroad station, not far from the corner, west of the dwelling house of the late Cyrus Boot.

Oak timbers from the first church building were used in a cow-house on the Gilbert place.

The Berlin chapter, D. A. B., secured one of these timbers, which they have had made into picture frames. The more worm-eaten holes, the choicer the frame.

The first division of the ancient Society of Kensington came in 1754, when, at the May session of the General Assembly, it was enacted "that there be another Ecclesiastical Society Erected & Made .... within ye bounds of Earmington .... & shall be "known by the name of New Briton."

The question of this division had been agitated since 1739, when the inhabitants of the north part of the parish petitioned "for liberty of four months to meet at some convenient place for the ease of our travel to attend the public worship of God."

When the New Britain church was formed, April 19, 1758, fifty of its sixty-eight members were received from the Kensing-

154

ton church. One hundred and seventy-four remained with the mother church.

That meeting house, built so "speedily" by the Hartford committee, seems not to have been appreciated. According to the Colonial records, Thomas Hart and others, inhabitants of the Society of Kensington, sent a memorial to the General Assembly of 1764.

Representing that the meeting house in said Society for many years last past has been decaying and for want of proper & seasonable repairs is becoming very indecent and not fit and comfortable for the purpose of public worship, and that the different sentiments of the inhabitants of sd Society are such that they cannot by vote agree to repair sd house or build another.

A committee was sent by the assembly to "view the circumstances," but the people could not agree, except to make the house comfortable for another year. A vote had previously been taken "to shingle the fore ruff" and to repair the windows. Three years later, in 1767, Selah Hart and others of the society of Kensington sent a second memorial to the assembly,

Representing that the meeting house is become ruinous, unsafe, indecent & uncomfortable to meet in for public worship, and that a place in sd society for building a new meeting house hath been ascertained and that no vote or agreement of sd society can be obtained either for repairing sd old meeting house or for building a new one at sd place, whereby the attendance of the inhabitants of sd society on public worship is rendered uncomfortable, and will probably be impeded without the interposition of the assembly.

The feeling in regard to the meeting house may be inferred from an action taken by the society January 11, 1770, when it was voted.

That Messrs. Elisha Savage, Amos Peck, Elias Beckley, Capt. David Sage, Ezekiall Kelsey and others, twelve in all, be a committee to oppose any persons that may . . . . pull down, destroy, or carry away, any part or appendage belonging to our meeting house . . . . Any boards, shingles, glass, window-frames or other thing or matter whatsoever ....without due order of the society . . . . to prosecute to final judgment any such person or

155

persons that hath, may or shall hereafter pull down, destroy, break, or carry away any part of said meeting house . . . .

This was carried by a majority of twenty out of one hundred and sixty-one votes cast.

All along there had been an undercurrent of feeling that another division was inevitable. This feeling came to a head when, in June, 1771, one hundred and thirty-seven men signed a paper, by which they agreed to submit the whole matter to arbitration. Colonel John Worthington of Springfield, Colonel Oliver Partridge of Hartford, and Mr. Eldad Taylor of West-field, in the Province of Massachusetts, who were appointed to the task, came, studied the situation, accepted it, drew the dividing line, and set stakes for two new meeting houses. On May 6, 1772, as appears by the Colonial record, the society, by their agent, sent a memorial to the assembly.

Showing to this Assembly that it is best and absolutely necessary for the mutual peace & real happiness as well as from the limits, situation, extent & wealth and other respects that sd society should be divided into 2 distinct ecclesiastical societies by a north & south line, which they have a long time laboured to effect; and sd south soc'y having now mutually agreed that the most reasonable line of division will be in the following manner and form; to wit:

Beginning at the South line of the sd Soc'y at the place where the river cld Belcher's river crosses, the sd line, thence extending northerly by sd river until it comes to the 4-rod hiway until it comes to the south side of Selah Hart Esq'r land, thence east on the line of sd Hart's land to the same river again, thence northerly a direct course (leaving sd Hart's now land on the west if any of it should happen to fall east of sd course) to a point on the highway 10 feet east of Deacon Ebenezer Harts dwelling house from thence north to the north line of sd society, to include however the whole of sd Deacon Hart's farm on which he now dwells in sd west society.

