Canaan. At the time when the township was sold, there Book II. were twelve or fourteen persons on the lands, who became proprietors. The first inhabitants were from Hartford, 1758. Windsor, Simsbury, and Danbury. The town was incorporated in 1758. At this period the inhabitants consisted Incorpoof twenty-seven families only. There were fifty proprie-rated, tors, and it was a condition among the proprietors, that each proprietor should settle one family upon each right in five years. This so expedited the settlement, that, in about three years, they increased to seventy families. The first minister, the Rev. Ammi R. Robbins, was ordained in October, 1761.

The township of Winchester belonged to the patentees Winchesof Hartford. It is bounded north on Colebrook, east on ter incorporated. Barkhampstead, south on Torrington, and west on Goshen and Norfolk. It contains, by estimation, 20,380 acres. The township was laid out into distinct lots in 1758. In May, 1771, it was incorporated, and vested with the privileges of the other towns. The Rev. Joshua Knapp was ordained the first pastor of the church in the town, Novem→ ber 11th, 1772.

settled.

Barkhampstead was a township granted to the people Barkof Windsor, and contains, by estimation, 20,530 acres. Its hampstead boundaries are Simsbury on the east, New-Hartford on the south, Winchester on the west, and Hartland on the north. The first person who made a permanent settlement in the town, was Pelatiah Allyn, from Windsor, about the year 1749. He remained the only person on the ground, for ten years or more. His plantation was toward the south part of the town, not far from the dividing line between that town and New-Hartford. As there were frequent alarms, on account of the Indians, he used, in times when danger was apprehended, to repair to a fortified post in the northern part of New-Hartford. He took special measures to guard himself against a surprise at his own house. The next man who made a settlement in the town, was Israel Jones, from Enfield, about the year 1759. There were very few residents in the town, until after the French war, in 1762. About this time, William Austin, from Suffield, and Amos Case, from Simsbury, became residents in the town; but the settlement was slow. The inhabitants were so few, that they were not called upon to do military duty until 1774. The town was incorporated in 1779. The Rev. Ozias Eells, the first minister in the town, was ordained January 24th, 1787.

brook

Colebrook was the north township granted to the town Coleof Windsor, It is bounded north on the colony line, south P

tled.

BOOK II. on New-Hartford, west on Norfolk, and east on Hartland. It contains, by estimation, 18,199 acres. The first and 1762. principal settlers of the town, were Joseph Rockwell, Nathan Bass, and Samuel Rockwell, from East-Windsor; and Joseph Seymour, from Windsor. The settlement began in 1762. To the town, or first society, is added a mile square from the town of Winchester. The church in the town was gathered in the year 1795, On the 31st of December, in the same year, the first pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Edwards, was installed.

These were all the original towns in the colony. The other towns, of later date, have all been made, in whole or in part, out of the original ones. Thus, in about one hundred and thirty years, the whole tract comprised in Connecticut, east of the line of New-York, became settled, and a vast wilderness, which had not been sown, full of savage beasts, and wild and savage men, was turned into fields, orchards, and gardens; planted with Protestants, formed into distinct and regular churches; and through the whole tract, houses erected, at convenient distances, for the worship of God.

The county of Litchfield was settled in about seventyfive years from the commencement of the settlement of the county town, and the inhabitants of every town had called and settled a minister.

CHAPTER VII.

Separation at Guilford. Rev. Mr. Ruggles was ordained at Guilford, against a large minority, who were in opposition to him. The minority separate from the church and society. The legislature interpose, and attempt a reconciliation. The minority persist in their separation: Qualify themselves for a distinct ecclesiastical society, by conforming to the act of William and Mary. Resolutions of the Consociation of the County of New-Haven respecting them. They refuse to comply with said resolutions. In consequence of it, forty-six church members were suspended from the communion, by Mr. Ruggles and the first church in Guilford, from whom they had separated. Acts of the General Assembly, and councils, concerning them. Great pains were taken, and repeated attempts, for many years, were made to unite the parties, but were all unsuccessful.

N

EARLY at the same time when the controversy between the colony and the towns of Hartford and

at Guil

Windsor, relative to the western lands, commenced, and Book II. occasioned so much trouble, an unhappy affair, of an ecclesiastical nature, took place in Guilford, which was the 1729. occasion of much trouble and perplexity, both to the town and colony. Soon after the death of the first Mr. Thomas Ruggles, in 1728, the first church and society proceeded to invite his son, Mr. Thomas Ruggles, to preach with them, and finally gave him a call to settle with them in the work of the gospel ministry, and obtained his ordination, against Unhappy a large and respectable minority, who had opposed him ordination from the beginning. They alledged that he was not such ford, a distinguishing, experimental, and animating preacher, as March, they desired; that they were not edified by him, and could 1728. not choose him as their minister. As the majority of the church and society had not regarded them in the call and ordination of their minister, and as they conscientiously judged that they could not be edified by his preaching, they separated themselves from the first church and socie- Separation ty in Guilford, and set up the public worship of God among ford, 1729 themselves. They invited a young gentleman, Mr. Edmund Ward, to preach for them, who had received an education at Yale College, been examined by the Association of New-Haven county, and approbated, as a suitable candidate for the gospel ministry. The separation was large, consisting of nearly fifty members of the church, besides many others who belonged to the society. The minor party rated more than three thousand pounds in the list. They considered themselves as well able to support the gospel ministry and the divine ordinances, among themselves, and earnestly desired to do it. They declared their disapprobation of the Saybrook Platform, and that they totally renounced it.

