CC ~ < « a ANC Ca aK oo oO UA \ ‘ NON LAN . AN TT SS NS \ ANAS RAK . ‘ ANS ef AS ~ A AR WAS ic: ws ‘ CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Cornell at Library | »X8481.S52 S: “Tia 4 029 471 525 — —— li ie! . THE GHURCH OF 4847 TO 1891. ANNALS OF THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, OF npbYMOUR, CONN, BY W. C, SHARPE, AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF SEYMOUR. BEte, RECORD PRINT, SEYMOUR, CONN. 1885. Edition of 1896. Ye ba 792764 PREFACE. In commencing this work it was only intended to arrange and pre- serve in convenient form for reference so many of the financial reports, lists of official members, Sunday-school reports, etc., as might be available, with a few such additional pages as should give a tolerably complete account when taken in connection with the sketch of the church in the History of Seymour, pages 173 to 183, and copied by permission in the History of Derby, pages 461 to 469, one of which is available to many of those interested. The occasional publications above mentioned, all of which have been printed at the RECORD office, and many of them gratuitously, number over forty, and some of them are very rare. The plan was changed and all available mate- rial was examined. Each of the surviving pastors now remaining in the conference was requested to assist in the work and several of them aided materially in the preparation of the following pages. Yet the work has been hastily done, owing to the very limited time which an editor could spare from his daily labors. Such as it is, he hopes it may be of some value to the church and interesting to the membership. It has been said that we can judge of the future only by the past, and if in some respects the following pages seem to give too much of of detail, it is yet hoped they may prove useful. Especially in regard to legacies and property titles is full information needed, and not al- ways available, even after long and patient research. To those who may not already beaware of the changes of name we would state, to avoid confusion in regard to localities, that this village was first known as Chusetown, named after an Indian chief, then as then as Humphreysville, and since 1850 as Seymour. More than proportional space has been given to the pastorate of Rev. Geo. L. Taylor because of the importance of the station filled 4 by the church in the history of the town in the most crucial stage of its war record, The Methodist churches of New England have borne much contu- mely in the earlier years of their organization and have thus earned the right to wear their honors. They have borne an important and honorable part in moulding the character of the states, and have done their full share in sustaining the general government in the time of its greatest trial. Two of the young pastors of this church have afterward been hon- ored with the degree of D. D., viz: Rev. George Lansing Taylor and Rev. Joseph Pullman. Its members have gone forth to make their mark in the great cities and the newer communities of the west. The children of the humble Sunday School have become strong men who have battled for the right, and self denying women who have been equally faithful to sustain the banner of the cross. The past is ours, not to be reproduced, for as times change so may modes of work, but for warning, instruction and encouragement. The good works of the past are a precious memory, the present is ours, and the fu- ture stretches before us. May it be a happy one for the church and its membership. W. C. 5S. FIRST METHODIST PREACHING IN CHUSETOWN, NOW SEYMOUR. When near the close of the last century Rev. Jesse Lee commenced his labors in this vicinity, he found many willing hearers in whose hearts the seed took deep root and brought forth fruit an hundred fold. Descendants of the Puritans had for more than a hundred years estab- lished homes upon the hills and in the vales of the Naugatuck. They brought with them the bible and a belief in its teachings, and many who were cold in formalism and the forbidding doctrines of Calvinism were ready to embrace the more loving and trusting teachings of Methodism under the zealous labors of the first Methodist preachers, any one of whom might well have been taken as the original of Jean Ingelow’s “Curate”: *‘He had learned to kneel by beds forlorn, and stoop under foul lintels. He could touch, with band unshrinking, fev- ered fingers; he could hear the language of the lost, in haunt and den— so dismal that the coldest passer-by must needs be sorry for them.” They were alike ready to comfort the sick and exhort thestrong, to render consolation to the poor and afflicted and reprove the rich and haughty. Many of the first to join the followers of Wesley were men and women of high standing in the community, and some of them previously mem- bers of the older churches, as appears on comparing the names with various records. The pioneer of Methodism in New England first came to Derby in 1791, and, hiring a bellman to call the people out, he preached to them in the shade of some trees in what is now known as Derby Uptown, on the east side of the Naugatuck river, then much deeper than now and navigable to that place. Among the hearers were John Coe and Ruth, his wife, who invited him to preach in their house on his next visit. This invitation he accepted afew weeks later, and extended his work to Chusetown, by which name the settlement near the Falls of the Naugatuck was then known. From that time Derby, comprising what is now Seymour, was included in the circuit, which embraced nearly all of what recently constituted the New Haven nd Bridgeport districts. 6 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. In 1792 Middletown was made the head of the circuit, which em- braced a large part of Middlesex and New Haved counties. This section was no exception to the general persecution of the new denomi- nation, and from pulpit and fireside warnings were given against the innovators, but Lee and his co-laborers, like brave men of God as they were, continued to sow broadcast the seeds of truth. John and Ruth Coe and Mr, and Mrs. Hinman were the first fruits of their labors here, and soon brought their infant sons for baptism at the hands of Rev. Jesse Lee. Mr. Coe’s son was baptized John Allyn and Mr. Hinman’s son Jesse Lee. John A. Coe grew to manhood as an earnest, efficient Christian, and settled in what is now Beacon Falls, where one of his grandsons resided until within a few years, and was one of the most honored residents of that place, having been repeatedly elected to the legislature and various offices of trust in the town. The first society in Derby was formed in 1793, with John Coe as leader, and was visit- ed by the venerable Bishop Asbury.—Rev. Sylvester Smith. The preachers on the Middletown circuit from 1791 to 1796 were: 1792, Rev. Richard Swain and Rev. Aaron Hunt. 1793, Rev. Joshua Taylor and Rev. Benjamin Fisher. 1794, Rev. Menzies Raynor and Rev. Daniel Ostrander. 1795, Rev. Evan Rogers and Rev. Joel Ketchum. 1796, Rev. Joshua Taylor and Rev. Lawrence McCombs. FIRST ORGANIZATION. Chusetown, so called after the Indian chief, Mauwehn, nicknamed Chuse, was afterward reuamed Humpbreysville, after General David Humphreys, Aide-de-Camp to General Washington, and in 1850 was, with surrounding territory, incorporated as the town of Seymour. Here in 1797 the members of the new denomination were separately organized with Daniel Rowe of Derby as leader. The original mem- bers were Jesse Johnson, Isaac Johnson, Esther Baldwin, Sarah Baldwin and Eunice Baldwin. George Clark, Lucy Hitchcock, Silas Johnson and Olive Johnson were soon added to the number. The ministers preached where they found open doors, in Mrs. Dayton’s tavern, the house now owned by William Hull, at the corner of Main and Pearl streets, and in the house of Mr. Stiles, later the resi- dence of Dr. Thomas Stoddard. Some years later they preached in the ballroom of the Moulthrop tavern, on the northeast corner of Maple and Pearl streets. The circuit preachers for the first four years after the organization of the new society were-— ‘ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. qT 1797, Rev. Michael Coate and Rev. Peter Jayne. 1798, Rev. Augustus Jocelyn. 1799, Rev. Ebenezer Stevens. 1800, Rev. James Coleman and Rev. Roger Searle. The Presiding Elders were Rev. Jacob Brush, Rev. George Roberts, Rev. Jesse Lee, Rev. Freeborn Garrettson and Rev. Sylvester Hutch- inson. These itinerants were generally stalwart men, strengthened by daily horseback rides and hardened by exposure to all extremes of weather. Most of them were men of fair culture, of great mental strength, of ready wit and glowing oratory, of fervid piety and of marked success as evangelists. Most of them attained a good old age, and the churches which they organized have grown into large and powerful organizations. For a long time the society continued small, and encountered much prejudice and some persecution. At one time while a meeting was being held in the house of Isaac Baldwin, which stood on the flat east of H. B. Beecher’s auger factory, the persecutérs went up on a ladder in time of preaching and covered the chimney fiue so that the smoke drove the people out of the house. Squibs of powder were often thrown into the fire in time of worship, to the great annoyance of the people. One who was acquainted with the subsequent life of many of these disturbers of worship said that a curse seemed to follow them, and that most of them died in the prime of life. The preachers on the circuit from 1801 to 1810 were: 1801, Rev. Elijah Bachelor and Rev. Luman Andrus. 1802, Rev. Abner Wood and Rev. James Annis. 1803, Rev. Abner Wood and Rev. Nathan Emory. 1804, Rev. Ebenezer Washburn and Rev. Nathan Emory. 1805, Rev. Ebenezer Washburn and Rev. Luman Andrus. 1806, Rev. Luman Andrus and Rev. Zalmon Lyon. 1807, Rev. William Thatcher, Rev. R. Harris and Rev. O. Sykes. 1808, Rev. James M. Smith and Rev. Phineas Rice. 1809, Rev. Noble W. Thomas and Rev. Coles Carpenter. 1810, Rev. Oliver Sykes and Rev. Jonathan Lyon. The presiding elders of the district were Rev. F. Garrettsou in 1801-2; Rev. D. Ostrander in 1803-5; Rev. William Thatcher in 1806, and Rev. Joseph Crawford from 1807 to 1810. Among the early Methodists living on Great Hill were Anson Gil- lette and wife, with five sons and two daughters; Mrs. David Tomlin- son, with one son and three daughters; Capt. Isaac Bassett and wife, 8 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. with one son and six daughters, and James Tomlinson and wife. Eli Gillette, a son of the first named is still living at the advanced age of eightyfour years, and from his youth has been a consistent and efficient member of the Great Hill church. Rev, Freeborn Garretison held the first quarterly meeting in this place in the old Congregational meeting-house in 1803. Moses Osborn, a zealous local preacher residing in Southbury, by his faithful labors in Derby and vicinity during four or five years, prepared the way for a great revival in 1809, when seventy persons were converted in the Neck school-house. Most of these joined the Congregational church, but several families joined the Methodist church and added to its influ- ence in the town. ‘The work moved steadily on in Derby, Humphreysville and Nyumphs. In 1811 the preachers were Rev. Zalmon Lyon and Rev. Jesse Hunt; in 1812, Rey. Aaron Hunt and Rev. Arnold Scholefield. In 1813 Middletown circuit was divided and Stratford was made the head of the new circuit. Rev. Ebenezer Washburn and Rev. James Coleman were the preachers. Stratford, Milford, Derby, Humphreysville, Nvumphs, Great Hill, Quaker Farms, George’s Hill, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Newtown, East Vil- lage, Stepney and Trumbull were included in the circuit. Rev. Nathan Bangs was presiding elder of the New Haven district in 1814, and Rev. Elijah Woolsey and Rev. Henry Ames were the preachers on this circuit. This year preaching was divided—half a day at Humphreysville, half a day at Nyumpbs and once a fortnight at Derby Neck. It was a revival year at the Neck and on Great Hill. The two brothers, Samuel and David Durand, and their wives were added to the little church in the little red school-house at the Neck. Samuel was a good singer. In 1815 Rev. Elijah Hebard and Rev. Benoni English were the preachers on this circuit; but Mr. English soon located at Humpbhreysville and went into business. This year Walter French, a resident of Humphreysville, received license to ex- hort and afterwards a license to preach, and was very useful here and in other parts of the circuit. He had a good memory, a ready utter- ance, and often spoke with great power and success. He died in 1865, aged over eighty years. In 1816 Rev. Nathan Bangs, presiding elder, came to preach in the Bell school-house and made his home with Stiles Johnson, on the Skokorat road, opposite Thomas Gilyard’s place. After some cautions from careful brother Johnson against doctrinal preaching, the elder went down in the evening and preached a free salvation to a crowded BUYING A MEETINGHOUSE. 