The West Society kept the name, the minister, the church records and the communion service; the East Society in gratitude to Colonel Worthington for his wise counsel, adopted his name.

This division line, as it comes in from the south, crosses the road half-way between John Norton's house and his millpond;

156

thence it follows north on a road, now seldom traveled, until it comes to the General Selah Hart farm, now owned by heirs of the late Mrs. Jacob C. Bauer.

To divide farms would make confusion in paying church taxes; Mr. Hart had particularly requested that all his land might be in Kensington, and so here the line turns directly east until it comes nearly over to Lower Lane.

At the point where Blue Hills brook and Belcher brook unite, the line turns again and goes directly north to a large stone, set as a mark, about half a mile northwest of the old Seymour fort, where it meets the New Britain south line. This New Britain line was extended, in 1754, from Shuttle Meadow Lake, east until it crossed Christian Lane, about one-eighth of a mile north of the Fort, and was terminated a short distance east of Christian Lane. The division line between the two societies runs near Mott's corner, ten feet east of Mott's east door.

The hall now owned by the Agricultural Society stands in Worthington; the cattle sheds are in Kensington, the line is about half way between the hall and sheds.

The early settlers around the fort at Christian Lane carried their dead back to Farmington or to Hartford, but Captain Seymour, according to tradition, had given a plot of ground for a burying yard and was himself the first to be laid there. Whatever his intentions were, it is evident that the society had not received a title to the land. The actual deed was given November 1, 1718, by the Eev. William Burnham, who, for the regard he had for the public welfare of the parish at Great Swamp in the southeast part of Farmington. & in consideration of the society releasing him from 20s, he promised to encourage the building the Meeting house, he gave, sold, conveyed & set over to Thos. Hart & Thos. North a committee of said society a piece of land containing by estimation half an Acre, moreor less, in length 10 rods & in breadth 8 rods.

It is part of the same lot that originally was James Bird's, and which I purchased of Sam'l Semer, and it is understood that it is for the use of said Society, for a possession, for a Burying ground forever—said society is to maintain a good fence at their own cost, and I am not to be taxed for any part of the expense of a division fence as the law in other cases provides, and further until such divi-

157

sion fence is made, the said society are not to feed the ground or any way use it except to bury their dead. Said land is situate on a knowl of up land lying a little to the North of a stream called "Gilbird's Eiver," and abutteth east on the highway that passeth North from the Meeting House and butts North on land of Nath'l Not, West & South on my own land.

Signed Wm. Burnham.
Stephen Lee) wit
Ebenezer Gilbert)

This cemetery, the oldest in Berlin or New Britain, is situated on the west side of the road, about one-half mile south of the Seymour place, the distance divided by the brick Gilbert house. Most of the stones placed at the graves in this yard previous to 1730, if stones there were, have disappeared; one hundred and thirty-eight remain (including those of more recent date), the oldest dated 1726. The inscriptions show that twenty-four persons who lived on this street, or near it, lived to an average age of over eighty-four. In the decade including 1741-1751, forty burials are recorded on stones; of these, an unusual number of young persons, in 1741-2-3, would indicate some fatal epidemic at that time. Those who have recorded these inscriptions have found the lettering on the footstones often more legible than that on the headstones, and in doubtful cases the matter was cleared by turning to the footstone. The headstones nearly all face the rising sun, and it is possible that the eastern storms have worn away the marks of the chisel.

In 1737 it was "voted and agreed that Elisha Goodrich may take within his own enclosure the burying yard of this society, for five years, provided the said Elisha Goodrich clear and keep the said yard from brush and keep swine from rooting the same."

Now, what about that "good fence?"

Mr. Alfred Andrews in 1867 made the following statement:

This time honored cemetery .... had been sadly neglected for many years previous to 1845, when by the enterprise and liberality of Mr. John Ellis, some few subscriptions were obtained from individuals, and an appropriation of $30, from the parish of Worthington, in which it is located, and a neat white fence, erected on sunk stones,

158

with iron braces, at a cost of $160, an undue proportion of which expense was paid by himself.

