Marsh's last days were much embittered by their extravagancies and commotions. Trumbull, after mentioning the "fanatical spirit" which prevailed in certain counties in the colony, adds that "there was also something of the same spirit in the county of Hartford, in the towns of Windsor, of Suffield, and in Middletown. The separations began, and principally prevailed, in these counties."

The history of the Baptists in Windsor, as in every part of the colony, is mainly a record of persecutions. The storm of opposition which overwhelmed them, only served to intensify their devotion to the peculiar principles which they espoused, and, together with the civil judgments which were brought to bear upon them, caused them to run to the extremest lengths of folly and absurdity. Separatism was undoubtedly the legitimate result of unwise and unwarrantable legislative interference with the rights of private conscience; and any odium which attaches to it, should not attach to the Baptist denomination. But the multitude as well as the law, in that day, made little or no distinction betwixt the two classes. Mr. Ebenezer Frothingham of Middletown, in a book printed in 1767, and entitled, "A Key to Unlock the Door that leads in to take a Fair View of the Religious Constitution established by Law, in the Colony of Connecticut," after affirming that the opposition was not directed against the Separatists, says: "Young Deacon Drake, of Windsor, now in Hartford prison, for the Minister's rates and building their meeting house, altho' he is a Baptist, . . is accounted a harmless, godly man, and he has plead the privilege of a Baptist through all the courts, and been at great expense, without relief, until at last the Assembly has given him a mark in his hand, and notwithstanding this, they have thrust him to prison for former rates, with several aggravations, which I shall omit. But as to what the Constitution does to relieve the poor Deacon, he may there die, and the cry of blood, blood, go up into the ears of a just God."1 This was evidently rather a hard case of treat

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1 Dea. Nathaniel Drake, Jr., of (East) Windsor, 2d Society, in a petition to the Assembly, in 1763, testifies that he is a sober dissenter from the way of worship and ministry established by the law of this Colony, and for more than six years last past hath so soberly dissented and been of that denomi

ment, but it will serve as a fair exponent of the spirit of the times. In the genealogy of the Marshall family, in another portion of this volume, our readers will find some interesting notices of some good and pious men, famous in the annals of the Baptist denomination, to whom old Windsor gave birth.

The Baptist church in Windsor has become extinct within the recollection of those now living. The Rev. Frederic Chapman was its last minister - a man well remembered for his peculiarities of manner as well as his piety and kindly disposition.

The Methodist Society.

The Rev. George Roberts was probably the first Methodist preacher in Windsor, about the year 1790. Under his preaching was converted one Ethan Barker a pious and devoted manwho formed a class, consisting of himself, as leader, Jerusha Barker, Moses Mitchell, Miriam Bennett, a Mrs. Marsh, and Martha Mather. Two years after, Mr. Barker removed to Pittsfield, Mass., where he remained four years, during which time the class at Windsor, from want of a proper leader, languished, and finally became extinct. Upon Mr. Barker's return to Windsor, he again gathered them together; and the little band, meeting regularly at his residence, increased in numbers until the year 1807-8. About this time they were re-organized, by the Rev. Laban Clark, into a class or society, consisting of Ethan Barker (Leader), and Jerusha his wife, Moses Mitchell, Miriam Bennett, Martha Mather, Samuel, Nancy, and Delia Stiles, Walter Gillespie, Ruth Phelps, and about fifteen others.

This society worshiped around, mostly in school houses, until 1822, when a church edifice was erected 42 by 37 feet, and two stories in height, where the present one now stands, on Broad Street Green. It was built by donation, some furnishing the

nation called Baptists, living within the limits of the said Second Society, the whole time aforesaid he hath joined to a Society of Baptists, and hath attended public worship with them under the ministry of a Baptist minister." The cause of the Deacon's trouble was that he refused to pay the tax which was levied on him by the Second Society, for the building of the new (orthodox) meeting house in 1761. The constables distrained for the amount, and his troubles commenced.-State Archives, Ecclesiastical.

material and others the labor, and its cost was about twelve or fifteen hundred dollars.

