Middletown First Society
David D. Field, D.D.
Middletown, Conn., 1853
pp 151 - 168

The territory of Middletown, which at first contained but one Ecclesiastical Society, the business of which was done by the town, as there was but one denomination of Christians in it, now contains four towns: Middletown and Cromwell on the west side of the Connecticut River, and Portland and Chatham on the east; the first of which contains three local Ecclesiastical Societies, or which were so, until within a limited period, and which, in conformity with custom, it will be convenient to speak of as such still; the second and third contain one Society each, and the fourth one whole society, most of a second and a fraction of a third.

The First Society is much the largest of the three [in Middletown] and has the greatest variety of soil and surface. There is but little alluvial ground in it and yet the land is good with the exception of that on the range of the Strait Hills in the south east part, and that is valuable for wood. Beyond that in the district called Maromos, there are arable and productive lands near the river. There is much rich soil in the society, and the arable lands here and in the vicinity are made more and more productive by increasingly skilful cultivation, helped onward by the proceedings and anniversaries of the Middlesex County Agricultural Society.

This Society includes the city, where a large part of the early settlers placed their habitation, and whence the population spreading different directions. Almost all the inhabitants here, as in the rest of the Society and in the other Societies, for a considerable period, were occupied in clearing and cultivating the ground.

In the profitable commerce which sprung up within the limits of the city and was carried on with the West Indies, about the middle of the last century, Richard ALSOP was by far the most successful. The place afforded great advantages for carrying on this commerce, being situated on the largest river in New England, having a fine harbor, to which vessels could ascend drawing then feet of water, with rich towns on its banks, where articles suitable for the West India market would be easily procured. Mr. ALSOP knew well how to avail himself of these advantages. He was a son of John ALSOP, Esq., of Newtown, L.I., afterwards of Esopus on Hudson River, an attorney at law. He was educated a merchant in the store of Philip LIVINGSTON, in the city of New York and about 1750 came to this town and commenced business. He had his store, or rather stores, in the lower rooms of the old town-house, or court-house, as it was sometimes called, standing in Main street, a little above Washington street. He soon engaged in commerce, and prospered so much that he sometimes insured vessels for other on his private responsibility. He was a man of integrity, generosity and public spirit. His fellow citizens repeatedly elected him a representative to the Legislature. He died early in the Revolution, and the following summary of his estate is from the Probate records. "Amount of inventory of Richard ALSOP's estate, £34,818:7:7," besides " a large amount of money lodged in Jamaica, stock in two partnership concerns, a large number of book debts due," and other property, the value of which could not be ascertained. The record of this inventory occupies fifty-one folio pages.

There were others who acquired much property by commerce, or concerns connected with it before the Revolution, though by the events of the war, or other causes, they did not all die rich. Philip MORTIMER came here from Boston, sometime before the Revolution, and went largely into the rope-making business. The inventory of his estate was £6,177:7:8. Mr. MORTIMER was a man of taste. He built a large and beautiful house for that day on the bank of the river, now owned by Capt. William G. HACKSTAFF, ornamented a tract of several acres around it, planted lines of button-ball trees from it to Main Street, made a walk, placed seats by it under the trees and threw it open to the public, which became an object of attraction, not only to people of the town, old and young, but to strangers. When a portion of the French army in the Revolution were on their way from the east to WASHINGTON's encampment, stopping over the Sabbath in Middletown, the officers amused themselves by dancing under the shades. The names of WASHINGTON, LAFAYETTE and other interesting characters, were cut in the trees.

The Revolution having come to a successful issue, commerce began to revive; and that this might be pursued to greater advantage, a petition, dated Jan. 15, 1784, was signed and presented to the Legislature the following May, that a part of Middletown, where commerce had been principally and almost wholly carried on before the war, might be invested with city privileges. The signers alleged that "many inconveniences were felt by them, as well as by strangers, for want of a due regulation of the police of the town;" and that keeping high ways in good repair, removing obstructions from the channel of the adjoining river and many other regulations for the commercial convenience and utility of the memorialists, were impossible to be accomplished without a separate and special jurisdiction. The petition was granted in May of the same year; and at the same session, Hartford and New Haven, New London and Norwich, were constituted cities.

