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£104 10 00

"Matthew Moulthrop will do what he can. John Potter also. Joseph Abbot, 25 rods of rail fence about the home lot."

"The house is to be 36 feet long and two stories high. And to be set on the side of the Green, west of Matthew Moulthrop's." The house, however, was not built at that time, and it is probable that Mr. Harriman did not continue long with them; as they seem not to have proceeded in their Society plans after 1684 or 5. For in 1686, they are mentioned in a land affair, as having returned to their former connection with New-Haven.-Unhappily, there is a chasm in the Village Records from April, 1685, to 23d December, 1703.

At a meeting held at the last mentioned date," The Inhabitants voted to take up their Village grant; and appointed a Committee to manage the concerns of the Village in order to a settlement, according to the General Court grant, and informed New-Haven of their design." They pursued that object, and in September the next year, appointed a Committee to prefer a petition to the General Assembly, to meet in October, at New Haven. A petition was presented and met with success.

"At a General Assembly at Hartford, May 1704. This assembly having considered the petition of Capt. Alling Ball and John Potter, inhabitants on the east side of the East River, in the Township of New Haven, moving, that whereas this Assembly did formerly grant that they should be a distinct society, and have liberty to call and settle a Minister amongst them, when they should find themselves able to

maintain the ordinances of God in a suitable manner, and that they doe apprehend that they are able so to doe, that, therefore, this Assembly would please to grant them certain privileges, and other matters and things for their encouragement, and enabling them to goe forward with that worke; this Assembly for divers weighty reasons doe see cause to referre the further consideration of their petition to their General Assembly in Oct. next. And if the inhabitants of New-Haven doe not appear, at the said General Assembly, and there make their pleas, then the petition shall be granted, with this restriction, that the propriety of lands shall not be concerned with."

"General Assembly, holden at New-Haven, 11th Oct. 1705, Samuel Heminway, Thomas Goodsell, Alling Ball, John Potter Jun. John Moulthrop, Samuel Thompson, and Abraham Heminway, presenting a petition on the behalf of the inhabitants, or Village on the East side of New-Haven East River, wherein they pray for the reestablishment of a former grant (excepting their freedom from countrie rates for three years, which privelege they have formerly enjoyed) and also empower them from time to time to make rates upon the inhabitants within the bounds of the said Village, as exprest and stated in the grant of New-Haven, Nov. 29, 1679—for the maintenance of their minister and building a meeting house, and to choose collectors, for collecting said rates, and a Constable and Societie Recorder to record the orders of the said Village, respecting the ministrie and meeting house." [Col. Rec.]

While these matters were pending, they were making preparation, and looking about them, for a minister. Jacob, the youngest son of Samuel Hemin way, and born in the Village, graduated at the college at Saybrook, under the Presidency of the Rev. Abraham Pierson, 1703, and was then about 20 years of age.-To him the people turned their attention.

"At a meeting of the Village, 20th Nov. 1704, Voted to look out for a minister to carry on the publick worship of God amongst us; and it was voted

1. To seek to Sir Heminway that he would give them a taste of his gifts in order to settlement in the worke of the ministry. And—

2. Voted to desire John Potter, Sen. Caleb Chedsey, and Ebenezer Chedsey, to treat with Sir Heminway, to get him, if they could, to give them a taste of his gifts in preaching the Word."

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At another meeting of the Village, 19th Dec. followingThey having had some taste of Sir Heminway in preaching the Word, did declare their desire to have him go on in the worke of the Ministry amongst us, in order to settlement; and towards his encouragement they engage to allow him after the rate of £40 by the year in pay. And, Voted that George Pardee and Caleb Chedsey signify our desires and propositions to Sir Heminway, and take his answer and make returne."

The Committee immediately consulted Mr. Heminway, and reported at the same meeting, "That Sir Heminway does comply with their motion, God's grace assisting, and does accept the proposition, and desires some consideration with respect to wood."

The next month they voted to give him £50 a year. They continued in this state until the close of the year 1706, when, at a meeting, the village appointed "William Luddington and John Potter to treat with Sir Jacob Heminway, to see whether he will goe on in the worke of the Ministry amongst us." And the same day reported Mr. Heminway's answer in writing.

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Gentlemen, Whereas you have given me notice by two men, that you desire me to carry on the work of the Ministry in order to settlement among you. I do, therefore, hereby give you notice that so far as God shall enable me thereunto, I am heartily ready and willing to gratify these your desires upon these conditions-1. That you give me £50 yearly, and my wood. 2. That you build me a good convenient dwelling house, within 2 years time, or give me money sufficient to do the same, one half this year ensuing, and one half the next. 3. That when it is in your power, you give me a good and sufficient portion of land. From my study, 2d Decr. 1706. Yours to serve. JACOB HEMINWAY." On the 26th of the same month, the Village met and voted, "We do promise Mr. Heminway, if he will carry on the work of the Ministry in said Village, to build him a house, if we can, in two years after this date, and give him £50 pay, and his wood. And in the mean time, if he wants a house, to hire him one." To accomplish these objects they laid a tax of four-pence farthing.

