Norwich bulletin., 1914-05-07
First Steps Taken In 1z35 But Ecclesiastical Society Not Organ ized Until 1742.

A manual and history of the Con gregational church in Hadlyme has been prepared by the pastor. the Rev. Clarence c. Lyon. The book gives a clear and interesting account of the society and the church.
 The first steps toward the organ ization of the society and church were taken in the petition of Chris topher Holmes, John Hungerford and others, to the First Ecclesias- tical society of East Haddam, De- cember 19. 1735, for permission to hold meetings during the winter months in Hadiyme. The petition CTS in their request said they would still continue to pay their share to- ward the salary of the Rev Mr. At meeting held December 30, 1735, the request was granted
 Society Organized 1742.
 But the HadIyme people did not feel satisfied with a resident pastor only four months in the year, and in 1742 the Hadlyme Ecclesiastical society was organized A petition was pre- sented to the general assembly for a distinct society. It was signed by Isaac Wiley. Stephen Scovil, John Comstock and others. At meeting of the general assembly October If, I742, the prayer of the petitioners was granted and the boundaries of the new society set forth
 The petitioners included members of the First society in East Haddam and of the Third society in Lyme. The records state that the church was organized June 20. 1745, at the home of Lieutenant John Comstock- A council was convened at the house of Lieutenant John ComstocS, in Had lyme parish, June 26, 1745. There were present the Rev. Stephen Hos mer, George Beckwith and Thomas Lfr e1d Gates. Daniel Ely, Benjamin Colt, John Gates, Henry Champion and Deacon Eleazer SmNh The council drew up the confession of faith and other ar ticles of confederation and the follow ing members subscribed to the new organization. The Rev. Grindal Raw son, pastor; John Hungerford, Sam uel Crosby, Ephraim Fuller, John Mil lard, John Comstock, John Comstock, 2d., Samuel Dutton, Christopher William Comstock.
 Meeting House.
 MT. Rawson was installed pastor on the installation oo pastor the society had taken steps to build the meeting house. At a meeting, December g, 1742, with Captain John Hungerford, meeting house "in length forty and six foot, in width thirty and five foot, and the posts to said house shall be twenty foot long," At the same meet ing it was voted that the place for the meeting house to stand upon should bee on the nole west of Job Beckwith's s house."
 It is probable that the meeting house was raised in the, summer of 1743 The house was taken down in the fall of 1s4o, and the present church erected on the same site and edicated On January 6, 1s41-
 Parsonage Still Standing. The first parsonage was built by the Rev. Grindahl Rawson in 1747. two years after his settlement. 1t was the home of clergynnen for nearly a hum dred years. It is still standing and in fair preservation
 While MT. Rawson was the first pastor he was not the first to preach to the new society. The Rev. Isaac Chalker and the Rev. Samuel Briant preached for short periods Mir. Challzer went to the Buckingham Congregational church in Glaston- bury in December, 1743, and con- tinued as its pastor until his death in 1765.
 The Rev. Grindahl Rawson gradu- ated from Harvard college in TIPS and was ordained at Hadley, Mass, October 3. 1733. He died in Had lyme March 27, TIT. in the thirty second year of his ministry in the parish. The Rev. Matthew Scrtbner followed Mr. Rawson, with a short pastorate of less than a year Then the Rev. Samuel Collins supplied un- til the Rev. Joseph Vai1l was in- stalled as the second pastor in 17s0. He was pastor for fifty-tWo yeasn.