9 house, and such was the power of his words on the congregation that when the preacher, in closing, inquired, “Who will have this salvation? Let those who will seek it arise,” the whole congregation stood up with one accord and a great revival ensued. “Uncle Timothy” Hitch- cock was one of the converts. Rev. Reuben Harris was in charge, and lived in the house with Stiles Johnson. In 1817 the society numbered fifty six members. The legislature of the state authorized the division of its share of its surplus war tax of 1812 among the religious denominations of the state, but the Methodists refused their portion of the movey. Ata quarterly conference held at Hast Village, January 9, 1818, Rev. Oliver Sykes was appointed to communicate with the officials of the State on the subject, but no one had any authority to receive the re- jected funds. The disappointed brother returned, still burdened with unwelcome charity. At the quarterly conference of August in the same year, held at Humphreysville, Rev. Aaron Pierce and two others were appointed a committee to write to the treasurer of the state, and if he could not receive the Methodist portion of the money, to draw up a petition in behalf of this circuit to the General Assembly for liberty to return their proportion of the fund. Liberty was granted and the funds were returned to the state. The rising church, though struggling with difficulties, would not sacrifice her honest in- dependence. The fathers were fully committed to the voluntary prin- ciple for the support of the Gospel. Until 1818 the society owned no regular place of meeting, but assembled for worship in the dwellings of the members, in school- houses and occasionally in the old Congregational church. The society was now increasing in numbers and in activity, as related by Rev. S. C. Leonard on pages 12 and 13 of the History of Seymour, and pro- posed to sell the old church to the Methodists, preparatory to building a new church just north of the Congregational cemetery. A meeting was held by the Methodists for the purpose of taking action prepara- tory to the proposed purchase, which is recorded as follows: ‘“HUMPHREYSVILLE, Oct. 31, 1817. At a meeting of the Brethren of the Methodist Society, convened at the house of Timothy Hitchcock, for the purpose of transacting business for the benefit of sd. society, Voted that Robert Lees, Bezaleel Peck, Timothy Hitchcock and Stiles Johnson be appointed a Committee to arrange business with a committee appointed by the Congregationalists relative to the old Meeting House in Humphreys Ville. Robert Lees, Moderator. 2nd, Voted, Newel Johnson—Secretary. 10 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. 3rd, Voted, Stiles Johnson, Bezaleel Peck, Robert Lees, Thomas Gilyard, Timothy Hitchcock, Trustees for the said Methodist Society.” The deed of the old meetinghouse read as follows: “To all people to whom these presents shall come, greeting: Know ye that we, Bradford Steele, Sarah Steele, William Kenney, Ira Smith, Phebe Stiles, & Philena Baldwin, of Derby, in New Haven County, for the consideration of forty Dollars, rec’d to our full satisfaction of Stiles Johnson, Bezaleel Peck, Thomas Gilyard, Robert Lees and Timothy Hitchcock, do remise and release and forever quitclaim unto the said Johnson, Peck, Gilyard, Lees, and Hitchcock, for the use of the said Methodist Society, and unto their heirs and assigns forever, all the right, title and interest, claim & demand whatsoever, as we the said releasors have or ought to have in or to one certain House in Humphreys Ville, adjoining the burying ground, built for a House of Public Worship, to have and to hold the same premises, with all their appurtenances, unto the said Releasees & their heirs & Assigns forever, so that neither we the releasors, nor our heirs, nor any other person under us or them shall hereafter have any right or title in or to the premises or any part thereof, but therefrom we and they are by these presents forever debarred & secluded. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands & seals this 22nd day of Sept", Anno Domini, 1818. Bradford Steele, [seal] Sarah Steele, [seal] Ira Smith, [seal] Phebe Stiles, {seal] Wm. Kenny, {seal} Philena Baldwin, [seal] Signed, sealed & Delivered in presence of John Humphreys, Jr., Phebe Stiles, Elias Baldwin. New Haven Co. SS., Derby, Sept. 22, 1818, personally appeared B. S., S. S,, Ls8..P.58., W. K. & P. B., signers and sealers of the forgoing instrument, and acknowledged the same to be their free act & deed before me. John Humphreys, Jun’r, Justice of the Peace.” THE STILES JOHNSON LEGACY. 11 THIRTY YEARS IN THE OLD CHURCH. 1818 TO 1848. Active among the membership of the now prosperous society were Jesse and Stiles Johnson, sons of Isaac Johnson, who died in 1813, with their families. Jesse Johnson was afterward a local preacher and a close student of the Bible, but became insane, and after a long confinement, died in 1829, The two brothers were buried in the cemetery in the rear of the church. Stiles Johnson died Oct. 4, 1818, aged 36 years, leaving by will to the Methodist Society the ground on which the church stands, with the green in front, also $334 in money, of which $134 might be applied to repairs on the church, the $200 to be kept as a perpetual fund, the interest alone to be applied for the support of “regular Sab- bath preaching.” Following is a copy of the clause of his will making the bequest to the church : 2nd.—I will and bequeath to the Methodist Society in Humphreys Ville the land on which the meeting house now stands, together with the Green in front of said House, to be in the care of the Trustees of said house, for the benefit of said Society, and I also give three Hundred and thirty-four dollars of my Estate to be appled to the support of the Methodist traveling Preachers as long as there shall be regular Sabbath preaching in the aforesaid Meeting House, which money shall be raised and paid out of my Estate as though it was a Debt to the Trustees of said House, and the interest annually applied as aforesaid. But if it should be thought by the aforesaid Trustees more for the benefit of said Society, they may apply and sum not exceeding one Hundred and thirty-four dollars to making further repairs on said House, and the remainder to Le applied as afore- said. But if the Traveling Connection should neglect or refuse to supply said House as aforesaid then the interest of said money shall be given to such local preachers as shall for the time being supply their place, according to the discre- tion of the Trustees. In case his adopted son did not live to become of legal age, it was provided that a further sum should accrue to the Society. The wit- nesses to the will were Sally B. Bassett, daughter of Jesse Johnson 12 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. and sister of Stiles Johnson’s adopted son, Elizabeth Hitchcock and Rane Hitchcock. The building was soon after enlarged and a gallery built round, but no paint was used either within or without. In 1819 there were three classes. The leaders were Robert Lee, Timothy Hitchcock and Orrin Peck, the latter class meeting in Woodbridge. The members of Tim- othy Hitchcock’s class were: Cynthia Johnson (widow of Stiles John- son), Thomas and Lois Gilyard, Jared and Sally B. Bassett (daughter of Jesse Johnson), Timothy and Urania Hitchcock, Anna Davis (widow of Reuben Davis), Bezaleel and Martha Peck, Alva Davis and his wife Polly (daughter of Capt. Daniel Holbrook), Hepzibah Johnson (daugh- ter of Jesse Johnson) and Sheldon Hitchcock (son of Timothy Hitch- cock). The circuit preachers from 1816 to 1820 were Rev. Nathan Emory, Rev. Arnold Scholefield, Rev. Reuben Harris, Rev. Ezekiel Canfield, Rev. Samuel Bushnell, Rev. Aaron Pierce, Rev. Beardsley Northrop, Rev. David Miller and Rev. Bela Smith. Two preachers were usual- ly appointed to each large circuit each year to alternate at the different stations. . The quarterly meetings of those times were largely attended and ex- ceedingly interesting, the people going from all parts of the circuit on Saturday nnd putting up with the people in the vicinity of the place where the meetings were to be held, so as to be ready for the services of the Sabbath. In the afternoon they heard a sermon, after which came the quarterly conference, composed of all the stewards, class leaders, exhorters and preachers on the circuit. The presiding elders were present on such occasions and drew large congregations, the people generally expecting to hear strong doctrinal sermons, which were usual- ly very effective. At one of these meetings on Great Hill in 1820, under the direction of Rev. Ebenezer Washburn, presiding elder, fifteen persons were converted in one afternoon. From 1821 to 1830 the membership on the circuit was much in- creased as the result of revivals in different places. The preachers were Rev. James Coleman, Rev. Laban Clark, Rev. Eli Barnett, Rev. John Nixon, Rev. Eli Denniston, Rev. Wiliam F. Pease, Rev. Julius Field, Rev. Samuel D, Ferguson, Rev. Valentine Buck, Rev. John Luckey, Rev. Nathaniel Kellogg, Rev. Reuben Harris, Rev. John Lovejoy and Rev. Laban C. Cheney. The presiding elders were Rev. Samuel Merwin, Rev. Samuel Luckey, Rev. D. Ostrander and Rev. Laban Clark. REV, SAMUEL R. HICKOX. REV. HEMAN BANGS—THE DERBY CAMP-MEETING. 13 In 1828 this part of the circuit was separated, and Humphreysville and Hamden were associated. Samuel R. Hickcox, a local preacher from Southbury, moved into Humphreysvi'le in 1828, and had charge of a grist mil! at the falls, keeping boarders from the cotton mill. He was a good preacher, and was a great help to the church. In 1829 Thomas Ellis, a Welshman and a spinner in the cotton mill, was con- verted and joined the church here, of which his wife was already a member. He had been a wild young man and a great singer. It was said that he could sing all night without repeating a song, but in two years after his conversion he had forgotten them all. He was an im- portant addition tv the church on account of his musical ability. “Tn 1831 Heman Bangs was appointed in charge of the circuit, with Daniel Smith as his colleague, and Wm. Bates, a local preacher resid- ing at Humphreysville, was employed as an assistant. In this year most effective work was done. Such a year’s work as Heman Bangs did on the Derby circuit in 1831-2 is almost unparalelled. He was an inde- fatigable worker and nothing discouraged him. At the first quarterly meeting after paying his helpers he had but 75 cents left for himself, and yet at the close of the year all were paid. Two churches were built, another planned, the lot for the old (Humphreysville) parson- age was purchased and the cellar walls were built. He planned the Derby camp meeting and was the inainspring of the whole machinery of the circuit. Driving into Waterbury for the first time, he lifted up his heart and voice in prayer to God for the success of Methodism in that town. ‘There were giants in those days,’ and none were more fraitful in work to build up our Zion than Heman Bangs. All honor to the old hero. Duniel S nith was a noble helper, sound and logical.” The camp-meeting above mentioned was held in the woods west of where the Catholich church of Birmingham now stands, and continued eight days. On the Sabbath ten thousand people were supposed to be present and the fruit of the meeting was about one hundred converts. Sylvester Smith, afterwards long identified with the interests of the chureb, was present during the whole of that remarkable meeting. In this year the churches in South Britain and Middlebury were built, the foundation of one at Waterbury laid and the building of a parsonage in Humphreysville commenced. Three hundred dollars worth of books were sold on the circuit, a large amonnt of missionary money raised and the preachers’ salaries paid in full. In April, 1832, Sylvester Smith, then a local preacher from Hotchkisstown, now Westville, where 14 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. he was first licensed in March, 1830, moved into this village. Rev" Daniel Smith was continued on the circuit and Rev. Robert Travis was preacher in charge of the Humphreysville church. The parsonage was not quite ready for Mr. T., but in a few days after his arrival in town he moved into it. It was built by the two brothers Lane, from Monroe. At this time the church was an ecclesiastical society under the statute and known as the Methodist society of Humphreysville. In 1833 Rev. Raphael Gilbert, Rev. Thomas Bainbridge and Rev. Chester W. Turner were the preachers on the circuit, Mr. Bainbridge occupying the parsonage. Turner was a single man, who afterwards married the sister of Rev. J. D. Smith of the Episcopal church. Mr. Bainbridge was a good preacher and a sweet singer. In 1834 Rev. Humphrey Humphries and Rev. John Crawford were the preachers, Mr. Humphries moving into the parsonage. Rev. Josiah Bowen had charge of the circuit in 1835-6. In the middle of 1836 he moved out of the parsonage into a house at Derby Neck, where he remained until he died not many years since. On the first of October, 1836, Rev. Sylvester Smith moved into the parsonage and occupied it four years at an annual rent of fifty dollars. Rev. David Miller was preacher in charge in 1837 and 1838, residing at Great Hill. He closed his term of service in May, 1839. Rev. Oliver Sykes, a super- annuate, had been an assistant preacher for several years. Thomas Ellis received license to preach in 1833, and did good service on the circuit until 1838, when he joined the conference and became a success- ful itinerant. He died in triumph in May, 1873, aged sixty-eight. Rev. J. Bowen and Rev. J. B. Beach were the preachers in 1839. Since 1839 Birmingham and Waterbury have been separate stations. Middlebury and South Britain sustained a pastor, and only Humphreys- ville, Great Hill, Pleasant Vale and Pinesbridge were included in the circuit with Humphreysville. In 1840 and 1841 Rev. Thomas Sparks was the preacher in charge, residing at South Britain, and Rev. Ezra Jagger in 1842 and 1843, residing at Great Hill and assisted in his second year by Rev. M. Bly- denburgh. Horace Atwater, a student at Yale, was also a very effective assistant. On Saturday, March 19, 1842, a quarterly meeting commenced at Southford. Presiding Elder Carpenter being absent, Sylvester ‘Smith preached. Sunday morning was very pleasant, and after love feast it was found impossible for more than half the people to get into the REV. GEORGE L, FULLER. LAST YEARS IN THE OLD CHURCH. 15 chapel. Rev. Thomas Sparks occupied the pulpit and Mr. Smith went below and took his stand in the school-room and preached with half his congregation outdoors. It was a memorable time. These were pros- perous years for the church at Humphreysville after a period of depres- sion. Rev. Moses Blydenburgh was pastor in charge in 1844 and lived on Great Hill. Mr. Blydenburgh died in 1848, aged 31 years, leaving a wife and one son, now a lawyer in New Haven. Rev. George L. Fuller had charge of the circuit in 1845 and 1846, residing on Great Hill. Three of his children were buried there. He was a man of great energy and much humor, and the cause prospered under his pastorate. During his second year steps were taken prelimi- nary to the building of a new church in Humpbhreysville, which are given more at length in another chapter. He is still living at Nor- walk, though in feeble health, and is the oldest surviving pastor of this chuich. 