Chaplin Connecticut Church History
During the war of the revolution a small Congregational church was
constituted in what is now the southeast part of Chaplin, on what is
called Chewink Plains, a locality of flat land which was much frequented
by the little birds in whose honor the name was given. The original
members of this early church were mostly from the Windham church, and it
had only one pastor, Reverend John Storrs, a native of Mansfield, son of
the minister in that town, and in the line of distinguished clergymen of
the name. He was a faithful and useful man, but at his death in 1799 the
church became extinct, thirteen of its members returning to the church in
Windham. There remains now to mark the location of this original church a
burying ground, which lies in the waste of wild land a little north of the
New England railroad crossing, on the road from Chaplin to Scotland. It
covers about two acres, and the peacefulness of its retreat seems enhanced
by the murmuring sighs of the breezes that pass through numerous white ,
pine trees which occupy the ground. Many old graves are unmarked. The
oldest dates discernible on the . monumental slabs indicate the early
years of this century. Many of the old name of Canada appear, and this
name shows in later years the change to modern form as Kennedy. On a
conspicuous brown stone slab we read: " Our Dear Brother, J. S. Colburn,
Member of Co. H, 18 C. Vol., Died at Danville, Va., A Prisoner of War,
Dec. 18, 1864, 2E. 20 yrs., 7 mo. Thou hast left us, Fare thee well."
Other family names that appear on headstones are Smith, Hunt, Button,
Allen, M'Coy, Dean,, Blackman, Flint, Ashley, Kelley, Walcott, Upton,
Bugbee, Colburn, Holt, Nichols, Lawton, Neff, Wyllys, Burrows and Martin.
At some time between 1840 and 1850, a small Protestant Methodist church
was formed in the south part of the town, to which Elder Jones ministered,
preaching in school houses and private dwellings. After his death this
church also became extinct.
We have already said that the founder of settlement here was Deacon
Benjamin Chaplin. His Christian character, beautifully manifested in his
life, has been a subject for the admiration and emulation of many
generations, and must continue to be until the wheels of Christian
civilization turn backward. As Deacon Chaplin drew on toward the end of
life, and thought how God had blessed him in things temporal as well as
things spiritual, his pleasant home, his good children, filling places of
influence, honor and usefulness, the thought pressed upon him, " How can I
best serve my generation after I have passed to my home above?" Although
almost or quite as many inhabitants occupied what is now the boundary of
the town, yet few of them were in what is now the center of the town. On
Tower hill, Bare hill, Natchaug, Chewink plains and Bedlam were found most
of the people, yet all of them must go from two to five miles to find a
place-of public worship, and not one of these places was adapted to be a.
center for a place of worship. Near his residence must be the natural
center, the place for a meeting house, to accommodate all parts of the new
town, which was sure in time to be incorporated.. He therefore made a
will, characteristic of the man, and likely to carry out the purpose he
had in mind.
He bequeathed the sum of three hundred pounds for the support of a learned
orthodox ministry. If any of his heirs endeavored to prevent the carrying
out of this purpose, and to make this part of his will inoperative, such
person or persons were to be disinherited and to receive nothing from his
estate. From the income of this permanent fund, a minister professing and
preaching the doctrines of the Gospel, according as they are explained in
the Westminster confession of faith, was to be in part 'supported. If the
question arose whether any preacher did thus teach, it was to be decided
by the ministers of the Windham County Association. An ecclesiastical
society must be formed before January 1st, 1812, and religious services
must be held within one-mile and a quarter of his dwelling house. Regular
preaching must be maintained to entitle the society to use the income from
this fund, and by regular preaching was meant at least forty Sabbaths each
year. This fund was enlarged by subscriptions from the people, by the sum
of five hundred pounds, subject to the same conditions and limitations as
that of Deacon Chaplin.
The ecclesiastical society was incorporated by the general assembly in
October, 1809 "Voted, that the School House in Chaplin District be the
place of public worship; that we set up steady preaching bearing date from
the first Monday of December, 1809." A committee was appointed to supply
the pulpit. It was found so difficult to agree upon the location of the
meeting house to be built that it was voted to apply to the county court
to settle the question. This vote was taken August 13th, 1810. A petition
was sent to the general assembly for permission to raise by a lottery the
sum of two thousand dollars for the purpose of building a meeting house,
and four managers were nominated to act in this business. It does not seem
that success -attended this effort. Subscriptions in money, building
materials and labor were raised for the building of the meeting house, and
it was accepted as completed according to contract September 14th, 1815.
It was not finished as it was intended eventually to be but so that public
worship could be held in it.
