TROY, TIMOTHY, aged 19, Col. Wyllys's regiment, Capt. E. Eells's company, Peekskill, N. Y., August, 1777. VANDUZER, THOMAS. WAKEFIELD, PATTESHAL, enlisted May, 1777, in Col. Durkee's regiment, Capt. John Harmon's company, for three years. WALL, JESSE, Roxbury camp, 1775. WARDWELL, ISAAC. EBENEZER. WARNER, LOOMIS. GEORGE. WEBSTER, TIMOTHY. ZEPHANIAH, was at Boston and Fishkill, served in Con tinental army. MICAH, enlisted, 1777, in 4th Conn. regiment, Capt. WELCH, EBENEZER. LEMUEL, in Lexington Alarm party, and at Roxbury WEST, GERSHOM. Westland, JosePH, enlisted May, 1777, in 4th Conn. regiment, Capt. Abner Prior's company. ROBERT, ditto -- for three years. AMOS, JR. WHEELER, JOHN. WHITING, JOHN. WILSON, JOHN (Wby), at New York, 1776; died. See p. 399. JOSEPH, enlisted May, 1777, in 4th Conn. regiment, WING, JOSEPH, ditto. SAMUEL, enlisted May, 1777, in 4th Conn. regiment, Capt. ROGER, served in summer of 1780. WILSON, CALVIN, at New York, Boston and Saratoga. WILSON, ABIEL (Sgt.), served in summer of 1780. SAMUEL, at Horseneck, from May, 1781, to March, 1782. JOEL, at White Plains, N, Y. JAMES, at New York, Boston and Fishkill. WOODWARD, OLIVER, enlisted May, 1777, in 4th Conn. regiment, Capt. Abner Prior's com'y, for three years. WOOLWORTH, EBEN'R, ditto; also in Lexington Alarm party, April, 1775. WRIGHT, ABEL, served at Peekskill and New London. YOUNG, EBENEZER, in the Light Horse, Col. Hart's regiment, at Mamaroneck Camp, N. Y., 1777. CHAPTER XXII. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. First Society. 1776-1859. On the 27th of March, 1776, the Rev. DAVID S. ROWLAND, was installed as pastor of this church and society. He was a graduate of Yale College in 1743; and entered upon the pastoral charge of the church in Plainfield, Conn., March 17, 1747-8, but owing to difficulties which had arisen during the time of his predecessor, the Rev. Joseph Coit, the church had become so divided and affected as to throw obstacles in the way of Mr. R.'s support and usefulness, and to necessitate his removal. He parted on excellent terms with the congregation, in 1761, and we next find him settled over the "Presbyterian or Congregational Church" in Providence, R. I. Here he ranked very high among the clergy of that day; and was equally admired for his talents and beloved for his amiability of temper. At an early day, he became recognized as a firm and zealous defender of the liberties of our country against foreign oppression. So obnoxious did he make himself to the enemies of the country by his bold and patriotic defence of our liberties from the pulpit, that when the town of Providence was invested, he was obliged to flee with his family in a sloop, and, during the darkness of 1 Pres. Stiles, in his MS. Itinerary, in Yale College Library, says that Mr. Rowland, when he entered upon the charge of this Plainfield Church, "installed himself in the presence of two or three ministers." the night, he escaped through the midst of the enemy's fleet, and went up the Connecticut River.1 When he came to Windsor, he was past the meridian of life and in the full vigor of his powers. "He was a powerful and eloquent preacher, of commanding presence in the pulpit, and of fine elocution," and his influence in Windsor was wide spread and beneficially exerted. 2 After the close of the Revolutionary war, and mainly by the exertions of some of those noble minded citizens of Windsor, who had been so strongly identified with that patriotic struggle, a union was effected, between the two societies. That under the charge of the Rev. Mr. Hinsdale, had, by the separation of East Windsor from the old town, become the Fourth Society of Windsor, and the plan of union proposed (May, 1792) between it and the First Society, contained the following propo sitions: 1st. That the property of both should be united in a common stock. 2d. That a bridge and causeway should be built and kept in good repair "in the new highway lately laid out from the dwelling of Dr. Alexander Wolcott to Capt. Nathaniel Howard's barn." 3d. That the centre of travel for all the inhabitants within the limits of the New Society, should be ascertained and considered as the location for the new meeting-house; with this proviso, that it should be no farther south than the location of the First Society's meeting-house, nor farther north than "the first suitable ground" on the north side of the Rivulet. 4th. That the New Society should assume all contracts between the said two societies and their pastors, except debts. 5th. That the lands given to the First Society for the support of schooling, should be applied to the support of a good school on the opposite side of the Rivulet to that on which the new meetinghouse should be built; and that the said school should be free to 1 He not only impaired his fortune, in the cause of our country, but equipped a son and sent him into the field, where he continued in service during the whole war. 2 Oliver Ellsworth, Roger Newbury, James Hooker, and others. the inhabitants on either side of the stream, and in an equally accommodating position. These propositions being mutually agreed upon, a committee, consisting of Capt. James Hooker, of the Fourth society, and Gen. Roger Newberry of the First society, was appointed to apply to the General Assembly for an act of incorporation as one society. Their application was successful, and the provisions of the act of incorporation, bearing date May 16, 1792, were fully complied with by Sept. 24, 1793. In January following, Oliver Mather and Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth, were appointed a building committee, and entered into contract with Ebenezer Clark, architect, for the erection of the new meeting-house. The new building was erected just north of the Rivulet, near the burying ground, where with some modifications and repairs, it yet remains, and gives evidence of ability to stand the "wear and tear" of yet another half century.1 1 The same year (1794), Mr. Hinsdale, the former pastor of the Fourth society, was bought off for the sum of £300, in three annual payments, by the New Society, who retained the Rev. Mr. Rowland as their spiritual guide and teacher.2 Perhaps no one act of compromise ever secured to a town so many real advantages as this union plan of Windsor. A new church edifice, a commodious academy, two new and convenient roads, with a bridge and causeway, were among its visible results. In addition to this was a very appreciable economy, which resulted from the union of the two parishes, and which was grateful to a people who had just emerged from a long and exhausting war. But more than this- and above all earthly estimate was that serene and happy influence which pervades a community who have agreed to forget their former animosities, and live together as brethren. 1 It may be worthy of note that the steps of the old meeting-house were used for the new. 2 The history of the Fourth society, under Mr. Hinsdale's charge, will be found in Appendix, No. 9. |