Connecticut western news., 1915-01-21
CHRIST CHURCH CELEBRATES
Interesting Gathering to Celebrate 10
 Years of Successful Church Life.

interesting GatherinR 10 Celebrate fO
 Years of Successful Church Life.
 Last Friday evening Christ Church commemorated the seventieth annlver- sary of the building of the church. The effort to bring the whole parish together us one large family was great success. A social evening was enjoyed and an historical address delivered by the rector. An Alter Service Book, two prayer books and two hymnals were received from Miss Bessie l.. Franklin in memory of her grandparents, John and Mary Watson and of her mother. Mrs. Mary Watson Ward. The prayer books and hymnals have been placed in the pew formerly occupied by Mrs. Ward and her family.
 At the time Christ Church was built North Canaan was sparsely settled and known as North Canaan Corners. There were houses near where Elm street crosses Main several of which are still standing. A general store stood where Mir. Barnes's house is now and the district school house was nearby. The railroad from Bridgeport had been built only short time and the town to the west had not yet developed.
 Christ Church has the distinction of being the oldest church in North Can aan. The parish was organized April 8, lS44 and the building erected in lS45.
 In small brown writing book are preserved records of the first parish meetings. The names represent Cam aan families still we'll known. The following is from the record of the meeting when the parish was organized:
 I've the undersigned do hereby agree to associate ourselves as a society of the Protestant Episcopal church for the support of the worship and institu- tions of the said church at North Can aan, and we agree that the name and title of the sand society shall be Christ Church, North Canaan. Sign d: Fitch Ferris, Harmon Peet, Edward Thorp, Oliver Root, D. Camp, Abram Thorp, Jonathan Stevens, Alfred Isham, R. $. Potter"
 "The society thus formed then pro- ceeded to elect two church wardens, eight vestrymen and clerk to discharge for the coming year the duties usually performed by the said officers, when Mir. Abram Thorp was elected senior church warden; MT. Hsrman Poet, junior church warden; Fitch Ferris, John Isham Luther Monson, John Watson, Oliver Root, D. Camp Iona than Stevens aud William Bennett, vestrymen; Edward Thorp, clerk"
 One paragraph in the building contract is interesting: "And shall complete the same according to the fashion and style of the Episcopal church in Stock bridge with the exception of the vain scoting upon the side walls of the main body of the said house."
 The church cost $500 more than the figures set for the building committee. The actual cost was $2, ,7l2.50. The land and fence were purchased for $6S. 50. The first subscriptions amount ed to $1, 296 and the Clerical and Mis- sionary Association of Litchdeld County contributed $4lS. There was debt of S1 300. A final subscription paper tells the story of how the debt was cleared after it had been reduced to $620. It shows that $500 additional was promised to be paid only when the whole debt was provided for. Then following subscriptions amounting to SlO0 solicited at Hartford in lS47.
 The Rev George w. Fash was tho first minister, who served the parish about four years and under whose lead ership the building was erected. The window over the balcony of the church is in memory of him.