The city is bounded as follows: "Beginning at the mouth of Little river, or Ferry river, thence in a north-east line, to the east side of Connecticut river, at high water mark, thence on the bank of the said Connecticut river, at high water mark, until it comes to point due east from Sumner's Creek, thence in a west line to the mouth of Sumner's Creek, thence southerly and westerly as the said creek runs to Warwick's Bridge, thence west to the Little River, [or West River, as the stream is sometimes called,] thence northerly and easterly down the little river, as the same runs to the first boundary, including the waters of the said Little river, Sumner's Creek and Connecticut river."

The medium length of the city may be a mile and a half, and its breadth, exclusively of the river, which varies here from 97 to 80 rods, is about the same. It is to be lamented that the petition does not state the number of inhabitants within the specified bounds, nor give any statistical information. But it is well known that the people then lived very generally on the streets running parallel, or nearly so, with the Connecticut, as far back as High street, and others crossing these streets at nearly right angles: the much greater part on the eastern half of the streets then existing: for since that time Broad street and some other streets have been opened. Since the incorporation of the city, more particularly, within the last thirty years, the western half has increased proportionally more than the eastern. And while the population has been increasing, many new building have been erected, some of large dimensions and improved style of architecture; some of more substantial materials. The general appearance of the city has been greatly improved within the memory of many persons now living, and not a little within a few years. The young can hardly believe, smooth as Main Street now is, that once there was such a depression in the road in front of the McDonough House, now building, that a person standing there could not see over a rise just below, so as to discern a load of hay passing a bridged ravine a little further onward.

In 1815, there were in the city two hundred and ninety-nine dwelling houses, and three hundred and fifty three families; in 1850, there were six hundred and three dwelling houses, and seven hundred and eighteen families. At the former period, there were in the city five churches, attended however, by people from all parts of the First Society, one Bank, a Court-house, Goal and Alms-house. There are now seven Churches, most of the attended in a similar manner, and one or two receiving many of their attendants from beyond the limits of said Society, four Banks, a Court house, Custom house, Goal and Alms-house; a number of them recently built; there are also the University buildings, and the house for the High-school.

The Church edifices, the University buildings, and the High-school House, will come into view hereafter. The first Bank edifice was erected after the band was granted in 1795, and was so constructed that the stockholders might have a safe place for the deposit of their money and the officers for the transaction of their business. For the Banks of a later date, buildings were purchased and fitted for like purposes. These are Middlesex County Bank, which occupies the building previously used by the Branch Bank of the United States; the Middletown Savings Bank and the Central Bank.

The present Court House, the second building of the kind in Middletown, since the County of Middlesex was formed, was built in 1832: Its of brick, stuccoed in front, with a portico, 84 feet by 50. It cost $10,100, of which the County paid $2,600; the City $1,500; the Town $3,000, and individuals $3,000; it being all arranged at the time that the City and Town wee to enjoy certain privileges in the building. Here the records of the City and Town and of Courts are kept, and here is the Town Clerk's Office.

The Custom House was not built until 1834, the customs being previously collected in buildings hired for the purpose. This is of hewn stone, 52x48, the first story rests on brick arches, the roof is zinc and fire-proof. It cost $17,500, all of which was appropriated by the United States, except $500, which individuals gave towards the purchase of the site.

Besides the conveniences which this building affords for the collector of customs, a room on the first floor is used for a Post Office.

The present County Goal, was built in 1848. It is of stone, forty-four feet by twenty-six, having twelve cells. This is the third building of the kind since 1784. Separately from the land which the town gave, it cost $3,300. The County paid $2,300, the Town $1,000. This is near the Alms-house in the southwest part of the city.

The Alms-House was first occupied by the poor in May, 1841. It is a brick building, sixty feet by forty, two stories in front and three in the rear, which, with the ground, two and a half acres, fences and furniture, cost $8,755.