The first board of trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Windsor, was organized June 13th, 1823, at the house of Elisha Strong. At this meeting the following persons were chosen trustees: Elisha Strong, Eli Wilson, Ethan Barker, Abel Barber, and Hiram Phelps.

In 1845 the Society repaired their old meeting house, by moving it back, adding eighteen feet to its front, and erecting a spire, etc., at a total expense of about $2,200.

The present ministers are the Rev. Isaac Sanford and Jehu P. Ellsworth, who supply Windsor and Windsor Locks.

Episcopal Society.

The Episcopal Parish of St. Gabriel was organized December 14, 1842, and its original members were Isaac Underhill, George Spalding, Fitch Bissell, John Spencer, Alonzo M. Smith, Quarles Bedorthy, Samuel O. Loomis and Henry A. Bliss.

The corner stone for the church edifice was laid on the 6th of November, 1843, and it was consecrated January 15, 1845. The building is about 48 feet long by 28 feet wide, with transepts on each side. The posts are 20 feet high, and the body of the church is entirely free from any cross timbers, except short hammer beams; the roof is very steep and high, and its internal finish corresponds therewith, being lathed and plastered so as to show the plates, principal rafters, arches, curves, etc., which are of a mahogany color, in bold relief, and with a very pleas ing effect. The cost of the church, exclusive of the organ, was about $2000, and is said to be unsurpassed for ease of speaking and singing.

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CHAPTER XXIII.

THE SCHOOLS OF WINDSOR.

I.

1636-1700.

Nothing is more strongly indicative of the sterling character and aims of the first settlers of Connecticut, than their appreciation of the importance and claims of popular education. It was indeed inwrought with the whole fabric of their social and civil polity. They came to this land, not as isolated adventurers, entertaining varied opinions and aims, and kept together merely by the necessity of self-defence, or selfish interest; but as a body politic; and in the family relations which they brought with them, offered the best pledges, which man could offer, of the sincerity of their convictions and the permanence of the commonwealth which they sought to establish. As men who expected to carve out their fortunes by dint of their own labors, they felt that the "true dignity of labor" was enhanced and established by the existence of a sound educational system.

The very nature also, of their civil organization, making all civil officers elective, and giving to every freeman the right of voting, rendered as has been aptly said, "universal education identical with self-preservation."

But, above all, those deep religious convictions, for whose better enjoyment they had mainly sought these shores, could only be firmly established and secured by the influence of education. The very corner stone of their religious creed was

a solemn and unalterable belief in the Bible as the only "authoritative rule of life," and of every man's right and ability to interpret that rule for himself. Therefore, schools were necessary to bring all persons to an intelligent "apprehension and knowledge of the scriptures," and "of the main grounds and principles of the Christian religion necessary to salvation."

Nor can we forget, that the members of the Connecticut emigration were mainly of an intelligent better class. Most of them could read, and, as the Windsor records testify, could write. And the leaders of the colony, the Hookers and Warhams, the Ludlows and Wolcotts, men whose fervent piety, ripe experience of life and business, social position and wealth, gave them the controlling influence in the community, were men of refined and cultivated tastes, who had received in the free schools and even universities of England, the best education which that day afforded - God be praised for that God be praised, too, that amid the trials and hardships of a new settlement, they did not forget the education of their children; and that here, in the scarcely cleared openings of a primeval forest, they established at a very early date public schools; and that too, they not only entreated all, but made it obligatory on all, to send their children to school.

The mutilation of the Windsor records, prior to 1650, leaves us quite in the dark concerning the history of its schools during the first twenty years. But enough cotemporary evidence remains to show that there were probably schools here, and that its citizens were neither unmindful or neglectful of this "nursery of church and state." Hartford had a school in 1642, and we cannot suppose that Windsor, with her wealth and intelligence, the home of Ludlow, Rossiter, Warham and Wolcott, was behind her sister plantation in providing for the rising generation. We know that in September 1644, when the Rev. Mr. Shepard presented to the commissioners of the United. Colonies, a proposition "for the maintainance of poor scholars at Cambridge," suggesting that each family "which is able and willing" should yearly contribute "but the fourth part of a