John Ellis was the father of Martin Ellis. He lived in the large old-fashioned house next east of the "Martin Ellis corner," so called. The foundation stones of his work done on the cemetery fence sixty years ago remain, but the broken slats lying flat on the ground remind one of the old adage that "what is everybody's business is nobody's."

On the east side of the road, at the top of the hill south of the railroad, and about a quarter of a mile south of the cemetery, may be seen a stone, recently placed there by the Euth Hart chapter, D. A. E., of Meriden, to mark the site of Berlin's first meeting house. The land on which it stood was leased from Dr. Joseph Steele, and "peter blin," of Wethers-field, was the carpenter. The building was occupied in 1712, without pulpit, "pues" or galleries, but with a debt of £60 to Peter Blinn.

The Rev. William Burnham, born July 17, 1684, was a son of William and Elizabeth [Loomis] Burnham of Wethersfield. His grandfather, born 1617, of Hertfordshire, England, who came to Hartford about 1647, was a lawyer of good education and ability. Shortly before his death, in 1688, he made a will, by which he gave his house and home lot to his unmarried daughter, Eebecca. His wife, Ann, was made executrix and the will was given to her to keep.

Two years later Eebecca was married to William Mann, who complained that the will had not been exhibited in court, and that he, the said Mann, was like to be dispossessed of what his father gave his wife.

The marshal served the complaint on Ann and summoned her to appear in court with the will. This account is given for tne sake of the following quaint reply sent by Mrs. Burnham:
24 June 1690.

Honred Sor, Mr. Ayllin: Thes ffew Lines are to Lett you understand my S8orrowffull condishon. I have bene weke and Lame a

159

long time, and Now did begin to be som what beter be ffor my son Will man did make so much trobell by ye authority in Sending up ye Marshall, and by Souerving Warnts on all my Children, by which mens greved me very much, as I bave declared to ye marshall when he was at my house.

Thear ffor my earnest desir is that you would Not Let any thing goe fforward in a way off Setling my estate whillst I can Spak with you my Sellffe, and then I hop I shall do it to all my Childrens' Satisffaxsion.

Ye writin which my son Will man took, I know not what was in it, for I never heard it read. My son Will man asked me to see ye writing. I told him he mit. So when he had it he took it and put it in his pocit with out my Leveffe.
off an X Burnham.

William Burnham, Jr., married May 18, 1704, at the age of twenty, Hannah, daughter of Capt. Samuel Wolcott and Judith [Appleton], his wife, of Wethersfield. They were living in Great Swamp in 1709.

On consideration that Mr. Burnham should remain with the church as its minister nine years, the Town of Farmington voted, December 23, 1707, to give him fifty acres of land in three parcels "to be taken up in our sequestered lands not prejudicing highways or former grants."

The grant was laid out to him "in ye Great Swamp upon the plains beyond ye boggy meadow Southward & lyeth in length 8 score rods. Butting east on ye highway 160 rods; West on common land, North & South on common land 50 rods."

In regard to common lands, as the unappropriated land was called, settlers gave the town so much trouble by putting out fences to take in more than belonged to them that encroaching committees were appointed. At the town meeting held January 2, 1793, it was voted that "the committee for the Parish of Worthington enquire into the encroachments on Christian Lane and remove the same."

One of the conditions of Mr. Burnham's settlement, as drawn by his own hand, was that "the house begun by 2d Society be finished in the manner and to the degree that is ordinary in this country for such sort of houses, that is to say the two Loer

160

rooms, at or before the last day of March that shall be in the year 1710, the remainder within twelve months after, I only finding glass and nails."

Further reference will be made to this house, which stood on the site of the Norman Porter place.

Mr. Burnham was a faithful pastor and a sound preacher. On election day, May 10, 1722, he preached before the General Assembly at Hartford. His sermon, entitled "God's Prudence in placing men in their Respective Stations & Conditions asserted and shewd," was published "by order of Authority," 1722.

Mr. Burnham served the church until his death, September 23, 1750, in the thirty-eighth year of his ministry. His wife, Hannah, died March 16, 1747, and he married second, Widow Buckingham, who died soon after their marriage.