16 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. THE OLD MEETING-HOUSE. The venerable building had served for nearly fifty-four years and the time had almost come when it was to be replaced by a more commodi- ous structure. Its walls had echoed with the eloquence of men mighty in faith and zeal for the salvation of souls, its pews had been occupied by men and women who had helped to lay deep and strong the founda- tions of our governmental and social institutions. But the feeling was growing that a better building should be erected to the worship of Jehovah, and that the society was now able to doit. Many precious memories clustered about the old building, and we would that we were able to present its likeness to our readers. As it is, a pen picture of its outlines as it appeared to the writer in his childhood days must suffice. It stood facing the west, covered with broad clapboards, no spire sur- mounting its roof, its brown sides wholly unadorned. A central aisle was lined with long seats with perpendicular backs reaching to the sides of the building. Narrow galleries on either side and across the north end were sup- ported by large posts and reached by a narrow stairway on the side of the entrance, at the west end. The building had never been painted or plastered. The swallows built their nests against the roof, and flew in and out of crevices under the eaves duiing the services. At the east end of the church was a platform raised one step, surrounded by a railing, and in front of this was an open space where for a few years had stood a “box” stove, though the foot stoves, or tin boxes filled with live coals, were still in use. In the center of the space within the railing was the quaint old pulpit, with a door or gateway about three feet in height. The pulpit was somewhat elevated, but not nearly so tauch as was common in those days. Its first occupant had been the Rev. Benjamin Beach, grandfather of S. Y. Beach, Esq., who lived in the house adjoining the present parsonage, now owned by Mr. Charles Hyde. THE NEW CHURCH. During the pastorate of Rev. George L. Faller, in the fall of 1846, a subscription was opened for a new church edifice and the members contributed with great liberality. It is a matter of regret that the financial accounts of the society at that period are not available, as there in the possession of the society, church or various boards no records of their finances earlier than 1869. In the spring of 1847 Rev. Charles Stearns was appointed pastor and pushed along the new enterprise. The old meetinghouse was sold for one hundred dollars and torn down, and a new edifice reared in its place. The members gave liberally according to their ability and many came and labored with a zeal and ardor worthy of the cause. The corner stone was laid on Saturday, June 19, 1847. Rev. E. W. Smith of Birmingham was the speaker. Sylvester Smith deposited the case under the stone after announcing its contents. Rev. Charles Stearns, pastor, conducted the services, and was assisted by Rev. William B. Curtiss of the Congregational church. The following description of the church was published in the Derby Journal of Feb. 3rd : The house is Gothic in design, 40 by 60 feet in dimensions, with a base- ment almost entirely above ground containing a commodious lecture- room and two class-rooms. It has an excellent toned bell of 1,150 pounds weight. The slips, the ceiling, the altar and the galleries are grained ; the scrolls on the slips are of black walnut. The base on the pulpit is painted in imitation of Egyptian marble, and the pulpit Sienna marble. The walls above and below are frescoed. The ascent from the basement to the vestibule, and from thence to the galleries, is by a spiral stair in the steeple and turret. The windows in front, as also those in the steeple and turret, are of stained glass. The sofa, chairs and table, together with the columns for the pulpit lamps, are of black wal- nut. The cost of the building is about five thousand dollars. In the afternoon of the day of dedication the slips were rented, and the Trustees will realize about six hundred dollars therefrom. Mr. Hotchkiss of Birmingham was the architect, and he is justly de- serving of credit for the plan of the building—the proper proportion and 17 18 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. beautiful symmetry of which favorably impress almost every beholder. The writer of this is authorized to say that the building committee and trustees of the church take great pleasure in giving publicity to the feeling of entire satisfaction which they entertain in reference to those who have been employed in erecting the house—by the manner in which they have acquitted themselves. To the Builder, Mr. Amos Hine of Woodbridge, who has shown himself to be both competent and faithful. While engaged in the construction of the house, he has apparently identified himself with the interests of those by whom he was employed. To the Masons, Mr. Jerry Bassett and Mr. Isaac Davis, both of this village, the former for the neat and substantial wall of the basement, to- gether with the steps, both of which are pronounced second to none in this region ; the latter, who has done himself great credit by the manner in which the walls were finished, in the plastering and frescoing, above and below. To the Painter, Mr. Martin, also of this village, who in the external painting and sanding of the house, together with the internal work, has shown himself master of his business. The work upon the pulpit was done at his own suggestion and expense, and is considered to be in excel- lent taste, presenting a beautiful contrast with the base, as well as the other parts of the house. The trustees and members of the church take great pleasure in acknowl- edging the donation of the beautiful black walnut table, valued at twenty-six dollars, presented by Mr. Albert J. Steele of this village, the workmanship of Mr. David Johnson, also of this village. Great praise is also due to the ladies connected with the “‘ Female Aid Society ” of this church and others who have assisted in the work for the neat and tasteful manner in which they have furnished the church. The carpets, the trimmings of the pulpit, the sofa, the chairs for the altar, to- gether with the lamps, are the results of their labors and speak much for their zeal and diligence in the cause. While the members connected with this church congratulate themselves in having by the good hand of God so comfortable a place in which to worship the God of their fathers, they are not insensible to the feeling of kindness and good will which has prompted members of the sister church to lend a helping hand in this enterprise. May the good Lord reward them an hundred fold in spiritual blessings. c.S8. The strip of land west of the church, between the rows of elms and maples was deeded to the society Oct. 31, 1848, by Sylvester Smith. Derby Land Records, vol. 35, page 215: “Commencing at a point on the line of the highway at the corner of the land this day deeded to Medad K. Tucker, and running easterly on sd highway line 323; rods to the line of this grantee, thence southerly on sd grantee’s line 142%, rods to a point on Bennett Wooster’s line close by a maple tree, thence running the south side of sd tree on sd Bennett DEDICATION, MAPLES, TRUSTEES. 19 Wooster’s line 322, rods, thence northerly on Medad K. Tucker's line to the place of beginning, sd last mentioned line being 14444; rods, containing an area of 43 rods, hereby saving and reserving to myself the fee simple of sd land after the sd church shall fail to sustain a meeting house where their house now stands, hereby only granting the use of sd land to sd church so long as the same shall remain in the control and direction of the trustees of sd church during the time aforesaid solely for the accom- modation of the Methodist E. Society of Humphreysville, and when the sd Society ceases to maintain sd church in the place where it now stands then sd land is to revert to this Grantor, his heirs and assigns.” The bell, from Meneely’s foundry in Troy, was raised to its place in November. Its weight was eleven hundred and fifty pounds. The church was dedicated on Tuesday, January 18, 1848, by Bishop Janes, who preached from Hzra vi, 16. In the evening he preached again. The collections amounted to $292.83. The whole cost of the house, bell and furniture was $5,800. On the day of dedication the slips rented for $580 and the average amount of annual rents during the first ten years was about $550. The elms near the church and most of the maples were set out by Sylvester Smith and his son William E. Smith, who was killed in the war Sept. 1, 1864. Two only of the maples on the west side had been previously set out by Alva Davis. The others were set Oct. 28, 1848, and the elms on the day of the Presidential election. In May, 1849, Rev. Seneca Howland was in charge of what in the next year was set off from Derby as the town of Seymour. He remained two years and some additions were made to the church. Twenty-three came forward as seekers at his first watch meeting. He was born Dec. 19, 1819, in Danby, Tompkins Co., N. Y., studied at Wesleyan University, leaving there in 1847, studied medicine in New York University, joined New York conference in 1848 and offi- ciated on the Derby circuit, including Humphreysville, in 1849 and 1849. During his stay the name Humpbhreysville was discontinued by the incorporation of the town of Seymour. Wales French was elected a trustee April 2, 1840, and Samuel R. Hickeox about this time. On the 26th of January, 2846, Rev. George L. Fuller appointed trustees as follows : Thomas Gilyard, Jared Bassett Merritt Osborn, Samuel R. Hickcox, Sylvester Smith, Warren French, Burritt Hitchcock, William B. Watson and Wilson Wyant. April 3, 1846, Lyman Hartson was appointed in place of Thomas Gilyard, re- signed; Sheldon Miles vice Wilson Wyant, resigned. Vacancies were atterwards filled by the official board. REV. DAVID OSBORN. PASTORATE OF REV. DAVID OSBORN. 1851-2. In closing up the two years’ service at Jamaica, Long Island, I found a shortness of breath, which I erroneously regarded as the result of sea air. I asked as a favor of my presiding elder, Rev. Seymour Landon, an appointment in Connecticut. He consented, and in the spring of 1851 I received as my eighteenth appointment the charge of Seymour and Ansonia. I went to the work with a good heart, inasmuch as Seymour had the repute of a revival-work church,.and I felt confident that I could win a place in the affections of the people by faithful, earn- est work in the pulpit, in the prayer-meeting and pastoral visitation. Rev. J. M. Reid had been pastor in Birmingham the two preceding years and had planned and engineered the building of a place of worship in Ansonia—stores for rent on the ground floor and a com- modious hall for worship over them. In this hall church I preached every other Sabbath. At Seymour we had a fine church edifice—new, with most beautiful surroundings. There [ found Bro. Sylvester Smith and in his family he at once made me feel at home and immediately paid me twenty dollars to meet my moving expenses, saying, ‘‘ You will need a little money to begin with.” Bro. Smith kuew how to look after things, and naturally was a leader in the movements of the church. A whole souled Christ- ian man; alive with the Divine indwelling; a good, a very good preacher, in full sympathy with earnest right, but with no pity for a drone. A leading member of the church in Birmingham said to me, “You have Bro. Smith up at Seymour, and if you don’t look out he will beat you.” I replied, “If he can out-work me and preach better than I can I am glad of it; but I will give him a pull.” He proved one of the most blessed fellow-workers I ever had in any charge. Very prompt and outspoken in approving or disapproving, bis counsel was most valuable, fur he knew the people as one who had lived and worked among them. The church had an unusually large number of excellent workers, strong in faith and prayer. Father Hickcox was there, also 21 22 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. EE. CHURCH. Warren French, Bro. Jared Bassett, W. E. Hendryx, Lugrand Sharpe and others not a few, and among the young men was Bro. A. W. Lounsbury. Bro. F. Durand led the choir and taught school down in the village. These men and the wives of those married stand up in the field of my memory as a chosen host of the Lord. The Lord poured his spirit upon us and the first winter about seventy persons professed conversion and were added to the church, many of them young men. While this blessed and powerful work was progress- ing a revival commenced at Ansonia and we held extra meetings in both churches at the same time for some weeks. I was then taken sick with lung fever, the longest sickness of my life. I was out of the pulpit ten consecutive Sabbaths, but Bro. Smith and the brethren kept the services moving in good order and I was informed each day of the progress of the Lord’s work in Ansonia. Dr. Johnson was my family physician, and the church would have furnished watchers, but the Sons of Temperance claimed the right to furnish them for every other night, and Mrs. Osborn was relieved from all care to secure watchers. The dear church looked after the welfare of my family. The kindest of kind friends lived in Seymour in 1851, and God cared for me and mine through them. At the close of the first conference year Ansonia desired a pastor to live among them and was set off. Great Hill was considered a part of the Seymour society and Bro. Judson English was a host among the brethren upon that bill. The second year was one of spiritual pros- perity, of harmony and increasing affection between pastor and people. God’s providence was manifest to me, not only in my recovery from the fever, but again and again. I will recall one instance. My oldest son, Lemuel Olin, then a very small boy, attended school at the stone school-house. One day some of the older boys were talking about what was to be done in case one broke through the ice. Not to walk, but lie down and crawl to the help of the one in the water. Some two or three days after Lemuel and two other as small boys as he went upon the mill pond west of the stone school-house. The ice broke under him and he was in water much over his head. In going down his extended arms caught on the edge of the ice. He could feel the current of the water drawing him under. In an instant two little boys were flat on the ice, the second holding on to the foot of the foremost, and getting hold of his arm they succeeded in helping him out. Not another human being was within sight. He went to Sister Johnson’s and said, “T want to stand by your stove; Iam cold.” Not once alone has a PASTORATE OF REV. DAVID OSBORN. 