66

at Guil

General

At the session of the General Assembly in May, they, May, 1729. therefore, presented their memorial to the legislature, praying to be made a distinct ecclesiastical society, with the same powers and privileges granted to other societies. The assembly rejected their petition, and resolved as follows: "This assembly, observing that the inhabitants of Act of the "Guilford have lately been at great expense in raising a Assembly. meeting-house, which stands conveniently, and has capacity to accommodate the whole society, as it now is, "are thereupon of opinion, that the peace, religion, wealth "and good order of the inhabitants, will be best promoted "in their keeping together in one society, if the present misunderstandings among the people can be removed; "which good thing, it is hoped, may be attained by coun sel. It is therefore resol nd this assembly do ap

86

1729.

66

BOOK II." point the Rev. Mr. Timothy Woodbridge, Mr. Eliaphalet "Adams, and Mr. William Russell, to repair to Guilford, "and to hear, consider and advise both parties, in that society, as they shall find there is reason in their case; "and by all proper means, endeavour to effect an accom“modation of the divisions that are there; and bring that แ people to unite themselves together in love and peace, in carrying on the worship of God, in the house of prayer "they have built to his name." The gentlemen were directed to make their report to the assembly, of their success, and of what was best further to be done in the case. The gentlemen appointed to this service, met at Guilford, in June, and came to the following result.

Advice to

in Guil

6th.

"To the Committees of the First Society in Guilford. 66 BRETHREN,

"We the subscribers, are of opinion with the honourable the parties General Assembly, that the peace, religion, wealth and ford, June good order of this society, will be best promoted, in their keeping together in one society; and, having considered the objections made by the dissatisfied party against the Rev. Mr. Ruggles and the other part of the society, and what was offered to support them; and the replies made on the other side; we cannot judge from thence, there are any sufficient grounds, why the party that offered them should separate from Mr. Ruggles, or refuse to accept him as their minister and there being a settlement actually made, though there may have been uncomfortable things, unsuitable heats and speeches, among divers of the members of the society, in this day of temptation; yet there appears nothing to us, but that they may, consistent with the rules of the gospel, forgive one another, and bury all their controversy, and receive one another as brethren, and unite together in one society and church, under the minister ordained in this place: And it is our advice, and earnest exhortation, that they so do.

"T. WOODBRIDGE,

"ELIPHALET ADAMS, "WILLIAM RUSSELL.

Guilford, June 6th, 1729.*

Notwithstanding the opinion of the General Assembly, and of the gentlemen whom they had appointed to hear the parties, in Guilford, the separating brethren were so fully satisfied, that they could not hear Mr. Ruggles to their edification, and they were so entirely opposed to the Saybrook platform, as it seemed to be understood, as a law of the colony binding the con

sciences of men, that they could not submit to the ad- Book II. vice so expressly given. They were not satisfied, that the legislature had a right to interpose in ecclesiastical 1729. matters, and to impose councils of their own choosing upon the churches, or that they were under obligations to submit to them. They believed, that they had a right to act according to the dictates of conscience, and that it was their duty, to seek a minister, by whom they and their children, might be indoctrinated in the distinguishing principles of christianity, and in experimental religion. They were persuaded, that they had a right, as British subjects, to judge for themselves, and to worship together, as a distinct church and society. They therefore, in November, made application to the court at New-Haven, to be qualified, according to the act of William and Mary, for the case of sober consciences, to worship by themselves. But the court, considering it as a new and important affair, deferred it until their next meeting, on the first Tuesday in April. On said Tuesday, April, 1730, divers of the dissenters, viz. 1730. Edmund Ward, Caleb Leete, Joseph Stone, Samuel Norton, Samuel Cruttenden, Pelatiah Leete, Thomas Norton, Ebenezer Stone, Daniel Edwards, Caleb Stone, and John Bishop, appeared before the court, took the oaths, made and subscribed the declaration required by the law and the said Edmund Ward, preacher, gave his assent to the 39 Articles, and subscribed the same, except the 34th, 35th, and 36th articles, and part of the 20th, in these words, "The church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies, and hath authority in controversies of faith."%

Notwithstanding the doings of the assembly, and the advice given them by the gentlemen, whom they had appointed, the aggrieved party were advised to the measures they adopted, by men of great respectability. The Rev. Mr. Moss, of Derby, in particular, gave it as his decided opinion, that it would be for the peace of the town, and the benefit of both the parties, for the people who had separated to be made a distinct ecclesiastical society, and that the legislature ought to hear their petition, and grant them the privilege. He appears to have draughted their petition to the county court. The minority, having thus qualified themselves according to the act of parliament, and the laws of the colony, considered themselves as having a right to proceed in religious concerns, without any further interruption or trouble from others.

At the session of the General Assembly in May, they re- May, 1730. * Record of the court for the county of New-Haven.

+ Letter to Mr. Ward, October 31st, 1729.