Morning journal and courier., 1880-10-25

Daniel Page, afterwards Deacon, one Of the first settlers, lived near the summit of this hill. It is said that the services of the extra minister were held at his house. The towns consent for this movement had to be obtained for this as well as other reasons. All expenses were paid from the town treasu- ry, and collected from tax on the property of the whole town. The North Branford people began to ask to be a separate town soon after the Revolutionary war, in which they had taken very active part In 1799 they ask the Legislature to help them to this. The town strongly oppose the effort. For time town meetings are held alternately in the two societies.
 By September 6, 1717, there is a move ment for new society. The town appoint 8 committee to fix the bounds of it. They run the line from 'tRose's meadow Rattle snake rocks" 'tSawmill, D ''Long Hill,' and
 Cedar Swamp" All were not quite satis- fed with the first bounds, so they were their minister longer and longer each year until on September 27, 1722, they ask to have him permanently settled. The town there fore vote to set up another society, purchase minister's lot, build a meeting house and a house for the minister. In 1722, Oct. 8, the proprietors gave 200 acres for parsonage lands at Jod's lot on the east side of Great Hill for the new society.
 December 30th, 1723-The north farmers come with their request again and ask for a change of bounds It was voted that if they will sit down contented with their former bounds then the town will go equal shares with them in building and perfecting a meeting house within those same bounds, of forty feet in length and thirty feet in breadth. The peti- tioners to which this answer was given were Jonathan Butler, David Barker, John Harri- son, Benjamin Linsley and Samuel Harrison. ! In May 12, 1724, the town voted ''that the ' -I,o1o 11,, aoo+ hot they are numerous, that one meet ! ing house is not sufficient to contain them, build another, have another minister, and to maintain each of them by one rate. y On June 23 of the same year, they vote to go on with the building at ''North Farms, " | the building to be 45 by B feet. December 28 in the same year they reconsidered the vote about the meeting house and minister, changing bounds and location. Three sites were debated. It was finally decided to To- cate it lon the knoll on the west side of the river, at the place near Samuel Harrlson's. s. This spot was few feet south of the pres ent meeting house in North Branford. The town vote e2OO for the house if the North l farmers will accept the terms. But all is not quite satisfactory. Therefore, on August l 5th, 1725, the town appointed joint com | mittee to arrange the matter. By Dec. If, 1725, they have come to an agreement, and they appointed collectors for each society.
 
 I new meeting house bills. Isaac Foote, Lieut.. Rose, John Harrison, Daniel Barker and Josiah Rogers were the committee ap- pointed to direct the building of the meeting house.
 Tradition says that the Rev. Samuel Rus sell went up and offered prayer at the erec- tion of the frame of the new meeting house. At the raising accident occurred, which might have been very serious. One of the heavy upright beams fell from it's position in | to the midst, as it seemed, of the people. Beams used then were very heavy. But, by | a kind providence intcrposing, no one was 1 struck or injured by the falling timber. That meeting house had it's location very I near the present newer structure at the cen 1 ter. It stood and was used until after the present meeting house was finished. It is | remembered by some persons now living. Its | windows were small and diamond shaped and | numerous. It had doors on the east, west and south sides. The pulpit was igh and l shut in galleries went around three sides, an6 1 they were quite high. The floor of the house | was 8 step below the sills as you entered | Box pews for families covered the floor Above the pulpit was hung a square f-like
 structure tor @ sounding board. In later years the bats had nests in this and occupied | them with impunity, because of many yearI
 accumulation of dust and filth, that seemed
 out of the reach of all cleaning efforts tha | were made in those days. It was no uncom
 mon thing for bat to get loose during ser
 vice and go scooting through the house, t
 the manifest discomfort of many in the con | gregation. (Deacons could not see the min
 ister.)
 April p, 1751-Meetings were held a
 Hopyard Plain to do business for both so
 cieties.
 Sept. 21, 1790-Voted to hold future tow,
 meetings at First Society's meeting house.
 Dec. ', 1741-North Parish asks for roa
 to Cohabit.
 Nov. ,, 1736-Town vote to build a schoe , house near Edward Frisbie's on the countr road.
 March %, 1732-Gave 40 acres for schot
 lands in No. B.
 1734-Laid out 60 acres on farther Grea Hill for school for No. B.
 | 1760-Grant school to people of Bare Plai1
 1760, May 30--Grant to people of north c
 Great Hill money for school. Among the earliest industries of Mort
 Branford besides farming were fulling mil and barkers' mills in which cloth was shrun and cleaned and hides were tanned.
 In 1734 Edward Petty was permitted to st , up both saw mill and fulling mill on tt river not far from the center. In 1742 Ba l nabus Woodcock had both fulling mill an barkers' mill on Long Hill. He soon sold t
 James Burwell.
 In 1744 James Burwen gets liberty to s,
 up fulling mill on the river just south of tf 7 North Branford church
 It may interest some to be told that full , ing mill is contrivance for fulling cloth b , means of pestles or stampeBs, which alte nately fall into and rise from troughs whe1 r the cloth is put with the fuller's earth other cleansing materials
 Store at Brushy Plain or Bare Plain
 Marquand's house.
 Rev. Jonathan Merriek, of North Bra1 , ford, was the first minister. The next WE Rev. Samuel ELS, and the next Rev. Charle Atwater. They were all able men intellectt ally, and they were all large men physically With other remarks the speaker closed.