23 marked providence preserved the life of each one of my four children. In the case of Bro. Watson’s sick daughter I saw a wonderful instance of answer to an unpremeditated prayer in which the answer was quick and complete. The daughter still lives. I have grand remembrance of Seymour prayer-meetings, and I have distinct recollection of her storms and how the thunder peals reverber- ated from the hill tops, old Castle Rock doing its part in these grand echoings. A venerable man, Father Chichester of the east end of Long Island, at a camp-meeting, as he arose on the platform to give an ex- hortation exclaimed, ‘‘ Thank God he ever made Long Island !” and I thank God that in His providence I have lived two years with the Methodist families of Seymour. I was then in middle life. Now, of my old companions in the New York East conference only six remain who were in the New York con- ference in 1834, and two of these were probationers of one year’s stand- ing, and another, Bro. N. Kellogg, is slowly passing away at his home in Pittsfield, Mass. All the then bishops and nearly a whole conference gone before me. “‘T brush the dew on Jordan’s bank, The crossing must be near.” But the Land of Promise is the further shore. D. OSBORN. Rev. Rufus K. Reynolds was appointed pastor in the spring of 1853 and reappointed in 1854. He was an energetic and useful man. It is a matter of regret that the church has no record of the work accom- plished during his pastorate. PASTORATE OF REV. WM. T. HILL. 1855-6. The New York East conference of 1855 held its session in Danbury. It adjourned on Wednesday, May 23d, having appointed a preacher to Seymour and Great Hill who was not received. On the 22d of June Judson English of Great Hill drove to Newtown, where the Rev. William T. Hill, a local preacher, was residing and invited him to take the charge. Mr. Hill had graduated from the Wesleyan University at Middletown the previous summer and acted under Presiding Elder Landon through the autumn and winter as pastor of the Dean street church in Brooklyn, which afterwards became the nucleus of the Han- son Place church. He had declined to join the conference on account of ill-health. In accordance with the invitation Mr. Hill preached at Seymour July 1st, his first text there being Gal. vi. 4,5. On the 15th of July he preached at Great Hill and again at Seymour on the 22d, when he agreed to become the pastor on condition of being received into some conference yet to hold its session and being duly appointed by the bishop. Through the agency of Presiding Elder Janes on July 25th he was accordingly received on trial by the Oneida conference in central New York, not being present, transferred to the New York East conference, and appointed to Seymonr and Great Hill. He con- tinued to reside at Newtown, preaching on this circuit until Sept. 13th, when he removed his family to the parsonage. During this conference year Bro. Sylvester Sinith preached in Seymour on alternate Sabbaths, when Mr. Hill officiated at Great Hill. Friday evening, Dec. 28th, extra meetings were commenced. After a sermon by the pastor Mrs. Beers and B. Franklin Culver presented themselves as seekers of salvation. At the watch-night meeting, after a sermon by the Rev. A. McAllister, ten persons asked the prayers of the church, viz., besides the two mentioned, Mrs. G. A. Benedict, Laura French, Mary J. Watson, Harriet Jolinson, Smith Watson, Wm. Johnson, David W. Sharpe and Harriet Umberfield. Jan. 2d fourteen knelt together at the altar, the new ones being Mr. Stone, Mrs. Horace 24 PASTORATE OF REV. WM. T. HILL. 25 Holbrook, H. Hickcox and M. A. Smith, seeking pardon of sin. At the next meeting, Jan. 4th, there were again four new penitents, Sarah Smith, Heber Bassett, Grace Culver and Edward Smith. Thus the meetings brought forth fruit until Sunday, Jan. 13th, when John Moshier, who had been a hardened backslider thirteen years, created a sensation by speaking in public of his desire to seek the Lord. Jan. 17th Wm. D. Bissell with others joined the seekers, Bliss French Jan. 22d and W. EB. Smith with eight others the 23d. On the evening of Jan. 31st, the Rev. J. K. Burr, D.D., having preached, twenty-two joined the church on trial. Dr. Burr preached three evenings, new inquirers presenting themselves at every meeting. On Sunday even- ing, Feb. 3d, ten rose for prayers, among whom were Samuel Bassett, Albert Johnson, Harry Davis and ladies whose names were not known. Among those who began the Christian life about this time were Misses L. A. Osborn, Harriet Rider, Anna Bassett, Antoinette Benham, Ruth Chatfield, the Misses Skeeles and Jane Copeland. At the class-meeting on Saturday night fifty-three spoke of the loving kindness of the Savior. On Sunday night, Feb. 10th, Messrs. Noyes Storrs, Albert Riggs, Wm. Cook and W. W. Andrew, with Mrs. Andrew, were added to the inquirers. On the ‘fternoon and evening of Thursday, Feb. 14th, a donation visit was made at the parsonage, sixty persons taking tea together. On the following evening Miss Benham, Mrs. Losee, Mrs. Ann Van Etten, George A. Chatfield, Charles French, Charles Bissell and others were at the altar of prayer, and on the 20th Mrs. Lathrop and Miss Canfield were added. On Tuesday, Feb. 26th, after a sermon by the Rev. Morris Hill, Misses Martha Smith, Ellen French, Elizabeth Smith, Miss Gilyard and brother, Mrs. Iles and Master Davis came forward and Mrs. Edward Smith rose for prayers. March 4th the new seekers were Mrs. Catharine Wyant, Mrs. Amos Bassett and George Rider. Wednesday, March 5th, Father French preached and eleven were at the altar, the new seekers being Mrs. Dr. Bassett, Maria Baldwin and others. On Thursday, March 5th, five classes were organized. Saturday evening, March 8th, at general class-meeting seventy-two persons spoke, thirty-six of whom had been converted or reclaimed during the winter. On Tuesday evening, March 11th, Misses Seely, Lyon and Mary Cul- ver and Mrs. Collins confessed their need of Christ. March 14th six were forward for prayers, among whom was a Mr. Botsford, a teacher. Thursday evening, March 27th, after a sermon by Mr. Hill at Pines- 26 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. bridge, three persons sought the Lord there. Friday evening, March 28th, the Rev. (now Bishop) C. D. Foss preached from the words “ Mighty to save” and Mrs. Esther Holbrook with some previous seek- ers came to the altar. Rev. Mr. Hill reported forty-seven probationers at the session of the conference held at Bridgeport June 18, 1856, and was reappointed to the Seymour and Great Hill charge. On Sunday, June 1st, the Rev. Joseph Smith, then a local preacher of Waterbury, began to preach monthly in the Seymour church for the conference year, thus taking half the work which Bro. Sylvester Smith had done the previous year, he continuing to preach one Sabbath every month. Mr. Hill’s second year here passed without special interest other than the reception into full membership of a large number of the cou- verts of the previous year. At the conference in April, 1857, he re- ported one hundred and thirty-seven members and fifteen probationers, and was appointed to the Stratford charge. It may be interesting to note the size of the congregations in those days: On Sunday, Feb. 22, 1857, a day of no unusual interest, one hundred and thirty persons were at church in the morning and one hundred and sixty in the evening, > The benevolent collections for the conference year of 1856-7 were: For superannuated preachers $25, for conference claimants $25, for the missionary cause $75, for the Tract Society $10.18, for the American Bible Society $16.21, for the Sunday School Union $5; total $156.39. REY. SYLVESTER SMITH, 27 THE GILYARD LEGACY. Thomas Gilyard, who died Nov. 12, 1853, left a will, which, in addi- tion to the bequests to the members of his family, also made a donation to the church of which he had long been a member and trusted officer. The will was destroyed, but a witnesses appeared at a Court of Probate held in New Haven Feb. 29, 1856, testified to the facts of the case, and the will was established. The parties cited were Wm. S. Gilyard, Mrs. Weltha A. Gilyard, George Roads, Miss Nancy Roads, Mrs. Lois Gilyard; Sylvester Smith, Henry W. Benedict, Jared Bassett, William B. Watson, Samuel R. Hickcox and Shelden Miles, trustees; Leman Chatfield and David Beach. The part of the will relating to the church reads as follows : , “Second, I will and bequeath to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Society or Church at Seymour a certain piece of land containing about three acres, more or less, known and called “The Woods” or “ Wood Lots,” and to their successors in office forever, together with the right to water cattle at the spring in the corner of the spring lot, upon the follow- ing terms and conditions: First, they shall lease the same to my daughter-in-law, Weltha A. Gil- yard, for farming purposes during her life for the sum of six dollars a year rent therefor if she will take it upon such terms and pay six dollars yearly rent for it, but if she will not take it on such terms nor pay said annual rent then said trustees may rent said land to any other person for such annual rent as they can get during the lifetime of the said Weltha A. Gilyard, and at her decease the said trustees shall rent the said lots to her present children, or to such of them as may then be living, for six dollars a year, to be paid by such children therefor annually if they wish to rent the same upon such terms, but if they do not then such trustees may rent the same to the best advantage to any other person during the life or lives of such children or any of them, and when the said Weltha A. Gilyard and her said children have all deceased may rent the same annually or for a term of years to such person or persons and upon such terms as will best promote the objects of the bequest in their judgment. The rent or avails of said lots shal! belong to the said Methodist Society at Seymour, and I recommend the said trustees to appropriate one half of it annually to the support of such worn-out Methodist preachers as they may think worthy of it and the other half to such missionary purposes as 28 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. they may think worthy of it, and in case the time should ever come when said Methodist society shall cease to exist, then I will and bequeath the said lots to the town of Seymour, and in that case I recommend that said town appoint the selectmen of said town who shall reside nearest to the said lot at that time to take charge of the same for said town, and I recommend that he be allowed two dollars a year for his trouble in taking care of the same, and that he shall appropriate the balance of the annual rent thereof to the relief of the minister of the Gospel in said town whom he or they shall deem most in need of it.” The land is situated on the east side of the Skokorat road, south of the house of Horace Chatfield, and comprises three acres and three rods. It is inclosed by stone walls and is divided into two fields by a stone wall running north and south. In 1856 the Sunday school numbered fourteen teachers and forty-five scholars. The library contained six hundred and seventy volumes. Albert W. Lounsbury was the superintendent of the Sunday school, George M. Eddy secretary and Lugrand Sharpe treasurer. The parson- age was valued at $1,200 and the two churches at $5,500. 29 PASTORATE OF REV. THOMAS STEVENSON. 1857-8. Rev. Thomas Stevenson was appointed to the pastorate of the Sey- mour and Great Hill churches in the spring of 1857, having been invited by Rev. W. T. Hill at the request of the official board, and remained two years. During his stay here occurred the great revival which swept like a tidal wave over many parts of the country. There was a great excitement in the Naugatuck valley, and among the re- markable incidents of that period many railroad employes came under religious influences to such an extent that prayer meetings were held in a freight car in the passage from one station to another. About sixty conversions took place in the Methodist church and about forty in the Congregational. The pastor afterward spoke of the church as com- posed of a kind, noble and generous people, with whom he spent two of the most delightful years of his ministry, and said there were in the church not a few examples of extraordinary piety and self-sacrifice, men and women of devoted lives and most blessed memory. An annual donation was a matter of course in those days. After one of these visits the pastor and his bride of only a few months found them- selves the possessors of twenty-one large loaves of cake, fruit cake, frosted and layered, and were not a little puzzled what to do with them. One evening, after a knock at the door, a comfortable and other useful articles were found in a bundle hung on the door knob, and from time a fine spare-rib was sent in, not less than a dozen during the winter, as tokens that the pastor was not forgotten by his parishioners. Dr. James Hodge, then living in Seymour and preaching temporarily in a Bridgeport church, often preached in the Methodist church during the week. Rev. Mr. Stevenson preached at Great Hill once in four weeks. Albert W. Lonusbury was superintendent of the Sunday school in 1857, John H. Moshier secretary and Lugrand Sharpe treasurer. In 1858 William S. Mallory was the superintendent. 30 SIXTEEN YEARS OF PROSPERITY. 