The Newtown bee., 1899-03-03

l
committee; Jonas Wooster collector
Then it was unanimously voted that Jed
jdiah Mills shall be invited to become tn
minister of the parish of Repton, accord
ing to the constitution Of this colony
and be ordained In this place as ministe
Of Jesus Christ.
1t was also voted and agreed that thi
society will give Mr. Mills, if he accepts
| Co settle and be ordained in this society
Of Repton, Presbyterian minister of tn
| gospel acc riding TO the constitution o
| this co ony, If Connecticut; That is /,
TO say, the 100 acres Of sand already Civ
ed by the town of StrattoId; so pound
.o"ards building his house, 40 pound,
ia money and 30 pounds in work; and IL
the beginning we will give so pound
-alary year; and afterwards. relying q,
| God shall enable us, and as Mr Nj llIs
| hall stand in need, aud Enls society sinai
think fiC. MIR Mills accepted the Gail
and council was convened on February
II, 1924, which recognized the ChuIc l
| OF anizaJion, and ordained JedIaiah Mills
| minister Of the gospel Of Jesus Chris,
| ia the parish of Repton. The farm given
| Mr. Mills is the one now occupied by the
family of Samuel Il. Buckingham ano
the house was built on, Or near the place
where the house now stands.
There is also the following taken from
some older record; the RepGon grano
ll=r, 8 | ok il from Mr. Curtiss Of StraL.
f1ld (VhO WAS appointed TO receive the
parish money!, that is, the list on which
re receive Ouf county money in the yeaI
1924, Was 1856 pounds or there&bOul
"ltuouC the cuUrcn (Chat is the EpiscU-
psi familee), about 1000 or 2l00, accord
ILg As you IeckOn toI cnuFcnmen."
at this gime Chere was virtual union
I church and state, for the churches
saActiontd By the General Assembly
we're peTmtCtd co raIse their income
lhruugn tax laid on all the property in
The parish; but those who held to tht
Gnu Gu of England were privileged t.
pay their lax towards that church ana
~ il theg chOse, claim exemption from
ne parish Tax ievIed by any other soci-
ely. l. would seem that at once, on tne
urganzAtloa Of the chuIch, the parish
Oegan to ASSUME all the business of a
>oWn except choosing S. lgctmen and
representatives.; for at meeting held
December II, IVA, after elecGing tnelG
clerk, sociery's committee, etc., thew
elect surveyors of highways, fence-vie w.
ers, pUundmasGers, d committee who shall
give public entertainment for the year
ensuing, designated yards and pens to be
used as pounds; appointed listers tith
lhgmen to STE that good order is kept
among US between meetings; but the
own of s ,ratford, for a time aU least, in
Dheir regular town meetings approved,
or sanctioned these elections.
There was something of the same feel
ing then as now in regard to the place
Of holding their business meetings. For
at this meeting, after several motions, it
vas settled by maj .rity vote that they
should be held halt Of the time at the
West side and the other half at Long
Hill, in turns. The society also had the
charge of the school funds and the
schooling in the bounds of the parish. On
December 20, 1925, it was voted that for
convenience in schooling the parish be
divided into four quarters. The descrip-
ton of these boundaries is peculiar and
somewhat of d curiosity; they may have
been readily and easily marked at that
time, but doubt if any one now living
could find some Of the boundaries.
1t would seem that the meeting house
was enclosed, and 50 used for some wears.
each one bringing his own stool or seat,
for in December, 1927, committee was
appointed TO receive money, and build g.
pulpit in the meeting house. Again In
January, 1880, it was voted that the
meeting house be seated, the seats to be
built of plain work. It was also voted
that Rev Mr. Mills have liberty to build
a pew on the east of the pulpit, or any
where on the east side OF the meeting
house. We find that IS late as 1872 there
were Indians still living in the bounds OF
the parish; for &C q meeting held in Nav
Of that year, committee was appointed
TO investigate into any right or title
Whatsoever any Indian or Indians have
to land, or lands, or improvement of
lands within the limits of the parish of
Repton; and according as they see fit to
pa chase, buy, hire, take a lease OF
leases for a loEgsr, or shorter time of
said Indians, or any one of them, of ali
the right and title they have to any land,
or the use or improvement Of lands, with
in said limits for the public use and ben
eft of this parish, for the future support
Of the public ministry in said parish, in
the Presbyterian way,as uow established
by law in this colony. There was q
strong protest entered, signed by 10 men,
against buying or leasing any Of the
lands from the Indians. But it Ia net
clear for what reason they protested, un.
less it was, as has been 40 often felt, that
the Indians had no rights that the white
man was bound to respect.
In those early days the parish did moi
possess bell 10 call the people TO the
church services; so in December, 1732
| they voted TO have q drum beat on this
Sabbath TO give notice OF the time to at
tend public worship, and also to pay
samuel Beardslee 40 shillings to perform
this service for the year. At that tim,
also many grievances arose ID regard Il
rights and privileges both within and
| without the parish, to settle which ther,
were frequent appeals TO the Genera
Court, or memorials to the General AS
semblys
The first act Of the parishs In regard II