For some years there have been three Taverns in the city -- the Central Hotel, the Mansion House and the Farmers and Mechanics Hotels. The Central Hotel is kept for the present, in a large private dwelling and its former site has been purchased by the McDonough Hotel Company, formed in May, 1851. On this they are now building a Hotel, which already bears the honorable name of the "McDonough House." It is fifty-six feet in front on Main street, and sixty-six in the rear; one hundred on Court street. It will cost about $30,000; it is expected to be completed soon, and opened in Jun, (1852.) The whole building will be devoted to the uses of the hotel, excepting two stores, in the first story on Main street. The large house first built for a hotel, corner of Main and Washington sts., belonging to the estate of the Rev. Dr. JARVIS, is soon to be opened as a private hotel.

Most of the mercantile business of Middletown has always been done in the city, the greater part on Main street., though considerable has been done on Water street. This has been fully doubled in thirty years, notwithstanding the rise of business in Meriden, whence many persons formerly came to trade at stores here. If we include all the business done in the city, mercantile, mechanical and manufacturing, it has been much more than doubled. J. & D. HINSDALE did a very large business more than thirty years ago, and about the same period some other merchants traded to a very respectable amount. But there is now a greater number of large stores.

The writer is indebted particularly to the kindness and examination of a friend, for the number of stores, shops, &c., at the present time (March 1852) in the city, which are: seven Dry Good stores, for Merchant Tailors', five stores dealing in Shoes, Clothing and other articles; and here it should be stated that several Dry Good stores and Clothing establishments carry on the tailoring business, twenty-nine Grocery stores, two Dry Good and Grocery, three Crockery, two Hardware, seven Shoe, four Hat, Shoe and Fur, one Hat and Shoe store, one Hat Manufactory, three Apothecary stores, two Book stores, four Printing Offices, and two Book Binders: there are nine Milliners' shops, three Goldsmiths, two Saddle and Harness Markers, six Dentists, four Carriage and Wagon Makers, two Cabinet, four Tinners, and six Blacksmith shops, four Butcher stalls, one Bakery, two Tallow Chandlery, four Lumber yard, and one Sail Loft. Besides the Stores in the city, there are three stores just beyond its limits, in which Dry Goods and Groceries are sold.

For an account of the manufacturing operations in and about the city, and also, in Middlefield and Westfield, the reader is referred to the preceding account of "Middletown - its Manufactories," by Mr. GORHAM. It should be born in mind however, that since the facts in that account were collected, there have been changes in the establishments. This is true particularly in the establishment of W. & B. DOUGLAS. In this, there were then eighty men employed; the number has since reached to one hundred and twenty, and their stock and whole business have increased proportionally. The Carbine, or Gun Factory, of NORTH & SAVAGE, was then undergoing repairs. It has since been put into operation. About forty hands have been employed, and Carbines made at the rate of not far from two thousand per year. These are mostly sold to the Government of the United State, the residue at private sale, amounting in all to about $30,000.

We have said that city privileges were sought, that commerce might be pursued more advantageously from this port. Great things were anticipated, and commerce did flourish for a time, and some individuals thereby greatly increased their estates, though they had other sources of income. Among those who succeeded the most in the West India trade, after the Revolution, were Elijah HUBBARD, Lemuel STORRS, Nehemiah HUBBARD, and at a period considerably later, Joseph Wright ALSOP. The inventory of Elijah HUBBARD's estate was $144,971.91 -- the inventory of Lemuel STORRS' estate was $47,308, and he left a larger amount of property, not inventoried here, consisting of lands in the State of New York and Ohio -- the inventory of Nehemiah HUBBARD's estate was $79,374.34 -- and he possessed large tracts of Western lands -- the inventory of Joseph W. ALSOP was $47,002.87.

But commerce never reached the prosperity which it had before the Revolution. Successive adverse events injured it, and finally the trade with the West Indies from Middletown was lost, and from the Connecticut river. Since then there has been but little foreign commerce from Middletown, and domestic commerce has been limited, though it is now increasing.

In consequence of the failure of Foreign Commerce, numerous enterprising men were under the necessity, either of removal to other places, or resorting to manufactures. Many preferred the latter alternative, and the result is the rise and increase of the manufactures to which we have referred.

The factories generally are moved by water power, though the large establishment of W. & B. DOUGLAS, and one or two others, are moved by steam. The water privileges of the town are very great, and as yet but partially improved. The streams which to a great extent bound the city and empty themselves into the Connecticut, immediately north and south of it, are invaluable for manufacturing purposes. Dams are built upon them at far less expense than on larger streams, and are not as liable to be carried away or injured by floods.