1859-785. Rev. L. P. Perry was the pastor in 1859-60, confining his labors to this village, and was a faithful and useful minister. The writer was away at school at this time and there is nothing in the archives of the chureh which furnishes any account of the work of these two years. There is no available record of members received or of the finances of the society. Warren French was superintendent of the Sunday school in 1859, W.N. Storrs secretary and Lugrand Sharpe treasurer. Rev. Albert Booth was the pastor for the conference year commenc- ing in April, 1861. The trustees elected this year were Jared Bassett, Sylvester Smith, Warren French, Sheldon Miles, Henry W. Benedict, Smith Botsford and William N. Storrs. At the ensuing conference the pastor made the following report: Number of members 152, deaths 3, probationers 6, local preachers 2, baptisms 5; value of churches $7,000, parsonage $1,500 ; officers and teachers in two Sunday schools 22, scholars 85; number of volumes in the Sunday school libraries 1,100. Benevolent contributions—Conference claimants $8.00, Mis- sionary Society $28.00, Tract Society $6.00, Bible Society $8.00, Sun- day School Union $6.00; total $56.00. W.N. Storrs was superin- tendent of the Sunday school, George S. Wyant secretary and Lugrand Sharpe treasurer. At the conference of 1862 Rev. George Lansing Taylor was appoint- ed to Seymour and Great Hill, this being his first itinerant work. In his first year the missionary collection was increased from $28 to over $100. At the conference of 1863 he reported 150 members, four deaths, four probationers, one local preacher, five baptisms, two Sunday schools with thirty-one officers and teachers, 124 scholars and 800 volumes in the library. In his second year the society raised $1,200 towards paying off the church debt, and there were a number of conversions. He was an carnest and fearless defender of the ‘“ stars and stripes,” and in those troublous days spoke boldly for ‘the Union, one and inseparable.” REV. GEORGE LANSING TAYLOR. 1864-8. 31 At the conference of 1864 Rev. A. B. Pulling was appointed to the pastorate of Seymour and Beacon Falls. In the summer of that year a festival was held in a car shop on the flat and later in the season another in the Messrs. H. P. & E. Day’s new brick factory. The net proceeds of the two were $800, with which the remainder of the debt on the church was paid off. At the end of his first year 154 members were reported for the two churches, with seven probationers and one death, 23 officers and teachers in the two schools, 176 scholars and 1,177 volumes in the libraries. $48.68 was raised for the missionary cause and $15 for the conference claimants. No other particulars regarding the finances of the society were given in the conference minutes for that year. In the spring of 1866 Sylvester Smith was appointed to the charge for the year and the church edifice was painted outside. It being the centennial year of American Methodism, Mr. Smith preached eight Sermons on the subject. Nineteen persons who had on the previous year joined on probation were received into full membership. At the annual meeting of the members of the society held in September under the state law Albert W. Lounsbury, Sheldon Miles and Willis Umber- field were elected trustees for one year; Jared Bassett, Smith Botsford and Wilson HE. Hendryx for two years, and Sylvester Smith, William N. Storrs and Warren French for three years. Rev. Joseph Pulman was pastor in 1867-8. 150.00 $1,472.62 BENEVOLENT COLLECTIONS. Hor Missions: 22 24 sid bens eteae wince kee eae eee $110.00 Church extension.............0.......2-2---0---066 5.00 Pract SOY sic 2s)52l aoe Sea dead atan Sa, temene ses 2.00 Board of Education..................-2.-+------ 40.00 For superannuated preachers..............-------- 25.00 Support of bishops... ..-.. PB ne aide tO oes aise 9.00 Pastoral and church aid..............--------++-- 17.25 American Bible Society.........--.-..------+---: 5.00 Endowment fund for worn out preachers.......-..--. 35.00 —248.25 $1,720.87 Borrowed to meet deficiency.............-.----.-2-------- 56.00 Total, $1,776.87 EXPENDITURES. To pastor on previous year.......... aaa Bu w-..-----8 30.00 To pastor on current year...........-.---------+--0----- 1,000.00 To Rev. W. H. Wardell, presiding elder....-...........- 41.00 For pulpit supply in pastor’s absence.......-....----.---- 31.50 Organist and music............0. 022. c eee eee eee ee eee ee 57.75 DeRON: ss wisyee Pere doe See JRA Pee eesd Raw etion 125.00 Church improvements and repairs...............--------- 91.18 Parsotiage: TEPAITS!:. 2.26.22 ci tase de daw wee Hebe ee gig 20.87 Insurance and interest.........-....-02--2.-00-0-2-0-5. 45.03 Puéleand @htS 3 Jeiceeee cn eee nets Sele ws Be ees 57.47 PASTORATE OF REV. H. Q. JUDD. 63 Ineidentalas scare Sick ide othe ede dea le Beats ake eae lees 28.00 $1,527.80 Benevolent collections paid over............-----.++----- 248.25 Balance in treasury.................02..0eeee eee eee eee 82 Total, $1,776.87 At the close of the year there were 230 members and 19 probation- ers, an increase of 25 in the whole number of members and probation- ers in the two years of this pastorate. 64 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. The amounts of pew rent collected for a number of years have been as follows: conference year of 1872-3, $612.00; 1873-4, $647.00; 1880-81, $729.79; 1882-3, $895.25; 1883-4 $966.76; 1884-5, $1,028.58; 1885-6, $917.50. Amounts expended in furnishing and repairing the parsonage, not including any addition to the building, spring of 1869, $250.95; 1873, $8.81; 1874, $4.59; 1875, $214.63; 1878, $65.19: 1879, $68.59; 1880, $50.67; 1882, $8.30; 1883, $267.07, including work on walk and drain. ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. 65 THE LADIES’ AID SOCIETY. An organization of this kind has long been an efficient means of supplementing the regular receipts of the society, though but little re- cord has been kept of their work. For many years after the present chureh edifice was built the association was known as the “Sewing Society” and met in one of the class rooms in the basement of the church, but of late years “sociables” have been held at the dwellings of the members of the congregation. The Sewing Society of thirty years ago was not so popular an institution as its successor, the Ladies’ Aid Society, and those who went to make up various articles to be sold for the benefit of the church were mostly people past middle age, faithful mothers and sisters who gave their labor, time and strength a willing sacrifice. The society was reorganized in February, 1880, with Mrs. W. C. Sharpe president and Mrs. A. W. Lounsbury treasurer. Two fes- tivals were held during the spring and summer following, May 18th and July 5th, and eleven sociables, at the houses of H. B. Wooster, W. W. Dibble, Warren French, James Nichols, A. W. Lounsbury, Geo. A. Smith, Sheldon Miles and F. W. Pulford, at W. C. Sharpe’s twice, and once at the parsonage. The total receipts were $256.14, of which $200.00 was paid on the principal of the debt on the parsonage, reducing the amount to $462.00. The remainder of the receipts were applied on painting and furnishing the parsonage. The officers were reelected for the following year and also in 1882. In 1881 the society paid $156.25 on the extensive improvements on the church property made that year. In 1883 sociables were held at the houses of Mrs. Cynthia French, H. B. Wooster, W. C. Sharpe and F. C. Gerard, at the parsonage, and twice at T. Sharpe’s, and the proceeds were applied on the improvements of the church property. Statements regarding the two succeeding years are given elsewhere. ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. 67 THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. The first we have been able to ascertain regarding the Sunday School is that George Kirtland, who came to Humphreysville in 1825, organized a small school in 1826 or 1827, commencing with his five children and a very few of the neighbors’ children. The number in- creased in a few months to 27. A part of the time the school met at his house. Mrs. Kirtland and two or three young ladies assisted as teachers, among whom was Miss Mary A. Booth, now Mrs. Sackett, who came to Humphreysville in 1823, with her mother, Mrs. Anna Booth, of blessed memory. Mr. Kirtland endeavored to establish a library for the Sunday school, both himself and a Mr. Fisher contributing books and money. He kept up the school six or seven years, when it was discontinued for a time. Rev. Samuel R. Hickox, the next superintendent, was a _ local preacher, who during the week labored at his trade in repairing clocks, or upon his farm, as there was need. He was a zealous and kindly man, whose earnest exhorations are still remembered by many. He was born in Torrington Jan. 12, 1790, came to Humphreysville in 1828, and died Mar. 14, 1861, rejoicing in the Lord. The third superintendent was Lugrand Sharpe, born in Ridgefield June 1, 1797, lived in Southford from 1821 to 1839, was the first class leader there, and was the leader in the movement to build the Union Chapel there, of which Rev. Samuel R. Hickox aboved named was the first pastor. In 1839 he came to Humphreysville and from that time was one of the efficient and always reliable members of this church. He never lost interest in the Sunday School and continued an active laborer there until his last sickness. He died May 1, 1876, aged 78 years, feeling that his work was done and that he was ready for the Master’s call. Frederick Durand, superintendent in 1851, was a day school teacher and a teacher of singing, and made an efficient superintendent. The 68 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. officers and teachers of the Sunday School were first organized as a Sunday School Society at his suggestion, and the articles of association were drawn up by him. Most of the other superintendents are mentioned in the pastoral sketches or under other heads. The increase in the average attendance has been remarkable and far in advance of the general growth of the church. Formerly on stormy days no session was held and such days were omitted in mak- ing up the average attendance, which gave larger proportionate figures. But for a few years past neither drifting snows or drenching rains have prevented the holding of a Sunday School. Every Sunday, no matter how small the attendance, is counted in making up the average, mak- ing the annual estimate proportionally smaller. Notwithstanding this the average has nearly trebled in the last fifteen years, increasing from 51 in 1871 to over 140. The adoption of the International Series of lessons has increased the runing expenses, requiring a considerable annual outlay for ques- tion books, Berean leaves and other lesson helps, a larger outlay is fre- quently made for additions to the library, and other expenses have increas- edin proportion, yet the bills have been promptly and freely met, since the great importance of Sunday School work has come to be generally recognized, There is yet one thing the school greatly needs, more room. The lecture room is a fine one and well furnished, but there should be several class rooms opening into the lecture room, for the use of both bible and infant classes, as the classes are now of necessity so crowded as to prevent the degree of freedom which should be enjoyed by both teachers and pupils during recitations. Large Sunday Schools are coming to be better provided in this respect. The Trinity M. E. church of New Haven, and the churches of Waterbury and Bristol are models in this direction and it is earnestly to be hoped that the Sun- day School of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Seymour may soon be better provided for. The additional rooms would also be useful for classmeetings and other purposes. LUGRAND SHARPE. SUPERINTENDENT. 1826-83. George Kirtland. 1841-2. Samuel R. Hickox. 1843-50. Lugrand Sharpe. 1851. Frederick Durand. 1852. John Adams. 1853. John Adams. 1854. Wm. A. Hughes. 1855. ‘Wm. 8. Mallory. 1856. A. W. Lounsbury. 1857. A. W. Lounsbury. 1858. Wm. 8. Mallory. 1859. Warren French. 1860-1. W.N. Storrs. 1862. W. W. Benedict. 1863-4. H. W. Benedict. 1865. H. W. Benedict. 1866-7. W.N. Storrs. 1868. Sheldon Miles. 1869. W. C. Sharpe. 1870. W.N. Storrs. 1871. W. N. Storrs. 1872. W. W. Dibble. 1873. 8. R. Butler. 1874. C. N. Blanchard. 1875. S. R. Butler. 1876. E_N. Botsford. 1877. H. C. Rogers. 1878. 8. R. Butler. 1879. Geo. E. Stockwell. 1880. Geo. E. Stockwell. 1881. Thomas Sharpe. 1882-6. Thomas Sharpe. 1887. Thomas Sharpe. 1888. A. C. Butler. 1889. A. C. Butler. 1890. A. C. Butler. 1891-2. A. C. Butler. 1893. C. H. Guild. 1894. C. H. Guild. THE SUNDAY SCHOOL. OFFICERS OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL, 1826-1894. SEORETARY. John Adams. Wm. E. Smith. Wm. Wostenholm. Wm. Wostenholm. Wm. A. Hughes. Geo. M. Eddy. John H. Moshier. John H. Moshier. W.N. Storrs. Geo. 8. Wyant. J. W. Hendryx. W. C. Sharpe. W. W. Dibble. W. W. Dibble. ‘S. M. Sheldon. Jas. K. Adams. C. P. White. Wm. A. Dibble. W. ©. Sharpe. W. C. Sharpe. D. H. Munson. W.N. Storrs. Wm. H. Nugent. W. C. Sharpe. W. C. Sharpe. Henry O'Meara. Olin L. Dibble. Cc. W. Lyon, Jr. W. C. Sharpe. A. C. Butler. John H. Ladd. E. E. Holbrook. Ralph Dusinberre. M. W. D. Fenton. W. H. O'Meara. E. E. Holbrook. TREASURER. William Mallory. John A. Bland. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. W. C. Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. W. W. Dibble. Lugrand Sharpe. Lugrand Sharpe. E. N. Botsford. E. N. Botsford. Jas. K. Adams. Jas. K. Adams. Jas. K. Adams. 8. R. Butler. Mrs. 69 A. W. Lounsbury. Mrs. A. W. Lounsbury. Mrs. A. W. Lounsbury. Mrs. A. W. Lounsbury. Mrs. M. R. Castle. Mrs. M. R. Castle Mrs. M. R. Castle Mrs. M. R. Castle Mrs. M. R. Castle. Mrs. M. R. Castle 70 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. ROLL OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD, DEC. 34, 1882. Pastor, Rev. C. W. Lyon. Librarian, Edward Holbrook. Superintendent, Thomas Sharpe. $ 82 Subscription of July 19, 1885,....-..---2.---+---+ +--+ eee es 43.25 Subscription of Sept. 22, 1885, ..-.-...---.---+--++--2---- 6.00 Collected by W. M. Houghtaling,.......-..-----------++- 10.00 Collections for current expenses, ...-...--------------+--- 115.49 Pew rents, from C. H. Guild, collector, ......---.-...----- 917.50 Collections for the poor, .........