The Parsonage was bought in August, 1870, at a cost of $6,000, paid for by subscription, and presented, with certain conditions attached, to the Society. Originally, the people were called to worship, as to all public meetings, by the beat of a drum, for which an appropriation was made in 1716. For many years after the first Church building was occupied, the town annually appointed a person to beat the drum and voted him pay for his services. I have been unable to discover when the first bell was obtained. A Church clock which hung in the steeple of the second Meeting House must have been bought about a century ago. In 1780 the liabilities of the Society are thus stated: “Arrears yet due on account of clock £7 3s. 5d. and due Widow Prudence Collins, for sweeping the Meeting House £1 10s. 0d.”
Until 1745 this was the only Society and every person in town was taxed for its support. From 1750 to 1790 persons who aided in supporting other Societies were by vote, relieved from the tax for the support of this Society. There is no instance on record in which a request for relief on this plea was refused. From 1800, though this Society had the legal right up to 1819, to tax all, only the members of the Society were, in fact, taxed for its benefit. The proposal to meet necessary expenses by the sale of slips was first made in 1851 and rejected by a large majority. This plan was adopted in 1854 and has continued until the present. Previous to that, committees had from time to time “seated and dignified the Meeting House.” The resolutions of 1756, were, that “all persons of the age of 56 years and upwards should be seated in the first rank of seats, and all other persons according to the rates and taxes they have paid towards building said Meeting House.” But for special reasons of honor or infirmity, persons were often, by vote, placed in the highest rank. In subsequent seatings, it was usually voted that “no person should be placed lower than he had previously been.”
This Society does not seem ever to have received pecuniary aid from sister Churches, or from individuals outside of its own membership. In 1719 an agent was sent to Milford “to see what they would do for the support of the Gospel here.” That application was probably to the Proprietors, and there is no record of its result. The Proprietors set apart what were called “Donation” or “Parsonage Lands for the support of the Gospel according to the Presbyterian Congregational order, in the town.” From these lands a 24s. lot was given to Mr. Boardman as part of his settlement, and probably a similar lot to Mr. Taylor at his ordination. The remainder of this land was sold at different times before 1790, and the proceeds given to the various Societies within the town in proportion to the “List” of their members. And in 1790 the Proprietors appointed a Committee to examine the roads belonging to them, to narrow them and sell the land thus obtained. This Committee completed its work in 1810. Part of the proceeds of the land thus sold from the highways, was donated to this Society, and carefully invested in Hartford Bank Stock, which it holds to this day.
In 1792 Col. Josiah Starr, who had long been Treasurer, purchased some Hartford Bank Stock, for the Society, and to complete the payment advanced out of his own funds $192 24. Mr. Comstock, a later Treasurer, has recorded that this was never repaid. Col. Starr, doubtless, intended this as a gift to the Society.
September 13th, 1860, a vote of thanks was passed to John P. Treadwell, Esq., then of New York, for the gift of $500 toward the purchase of an organ.
September 19th, 1834, a vote of thinks to Miss Gratia M. Merwin for the donation of $100.
March 3d, 1870, a vote of thanks to Royal I. Canfield, for $500, given for a permanent fund, the avails to be used for the support of the Gospel. Mr. Canfield had previously (1861) given additional land for sheds, which cost him $100.
Mr. Homer Beard, who died February, 1871, bequeathed to the Society land which was sold for $1,030.
And Mrs. Phebe Beard, his widow, who died September, 1874, left to the Society property which netted $832.
This Society has always shown a characteristic New England thrift and prudence in regard to its finances. So early as 1755, it appointed a committee to “take care of the money, coming from the sale of the Parsonage lands, to loan out said money on good and sufficient security.” From that time to this, the Society has always had money loaned, invested in Government securities or in Bank stock. And in 1787, it was voted that only the interest over six per cent., should be used for current expenses. But this rule has not been observed or the Society would now be rich.