The effects of drouth on these streams is to a great degree prevented by two reservoirs of water, one of which is secured by a dam, directly on the outlet of Miller's pond, the rise of Miller's brook, which takes the name of Sumner's Creek before it enters the Connecticut. The other reservoir is on a tributary of the West river, in Middlefield, which is called before it empties itself into Connecticut river, and in comparison with it. Little River.

On the north side of the Strait Hills, and near Butler's Creek, as it enters the Connecticut river, there is the mine usually called the Lead Mine, mentioned on p. 70, which excited a good deal of attention before the American Revolution, and on which foreigners had expended large sums of money. In May 1775, "Jabez HAMLIN, Matthew TALCOTT and Titus HOSMER, were appointed a Committee to provide stores of lead as they should judge necessary for the use of the Colony, to take the lead ore raised out of the mine at Middletown and refined and fitted for the use of the Colony." In July following, the Assembly ordered them to work the mine. They did so, and put up works for smelting and refining the ore, which were completed about the month of September; and at this time high expectations were raised of providing from it a large amount of lead. In March and July of the following year orders were given upon the committed to furnish quantities of lead for military purposes, and in November 5th, one hundred and forty pounds were reported to be in the hands of the Committee, and Capt. Samuel RUSSELL was added to the Committee to procure lead for the State and to work the mine. The vein ran northerly towards the rive, was followed thirty or forty rods, and in some places was very rich. But the vein being enclosed in granitic rock it was very difficult to get the ore, and as it approached the river it sunk abruptly into the earth. The works, however, were continued until the beginning of 1778 -- but at the session of the Assembly begun in February of that year a report was made, that the manufacture of said ore was unprofitable to the State. The Committee was therefore ordered to discontinue the works, after having finished the ore then on hand. [See Inman's American Revolution.]

The ore was mineralized with sulphur, and a man from Pennsylvania, by the name of Thomas BIDWELL, was allowed the privilege of using the sulphur ore without charge. It was partly steel-grained and this contained a portion of silver, and partly cubic lead ore, the ore also contained zinc.

The Committee having fulfilled their last direction, the mine was given up, and nothing has been done in it until the present time; but we are happy in adding that Dr. Eugene A. FRANKFORT, who came in the last year to test the ore, which had been taken some months previously from the Cobalt mine in Middle Haddam, has examined this mine. The results he gives in a communication, recently published in the "Sentinel and Witness," in Middletown.

"Lead, he says, though present [in this mine], would never alone pay the expenses of mining here, as there is not enough of it. But there are several other metallic minerals abundantly found in the quartz veins of the Grauwacke Rock, which lying over the Gneiss here, on both sides of the creek, stretches as far as the river. These minerals are well worth mining, and the writer of these lines is just about erecting mining and smelting works here. These minerals are Argentiferous Galena, containing some twenty-five per cent of silver. The heavy deposits of Zincblende will be manufactured into white oxyd and sulphate of zinc -- the former of which is now coning into extensive use, instead of white-lead, to which as a paint it is far superior. The latter is a well-known mordant in all dyeing and coloring operations. Sulphuret of Bismuth occurs here also, (along with the Galena and Zincblend,) in lead colored grains, and as this metal enters into the composition of the clinches for stereotypes, and is put into the best kinds of Britannia Ware, it will pay for refining. Copper Pyrites, in gold yell nodules and of great purity, is found here also, and the copper obtained from them. Silver, the preparations of Zinc and Bismuth, will form the basis of the mining operations which will be carried on here. Besides the above mentioned useful minerals, the Mineralogical collector may fine here, Iron Pyrites, Mispickel, or Arsenical Pyrites, and fine drusty crystals of common quartz." The vein of the metals runs in the quartz rock.

The old works, which were carried on near by in the Revolution, until 1778, as just mentioned, would have been profitable, had the operators been searching for minerals more generally, and had they known how to turn the Zincblend into use, but zinc then being but little employed for technical purposes, they could not separate with advantage and their object was lead for use in the existing war with Great Britian.

The Feldspar Quarries, nigh the Middlesex Turnpike, three miles south-easterly from the city, may be properly mentioned in this connection. Concerning these, Dr. FRANKFORT observes, in the communication from which a quotation has just been mad as follows.

