Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-01-22
NoRruuAvHN ANNALS.

HCC16010AI1C21 ncCOIuD - NVAAAYx0k0
List OF the Old Pew Holders At the
House Was Partiti0ned Among the
worshippers.
NUKBER 80.
The recent discovery of the old "Pew
Book" of the Congregational church in
1920 is of sufficient Importance to warrant
it's sllusion to here as throwing light on
the ecclesiastical history of that day.
How to pay the ministers seventy or .
hundred years ago taxed the brains of .
good many religious bodies. The various
plans resorted to to make the burden less
onerous were many, and some of them
highly novel. In that society, the admin
tration of whose minister was aggressive
and "solid," pew rents were promptly
paid, but, if from any cause the pulpit
1anguished, the finances at once indicated
the same symptoms. Thus the trsasurer's
book became the "storm-glass" of the
church. mo better test can be found to-
day.
To be brief, before the death of DR..
Trumbull it began to be seen that the law
taxation for the support of the clergy was
unjust and unequal. No attempt was
made to change it in his day, but at the
advent of his successor, Rev. W. J. Board
man, the ecclesiastical society resolved to
adopt different plan.
This was the placing certain value-in
this case $S,0O0.O0-on the pews of the
church, forty-two in number. A carefully
arranged schedule was prepared, dividing
these pews into six classes, rated accord
ing to eligibility of location. There were
eight pews of the first class, eight of the
second class, six of the third class, four of
the fifth class, and twelve of the sixth
class. The "chief seats' were in the GEN.
the 'broad aisle" and were four pews in
cd, the south side seats numbers, IS and
IA, were considered the most desirable.
For the first of these pews mo. 49, Jacob
Bassett, esq. DIR. Joseph Foote and
Joel Ray, each paid two hundred
and fifty dollars. For No. IA Theophilus
Todd, Joel Humaston, Whiting Bradley
and Jesse Andrews also paid seven hun
dred and fifty dollars. For No. 13 north
John Todd, Jude Smith and Eli Brockett
paid one hundred and ninety dollars each.
For No. IA north Byard Barns, John Gill
Eleazer Warner and Abraham Bishop each
paid one hundred twenty-five dollars.
Pews of the second class sold from three
hundred to four hundred dollars, accord
ing to location, those nearest the pulpit
having the preference. Pews of the third
class dropped down to two hundred dol
lars and less, and so on, until the scale
was exhausted. Every worshippsr wa
expected to purchase some part of a pew
paying as literally therefor as hi
means would allow. It must not b.
understood, however, that it was necessar,
that any part of these sums named should
be actually paid over. See annals No. 81
So long as the purchaser paid the legal in
terest promptly on the amount, so long b.
might enjoy its possession. A few of tn
| weather. men brought their sittings GU
| and out, but the majority were content tt
mortgage them back to the society for sc
curity.
Following is submitted complete list o
the pew holders.
Lyman Alling, /, No. 6, N, SIS so; Johl
John Abbott, /, No. 10, N, $500; Jess
Andrews, t. No. 10, 8, $3.50; Timothy An
drews, i, No. 9, N, 500.
Byard Barnes, t No. IA, N, $125; Davit
Barnes sr., m No: T. n, ~. sdS; D paw
Is, No. 81, S., 500; Johu Barnes, + No. /
N, 500; Joshua Barnes, ST., i No. II
N, 5000; Joshua Barnes, Jr., No. Is
s., $75; Jonathan Barnes, + No. 10, N
$25; Justus Barnes, Is, No. 81, S., $9(
Lyman Barnes, is No. 8. s., $50; Frederi
Barnes, ! No. 10, s., $75.
David Basset, IA No. z. N. ,$45; Eli Bal
sstt, IA No. 81, N, $3.50; Jacob Basset
1-3 No. 13, S., $3.50; Jacob Bassett, IA NJ
10, s., $3.50; Jesse Bassett ID. 1-3 No.
NJ, $64; Jesse Bassett, LIST, 1-2 No. Is, N
$50; Joel Bassett, IA No. 7, n, 81
Obed Bassett, 16 No. 8, N, $s7.50.
Lewis Bates, IA No. Is, S., 1876.
