The Newtown bee., 1889-12-27

heighth, panel work thus: One panel of proper length perpendicular, over which one panel of proper width horizontal, q handsom rail on the top, the door equiv elent and be painted proper coler for the inside of such building" The front pews on the ''broad ally nearest the pulpit were priced at f9 each, the next two at E7, the next at f6. The front pews on the other ''allys'' at f5, los, the next two at f5, the next at E3. "The front pew on the woman's side" was to be No. l, that across the aisle No. and so on.
 But in l792, the Episcopal church had grown strong and financially able and decided to build it's third church edifice, that torn down to make room for the present leaky stone church, on the site of the old town house that formerly stood on that corner. Their second church stood further south near Dicks hotel, but they wished to move into the center of the Street, where the Presbyterian meeting house was then standing, near the present site of the liberty pole.
 The Presbyterians, as they were then called, gave the Episcopalians permission to move their meeting house to it's pres ent site at the side of the Street, ''so that the east end of the steple fall in q line drawn from the northeast corner of Gen John Chandlers dwelling in sd Newtown and the $. E. corner of Josiah Curtis's store; provided the same can be done without any risque, damage or expense to this society and that sd meeting house, when removed, be put in as good repair in every respect as the same now is." The building was valued at E700 and Ja- beZ Botsford, Esq, Mir Abel Booth, MT Roger Terrll, Capt Moses Shepherd and Capt Elijah Botsford were the Presbyter- ian committee to see that the removal was properly made.
 August 2G, l797, Capt Moses Shepherd and William Hill Fairchild were appoint ed d committee to lay out money for the repair of the meeting house and steeple. Mir Hill, d temporary supply, was then preaching there, every other Sunday. William II. Fairchild, William Edmond
  1900 to see to repairing and painting the meeting house. Painter John Beardslee got into trouble with the society over $l00 on the job and John Sanford and James Bennett of Newtown and Abel Hurd of Brooktield were appointed arbi- traitors. Beardslee got his money.
 The effort to secure new church, the second and present Congregational edi- flee. began in 1905, when it was voted to apply to the Legislature for the grant of d lottery to raise $5000. William Ed mond, Esq, finally procured the grant of a $30O0 lottery in 1895. This was during Rev Jehu Clark's ministry and Isaac Scudder built the new chuI ell, 40x60 feet, in which timbers taken from the first meeting house built in Newtown are still preserved, It is said. But, soon after the new church was finished, February 3, 1916, a committee found that the society was $l674 6l in debt, of which Sl232 7S was due on Mir Clark salary. To meet this, there was due the society Sl4ll % from subscriptions, taxes and notes. The BEE, as always in matters of history, is indebted to Mir C. II. Peck's kindness.
 fin bidding farewell to the first church building that Newtown had, it will be of interest to quote q subscription to raise S240 for Mir Clark's salary, as it shows most or all the families worshipping Al