---------es-- ee ee eee eee 27.61 $1,120.67 (The following sums, both collected and disbursed by special committees, are included here and also with payments in order to give a complete state- ment of current receipts and expenses.) Subscription collected by W. N. Storrs, in the Spring of 1885, 23.00 Collected at Great Hill to apply on pastor’s salary, ...---.. 150.00 Subscription of Mar. 21, 1886,..........-..-....----+4-- 130.00 $1,423.67 PAYMENTS. On indebtedness of previous year, to S. R. Butler. . . .$56.00 to C. T. Walker... .. 6.00 $ 62.00 To pastor for moving expenses, ............------+-------- 12.00 To Rev. A. MeNicholl, pastor, from Great Hill,... 150.00 By treasurer of the board of stewards, 720.00 By special committee, .......-...--.- 130.00 Making salary in full,.......... 1,000.00 To Rev. W. H. Wardell, presiding elder,..............-.-- 36.00 To Miss Effie J. Davis, organist, ............---2-.-.--.-- 50.00 To C. F. Northrop, janitor, ............-22222-..-22..-.. 125.00 To Rev. J. W. Davis, supply of pulpit in absence of pastor, 6.00 Fuel $54.00, lights $6.83, 6 lamp brackets $2.40...........- 63.23 To W. N. Storrs, interest on parsonage debt, ............-- 28.50 Transportation of tent to and from Campmeeting, ........-. 5.00 Wine for Sacramental occasions,..........-.---.-+-2------ 5.00 Envelopes for the collector's use, $1.75, snow shovel, .45,.... 2.20 Printing reports of treasurer and pastor, April 1st, 1885, .. .. 2.25 Paid to needy members, ........--.-2-- 2-22-20 022 eee eee 22.00 (Total expenditure, $1,419.18) Balance in the treasury, 4.49 $1,423.67 W.C. SHARPE, TREASURER. PASTORATE OF REV. A MCNICHOLL. 99 In addition to the foregoing considerable sums have been collected for various purposes by special committees, including over $100.00 for the choir, and a liberal amount for a needy brother. The rental of the slips in April, 1885, amounted to $994.00, on which there were some reductions on account of removals, sickness, etc. A new furnace has been putin at a cost of $162.99, of which $130.00 has been raised by subscription, the following giving each $5, L. T. ‘Wooster, Rev. A. McNichol, 8S. R. Butler, T. Sharpe, A. W. Louns- bury, O. D. Sykes, A. C. Peck, W. H. Gladwin and W. N. Storrs. The old stove was turned in at $3.50, leaving due on the furnace $29.49. The Sunday School has raised and expended for library, lesson helps, etc., about $135.00, beside a large sum expended for the benefit of the school by the superintendent at his own expense. INDEBTEDNESS. The indebtedness of the church at the commencement of the confer- ence year was, $475.00 on the parsonage and $62.00 on current ex- penses, making a total of $537.00. The present indebtedness is $700.00 on the parsonage, $29.49 on the new furnace, about $18.00 for work in the basement by O. D. Sykes, and $18.00 to Rev. J. W. Davis for service in the absence of the pastor, making a total of $763.45. BENEVOLENT COLLECTIONS. May 10, 1885, Subscription for Superanuated Preachers, - . - . $28.00 Aug. 30, 1885, Tract collections,..............2...-222---. 5.00 Oct. 25, for church extension,......-...-...---------.---- 40.00 Jan. 10, 1886, for the Sunday School Union,.............-- 14.50 Feb. 7, for the Educational Society, ........-...---.-.---- 36.00 Missionary collections, in the Seymour Sunday School, $53.00 in the Great Hill Sunday School, 17.00 Feb. 28, in the congregation, .. 127.00—197.00 For the Freedmen’s Aid Society,.........-..-..---.2--.. 37.00 For the American Bible Society,............--.-2..----- 2.00 For M. E. chureh in Auburn, Maine...............2-..-- 3.00 For Home Missions $13.00, Bible Cause $2.00__.......-.... 15.00 Total, $377.50 100 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. RECAPITULATION. Current expenses for year, per steward’s report ,..--------- $1,350.18 Balance on previous year,......--------+--+e 2022s rere ee 62.00 Improvements and repairs, per report of,trustees,..-...--.- 398.21 Cost of the new Furnace,.........---------+---202-2-°° 162.99 Subscription for the Choir,...........-.-----++--+--++--- 100.00 Raised in Sunday school for Sunday school work, ..------- 135.00 Renevolent Collections, ......-..--.----+---+-++-----+-- 362.00 $2,570.38 INSURANCE. On the Seymour Church..........-..---+---2+25-2--- 2+ $5,000.00 Ou the Parsonage, ...6.. 2000 sa¥ seas phe See ee eens 1,890.00 On the Great Hill Church,.............--.------+----- 1,500.00 Total, $8,300.00 At a meeting of the joint official board on Thursday evening, July 2d, it was voted that an addition be built on the rear of the parsonage, 13x14, At the same meeting it was voted that concrete walks be laid from the street to the parsonage door, and across to the church walk Similar action was also taken by the board of trustees acting separately. STANDING RESOLUTIONS. The following resolutions have been in effect for several years, with the exception that the printing of the annual report has of late been deferred until the close of the conference year. RESOLVED, that the treasurer of the board of stewards have one hundred copies of his report printed, with the report of the trustees, for distribution at the fourth quarterly conference in each year. RESOLVED, that the treasurer of the board of stewards be elected by the joint official board, and that he receive the collections and pay the incidental expenses, including fuel, lights and sexton. THOMAS SHARPE. THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 101 SUNDAY SCHOOL REPORT. Dec. 28, 1886. ROLL OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD. Chairman, ex-officio, Rev. A. McNicholl. Superintendent, Thomas Sharpe. Librarian, Burton Holbrook. Asst. Supt., Wm. H. Gladwin. Asst. Librarian, James McKay. Recording Secy., W.C. Sharpe. Ree. Librarian, H. T. Kelsey. Treasurer, Mrs. A. W. Lounsbury. Chorister, Albert C. Butler. School Secy., Arthur Gladwin. Organist, Miss Effie Davis. TEACHERS. Class No.1 Mrs. Wilson Wyant. Class No. 12° Miss Cora Dibble. 2 Miss Leila Bartlett. 13 James Maybury. 3 Mrs. W. C. Sharpe. 14 A. W. Lounsbury. 4 Miss A. L. Burroughs. 15 Dwight Garrett. 5 Miss Minnie Gladwin. 16 W. OC. Sharpe. 6 Mrs. C. H. Jorey. 17 W. W. Dibble. 7 Edward Bice. 18 Mrs. W. W. Dibble. 8 Mrs. A. W. Lounsbury. 19 S. R. Butler. 9 Miss May L. Lounsbury. 20 W. H. Gladwin. 10 Mrs. F. C. Gerard 21 Charles Short. 11 Miss E. E. Wooster. 22 L. T. Wooster. 23 Mrs. James Maybury. SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE. O. D. Sykes. A. C. Peck. W. B. Johnson. Mrs. M. R. Castle, Mrs. E. G. Peck. — Carl Carlson. Mrs. 8S. T. Carpenter. Mrs. Chas. Short. Mrs. C. H. Guild. 102 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. The whole number of officers, teachers and scholars is 218, and the average attendance for the year 145. The number of Sunday-school Advocates taken is 14, Teachers Journal 42, Temperance Banner 60, Picture Lesson Papers 30. About $60.00 has been raised for addition to the library, of which the superintendant gave one half. CHILDREN’S Day, June 13th. The day was celebrated in the man- ner recommended by our church Board of Education and generally ob- served by the denomination. The church was tastefully decorated with flowers and foliage, with appropriate floral emblems. In the morning the services consisted of a sermon by Rev. W. H. Wardell, Presiding Elder, and singing and responsive readings by the school. In the evening an interesting programme was given by the Sunday-school, consisting prin- cipally of singing, responsive reading and recitations. As in past years a liberal response was made to the call for contributions for the Educa- tional Fund. The annual Sunday-school picnic took place on Tuesday, July 13th. The members of the school and their friends to the number of 270 went by the cars to New Haven, and from there by the excursion boat Juno to Pawson Park. A pleasant time was enjoyed and the return trip was made in good season without accident. The annual Christmas entertainment was held on Thursday evening, Dee. 25th, with singing, recitations, dialogues, Christmas tree distribu- tion, etc. A special meeting of the Sunday-school board was held Oct. 18th, at which it was voted to adopt the constitution given in the discipline, with the following amendments. ArT. 4, To fill the blank by inserting the words “The Tuesday eve- ning preceding the first Sunday in January ;” and to amend so that all voting for officers shall be by ballot. ART. 6, to insert the word “seven.” W.C. SHARPE, SECRETARY. THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 103 REPORT OF THE TREASURER. RECEIPTS. Missionary Collections—Jan., $23.00; May, $17.16; Sept., Collections for Sunday School uses—Feb., $14.80; Mar., $14.98; Apr., $12.62; June, $11.07; July, $12.13; Aug., $17.89; Oct., $15.65; Nov., $13.29; Dee., PLD 4 cts cee Gece ie te alaeee ced dail cees BRANES $123.97 Total, $178.00 EXPENSES. Lesson helps, (books, lesson leaves, ete.,)-...-..----..----+- $27.96 Annuals, class papers and quarterly report forms.........-.-- 9.25 Fifty copies of ‘The Temperance Banner,” for 1886,........ 7.20 Wall charts to illustrate the lessons,...........--.-----.---+. 8.00 One new Book-case with glass front,.................--..--- 12.25 Numbers and incidentals for library..........-..----------- 1.15 Children’s day programs, per Rev. A. McNicholl............ 3.00 RG WAtd! CALdS cic sevens aon Seton wes-e ee Rea meee eee 8.43 CpteChisiis.cc2j2cecacyeunce «Ca Recs 22g. gh Seg keen GeweR 45 Divided among classes for Christmas gifts, per order 8.8. Board, 25.00 Responsive readings and other Christmas expenses..........- 4.44 Missionary collection for January, paid over......-.--..-.-.-. 23.00 (Included in conference report, for 1885-6.) Missionary money on hand..............--.-----220.------ 31.03 Paid on Library Catalogues.................--.---------- 12.00 Gash in treasury 2:5... ccc cae et eee ee eee ee eione see cee 4.84 Total, $178.00 MRS, A. W. LOUNSBURY, TREASURER. 105 THE CHURCH LIBRARY. In May, 1883, it was proposed to make a beginning in the way of a church library, and the following sums were contributed: T. Sharpe, $5.00, W. C. Sharpe $2.00 and 17 volumes, E. T. Sharpe $2.00, EB. C. Sharpe $1.00, W. H. Gladwin $1.00, James McKay 50c., Oliver Doolittle 50c., Harry Northrop 50c., Harry Beach 25c., total $12.75. With this sum a neat book case was purchased and placed in a corner of the church basement where it was not “in the way” and was yet convenient of access, and a few books were purchased. Circumstances have not been favorable for the growth of this department of the church work and beyond occasional loans of the books nothing further has been done. To mention but one of the many classes of books desira- ble in a church library, it was hoped to add a collection of works on the history and polity of the Methodist Episcopal Church, among which may be named the following: Church Lyceum, Its Organization and Management, T. B. Neely, A. M. Church Polity, Bishop Morris. Church Polity, Essay on, Rey. A. Stevens, L. L. D. Church School and its Officers, J. H. Vincent, D. D. Compendium of Methodism, by Rev. James Porter, D. D. Comprehensive History of Methodism, by Rev. James Porter, D. D. Discipline, Guide Book, Bishop Baker. Helps to Official Members, Rev. James Porter, D, D. Illustrated History of Methodism, Daniels. Methodist Law, Bishop S. M. Merrill, D. D. Methodism and Literature, Rev. F. A. Archibald, D. D. Relations of Civil Law to Church Polity, by Hon. Wm. Strong, L. L. D. What has been done in this direction has been in accordance with the provisions of {| 262, §8 of the Discipline, where it is specified that 106 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. one duty of the committee on education is “to provide a library, text- books and books of reference,” etc. ‘See also J 565. Even though the books above named are not in general demand, it would yet be well to have a copy of each where it will be available to those who may desire to read or consult them. Hoping that these sug- gestions regarding a church library may be received as they are given’ in the sincere desire to advance the cause for which the church was es- tablished, we close with the following extracts from an article on church libraries by Rev. F. A. Archibald, D. D., which was published in the Christain Advocate. “Every church in the land should be supplied with a church library, broad and commanding in its character, elevating and refining in its influence; making the church at once an intellectual center and a well supplied arsenal where the youth and the adult alike may find the keen- edged sword with which he may smite down all infidel sophistry. What we need to-day is a reading church. With breadth of informa- tion comes breadth of sympathy and corresponding activity. The insatiable thirst of the present generation for reading matter re- quires that the church should furnish her membership, and especially the young, with a wholesome literature to edify, confirm, and elevate Spiritually and intellectually. This may be done by establishing in each church a church library. Literature suitable to this purpose is so var- ied, rich, and inexpensive that the humblest church may accomplish this work. Many churches have already taken hold of this movement, and with unabated interest the work continues to grow and develop. Books should be provided to meet every possible want. No expense too costly and no effort too great if we shall save our youth and build them up into a Christly life. The church is receiving a wonderful im- petus in various fields of activity. For intellectual development she in- augurates the lyceum movement; for moral reform, the temperance work. She has her Woman’s Home and Foreign Missionary Societies; and also her general Denominational benevolent societies and institu- CHURCH LIBRARY. 107 tions. Upon all this general work the rays of intense light should be cast. Books should be supplied to promote intelligence upon all these various interests. These books should voice the will of the church to her millions, persuading, convincing, urging them forward to greater and nobler activities. How many there are in the church to-day who never hear the voice or language of the church through soul-stirring literature. Not that the church has failed to speak, but so many have failed to hear. The church has, indeed, a rich heritage in her litera- ture. but it must be brought to the people, and we know of no wiser or better method to accomplish this than by adopting the plan of organiz- ing church libraries of broad and commanding influence. For plans for organizing church libraries we would refer the reader to a volume recently published by the Methodist Book Concern, called Methodism and Literature, which contains a full account of this move- ment, and plans for organizing the work, together with a choice selec- tion of five thousand valuable books adapted to the use of such libraries.” 