By his will, drawn July 15, 1748, witnessed by John Boot, John Root, Jr., and Eunice Root, Mr. Burnham divided his real estate equally between his three sons. He mentions his Spanish-Indian woman Maria, and provides that she shall have a comfortable support during life, in sickness and in health, at the expense of all his children.

"Concerning my Mulatto Boy James," he says, "my will is that according to my wife's desire my daughter Abigail may have liberty to take him at the price he shall be valued at."

Of the nine children born to the Rev. William Burnham and his wife Hannah, Captain William, born April 5, 1705, married Ruth, daughter of the "rich Isaac Norton," sister of Tabatha, the "Stolen Bride.'' Their home was next west of his father's, which must have been the Cyrus Root place. It is supposed that he built that house. When he died, at the age of forty-one, his estate inventoried £8,426 10s. 11d., a large amount for his times.

In his will he mentions besides his wife, his only son, Elisha (aged nineteen years), and two daughters, Sarah (aged fifteen years) and Ruth, "the youngest."

Hannah, eldest daughter of Rev. William Burnham, born November 18, 1708, became the wife of Rev. Jeremiah Curtiss of Southington.

161

Abigail, born September 14, 1713, was the wife of Lieut. Robert Wells of Newington.

Josiah, born September 28, 1716, married another Ruth Norton, daughter of John Norton and Ann Thompson, his wife.

Mary, born September 7, 1721, was married to John Judd of New Britain. She was said to be very beautiful and highly accomplished.

Appleton, born April 28, 1724, married Mary Wolcott of Litchfield.

Lucy was married to Jacob Root of Hebron.

Some years since, George Dudley Seymour of New Haven, a patent office lawyer, a descendant of Abigail Burnham Wells, came to Berlin to visit and photograph the ancestral home and the graves in the old cemetery. The Burnham inscriptions there read as follows:

Sarah daughter of Rev. Wm. Burnham, died Nov. 23rd, 1726, aged 8 years.

Capt. Wm. Burnham, d. Mch 12, 1748-9,* aged 44 years.

Mrs. Hannah Burnham, wife of Kev. Wm. Burnham, died Mch 17, 1747-8,* aged 64.

Mrs. Ruth Burnham, wife of Mr. Josiah Burnham, d. June 28, 1762, aged 39.

Here lies interred the body of the Rev. William Burnham, Senior, first pastor of the Church of Christ in Kensington, who having' served his generation according to the will of God, fell on sleep September the 23d, 1750, in the sixty-sixth year of his age and the thirty-eighth of his ministry.

Mrs Ruth Burnham, relict of Capt. Wm. Burnham, d. June 28, 1786, aged 76.

The Brandegee family had originally a private burying ground in their home yard. Jacob Brandegee of New York a brother of Dr. Brandegee's father, did not like to see the graves so near the house, therefore he bought a piece of land east of the old south burying ground and east of the strip owned by Mrs. Zenas Richardson, and had the bodies removed to that place.

* Note the curious inscription. The last figure seems to be the correct one. Capt. Burnham, for instance, was born in 1705.

162

In 1841 he deeded that tract of land to the Worthington Ecclesiastical Society, reserving forever a certain part for his own relatives.

In 1853 Colonel Bulkeley, Philip Norton, and Henry Sage, a committee appointed for the purpose, purchased of Mrs. Eichardson, for thirty dollars, that intermediate strip owned by her. Thus the old and new parts were joined and a continuous cemetery was made.

The oldest inscription discovered in the west part, first used, is that of Isaac Peck, who died October 2, 1748, aged forty-two years. In May, 1888, the grounds were extended on the south side by purchase from Walter S. Hart. On April 3, 1903, the cemetery formerly known as the South Cemetery was legally incorporated under the name of The Maple Cemetery (Inc.), Berlin, Conn., and the Worthington Ecclesiastical Society deeded to said association all its rights in the grounds. The amount of its capital stock is five thousand dollars, divided into two hundred shares of the par value of twenty-five dollars each. One share entitles the holder to one vote and to one lot. It was the intention at first to sell the shares at ten dollars each, but when the committee went before the court, they were told that they could not be incorporated unless they charged twenty-five dollars per share. Bryan H. Atwater is secretary and treasurer of the association.

