The Newtown bee., 1899-03-03

It's next session TO have sign-post set
up 10 the parish, that goods taken by
legal execution, or for taxes might be
sold at vendure. The memorial was prop.
erly presented, and six years after, on a
special appeal from this parish, as to the
memorial on file, the following action
was taken: Resolved by this Gene ra |
Assembly, that sign-post be set up in
some suitable place In said parish of Rip.
ton, where all goods taken by execution
and for public taxes within said parish,
and by law exposed to sale, may be sold,
and all other business necessary to be
done at sien-post, relative to said parish
may be done.
They had also the same difficulties
with deprecated currency in those old
colonial days, that agitste the public in
these days over the gold and silver coin
age, only worse. Rev Mr. Mills by his
settlement was to receive each year as
the society felt they could give him.
hence at their annual meetings they
voted his salary for the year enauing.
He had been receiving about so pounds
lawful money, but in 1851 they voted him
500 pounds old tennor. In 1852. 900
pounds in 1853, $40 pounds in 1854 $40
pounds old tennor, but in 1855, after ssv-
eral motions, they finaily voted him Sc
pounds lawful money. The next year 60
pounds lawful money. It would seen
also that at one time the society had come
into the possession of considerable Con-
tinential money which they could not
use, as In May, 1882, they voted to set up
at vendure and sell TO the highest bidder
all the Continental money that belongs
to this parish, and now in the hands of
| its committee. The people of the parish
having used the drum for many years to
call the people to the church services,
| in 1871 began to agitate the question of
| having bell for their meeting house,
and iC was decided to raise the money by
voluntary subscription, which was i'm
mediately started, and resulted In raising
"a pounds. shillings. In the same year
the spirit of improvement took another
step in the desire to have public clock
pla ced on the meeting house tower, and
| a subscription Of 81 pounds, shillings
6 pence was raised. Il appears very
strange to US that the boundaries of SPAR
ishes, ..and the transfer of membership
should have to be made by Legislation;
but it was then, as is shown by the fol-
lowing memorial made to the General
Assembly in 1770, by some families liv-
ing on the south border of this parish
The General Assembly holden at New
Haven the second Thursday of October,
1770, heard the memorial of Edward
Larkin, Hezekiah Curtiss, Hezekiah Cur.
tiss, Jr., Ezra Curtiss, Enoch Blackman,
Samuel Biackman, Gideon Seeley, Able
Curtiss and Nathan Thompson all of
Stratford showing to this General Assem-
bly, that they belong to the first society
in said town, but that living at the ex-
treme northerly part Of said society, can
much more conveniently attend the pub
lie worship in the society of Ripton than
in that to which they belong, and that
they do accordingly ordinarily attend the
public worship at Ripton parish. Re-
solved by this Assembly that the men,
orialists with their estates be, and they
are hereby annexed to said society of Rip
ton.
In 1872, Rev Mr. Mills health became
so po r that the society took steps to
supply the pulpit; and in September sp-
pointed the folio wir e committee: Agur
Judson, Daniel Bennett, Samuel Adams,
Einathan Curtiss and Dea Ephraim Jud-
son to confer with MIR Mills about set
ling q colleague with him, and likewise
whether he would agree with them on
any other terms, as should be thought
best. At a meeting held February 10,
1878, vote was taken whether we would
call gentleman to settle as colleague
with Mr. Mills. 1t was voted In the mega
tive. 1t was then voted to call cardi-
date to settle in the ministry over said
parish; also to give Rev Mr. Mills 45
pounds lawful money annually after an
other minister was settled.
On August 8 it was voted to give
David Ely call to settle as a gospel
minister in this parish. And also to give
him 200 pounds lawful money, as settle
ment provided he agree to settle and is
ordained gospel minister over the Pres
byterian church and congregation in said
parish, to be paid in four yearly install
ments. Also voted to give Mr. Ely as
salary 10 pounds lawful money annually
for four years, and after that to raise
him five pounds yearly, till his salary
shall amoont to 80 pounds lawful money.
which shall be bis salary during his min
istry in said parish. Mr. Ely accepted
the call and was ordained ON October ~,
1878, by the Fairfield East association.
assisted by the First and Third churches
in Lyme, and the Church Of Christ in
North Bristol.
In 1870, some AZ years after the first
attempt to have the parish constituted a
distinct town. the suhject was again
agirated, but this time in connection with
New Ssratford, (uow Monroe. A COM
mittee was appointed to confer with a
like committee from Ssratford, and from
New Stratford, and also a committee
from the General Assembly, as to the
south line Of the new proposed town.
The committees Of the two parishes to
seek from the town of Stratford the per
mission to apply to she General Assem-
bly, to be incorporated into distinct
town, with the two parishes. But for
five or six years there seemed to be no
progress made, till in March, 1855, it was
voted by this parish unanimously that we
wish GO be made separate and distinct