20d Ifistorieal Sketch by Rey. Samuel R. Hickeox, And Other Nlanuseripts. Found Under the Corner Stone, July 1-4. 1891. ° The original name of this place was Nau-ko-tunk, literally one big, tree. The tree wasa hemlock of enormons size and stood near the bank of the river on the east side. near and below the falls. The river took its name from thig place. which is improperly called Naugatuck. Afterward, about 1760, it took the name Chusetown, Chuse being the nick-name given to Joseph Man-we-hu by Gideon Washband, who lived south of the first brook on the road leading from this place to Derby. The first man ghat moved into this place was Benajah Jdhnson, who came from Derby. but was a native of New Haven. His father lived in a house where the Exchange building naw stands. He had eight sons. two of whom moved into Derby. Benajah built the first house of logs near.the foot of the hill on the east side of the road north of where Thomas Gilyard now lives. Not long after three other men moved into the place, all of the name of Johnson—Timothy, Ebenezer and Joseph were their proper names, Timothy, the father of Alexander Johnson, did not remain in the place many years, but returned back to the south partof Derby. This son, Alexander. afterward occupied the same place. The first four men were relatives. though Bepajah only by marriage, he and Timothy having married two sisters. Sarah and Mary Brewster, the grand- daughters of Nathaniel Brewster, a clergyman, who was the first Minister settled at Setauket. Long Island. Nathaniel Brewster was the sonof Jonathan Brewster. who, with his father, Elder William Brewster, came to Plymouth Rock in the May Flower. just about one handred years before Benajah Johnsdéa moved into this place. Isaac Johnson, the son of Benajah Johnson, gave the land where the first meetinghouse stood and the burying-ground adjacent, to his son, Jesse Johnson. embracing the site where the house now to be erected for divine worship is to be placed. The first meetinghonse was built by individuals, mostly Congregationalists, who were formed into a society of Separates, and had for their first minister, Benjamin Beach, a Separate minister, who moved from North Haven into this place in 178¢. Laey Johnsen died March 9th, 17S, and was the first white person buried in this ground. Martha Johnson was the next, and Israel Freneh was the next. . % . 0c The first Methodist: society formed in this place was in February, 1797, consisting of six members, Jesse Johnson, Isaac Baldwin, Esther Baldwin, Sarah Baldwin, Eunice Baldwin, Daniel Rowe, Leader. Joined shortly afterward: George Clark, Lucy Hitchcock, Stiles Johnson, Olive Johnson, - Bro. Fisher was the first Methodist preacher in Derby, and the so- ciety was formed by Augustus Jocelyn. After the death of Isaac John- son in 1812, the old mectingbouse and land adjoining came permanently into the possession of the Methodist society, bissons, Jesse and Stiles, with their families and many of their relatives, having become Metho- dists. Freeborn Garretson presided at the first quarterly meeting held here in the old meetinghouse in 1803. This ,appointment at that time was included in acircuit which embraced Bridgewater in New Milford, Derby, Milford, New Haven, Haddam, Middletown, Berlin, Prospect, and ‘all the intermediate space, called “Middletown Circuit.” Tho Methodist preachers came to this place ‘as early as 1791 or 792, and ‘preached in eVery place where they foundan open door,. The society remained small a long time. In its commencement it encountered a great amount of prejudice and considerable persecution. There was no considerable additions to the socicty until the first revival of religion in the place, which was extensive. It commenced at a watch night in the old meetinghouse in 1816. Before’ I conclude I would give ‘a specimen of the persecution that the infant society endured at its commence- ment. At one of their meetings, in time of preaching, the perse- cutors went on the ladder and stopped the top of the chimney, so that the smoke drove the congregation out of the house. They also fre- quently threw squibs of powder into the fire in time of worship to the great annoyance of the people, but it was afterward discovered that God had ordained his arrows against the persecutors; it was obvious that a curse followed almost all those young men, and numbers of them were cut down inthe prime of life. One of the first members of the infant society and a witness of the above will probably see the laying of the corner stone of the new, House. It is with feelings of no ordinary kind that I now write. This hand will soon be cold in death, and this body wasting in the grave, to- gether with all those whose names are recorded in this book. Oh! what changes may be effected, what trials endured, what conflicts en- countered by those who may come after us, and occupy the seats and the places which we now fill in the church of God. Hein whose name, and to whose honor and glory we erect this house, and to whose worship and service we consecrate it in ali coming time. He and He alone can ‘tell. Years and years with their inhabitants will have rolled away and passed into eternity before this book shall again see the light or hu- man eye rest upon these pages. With deep emotions of soul I would record my gratitude to God for his mercies and goodness and with earnest and solemn prayer commend the church and all her interests to God, now and forever, Amen. . Samue. R. Hickcox, Scribe. Humphreysville, June 19th, 1847. , A0d The following are the names of the trustees of the Methodist Episco- pal Church in Humphreysville: Rev. Sylwester Smith, Rev. Samuel R. Hickcox, Warren French, Lyman Hartson, Jared Bassett, Wm. M. Osborn, Sheldon Miles, Wm. B. Watson, Wilson Wyant. Names of Building Committee—Sylvester Smith, Samuel R. Hickcox, Jared Bassett. ; Messrs. Hotchkiss & Clark, Birmingham, architects. Master builder, Amos Hine, of Woodbridge. Names of his workmen—Dea. Wm. Plum, Joseph 8. Newton, Horace Holbrook,George R. Sperry, Wm. W. Plum. Master Mason, Jared Bassett. Names of his Yale, Isaac Bassett. Daniel Lyons, tender. e workmen—Timothy Hitchcock, Ira Phelps, Horace The following are the names of the members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, Humphreysville, June 16th, 1847: Sylvester Smith, Local Elder. Samuel R. Higkcox, Local Deacon’. Warren French, Exhorter. FIRST CLASS: -Thomas Cochran, Leader, Samuel R. Hickcox, Assistant. Sarah Hickcox, Henrietta Smith, - Lois Gilyard, Maranda Hitchcock, Lydia Gilbert, Amanda Osborn, Amelia Clark, Eunice Bradley, Sylvester Smith, Thomas Gilyard, Nancy Bassett, Wo. M. Osborn, Jonathan Clark, Abigail Chatfield, Lydia Clark, Abel Wilcox, Jared Bassett, Sally Bassett, Emeline Terrel, Clarissa Wooster, Shelden Miles, Alva Davis, Samuel Bassett,* Abigail Bassett,* Julia Seeley,* R. Hotchkiss, * Nathan Mansfield.* *These belong to Oxford. Delia McEwen,* William Gilyard, William A. Hughes, Jobn A. Bland, Caroline E. Bland, Emma M. Chipman, Abigail Scott, Horace Moulthroup. Timothy Hitchcock, Mary Ann Johnson,* SECOND CLASS: Warren French, Leader, John Bodge, Assistant. Lucinda French, Amanda Osborn, Lugrand Sharpe, Mary A. Sharpe, Maria Sharpe, - ® Betsey White, Joha F. Corey, Mary Hitchcock, John F. Marshall, Henry B. Beecher, Malinda Corey, Sarah E. Bunnel, Mary Bunnel, Mark L. Northrop, Betsy Broadwell, Mary Botsford, Abigail O’Marah, Mary E. Reynolds, Harriet Denny, John L. Hartson, Albert Lounsbury, Rebecca Watson, Parmelia Smith, Anna Booth, Stephen Hu. Culver, Huldah Bodge, Mary J. Chatfield, Olive M. Sharpe, Elizabeth Sharpe, William W. White, Polly Thorpe, Burritt Hitchcock, Abby Fox, Martha Marshall, Isaac B. Tolles, Samuel A. Bunnel, Esther A. Bunnel, Caroline E. Truesdale, “Eliza Northrop, Lyman Botsford, Michael O’Marah, Ruth Ann Johnson, Solomon Denny,. Hannah E. Short, Caroline Hurd, Wn. B. Watson, Orrin Murphy, Rosette Hendryx, Mary Ann Booth, Henry W. Lounsbury, Eunice G. Hubbard, Wilson Wyant, Violet Wyant. —% Ade For several years we have thought of building a church in this place. But our means have been so small that we dare not venture until now. And even now, we were one whole year in preparing to commence the work. But God in His Providence has wonderfully opened the way, and thus far we have prospered. Undoubtedly God will continue to be with us until the work iscompleted. We hope it will be the spirit- ual birth place of many sowls. And I sincerely hope that in this house the pure Gospel will be, preached by holy ministers of the-Methodist Episcopal Church. O, Lord, God of our fathers! May the time never come when it shall be said in truth: ‘‘The glory has departed from the Methodist Episcopal Church in Humphreysville.” SYLVESTER SMITH. The land on which this church is built was given by Isaac John- son to build a church which was erected here 60 years ago. But I think that the land was never deeded by him. His sons Jesse and Stiles became Methodists, and also some others of the family, and as they had control of the. property it came into the hands of the Methodist So- ciety. Stiles Johnson, it would seem, finally owned the land, and before the Methodist Society rebuilt the house they obtained the within quit claim deed of the house from leading members of the Congrer gational Society. This, together with the will of Stiles Johnson, se- cured the premises to the Methodist Society. The quit claim would cut off all claim by right of possession. Soon after the making of’ his will Stiles Johnson died. When in February, 1846, the Methodist Episcopal Society resolved to build a new church, there were many who were in favor of a new location, bat the society by a major vote decided on the old ground which has been so long hallowed by the prayers and songs of God’s people. 18th June, 1847. SYLVESTER SMITH. THE SECOND CHURCH. 1 The following are the names vi the subscribers to this House. together With the sums subscribed by each : Charles Oatman. ... 10). Beticy Broadwell. Horace Mos ce0G tet. deccecesscs 1m Barris Sseeles. css; Lrdia Ge sie Romane iether repeats Wiliam ‘t ai un 3 “4 = toe or = ' 5 (rg Pee Gilber-.. a Andrew H. Dek a PTCSCesee ccciiveczes 14, Wan: ANTS aise 2 see ceeeeveesess,” WOE Barrin Hitchcoc's ay wy 4 oF St w a eu foe i 1h ‘2 ck rf os ero nee a sh Chipman. 16, John A. Bland.............2......... Boy GASHREL ST irrsyccciserseecseawasevssss ty 3. 3 Sts Be bn ow © Stephen Treat... Renus iS Seoul oy 1 | 7 aE = re R It fr bee gr ot Medad Tacker....... Walter B. Cle7s Wyli: Umberfield. ............... Burton s12€2e....----.. eee Watson French................-.... Rimes Ses DWTS ssc caycacesceesace To. DOR Ss ets. cacesdesces ie ees: 3 oH Yoke con cin 114 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. Denzel Hitchcock.............+ 10. Clark Miles.........ccsessseeenseeeeees 1.50 Eliakim Terrel.,........c:e000 5. Lyman Botsford... 10. Jonathan Clark........::.scceeeee 10. A Stranger paid 125 Charles OSborD........seceeeeeeee 10. Henry Goodwin 5. Aner WoOodin......cccseeeeeeeeeees 10. Nathan P. Thomas sae Os Ransom Burritt........cceeee 5. Henry Hickcox........ccsecccceceees 1. Ls Ri Fin chi scasevivceversseveraceees 1. Nelson Newton.........:cccssseeeee 1. Wales French, of H’ville...... 5. James Perkins........ 2. George Leavenworth........... 5. Leverit Carrington............... 5. Wm. W. Steele.......cccccceeee QO: “Treat Clarkiicenss veuryssasansnssaves 5. Wm. H. Mathews...........0000 8: Amelia Clarks sccscisisssiseceosscnes 5. Ira E. Stewart....... 8. Lowly Merrick... 5. Abiram Tucker Bs. Mary Bakerisissocsssscsoccacsseneiss 2. Oliver H. Stoddard 2. David Jobnson............cceccceeees 5. Sarah Scott... vee 1. Daniel Carrington................ 5. Laura Truesdale......... 1. John Northrop..........ceee 6. Mr. Isles........ ...... oe 3. Nabby Scott.....ccccccceeeeeeeene 5. Abel WilcoX........cccceeseeseeees 10. David Beach, Esaqr................. 10. Leman Chatfield we 10. Lucina Spencer...........eeceeeeeeee 2. Thomas Holbrook............... 5. Asa Hawkins..........cccccesessceee 1. Samuel HickcoX............000 10. Sarah Hickcox........ccceeeeeeree 5. Lyman Smith 2. Sarah E. Bunnel..... 5. Samuel Jack........ccccccseeeseres 5. Esther A. Bunnel. 6. Samuel Lake..........cceeceesseeee 1. Violette Wyant... 5. George Washburn... 5. Betsy Moulthroup 3. Thomas Sanford., 5. Mary Hartson..........ccccceeeeeee 5. Tne Sewing Society collected about sixty-five dollars for furnishing the interior of the church. Here follows a list of the subscribers’ names and the sums subscribed by each for the erection of the old house, 30 by 34 in size, 1818 : Stiles Johnson............:..eeeeee . Jonathan Clark...........ccceeee Robert Lees.......... . Tra Phelps, work.............ccccee Thomas Gilyard Josiah Canfield John Winterbottom....... ..... 26. Samuel Durand... Walter French, glass&nails, 18. Shelden Smith.......... Elias Gilbert, joiner work.... 20. John Riggs, lumber. Abel Bassett, joiner work.... 10. Newel Johnson...............:008 B. English........-..0seeeeee 5.62 Leverit Pritchard, paid Abel Isaac JOHNgon........ceecceeeeees . #6 Basset tts: cise sacutceoscautevseeas 5. Orrin Peck, b’ksmith work, 11. John Crawford. ...............0000 5. Wm. M. Osborn... 6. Jared Bassett..........ccccceceeeenee 13. Timothy Hitchcock, work & Merritt Wooster, lumber......... 12.50 CHB Misciarasicverdeavivucsnomsiasneess 11. Henry Miller... 5. THE FIRST CHURCH. 115 Frederick Rowe...........esees 5, Alva: Davis. scsesscasieadencsecsasetecs David Hinman, nails & glass, 5. Bezaleel Peck....... Riverus Carrington, team Daniel Holbrook... WODK vcsiarieesseeesdvee hactac sae. 6. John 8. Moshier.... Seba Moulthroup, timber & Wm. Kirtland..... ‘ WIODK 5 is Seaceisade teeta dceineceetan 6. Ezra Bassett.........ccscceeceeseeees Denzel Hitchcock................ 