The Newtown bee., 1899-03-03


mittee was appointed to treat with the
town OF Scratford, at it's next town meet
ing, in behalf Of this society, viz, that
the iowa of Stratford would grant to US,
the parish of Repton, their free consent,
that we should be made a distinct town
that. we should be made distinct town
by ourselves, and allowed all the privi-
leges proper to other towns.
At this same meeting another commit
tee was appointed to prefer petition, Or
prayer to the General Court, in behalf
of this societY; that the court would
grant TO change the name Of this society
and call il North StraGford; also grant
TO the society the privilege Of becoming
d distinct town, having all town priVi.
leges, as other towns in the cclouy have.
L do not find any report of either of
these committees, or further action taken
oy the parish. The parish being large,
including all the present town, and the
increase of inhabitants, made it necessa-
~ to enlarge their meeting house, so in
1876 and 1879 they put galleries first
across the end Of the house, then on both
sides. This growth of the parish was
further manifest, when In October, 1745,
1t lawfully called meeting, it was voted
d TO Is that 1t was necessary to build q
new meeting house for said parish.
There were appointed agents to apply
co the General Assembly, at its present
session, for a committee to designate
| and establish place for the new meet
| ing house. AT meeting in December of
| the same year, 1t was voted that the
mouse to be built shall be 90 feet long,
80 feet wide, and 24-foot posts. Capt
Joseph Blackjack, Nathan Bennett,
| Samuel Adams, Dea Samuel Beard, Dea
Ephraim Judson, ZAchariah Beardslee
| ard David Hide were chosen a committee
70 build said house. They also voted to
Lax themselves two shillings on the
pound towards the work. At meeting
in March, 1746, 1t was voted that liberty
be given to any particular men, to build
| d tower, at either end of the Presbyterian
meeting house now building in said par
ish, suitable to hang bell in, provided
WAX AS Nv az SnCRA o"u CudEkSSs Ii WAS
also voted to give Isgac Stilloe 40 pounds
old tennor over and above his contract,
when he completes the house according
TO agreement. The building committee
was authorized to use any part Of the old
meeting house that could be made SER
viceable in the new. and to sell the rest
at vendue, turning the money into the
building fund. The society was also very
generous toward its building committee,
voting them from - pounds, 10 shillings
co rs pounds old tennor each, for their
services in carrying forward the work on
the building.
I fail to find any record of the dedica-
ton OF this new meeting house, but it
was used for the parish meetirg in De-
bember, 1853, eight years after the vote
TO build it. This house stood on the
northeast corner of the green In front of
this building, opposite Mr. Buckingham'a
store, till 1880 or thereabout, when the
third house was erected where this
stands.
The peculiar laws Of the colonies In re-
gard to parish relations are brought out
in the case OF hey Mr. Mills. who In June,
l742, being in Ssratfeld (what Ia now
Bridgeport and Fairfield), I am unable
60 learn whether he went there on pur-
pose, or was there on other business;
but he attended some revival meeting
being held there. He stood up, spoke
and exhorted the people. without first
obtaining the special consent of the min
lister Of that parish; for which crime
Justice Burr lodged complaint with the
clerk Of this parish against the Rev Mr.
Mills, SO that fol- seven years he could
not legally collect his salary, or until re-
lief had been had from the General As
sembly, as through the following memo
rial. At the General Assembly held In
Hartford in May, 1749, the following
memorial was presented by the inhab
itants of the parish of Repton, in the
town of Strattord, in the county of Fair
field, showing to this Assembly that Rev
Jedidiah Mills, minister of the parish,
did enter into the parish OF Stratfield,
sometime in June, 1742, and there did
exhort the people contrary TO law, and
| that Col John Burr, one of his maiesty's
justices Of the peace I said county,
| lodged complaint In the clerks office
| of said parish, against the said j. Mills
according to law, whereby the said par
ish hath been disenabled to gather any
rates since granted by the parish for the
| support of said Jedidiah Mills; and pray
| Ing to this Assembly that the aforesaid
complaint lodged as aforesaid. be declar-
ed null and void for the fu ure, and en-
able the said society to gather the rates
for the support of the Rev Mr. Mills, with
the powers and privileges that other 10
cieties in this colony have for that pur-
| pose.
| Resolved by this Assembly that said
society have full power and authority to
gather all rates for the support of said
Jedidiah Mills from year TO year, that
shall be granted in the future, IS other
ecclesiastical societies in this colony
have by law, the said bill filed as afore-
said Notwithstanding.
/ Again, eni lying the many privileges
and freedom that we do, we can scarce.
ly realize the many Inconvenience that
our fathers In those colonial days had 70
endure; for instance 70 sell legally any
thing from this parish at public auction
1 it must be taken TO the sign-post In Sfrat'
ford. So In ITS they appointed !
special committee to attend the towr
meeting in Strasford and obtain permits
j sion 10 apply to the General Assembly .