Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-02-10

The Congregational church in Mans
field, called Mansfield Center, was or
g'anized October Is, 1710, with a
membership of ten males, including
Eleazer Williams, who was ordained
and settled as pastor on that date. In
1892 Mansfield had three families. The
early settlers in the place were from
Plymouth and Woburn, Mass. and
from Norwich. In May, 1902, town
ship was granted on condition that an
able and orthodox minister should be
settled. At the October session in
1902 the general court defined the
May, 1903, the town was incorporated.
In May, 1908. the church was released
from paying country rates for six
years, provided they improved the
country for the building of a meeting
house or ministers house" Out of
these proceeds the church was or
ganized and began its long term Of ser
vice.
The Pastors Compensation.
The compensation of Mr. Williams
was a. thousand acre allotment with
it's privileges, a settlement of $50
pounds, assistance in building his
house, forty cords of wood annually
and a salary for 40 pounds to be rails
ed to SO pounds. The pastorate of the
church has been occupied by the Rev.
DR.. Eleazer williams. 171o-1742; Rich
ard Salter, D. D. 1744-17s7 Elijah
Gridley, 1789-fTs6; John sherman,
17s7-1s05; Samuel p Williams, 1907
w. Salter. 1861; Charles L. Aver, 1853
1868; Kiah B. G1idden, 1S69-1s9o;
Finis E. Delze1 1ss11ass4; ch p,l.a
1s95-1907; Walter E. Lalnphear,
1907. The Rev. Charles L. Aver, after
occupying the passionate for five years
from 1863 until 1868, was stated supply
for one year, beginning in 1884
The First Pastor.
The Rev. EIeazer Williams, the first
pastor of the church. was a son of the
Rev. John Williams of Deerfield,
Mass. He escaped being captured by
the Indians in 1904 by being absent
fitting for the ministry. The number
added to the church under his minis
trations was 400. His pastorate was
ceeded by the Rev. Richard Salter, D.
D., who was a native of Boston. Dr.
Salter was a fellow OF Yale college
from 1911 until 1880 In 1881 he gave
sold for $4,000. The proceeds were used
in advancing the knwiedge of Hebrew
and Oriental languages. DR.. Saiter left
no descendants.
The Rev. Elijah Gridley was the third
pastor. He was a native of Southing-
ton, and graduated from Yale in 1888.
DR.. Grid1ey died in CRANKY in 1924 He
was pastor at Mansfield from 1888 I'M
til 1876.
Unitarianism Planted.
The Rev John Sherman, fourth
pastor of the church, was the grand
son of Roger Sherman and was born
in New Haven. He became a Unita-
rian and carried a majority of the
church and nearly all the congregation
with him. He was dealt with by the
Windham association and dismissed
by a council against the desire of the
society and a majority of the church.
He became minister in the Unitarian
church in Trenton. n. Y. 1t was eight
years after he left Mansfield before
the effects of his course ceased to dis
turb the parish. This was the first
conflict in Connecticut with Unitarian
ism. Dr. Sherman graduated from Yale
college in 1892 and was a classmate of
Chief Justice Roger Minott Sherman.
This noted preacher of Unitarianism
died in 1928.
In 1903. under the Rev. Mr.. Sher-
man, the church adopted the Presby-
terrain policy and so had elders until
after the beginning of DR.. Atwood S
ministry. The tone of spiritual life in
the church and of morals in the COM
munity in the eighteenth century was