Neither pews, slips nor pulpit were provided, but the people went up with
joy to the courts of the Lord, to worship Him in His own house. After a
number of years a steeple was built upon the east end of the meeting
house, a bell procured in 1837, the pews or slips were constructed, and a
lofty pulpit placed for the elevation of the minister. Thus they intended
to have their pastors settled over the people. Many years after, one of
the pastors expressed the earnest wish to have the pulpit brought down
from its great altitude, that he might be among his people as one of them,
saying when his Master wished him to come up to heaven he hoped he should
be ready, but while he was upon earth he did not wish to be placed
somewhere between earth and heaven. The pulpit was brought down as he
wished, and yet it was too high for some of his successors, and it has
been brought down several feet lower, and now it has only the elevation of
the modern pulpit. A number of years since, the people feeling the need of
a lecture room or vestry, moved the meeting house about fifty feet on the
hillside, and constructed a very commodious vestry under it, where the
evening meetings and other religious and social gatherings are
accommodated. Thus the same meeting house has been occupied during the
entire history of the church, except for a short time when worship was
held in the Center school house.
The Congregational church was organized by an ecclesiastical council, May
31st, 1810, consisting of fifteen members. Present on the council:
Reverend Nathan Williams, D. D., of Tolland, moderator; Reverend Moses C_
Welch, of North Mansfield, scribe; and Reverend Hollis Sampson, of
Eastford, with their delegates. The creed and covenant adopted by the
church were approved by the council.
The church has had ten deacons: Ebenezer Cary, Nathaniel Moseley, Elkanah
Barton, Roger Clark, Darius Knight, Jared Clark, Ephraim Kingsbury, Otis
Whiton, John W. Griggs and William Martin. All have finished their work
upon earth except Deacons Griggs and Martin, who are now acting deacons.
The church has had six pastors and several stated supplies. Reverend David
Avery, Reverend Nathan Grosvenor and Reverend John R. Freeman are the only
stated supplies who have served for any considerable time. Reverend David
Avery labored at the time of the formation of the church, was one of the
original members, married Deacon Chaplin's daughter Hannah, preached in
Chaplin and in Bennington, Vt., and died while laboring in Virginia
February lath, 1817. Reverend Nathan Grosvenor made his home in Chaplin
during the closing years of his life, died in Chaplin, and was buried in
Pomfret in the ancestral cemetery. Reverend John R. Freeman, after leaving
Chaplin, preached in Andover, Conn., Barkhampsted and Westford, where he
died December 6th, 1876. Reverend Francis Williams, of Chaplin, preached
his funeral sermon. He was buried in the beautiful cemetery in Westford.
Reverend Jared Andrus, a native of Bolton, Conn., was installed December
27th, 1820, being the first of the six regular pastors. He was dismissed
May 11th, 1830. He was born May 6th, 1784, and died November 12th, 1832,
having been installed over the Congregational church in North Madison,
Conn., in the preceding June. He was buried in the cemetery at North
Madison. Reverend Lent S. Hough was ordained in Chaplin August 17th, 1831,
and was dismissed December 20th, 1836. After leaving Chaplin, Mr. Hough
preached in North Woodstock 1837-41; North Madison, 1842-45; Bethel,
1845-46; Middletown, 184763; Wolcott, 1863-69; Salem, 1869-70; Niantic,
1870-77; and died in Poquonock September 22d, 1579, aged seventy-six.
Reverend Erastus Dickinson, born in Plainfield, Mass., April 1st, 1S07,
ordained pastor of the Congregational church in Canton, Mass., 1835, was
installed the third pastor in Chaplin October 25th, 1837, and was
dismissed `January 2d, 1849. Mr. Dickinson preached, after leaving
Chaplin, in Marshfield, Mass., Colchester, Conn., and in Sudbury,-Mass. He
was dismissed on account of failing health, and only preached occasionally
afterward. He removed to Bricksburg, now Lakewood, N. J., where he resided
about twenty years. He died September 4th, 1888, aged eighty-one.
Reverend Merrick Knight, born in Northampton, Mass., January 15th, 1817,
was ordained in Chaplin as the fourth pastor May 1st, 1850, and dismissed
December 31st, 1852. Mr. Knight afterward preached in Stafford, Hebron,
North Coventry, Broadbrook, Rocky Hill, Torringford, New Hartford, South
and East Hartland, where he is still laboring in the work of the ministry.
Reverend Joseph W. Backus, the fifth pastor, a native of Franklin, Conn.,
was ordained in Blackstone, Mass., installed in Chaplin January 23d, 1856,
and dismissed January 1st, 18.58. Mr. Backus afterward preached in
Leominster, Mass., Lowell, Mass., Rockville, Thomaston and Plainville,
where he still labors in the ministry.