Benajah Bishop, IA No. 10, NJ, $37. 81
Abraham . Bishop, "A No; "A, N: 500;
BECKETT Ell 1s No. N g. r. 81 49, nn
Brockett, No. IL, N. s1oo; John Brocl
cit, t No. 10, N, 500; Lucy Brockett,
No. 10, s., $50; Thomas Brockett, t NJ
10, S., $75.
seph Bradley, No. il, n, $50; Theoph
Bradley, ] No. 10, N, s1ss. So; Titus Brat
| No. IA, S., $3.50.
Hoadley Bray, Is No. 7, s. $40; Hoa'
ley Bray, t No. 15, s, $21.
Anson Blakeslee, 1-5 No. 7, s, $40; Ann
Blakeslee, 1-5 No. 81, S, $96.
John Cooper. No. 10, s, $50.
David Clinton, 1-8 No. /, S, $50. Jes
| ClluGOu, 1-O NO. 1, . 9SO
Peter, Eastman ] No. II, N, 5000.
Eason a'f No. 3, s, $780, % PVT Th spSiS
Eaton, ! No, 10, S, s75. Thomas Eato
/ No. 9, S, 500. DR.. Joseph Foote, t N
10, S, $3.50. Joseph Foote, / No. 10,
John Frost, / No. 10, S., 500.
John Gill, i No. IA, - $125.
John Goodsell, 1-6 No. 8, n, $3.50.
| Augustus Hemingway, is No. 7,
Joel Hemingway, / No. IA, s., 5000.
ALBION Ives, 5 No. 6, S., $50; Leona,
Ives, ! No. 10, N, $25; Talcott Ives, / N
II, NJ, $50; William Ives, No. 16, n
$50.
Ezekiel Jacobs, 1-5 No. 4, S., $96.
Il Joel Mansfield, / No. 5. N, SIS: Lemu
Mansfield, t No. 10, N, $3.50; Richa1
| Mansfield, Is N. No. 7, s, $40; Titus Man
field, / No. 5, $40.
y Captain Nathan Marks, No. 10,
500.
Marein Moulthrop, No. IS, n, 81
Samuel Moulthrop, is No. 8, S, $s2.
Augustus Munson, No. 16, S, s.
t James Aunson: is No. 8, S, $50; Steph'
, Munson, No. 2, N, 1928.
9 Giles Pierpont; ST., No. 10, S, So
t Giles Pierpont, ST., / No. ~, N, SEQ
!; Giles Pierpont, jr., No. 10, s, 500; Jol
; Pierpont, Is No. 8, s, $32.
. Joel Ray, No. Is, S., $3.50.
Daniel Sackett, is No. 8, s., $50.
Eliada Sanford, No. IA, N. 1925; Nan,
Sanford, 1-6 No. 10, s., 500; Perit Sa
ford, is No. 2, S., $40.
, Hervey Smith, ! No. 16, S., $50. SO; Jol
No. Is, N, $3.50; Rosannah Smith. / N
IN elm
Amasa Thorpe, No. 8, N, $75: BIZ
t, Thorpe, / No. Is, N, $s5; Joshua Thorr
No. z, n, $65; Lyman Thorpe, / No.
N, $12. so; Seba Thorpe, / No. z, N, 81
: Hervey Todd, 1-6 No. 9; NJ, $50; Jol
Todd, No. 10, NJ, $3.50; Josiah Todd,
No. is, S., $33 80; Mabel Todd, I No.
s, $50; Theophilus Todd, No. IA, s
Bensjah Tnttle, t No. 9, N, $75; E
ward futile, No. 10, N, $37. so; Josh
Tuttle, ! No. 10, N, $133. "a; Manni
= Tuttle, / No. 6, N, $12.50; solom
T utt1s Is M No; !, II NJ *. $780, Th'ophil
Edward Turner, / No. 1, N, 500.
Eleazer Warner, t No. IA, NJ, $125.
Thus was the old meeting house partitic
ed among its worshipers. The startling fl
is revealed on a comparison of the foree
ing list with the roll of church membt
ship of that day. that but forty of thu
heads Of families were bona fde msmbe
of DR.. Trumbull's church. Such . sta
ment will seem incredible to the read,
but If the manual published in 1871
correct there is no escape from such &C
r clusion. As . rule the wives of the
n mainder of these men alone represent
Y their families at the communion table
y | the church. On the other hand there "
large church membership of less inf