There was a Zalmuna Atwood, whose wife, Sarah Mygatt, joined the Worthington Congregational Church in 1828. She died in 1835, aged sixty-four. Zalmuna died in 1836, aged sixty-four.

When Walter S. Hart built his house next south of the Maple Cemetery he tore down another old colonial house that stood close to the street, where the well in front of the Hart house may be seen.

Mrs. Harriet Hart Dickinson remembers that an Atwood family lived in that house. There were several children, and it is probable that Zalmuna was the name of their father. The children were capable and bright. Jamison, who was a carpenter, built the Universalist Church. Nelson, the grandfather

163

of Clarence Atwood, who was also a house builder, moved to New Haven about 1848. Millicent was the wife of Samuel Pattison and Sarah was the wife of Isaac Dobson.

In the forties the house was occupied by Jefferson Steele and his family.

Sally Atwood united with the Worthington Congregational Church early in life. The reason that her name does not appear in the catalogue of members is shown by the following account taken from an old record book:

In March, 1822, when she was nineteen years old, she asked for a letter of dismission and recommendation to the "Methodist Episcopal church of this place."

The reasons she set forth, six in number, for this step, covered a closely written page of foolscap paper, which was read in church. She said she could not believe with this church in the doctrine of foreordination of eternal election or reprobation. Reason 3d reads:

I cannot believe with this church that it is possible for men once regenerated and bom again to backslide so as to fail of the grace of God.

When these doctrines are preached, that preaching darkens my mind instead of giving me light, and I am constrained to believe it my duty to walk in the light instead of walking where that darkness of mysteriousness is thrown over my mind
(Signed) S. ATWOOD

Deacon Daniel Galpin and John Goodrich were appointed a committee "to confer with said Sally Atwood and endeavor to enlighten her mind and convince her of her error."

The next Sunday the committee reported that they had attended to the duty assigned them and had labored "to convince her that the views she entertained of the doctrines of the gospel were erroneous and unscriptural," and that "as she

164

was young she had better study them more carefully," but that "she still professes to have the same views, and to be conscientious in her belief formed upon a careful perusal of the bible and earnest prayer to God."

Imagine a girl of nineteen in this age going through such an ordeal!

Record states that "Sally Atwood joined the Methodist church the same Sabbath and is no longer a member of the 3d church of Worthington in Berlin" (the 2d Congregational church of Worthington at that time was called the 3d church). Sally's troubles were not at end when in the fold of her chosen church.

She was a stylish young woman and liked pretty clothes. One Sunday she went to meeting with a new bonnet on her head and on the bonnet a bow of ribbon. Woe the day! Sally was disciplined for her audacity.

This story reminds me of another: A modest young lady came from East Berlin one Sunday to attend the Methodist church. She had inside of her cottage bonnet, each side of her face, a spray of delicate pink flowers. The preacher fastened his gaze upon her and spoke of the sin of "outward adorning" until he brought a color to her cheeks deeper than that of the flowers she wore.

In a manuscript copy of the list of members of the Worthington Congregational Church, dated 1812, is this curious entry:
Edmond Boldero and Utica-ann his wife Mr. Boldero was admited to pertake occationly being tinder the disopline of this church but not to vote being a piscopalin.

In the same list of church members made in 1812 appears the name of John Tryon, with this note attached, "a piscopalin in principal but allowed to pertake occationly & to be under the watch of the church but not to vote."

It is said that men are especially interested in the religious experiences and the quarrels of their predecessors. A hint of both is given in a letter discovered by Miss Ruth Galpin, in an old record book.

165

This letter, which relates to a neighbor of Mr, Johns, was laid before the pastor at a meeting of the Worthington church, held December 11,1807. It reads as follows:

Revd Sir

Our obligations as Christians concerned for the honor of the Redeemer and the good of souls constrains us to perform a very painful service by preferring a heavy charge against a member of our church

It appears from evidence altogether satisfactory that_______ ________ has not only given himself up to the government of the most anti-christian passions but allowed himself without even the least provocation to use language most dreadfully profane; he has dared impiously to utter the sacred name of the Divine being, calling on God to damn his fellow creatures, and particularly the pastor of the church of which we are members

