The Newtown bee., 1889-12-27
VOLUME XII.
Newtown,s First Meeting House.

out meeting house was as much of a curiosity as many of them would be now without saloon. Newtown was nowhit behind it's nelghbors in this regard. Rev Mir Tousey, who began to preach here in l7l3, occupied private houses for his ser vices at first. This is not so strange, as town meetings at this time were held at the house of Daniel Foote, whose home lot was near Mrs Henry Sanford's, and elsewhere. November lG, l7l3, it was voted to give Josiah Burrtt, who lived south of Daniel Foote, about where the II. T. Nichols place is, "Cweuty shillings in pay or two thirds money per meeting in his house on ye Lords day from ys date until next May enscwing." The town, November 23, l7l3, a week later, appointed John Glover, James Hard and EbcncZcr smith "a court to her worck- men on ye towns HcOmpt to huilde T meeting house tO serve God m, 10 foot longe and 30 foot wide and 20 foot be- twcene joynts." The matter was not wig orously pushed, but, four years later, December 26, l7l7, Il town meeting again voted tO build meeting house, ESQ that yc aforcsd inhabitants of ye sd town might be under better advantage for ye enjoyment of all ye ordinances of God In lAs sanctuary according tu Divin ap- pointment." Peter lIubbell offered to give 1000 shingles and 1000 of sawn bords' for the encouragement" of the work. lt may possibly be remembered by careful readers that Peter Hubbell, with Thomas Bennett and Jehu Burr, was given permission to set sawmll on Pohtatuck, within 60 rods of the Great or IIousatonic river. John Glover also of fered to make ''yc windcr frims" for the front of the building, the town to find him the timber. Mir Glover was a car penter by trade. Joseph Peek, the town clerk, offered to give another 1000 shin gles, find nails and lay them. The town had become better established by this time and, also having a minister, mcreas- ed it's ideas of church accordingly. 1t was now voted to build it 50X3G feet and T 20 feet between joints. John Porter and Samuel Prindle, both Newtown work men, were voted E+O ito hew and fraim and neatly trim of yc timber of sd house workmanlike and raise ye samc." James Hard, John Foot, Peter IIubbell and Jos eph Gray were voted E30 to "clabord we body of sd house and shiugle ye roofe vt short shingle, finding all ye stufe for ye same, excepting sawn bordS for ye roofe the town are to procure" What shtnTlp pa Iyiy gp h,A were to be deducted from the ESQ they were to receive. "Ie price N hat all ye above mentioned workInen agree to give ye inhabitants that they shall improve is two shilling n day in Winter and in Spring, when the dais are long, two shil- ling and six pcnce." The selectmen or townsmen, John Glover, Thomas Ben nit, Benjamin Cunning, Joseph Peck, Jeremiah Turner, were appointed com mittee to perfect the bargain, ito give bills for ye town for ye workmcn's se- curing and also to take bonds of ye workmcn for ye towns security; ye comte are hereby fully impOwered to cull yc stuff and reject that we Is not fit for vt use in there judgcm,nts.'
 In the Spring of the next year, l7lS, the colonial General Assembly at Hart ford came to the aid of the Newtuwn set tiers, in their attempt to build meeting house, by laying tax of penny an acre to be paid yearly for four years. "fhc proprletors of farms 70 pay at that rate for so many acres as they have by grant, and every proprietor of right to pay for 100 acres and proporCionately for any part of a right and all that have pur- chased any quantity of land in said town Go pay according to the number of acres cxprest in their deeds; all the money to be raised by this tax to be improved for building meeting house."
 The c70 voted for building in the clos ing days of l7l7 must have been consid- cred too high q price to pay or too much money to spend, for a town meeting held November Is, l7ls. accepted the offer of Thomas "Scidmore," as the name is spelled, to build house of smaller di- mensions, 25xiG feet and 20 feet between joints, for fi5, the town to find nails and boards 10 shingle on and do all the cart Ing. John Glover, Thomas Bennett and Joseph Peek were the committee to see this contract fulfilled. A little later, January s, l7l0, the vote was passed, al- ready published, locating the meeting house at the east and west cross lane that intersected the main north and south town street at John Platt's, where the liberty pole now stands in the Street. In May, l7l0, the time for finishing the l720. The length was finally fixed at 30 feet, but It was again changed, January 27, l720, when m addition of 20 feet was voted to the length, which Thomas Skid more was to frame and cover under the care of Thomas Bennett, Joseph Peek and Jeremiah Turner.
 If we could be carried back I50 years and view that old meeting house, we should find cheerless place of worship indeed, as compared with the churches of to-day. It had no pews, at first, and was without fire, except such coals as the ladies brought in their foot stoves. It had no steeple nor bell, drum an nouncing the hour of worship. It front cd the south and, within, one side of the church was assigned for the men and the other for the women, the children being but by themselves under the strict watch of q tythingman.
 It was during the third pastorate, that of Rev Elisha Kent, that pews were firsi built, town meeting, December Fl, l733 giving Eye worshipfull Mir Ihomas Tous cy and ye Reverend Mir Elisha Kent th, privilege of building two, ''the one or the one side of ye great or south dool