"The Granite here is partly composed out of a very fine white or pinkish white Feldspar, which has been quarried considerably, and with profit, as I have been told; but at present, quarrying operations have been suspended. The Feldspar, when not mixed with Quartz or mica, is the material from which the greatest part of China Ware and Porcelain is manufactured. Feldspar is a Silicate of Alumnia and Potash. Besides the common Feldspar found here, a white, shining, crystallized variety of it, called Albite, has been often observed also. The Mica occurs here, as in the above mentioned Columbite locality, in large foliated layers and crystals, some a half a foot in thickness, and is often of pitch black color. Columbite has also been found here, and it is said, in crystals of greater beauty and larger size, that those which we obtain from Haddam. This Mineral is, however, now very rare here. The Mica, and a pinkish variety of it called Lepidolite, of this locality, contain some very fine specimens of transparent green Tourmalines. Red Tourmalines have also been found, though not often. Apatite, a lime containing mineral, is frequent in green colored nodules and crystals, imbedded into he Feldspar. Rutile, an almost pure oxyd of the metal called Titanium, has been obtained here of such beauty, that, according to Dana, it formed, when cut and polished, a gem of rare brilliancy of luster. Its color is a splendid brownish red. Amongst other Minerals I collected here a few specimens of Uranite, in small, almost microscopic scales, of a lemon yellow color. Large rough Beryls are common here.

"From the above, it is evident that these Quarries will pay well a visit to them; and it is to be hoped that they will be worked again, when many more beautiful minerals will be brought to light, that rest now imbedded in the Feldspar."

The city of Middletown enjoys advantages for the erections of buildings. Free stone, or rather a dark sand-stone abounds in the town, and as early as 1726, the selectmen were directed to take care of the quarries on the West side of the river, as well as on the east side in what is now Portland. The first quarry opened on the west side is within the limits of the city and at different times has been improved to a considerable extent. Some of the stone have been used in the city and some have been carried to other places. Recently the Portland stone have been principally used; they are within sight of the city and can be brought to it without much difficulty or expense. A large brick yard until within a short period, has been improved within the city limits; a better one is now improved a mile or two beyond them. As for lumber so far as the town cannot furnish it, it can be brought from other parts of the country, by vessels or by cars.

Besides, the facilities for intercourse which this place has with other parts of the country, by the river and by railroad, it has others by turnpikes and public roads to neighboring towns, and through them to others beyond them.

From the Post Office mails are sent twice, daily, to New York, Hartford, and Boston, and are received twice. A daily mail passes to and from New Haven, Saybrook, East Haddam and Wethersfield, and intermediate places, and also to and from Portland. A mail passes to and from Lyme, and to and from East Hampton on the east side of the Connecticut river, thrice weekly and through the intermediate places. By these and other mails the inhabitants are enable to maintain perpetual intercourse with all parts of the country.

But the great object of the Colonists who settled in Middletown as well as in other parts of New England was to enjoy unmolested the right of worshipping God according to the dictates of their own consciences. Let us then advert to their ecclesiastical proceedings, to the formation of the First Congregational Church; also to the rise of other denominations and the formation of their churches, in what is now the First Society.

In the address, a few words were said in regard to the religious character of the early settlers, and of their employment of Mr. Samuel STOW, a graduate of Harvard College, 1645, as a candidate for the ministry, and of his preaching to them a number of years. For some time they may have hardly felt themselves able to settle a pastor, but in August, 1657, they voted to continue him on trial, and appear afterwards to have made some further advances towards his settlement. But some difficulties arising in the town respecting him, a vote was passed in 1659, that they did not wish to continue him, but to look elsewhere. In 1661, the difficulties came before the General Court, which declared the town to be free of Mr. STOW, as their engaged minister; and the Court appointed a committee to further a settled ministry in the place. The following is a copy of the report of the committee.