REVEREND FRANCIS WILLIAMS, the sixth pastor, was born in Ashfield,
Franklin county, hass., January 2d, 1814. He was the fourth son of Captain
Israel and Lavina Toy Williams. The family consisted of nine sons and two
daughters. He prepared for college at Sanderson Academy in Ashfield,
Amherst Academy and the academy at Shelburne Falls. He entered Williams
College in 1834 and graduated in the class of 1838, speaking an oration at
commencement. He was one of the prize speakers in his junior year, and had
also a junior oration. Immediately after graduation he entered the
Theological Seminary at East Windsor Hill, Conn., where he graduated in
August, 1841. During his educational course, he taught in Coxsackie, N.Y.,
two terms in Hawley, Mass., and during the winter of his senior year he
was principal of the Sanderson Academy in his native town, and one winter
during his seminary course he was principal of the academy in Windsor,
Conn. He was licensed to preach at the close of the middle year in the
seminary, by the Franklin County Association at Coleraine, Mass. Nearly
six months before he closed his seminary course, he received a call to
settle in Eastford, Conn., and accepted it, on condition that he should
complete his course at the seminary, supply the pulpit by exchanges, or by
sending some of his classmates, whenever he, wished; his salary then
commenced, and he has been under a regular salary continuously from that
day to the present. Reverend Doctor Tyler, of East Windsor Hill, preached
his ordination sermon. General Nathaniel Lyon, of Eastford, graduated at
West Point and came to his home at about the same time, and henceforth
until Lyon's death, they became personal friends; Mr. Williams offering
the prayer at his funeral. After a little more than ten years, Mr_
Williams accepted a call to settle in Bloomfield, Conn. Reverend Doctor
Milton Badger, of New York, preached the sermon of installation. In 1858,
Mr. Williams accepted a call to settle in Chaplin, where he has remained
for about thirty-two years. Professor Edward A. Lawrence, D. D., of East
Windsor Hill, preached the installation sermon. His health has been good
almost during his entire ministry. Since his graduation at the Theological
seminary, in 1841, he has been but twice absent from the annual
anniversary of the seminary, and then he was detained to attend funerals.
For more than thirty years he has been a trustee in the Hartford
Theological Seminary, only the Hon. Newton Case, of Hartford, being his
senior in office. On several occasions he has been a member of the
examining committee in that institution. For several years he has been a
director of the Connecticut Home Missionary Society and a trustee of the
Ministers' Fund, and has never been absent from one of the-meetings. For
more than forty years he has been acting school visitor in the different
towns where he has resided. In 1876 he was elected as a member of the
legislature and was a member of the committee on temperance.
On the 22d of October, 1841, he married Miss Mahala R. Badger, daughter of
Enoch Badger, of Springfield, Mass. She was sister of Reverend Norman
Badger, a classmate of Stanton, the great war secretary, a professor at
Gambia College, O., president of Shelby College, Ky., and died while
chaplain in the army. She was also a niece of Doctor Milton Badger, long a
distinguished secretary of the Home Missionary Society. They have had five
children, four sons and one daughter. Two sons died in infancy. Edward F.
graduated at Williams College in the class of 1868, taught for a short
time, when failing health compelled him to return to his home in Chaplin,
where he died October 6th, 1869, aged 24. Charles H_ graduated at
Eastman's Business College at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., became a member of
Haight's Engineer Corps, took a severe cold while at Rondout, N. Y.,
surveying the Hudson River railroad, had severe hemorrhage of the throat,
and died in Chaplin, December 19th, 1874, at the age of 26. Mary
Elizabeth, their only daughter, graduated at Mt. Holyoke Seminary in the
class of 1871, taught select school after graduation, married Reverend
William H. Phipps, October 10th, 1872. He has been pastor in East
Woodstock, Poquonock, and Prospect, Conn., where he has been pastor for
about eleven years, and where he still continues his labors.
Seven sermons preached by Mr. Williams have been printed in pamphlet form,
and several in part or in full in newspapers.
1. Temperance Funeral Sermon of Francis Squires. At his own request
preached, Text 2d Kings, 10. 9: " Responsible Agents of Intemperance."
In American Temperance Preacher No. 4.
2. Funeral of Benjamin Bosworth, Esq., of Eastford.
3. Funeral of Reverend Asa King, pastor in Westminster, Conn.
4. Funeral of Mrs. Asa King, preached in Westminster.
5. Funeral of two soldiers from Chaplin, killed in the battle of
Winchester, Earl Ashley and Anson A. Fenton, preached in Chaplin. Text,
John 18, 36.
6. New Year's Sermon, January 5th, 1863, in Chaplin.
7. New Year's Sermon, January 3d, 1874, in Chaplin.
No ecclesiastical council has ever been called to adjust any church or
ministerial difficulties, and no minister placed over this people has been
accused of, or tried for any scandal or heresy while pastor here or
elsewhere. It is a temperance town. N o saloon, tavern or dancing hall is
known to exist; and probably a dancing school or hall has not been known
in the town in the last fifty years, if ever; certainly not in the last
thirty years. Many, noted revivals have taken place, and the church has
been in a vigorous state for a rural community.
Back to: Chaplin, Windham
County, Connecticut History
Source: History of Windham County, Connecticut,
Bayles, Richard M.; New York: W.W. Preston, 1889 Back to: Windham County, Connecticut
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