Norwich bulletin., 1917-11-17
EARLY CONNECTICUT CHURCH SILVER

and some of it is of very great beauty.
 He. tells us that the oldest piece of communion plate in the state be- longs to the Congregational church in Guilford. It is quaint old beaker with faring lip, and is marked in bounced engraving 'H: K" on the side. It was the gift of Henry Ffngsnorth, one of the first settlers of that town and a man of substance and worth.
 He died at the age of fifty, in 1888, during the great sickness, as it was called, and his will reads:
 TT give and bequeath unto 'ye church here fifteen pounds to buy any such sutensile for the sacrament with all as they shall see cause" The beakerI was made by William Rouse, of Boston, a. contemporary of Cap tain John Hull. the mint-master. :.
 One of the beakers belonging to the Congregational church in Groton bears the engraved inscription: The Gift Of ST: John Davie to the Chh. of Christ at Groton."+ It was made by port, R. I. The story of the beaker is this:
 John, who was a son of Humphrey Davfe, of Hartford, and cousin of Sir William Davie, of Greedy in Devon, England, was graduated from Harvard in 1881, and became one of the first settlers in Groton and its first town clerk. In 1707, his cousin. Sir William, died without male issue, so John of Groton succeeded to the baronetcy.
 , Barefooted and in his shirt sleeves, he was hoeing corn on his farm when a messenger arrived to tell him of his good fortune and to salute him as Sir John Davie. He soon left for England and the beaker was his parting gift.
 
 Belonging to the ancient First Con- sregationai society of our own Nor- witch Town is a two-handled cup made. by John DixweI1 and bearing letters: '"The C. :. of Sarah Knight to the Chh. of Christ in Norwich, April 20, 1722.'- She was famous Madam Knight, who wrote a diary of her Journey from Boston to New York during 1724, which book was re- printed a. few years ago by the boys in the, printing department of the Norwich Free Academy. For a. num- was a resident of Norwich; she lies buried in the old graveyard at New London. ~
 There are sixteen silver beakers owned by the First fCongregationa1 Church of New London. and two of them bear the inscription: "The Gift Of the Owners of the Ship Adventure of New London, 1699." They were made 7 by two Boston siEveremiths working in partnership, John Edwards and John Allen. . ~-
 A ship named Adventure and built in London, was owned at this time by Adam Pickett and Christopher Chris tophers, Of New London. It does not seem a wild flight of the irpagination,. observes MT. Curtis,-to conjecture that these @fbeallers were presented the church as a thank-offefing either for a printable merchantile venture or for a fortunate escape from some harrow ing experience at seq S: 'zs
 Tn 1725, Governor saIetonstaH gave by will silver. tarkard to this church and in 172s his widow made a like gift Tn 1793, the church, by vote, lad these two vessels made into three heakers by J. P. -Trott. a New London but care was not used to preserve the old inscriptions.
 The. coneresationai church at .Nortt, H aVefi owns. a large baptfsma4, basin upon which is inscribed: ''The Gift President Yale College, to the Congre-- gatienM church in North Haven 1191r The donor was one of the most distinguished men of his time Consreaationa church, Hartford, could. boast of an array of plate made by. the early silyersmiths- This fact is revealed bv, the Court of Probate records. In the early part. of the last century, pinch of poverty was felt or else it was thoughI that the style of these vessels was too old fashioned. Whatever the cause, the plate was. sold. =.
 '.7..--'- THE DIcTAGRAPH.z