"Whereas upon divers agitation before the General Court between Mr. STOW and the inhabitants of Middletown, the Court did declare that the Town of Middletown, are free from Mr. STOW as their engaged minister, and the Court appointing a Committee to further a settled ministry in that place -- and after long endeavors by the people there, to procure them a minister, there appears to be a probability of their obtaining of Mr. COLLINS for that purpose -- the Committee doth approve of their proceeding therein and of his acceptance of their motion, and according to the mind of the Court, do advise both Mr. STOW and all the inhabitants of Middletown, to a loving carriage to Mr. COLLINS and friendly compliance with each other -- that the memory of all former differences may be wholly buried, and that Mr. COLLINS may have all due encouragement in the work of the ministry, that he is called unto in that place -- and that the long desired, comfortable and peaceable settlement of Middletown may be obtained, which is the desire of the Committee appointed by the General Court to promote the settlement of the ministry there.
             Matthew ALLEN, in the Name of the Committee
             Hartford, December 6, 1661.

The action of the General Court appears to have finished the business respecting the settlement of Mr. STOW in the ministry of Middletown, and the people went forward according to advice, and at length with entire unanimity settled Mr. COLLINS. But in 1681, application was made to him to preach in Simsbury, and he supplied the desk four years. In May, 1682, a "Humble Motion of Simsbury men" was made to settle themselves in gospel order, and at that time it was expected Mr. STOW would become their pastor. But as his term of service for fur years drew towards a close, he desired of the inhabitants an "answer whether they would continue him in the work of the ministry and settle him in office amongst them." The did not see cause to settle him in office, but seem to have referred the matter to him, whether he would continue any longer in the work of a teaching minister. That he did not choose to do, any farther than to fulfill his existing engagement. [History of Simsbury, Granby and Canton, by Noah A. Phelps.] He then gave up his designs of the ministry, and lived in Middletown as a private citizen.

But we proposed to give an account of the formation of the First Congregational Church in Middletown which had been contemplated from the beginning of the settlement. Numbers of the settlers were members of churches in the place from which they came, and must have greatly desired it, but the matter was long delayed by circumstances. The people of the town as a body wished for it, and manifested by a vote, "that they were willing to lay out themselves in all regular endeavors that they might enjoy God in all his ordinances among them. "The desires of all were gratified" on the 4th of the 9th month, (the 4th of November,) 1668, when the fathers of the Church, ten in number, owned a confession of faith and entered into covenant with God and with one another," with the approbation and concurrence of the honored messengers then present, sent from the respective churches. These were from the Church of Christ at Windsor, Hartford, Farmington, and Northampton, by name, the Rev. Mr. HOOKER, Mr. MATHER, Mr. WHITING, Mr. Nathaniel CHAUNCEY, Deacon MOORE, Deacon HART, Deacon JUDD, Deacon HANCKET, John STANLEY, John WADSWORTH. Other members of the Churches, came forward afterwards and united with this church; some of them the wives of these ten.

The ordination of the pastor, Rev. Nathaniel COLLINS, who had preached to the people some years, followed, and the desires of the Town and the call of the Church are both mentioned in the brief account of the transaction as follows: "The 4th of the 9th [month] 1668, being the day of our ecclesiastical embodying, (the town having formerly jointly invited to and desired it,) the Church elected and called Nathaniel COLLINS, to the office of pastor among them, promising that, if desired by him, and themselves [should be] in capacity, they would provide a fellow laborer in the word and doctrine: whereupon he accepted, and at the request of the church was ordained by the Reverend Mr. MATHER and Mr. WHITING."

The views of the Church were in accordance with the Cambridge Platform.

January 20th, 1669, "the Church concluded upon a monthly conference to be kept by the whole body, and occasionally the conference day to be improved as a day of fasting and prayer."

March 20th, 1670, Thomas ALLEN, Samuel STOCKING, and John HALL, jr., having been duly elected, "were ordained in the offices of deacons in this particular church of Christ, and commended to the grace of God therein, by prayers with the imposition of hands."

This Church had seven pastors. The first four are dead, Rev. Nathaniel COLLINS, Noadiah and William RUSSELL, father and son, and Enoch HUNTINGTON. Mr. COLLINS, graduate of Harvard College, 1660, died December 28th, 1684, aged 42. Mr. Noadiah RUSSELL, a native of New Haven, was graduated at Harvard, 1681, and ordained Oct. 24th, 1688. He died December 3d, 1813, age 54. Mr. William RUSSELL, born in Middletown and graduated at Yale College, 1709; succeeded his father as pastor of the church, June 1st, 1715, and died Jun 1, 1761, aged 70. Mr. HUNTINGTON, a native of Windham, graduated at Yale, 1759, was ordained Jan. 6, 1762, and died June 12, 1809, aged 69. Sketches of these ministers are given in the address.