22. Amos Dorman......cceccsecseereenes Samuel Bassett, Oxford....... 6. John Smith Ebenezer Fisher and Henry Anson Gillette........cccceee oe Veafor ge si-wsisecsiscarcscversseres 5. Eliphalet Easton...........ee- Shelden Tucker... 1. Samuel Bassett Elias Baldwin................00 10. Catherine Hubbard............... 50 Davis Smith... eeeeeeeee 10. Truman Terrel...........:c0 ee ceeeeee 21.07 Abel Wilcox... ......ssscceseees 2. The whole expense of rebuilding the old house..............seeeeeeees $760.83 Paid to Congregationalists........ccccccccccsscssssseesesssserestteteeeerererers 40.00 POtials: vcsawedeacecsdaeissaleewe cuveaiae us wdatetaosie urtemencae awa veananeeraeraaanves $800.83 The old house was purchased of the Congregationalists, and rebuilt by the Methodists, May 23d, 1818. S. R. H. 116 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. [Lines written for the occasion of laying the corner stone of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Humphreysville, June 19th, 1847.] O, Thou who hearest prayer, To Thee for help we come; Assist Thy servants, gracious Lord, To lay this corner stone. Whate’er is said this day, According to Thy Word, Hear Thou in Heaven, Thy dwelling place, And there our deeds record. Our fathers worshipped here, Upon this hallowed place; O, may Thy maatle on us fall, Who come to seek Thy face. Bless our endeavors, Lord, To build a house for Thee, And when we in Thy temple meet, May we Thy glory see. And should Thy people sin, And pray towards this place, Hear Thou in Heaven, Thy holy throne, And grant forgiving grace. * When earthly temples fail, And we from time remove, May Christ, our corner stone in Heaven, Give us a house above. A building in the skies, Not made by mortal hands, But lasting as the eternal throne, Where God, the Builder, stands. —A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH (Composed by Sally Bassett, wife of Jared Bassett, daughter of Rev. Jesse Johnson. REV GEORGE B. DUSINBERRE. 117 PASTORATE OF Rey. OC. 8S. WILLIAMS. 1888-9. In April, 1888, Rev. C. S. Williams was appointed pastor for Sey- mour and Great Hill and at the close of the year reported 239 mem- bers, an increase of three. The valuation given for the two churches, Seymour and Great Hill, was $10,000, parsonage $3,300, $225 ex- pended for improvements on the church property, and $225 paid on indebtedness. One Sundayschool was reported with 31 officers and teachers and 208 scholars. PASTORATE OF Rev. Gro. B. DUSINBERRE. 1889-90. Rev. George B. Dusinberre was pastor from April, 1889, to April 1890. The work of the church moved steadily along with favorable results. He preached both at Seymour and Great Hill and by the members of both churches is remembered as a kindly, earnest and faithful pastor. The Conference minutes for the year show a prosper- ous year financially, the current expenses of $1606 being paid in full, $100 expended in improvements on the church and parsonage, $600 paid on the church indebtedness, and $212 contributed for missions and other benevolent purposes. The number of members at the close of the year was 220, with eight probationers. The number of officers, teachers and pulpits in the two Sundayschools at Seymour and Great Hill was 222. 118 THE PRESENT CHURCH. Whether to enlarge the old church or to build new had been under consideration for some time and was finally settled in 1891 by a de- cision to build new and retain the old audience room as an annex, for Sundayschool purposes, etc. A building committee was appointed consisting of L. T. Wooster, W. N. Storrs, 8. R. Butler, A. C. Peck and J. B. Perrins. Plans were secured for a building estimated to cost about $10,000, and builders were invited to bid for the contract. The new foundation for the old building was laid by the H. Wales Lines Co. of Meriden, the masonry for the foundation of the new structure was laid under the direction of S, B. Hubbell of Oxford, the contract for the superstructure was awarded to T. Sharpe of Seymour, and the building of the chimneys and the plastering were done by J. J. H. Collington. The carpenter work was pushed during the winter, the contractor, T. Sharpe, placing E. C, Sharpe, as foreman, in charge of the work. Five thousand dollars was soon pledged, and a loan of $5,000 was obtained. Every effort was made to increase the building fund, each class in the Sundayschool making some special effort. By the “sale of bricks” $200 was raised, and by the Sundayschool picnic for 1891, $100. Altogether the Sundayschool raised about $500 toward the cost of re- fitting the old audience room, which was done at an expense of about $1,200. The Ladies’ Aid Society assumed $1,000, the Epworth League $400, and L. T. Wooster’s class $175, the cost of the pulpit fixtures. On the Sunday previous to the dedication $3,500 was subscribed and on the day of the dedication about $325 more was raised. The cost of the organ, $1,600, was soon paid in full. The cost of the new building was about $11,000, exclusive of the re- moval of the old structure and refitting it, and the furniture and THE NEW CHURCH, THE PRESENT CHURCH. 119 organ for the new structure, which bring the total to nearly $18,000. The success of the undertaking is largely due to L. T. Wooster, chair- man of the building committee, who headed the list with a subscription of $1,000, and to the energetic pastor, Rev. J. E. Holmes. The church is well lighted by large stained glass windows, one on the north side and one on the south, each handsomely designed in five sections. In the rear of the pulpit are three stained glass windows, the one on the right representing the Easter Lily, in the center the Child Christ, and on the left the Passion Plant. At the right of the pulpit is the pastor’s study, a pleasant room well adapted to the pur- pose for which it was intended. At the left is the new organ and the choir gallery. The floor is handsomely carpeted, and the altar is cushioned with maroon plush. Tn the old audience room the pews were removed and replaced with chairs. The choir gallery was partitioned off on the sides and used as an infant class-room. Class-rooms were also arranged in the side gal- leries, two on the rorth side and one on the south, with screens which can be run up out of the way. At the east end of the south gallery @ room was partitioned off for the use of the Ladies’ Aid Society. The platform near the sliding doors is movable. The church was fitted up for lighting by electricity, the lights being ivclosed in fancy globes, including a thirty light chandelier 10 the cen- ter, and as many more lights around the sides of the church. There are seats for about 400, and by throwing open the sliding doors the seats in the old church will be available and with the galleries will make room for about 400 more. Upon a stone set in the foundation is the following inscription: “M. E. CHURCH, ORGANIZED 1787. ERECTED 1891.” The new church was dedicated on Sunday, June 26, 1892, by Bishop Andrews. The board of trustees then consisted of W. N. Storrs, president; L. T. Wooster, T. Sharpe, S. R. Butler, W. W. Dibble, O. D. Sykes, M. R. Castle, Josepk Hitchcock and George Condit. THE NEW ORGAN. This fine instrument is from the works of Emmons Howard, of Westfield, Mass. Its dimensions are—width 12 feet, depth 7 feet, height 17 feet. There are 18 registers and 549 pipes, as follows :— 120 ANNALS OF THE SEYMOUR M. E. CHURCH. GREAT ORGAN. OOMPASS OO TO A3. OPeN “Diapason ,...ssccvecorsssanssase cescesseveddsccssssvaees 8 ft. metal, 58 pipes. Dial CLAN Bie cadissa secs tee ve ceaig ae cdsewe taibeunduitea tease vsee decoy estes Sit: 58“ Wns On Bags veces, deccisanceesn deaiecedeasaucuseveugesseticeetsosmeie 8 li wood, 58 “ Melodia OCA VE! esis ai conc Saveuctunanaiiecede vans sas cee siettae'ce sevapisva verse 4ft. metal, 58 ‘“ SUPlT OCTAVE. cies serdeccnasicecivanrodensenaiyan come sesidecssassien of. «© 68 “* SWELL ORGAN. COMPASS CO TO A8. Wi O18. escrestawenronsteainsetencateves secbewe ny ueen made nauiounsenatiowtes Stopped Diapason, Bass ce SuSE IS SSO 10:. Flute: Harmoniquessissiiiccieviocssssacvarasisssesscanadisaone 12:. Bass00nssissipssccsissacscavvesces PEDAL ORGAN. COMPASS cco D0. TBic BOULAODs;. ctacesssucscivaducsensoonenseaas chaayasensedauduorsonns 16 ft. wood, 27 pipes. MECHANICAL REGISTERS. 14. Swell to great coupler. 15. Great to pedal coupler. 16. Swell to pedal coupler. 17. Swell tremolo. 18. Blower’s signal. Balanced swell pedal. 121 PASTORATE OF Rev. JAMES A. MACMILLAN. 1894-5. At the session of New York East Conference in 1894, the writer was appointed by Bishop Fowler to the pastorate of the Seymour Methodist Episcopal Church. While the year was one of abundant activity by pastor and people, its most important results do not yield themselves readily to the record of printed pages. The following will at least serve as a Summary in outline: The church had just emerged from the erection of its splendid new edifice when a period of business depression set in, unprecedented in the history of the country. The pastorate of 1894-5 was prosecuted in the face of difficult financial problems growing out of this condition. It is worthy of lasting record that the people of the church rose to the emergency with rare devotion and generosity. The sum contributed for current expenses was larger than in any previous year. The reduction of the bonded debt, previ- ously begun, was continued, and the Sundayschool added a large pay- ment to the amount already paid upon its obligation assumed for re- building and furnishing the chapel. The spiritual work of the church was not neglected because of at- tention to temporalities. Besides the usual services, special meetings were held for five weeks, resulting in deepened religious experience to mavy and the beginning of a christian life and profession to others. During the year fifteen members removed by letter to churches in other towns, and one died, Edwin Smith. The year began with 189 members and 14 probationers, and closed with 200 members and 14 probationers. At the conference session in 1895 the writer was appointed to the pastorate of Trinity Church, Long Island City, to which he had been invited, and the Seymour pastorate terminated with numerous kind and gratifying assurances that aithough brief it had not been without usefulness. JAMES A. MACMILLAN. SOME WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE. REV. SAMUEL R. HICKOX. Samuel Reynolds Hickox, whose name frequently occurs in the early mention of the church, was born in Watertown in 1790 and married there in 1808, He was a miller by trade and ran a grist mill in Wolcottville and afterward in Waterbury, where be was one of the first and most efficient members of the First Methodist church. In 1821 he was licensed as a local preacher and is said to have preached to a large audience, in a ballroom, the first Methodist sermon ever heard in Waterbury. After this he frequently conducted services there. In 1825 he moved to Southbury and in 1826 was ordained a local deacon, by Bishop Hedding, in the old John street charch, in New York. In 1828 he moved to Humphreysville, where he had charge of the gristmill near the Falls, where the plush mill now stands. He after- ward engaged in clock making, bought a place on the south side of Pearl street, the third house east of the Methodist parsonage, and built a shop for his clock work. He frequently went to Waterbury and preached there. He was greatly interested in the building of the church of 1847 and had a “town clock” put up in the tower. The memorial sketch given on pages 109 and 110, and the lists on pages 113-4-5, which were placed under the cornerstone of the church, were prepared by him. He died in 1861, beloved by all who knew him. There are yet many among both clergy and laity who have a warm place in their mem- ories for Father Hickox. THOMAS GILYARD. Among those who were elected trustees of the society Oct. 31, 1817, | and to whom the old Congregational church was deeded on the 22d of the following September, was Thomas Gilyard, who had served in the War of 1812 and as far as can be gathered from the scanty records which have been preserved, was a faithful soldier of the cross. His SOME WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE. 123 name and that of his wife Lois appear in the list of members of Timo- thy Hitchcock’s class in 1819. lt is probable that he continued to be a trustee for thirty years or more. In 1846 he was one of the trustees who were appointed by Rev. Geo. L. Fuller. That he had the interest of the church at heart is evident from the many entries in the journal which he kept aud from which many details of local history have been obtained. That the ministers and missions of the M. E. church were dear to him is also evident from the fact that in his will he gave to the church three acres of land near his house on Skokorat, recommending that the proceeds be appropriated one half for the benefit of worn out Methodist preachers and one half for missions, as related on pages 27 and 28. He died in 1853 and his remains rest in the old churcbyard in the rear of the church. He is gone but his work lives after him aud every year his benefaction is a help to the cause to which he was devoted. TIMOTHY HITCHCOCK. Timothy Hitchcock was one of the oldest members of the church. He was converted in the great revival of 1816 in the Methodist soci- ety in this place, and soon became an efficient member of the church. The society then had no church and meetings were occasionally held -at his house. He was elected a trustee of the society in 1817 and was one of the five who purchased the old Congregational church in 1818 for the use of the Methodists. During his later years he lived with his son, Burritt Hitchcock, in New Haven, where he died Dec. 5, 1878, aged 97 years and 4 months. His wife, Mrs. Urania Hitch- cock, was also one of the early members of the society. She died Jan. 1, 1843, aged 64. JARED BASSETT. Jared Bassett was for mavy years oue of the most faithful and ear- nest members of the church. He was one of the contributors for the rebuilding of the old church in 1818, and when it was pulled down in 1847 he was one of the most active in the building of the new church. He had charge of the stonework for the church of 1847 and the fine masonry shown in the view facing page 17 was his work.