Such language uttered by a person accustomed to converse with people of decent manners, is truly shameful as well as criminal; uttered by a professor of the Gospel, it shocks the mind; but when we consider that the accused is an aged man, language fails us when we would fully express the feelings of our hearts

He seems to have descended to the lowest step in the climax of depravity, when a sense of duty and Christian love induced us to converse with him either personally or by delegation concerning his unworthy conduct, so far was he from confessing his sin that he gave the most unequivocal proof of being a slave to the most unchristian temper

Church's Committee:
Aaron Porter
Peat Galpin
Amos Hosford
Roger Riley
Jedediah Sage
Daniel Galpin
Selah Savage
Samuel Porter

The accused person having refused to appear in vindication of himself but caused a scandalous paper to be exhibited which considerably aggravated the first offense and the charge against him having been proved by two respectable and credible witnesses in its full extent, he was unanimously excommunicated as guilty of impiety profanity and breach of covenant.

166

In 1830 charges brought by William Savage against another member from whom the church withdrew, were

FIRST: that he had never attended communion since the day he joined the church and that he seldom attended public worship with the church.

SECOND: that he had violated the fourth commandment It was stated on this count that "he had been in the habit of wandering in the fields on the Lord's day—cracking butternuts and gathering walnuts."

THIRD : that he has been guilty of falsehood.

S. Durand and Dr. Gridley were appointed to labor with the accused. This committee reported at an adjourned meeting that the member "acknowledged his guilt in all the charges," "but had nothing to ask of the church but only that they would cast him out."

Under date of August, 1828, a record is found of a complaint by Deacon Daniel Galpin against Nancy Norton, a member of the church, for "withdrawing from the watch and communion of the church in an irregular manner."

"It appears that the said Nancy Norton had joined herself to the communion of the Methodists and said in doing this she had acted from superior light which she had obtained as it respected the darkness of the gospel."

A committee of the church labored with her, but in vain. They reported: "She has acted conscientiously on what she has done, and she will not be reclaimed."

Over a hundred years ago Zadoc Sage lived on the east side of the road near Captain Sage's, and farther south, next beyond the brook, set well back on a hill, may still be seen the home of Deacon Amos Hosford, who died in 1822 in the eighty-fifth year of his age.

At a meeting of the church in the parish of Worthington, held August 4, 1803, the following resolutions were adopted:

Resolved That Amos Hosford, one of the Deacons of the Church having presented the Church with a complete Set of plated vessels

167

for the administration of the Lord's Supper to become forever the exclusive property of the Communicants as a body and their successors they do accept and determine to use it for the sole purpose designed by the Donor

Resolved That the existing members of the church return their cordial thanks to their kind Benefactor for his very liberal and handsome present, which they consider as an evidence both of his Christian love to them and his concern for the divine honour . . . .

N. B. The just mentioned set of sacramental vessels consists of the following Articles, four flagons, three platters and six cups.

N. B. The tablecloths for sacramental service were also given and the trunk containing the whole furniture.

Moreover Amos Hosford said that it is his Will, the vessels may NEVER BE DIVIDED though there should be a division of the Church and Society hereafter.

Test, EVAN JOHNS.

To give the foregoing Resolutions all the Authenticity and confirmation of which they are capable so as that the property of the above named plated vessels may be fully and clearly vested in the undivided Body of communicants at Worthington and their successors forever, I hereto annex my name this fourth day of August one thousand eight hundred and three
AMOS HOSFORD.

At a town meeting held May 4, 1798, it was voted "that Amos Hosford and Gad Stanley Esq. be appointed agents to oppose the road from Hartford to New Haven in the place or places where the same has been laid in Berlin, by a Committee appointed by the Gen'l Assembly."

Again, October 15, 1798, it was recorded that "Amos Hosford was appointed Agent, aforesaid, unless the expenses arising on the same shall be defrayed by a company formed for that purpose, and such alterations shall be made in the places where the aforesaid road is laid as will better accommodate this town and the Public."

Besides being a man of affairs, Deacon Hosford was very religious. It was said that be observed the fast days appointed by the governor, strictly as a time of fasting, meditation, and prayer. He would go to meeting and then shut himself in his room, and was seen no more for the remainder of the day.