The three pastors living are Rev. Dan HUNTINGTON, Chauncey Allen GOODRICH, D.D. and John R. CRANE, D.D.

Mr. D. HUNTINGTON is a native of Lebanon, was graduate of Yale, 1794, tutor there and at Williams College. He was pastor of the Congregational Church in Litchfield several years before coming to Middletown, where he was installed September 10th, 1809, and dismissed February 6th, 1816. He has since lived in Hadley, Massachusetts.

Dr. GOODRICH is a native of New Haven, graduate of Yale, 1810, and tutor. He was ordained in Middletown July 24th, 1816, and dismissed December 23d, 1817. Immediately after, he became Professor of Rhetoric at Yale College, where he is now professor of Pastoral Charge.

Dr. CRANE, native of Newark, N.J., graduate of Princeton College, 1805, was ordained November 4th 1818, and is the present pastor.

Mr. COLLINS admitted to the Church	76 persons
Mr. N. RUSSELL admitted to the Church	180 persons
Mr. W. RUSSELL admitted to the Church	305 persons
Mr. E. HUNTINGTON admitted to the Church	346 persons
Mr. D. HUNTINGTON admitted to the Church	98 persons
Dr. GOODRICH admitted to the Church	32 persons
Dr. CRANE admitted to the Church	539 persons

DEACONS OF THE CHURCH

	Elected	Died	Ages
Thomas ALLEN	March 16, 1670
Samuel STOCKING	March 16, 1670
John HALL, jr.	March 16, 1670	Jan 22, 1694
Daniel MARKUM	about 1690		75
William SUMNER	Aug. 11, 1695	May 31, 1706
Obadiah ALLEN	May 31, 1704
Joseph ROCKWELL	May 31, 1704	Oct 27, 1742	74
Boriah WETMORE	May 5, 1713
Solomon ATKINS	Jan. 8, 1735	Oct 5, 1748	70
John HUBBARD	May 26, 1743	March 12, 1753	60
Jonathan ALLEN	May 26, 1743	Dec 23, 1783	80
William ROCKWELL	April 6, 1749	Jul 28, 1765	63
Hon. Jabez HAMLIN	Feb 7, 1754	Apr 25, 1791	82
Joseph CLARK, Esq	Aug 16, 1765	Apr 25, 1791	82
John Earl HUBBARD	Aug 16, 1765	Apr 21, 1778	58
Chauncey WHITTLESEY	Sep 17, 2782	Mar 14, 1812	65
Jacob WETMORE	March 7, 1782	Sep 25, 1825	90
Oliver WETMORE	Mar 4, 1784	Dec 1, 1798	46
Timothy BOARDMAN	Apr 1, 1784	May 5, 1792	64
Matthew T. RUSSELL, Esq.	May 3, 1798	Nov 13, 1828	68
Thomas HUBBARD	1812	Aug 28, 1828	42
Joseph BOARDMAN	May 16, 1812	Sep 25, 1846	79
Samuel EELLS, 2d	May 16, 1812	Moved to N.Y. City
Henry S. WARD	Oct 27, 1825	Resigned Oct 9, 1844
Richard RAND	Dec 27, 1828	June 9, 1844	68
Cyprian GALPIN	Jul 22, 1840	Moved to N. Haven
John B. WOODWARD	July 2, 1844	moved to Windsor
Evan DAVIS	Nov 26, 1844
John H. SUMNER	Nov 18, 1846
Robert P. RAND	May 22, 1850
Selah GOODRICH	Jun 19, 1850

The first Society formerly had very considerable funds, the yearly income of which was devoted to the support of the gospel among them, but it has none at the present time; and it is very well able to sustain religious instructions without them. This is evident from contributions which the people make to the American Bible Society, Missionary Societies, foreign and domestic, and other institutions of similar character. These have been considerably more in some years than in others, but are calculated to have been, for twenty years, $1,500 annually.