In the year 1707, the village built a house for Mr. Heminway, 40 feet long and 20 feet wide, on a five acre lot, on the south-east corner of the Green. One half acre was al

lowed to set the house upon, adjoining to Mr. Heminway's home lot. The wages in working at the house were three shillings a day for a man, and six for a team.

The terms proposed were adjusted and ratified in 1709. They gave to him the house and lot it stood on--also twelve acres on the cove road, twelve acres in the bridge swamp, 30 acres in the half mile, £50 per annum, and sufficient wood, "if he performs the worke of the Ministry so long as he is able; or if it be our fault that he is forced to leave us, it shall be his. But if it be his fault, or he leaves the place, or is hindered in the worke, then the property is to return to the Village. And he is to have the use of the Parsonage land.”

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The same year, 3d May, 1709, voted to petition the General Assembly that we may embody into a Church state."

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May 12, this Assembly do grant their consent and full liberty to the inhabitants of the village of East-Haven, in this colony, to embody themselves into a Church state, with the approbation of their neighbouring churches."

The care and solemnity with which they proceeded in preparing for that transaction is worthy of notice.

April 25th, 1710. "Upon some considerations about setting up the worship and ordinances of Christ in this place, and in order to a suitable attendance upon so great and weighty a worke, the village made choice of, and desired sundry persons, whose names are underwritten, as a Committee, to take advice and search for the right way, as near as may be ascertained, to prosecute the aforesaid worke, under hopes of the blessing of God to accompany and succeed such a worke for soul good to us, and ours after us, to many generations." The persons chosen for this object were, William Luddington, Thomas Goodsell, Lieut. John Russell, George Pardee, Caleb Chedsey, Sergt. John Potter, and Daniel Collins.

With such views the Church was gathered and constituted a Congregational Church; and became a member of the Consociation of New-Haven county; that body having been organized, according to Saybrook Platform, in 1709.

The Church was gathered on the 8th Oct. 1711, and Mr. Heminway was ordained Pastor of the Church the same day. But unhappily no Church Record can be found of the transactions of that day, nor of the affairs of the Church until 1755. It however appears, that Caleb Chedsey was one of the first Deacons ; he died in 1713. Joshua Austin was

Deacon in 1718.

And he and Thomas Smith were both Deacons at the time of Mr. Street's ordination, but were then very aged. To them succeeded Deodate Davenport and Daniel Hitchcock-then Samuel and Abraham Heminway-then Amos Morris, Stephen Smith, Samuel Davenport, John Morris, and Levi Pardee.

When Mr. Heminway commenced his labours, the village had no meeting-house. But at a meeting, June 10th, 1706, "The Village agreed to build, 20 feet long, 16 feet wide, and 17 feet between joints, and set it across the east end of the School House." William Luddington and John Russell were overseers of the work, and were allowed 3s. 6d. per day, other men 3s. and team 6s. This house served them until the year 1719, when they erected another house on the hill, or " Nole," the northwest corner of the Green, where the road is now laid. So early as the year 1714, the Village "voted to build a meeting-house 30 by 40 feet, 20 feet high, and jutted one foot at each end, with a strait roof." And the next year, they voted a sixpenny rate for the expense. In 1718 they began the house. Capt. John Russell, Nathaniel Hitchcock, Abraham Heminway and Samuel Hotchkiss, were the building Committee. And the next year they were charged "to hurry the work." The form of the seats and the pulpit were to be like those of Branford meetinghouse: and a pew was to be built for the Ministry. Wages from the 10th Sept. to the 10th March, to be 2s. 6d. ; and the rest of the year 3s. team 5s. Indian corn 2s. 6d.

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The house being sufficiently advanced to occupy, the 19th Oct. 1719, the Village met and "voted that the new Meeting-house should be seated:-that the first short seat should be reckoned equal with the second long seat and so on :that Mr. Shepard, Mr. Tuttle, and William Luddington, should sit in the first short seat. And old Mrs. Heminway, Mrs. Bradley, Mrs. Denison and Mrs. Smith, shall sit in the first seat of the square body. Mr. Pardee, Mr. Morris, Capt. Russell, Sergt. John Thompson, Samuel Russell, and Samuel Clark, shall sit in the fore seat of the square body. And these six men are chosen to seat the rest of the meetinghouse, or the major part of them to do it, according to their rates in 1717, and that by Monday next ensuing."

About 30 years afterwards, the meeting-house wanting repairs, it was motioned to build a new house; but they continued to repair the old one for about fifty years, when they began the erection of the stone house. In the mean

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