The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-28

shiIlings for his wages of the Town In 1885 a bell was installed, Samuel Wilson having loaned the town money for, it's purchase, the town paying him in land. Public notices were nailed upon the door of the meeting-ho As everybody was supposed to go to meeting they would all read these no tfces so conspicuous1y posted.
 Wild Animals Abound.
 But it was notices of Town meet ings and other important occasions alone which were nailed upon the numerous wild animals, bears, wild cats, partners, wolves. Counties for the slaying of these creatures were provided by the town. In order that no doubt might arise in the minds of the people concerning the actual de- struction of these troublesome prowl- CTS, it was customary on certain oc- casions to bring the skins of the slaughtered brutes to- the meeting house and nail them upon the exterior walls. A novel and interesting form of decoration perchance quieting to the nerves of the women and children stimulating to the imag- ination of the boys and young men! From week to week the decorations vaEi ied-now .bear-skins, now wolf skins, now wildcat or panther skins predominating. And many a fasciR- ating tale was told as the little com
 pany of worshippers gathered on Sun day or Lecture Day and listened to the adventures of the brave marksrnen
 who brought these trophies for a, proof of skill and prowress.
 z Numerous are the town votes upon the subject of repairs. In 1863 Good: man Meeker was engaged by John Burr and Henry Lyon to plaster the walls to the wall plate and to fill the walls under the lower girt with nor e N11 eaT0 6 Stephen Sherwood were appointed by the town to "cause- the meeting-house underpinning to be finished and to put stop tothe beating in of the rain and the flying in of the swallows" The windows over the minister's pew and the soldiers pew were not water proof. They had to De frightened so that the occupants of these pews would ont be- deluged by water when the wind and storm beat against that side of the building. Tbis com mittee was also to provide blanks to finish the. floor and to lay the same in proper style.
 Two years later the town appointed Sergeant Seely to raise the meeting house one foot and 8 half, if this e1e- vation be not considered dangerous. In payment for this service he is to receive one piece of land. William Ward is associated with Sergeant See1y on this committee.
 At the town meeting December 26s 1871, it was voted that a gallery be made lin the meeting-house, the roof repaired and the floor be finished at J John Burr and John Green we've ap- pointed the committee to take this work ia hand. They were Instructed to bargain for timber, boards and nails, or other materia1-to conclude concerning the platform and the form of fha fS anGI tha zro11ol-xy ,, A special tax was levied to pay the bill. The work was done and the gallery built, for we read in the records that Robert Rumsie was appointed to ov- ersee the 3oys on the Sabbath in the gallery, that they carry it orderly the boys having been promoted to this lofty, retired part of theN meeting house.
 In 1874, the town empowered Os- born Wakeman stto cause what old house to be procured'' and what new glass is needful to complete the work he is likewise to procure. Whatever pay he promises. the town s.engageth to perform it.'' The building 1,nd not yet been shing1ed or clapboarded. So in 1880 Thomas Wilson was ap- pointed agent "to cause the meeting house on the southwest side to, be well shingIed and the-northwest side l of the wall to be well clapboarded. l All to be done at the towns charges. For this service he was to receive for ty-hve shi1lings out of the town treas ury. These details respecting the 1 house of worsihip show that this hum l b1e structure was not impervious to wind or rain-that probably the feet i of the worshippers rested for years on hard earth and not wooden floor | ing, that light was admitted through 1 open window spaces Or through oiled l paper or other expedient for glass, | and that altogether it was a building 1 as unlike the stately, beautiful temple | and symbolic windows of exquisite l stained glass, as it is possible for inn agination to conceive.
 The Ministers.
 The proposition made by the United Colonies in 1644 for the maintenance | of ministers was voted an order for l Connecticut by the Court. Every | man was to contribute his proportion. | If he refused there was to be a fair | and equal rating by a person appoint l ed for the purpose and this debt was | to collected like other taxes. Jenu | Burr and Ephraim wheeler were the | first men to serve in this capacity for the parish of Uncowa O." Fairfield. | Many years did not pass before one | and another citizen baked at this tax 1 so that frequent references are made 1 to the subject in our records. The and its care, the salary of the minister and his glebe land with | h omestead-alI the expenses of a re- igious establishment were a matter of town vote and annual tax. And it Is to be noted that the parish was liberal in it's treatment of the min Ister. During the pastorates of MT. Jones and MT. Wakeman there are at least twenty distinct votes upon the subject of land grants and salaries to these worthy servants of the town MT. Jones' homestead lot was facing the green on the southwest corner. He had abundance of pasture land across the way MT. Wakeman's hom estead lot was that now owned by Miss Jennings. The side fronting on the east of the Green was the min ster's pasture land. In various parts of the town portions of marsh, mead