New Milford. A memorial discourse, delivered in the Congregational church, New Milford, Conn., Sunday, July 9, 1876

by J. B. Bonar

5. Heman Rood was born in Vermont; graduated at Middlebury College in 1819, and Seminary in 1825; was ordained pastor at Gilmanton, N. H., June 12th, 1826-30; was pastor in New Milford from 1830 to 1835. Mr. Rood’s pastorate was the briefest this Church has ever had. He was afterwards professor in the Theological Seminary, at Gilmanton, N. H., 7 years.

6. Noah Porter, son of Rev. Noah Porter, D. D., of Farmington, was born December 14th, 1811; graduated at Yale College, in 1831; at Yale Seminary, in 1836; was ordained pastor here April 27th, 1836, and resigned December 31st, 1842; after serving the South Church, Springfield, Mass., 4 years, he then became a professor in Yale University of which institution he was elected President, and inaugurated October 11th, 1871.

7. John Greenwood was born in Berwick, Yorkshire, England, June 5th, 1794, and was ordained pastor at Royston, Cambridgeshire, June 20th, 1822-July 17th, 1836; installed pastor at Bethel, April 18th, 1838-February 1842; after serving this Church as settled pastor for one year, he was installed pastor April 24th, 1844, and resigned May 19th, 1849. In 1843 he received the honorable degree of A. M. from Yale College.

8. David Murdoch, was born in Glasgow, Scotland; graduated at Union College, in 1845; Union Theological Seminary, 1848; ordained pastor here September 18th, 1850, and remained until September 28th, 1869. He was installed pastor of the New Haven Third Church, October 1st, 1869, and remained until May 15th, 1874.

9. James B. Bonar graduated at Wabash College, 1853; at Union Theological Seminary, New York, 1856; ordained —— by the Third Presbyterian Church, New York, March 18th, 1857; installed pastor American Presbyterian Church, Montreal, Canada, June 6th, 1857, and left in 1869. He was installed pastor at New Milford, June 30th, 1870.

The Church connected with this Society was organized November 21st, 1716, with 8 male and 5 female members. During the first pastorate 225 more were added by profession and letter. During Mr. Taylor’s ministry of 42 years, 301 names were added to the roll. Mr. Griswold kept a full record of Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths during his entire ministry. His list of admissions to the Church is only to January 1st, 1797. From that date he seems to have invited all persons to the Sacraments. Under his ministry only 34 persons united with the Church. At his ordination Mr. Elliott found only 43 members—showing how the Church had been broken up in the 8 years preceding. Nine years later, after the Church at Bridgewater had been formed, Mr. Elliott reports a membership of 118; but this was before the revival that moved the town. Three hundred and nineteen members were added to the Church during Mr. Elliot’s ministry—most of them on profession of faith. There were added to the Church under Mr. Rood, 153, Mr. Porter, 116, and Mr. Greenwood, 46. After the retirement of Mr. Greenwood, Rev. E. W. Andrews was acting pastor for 6 or 8 months, and received 63 persons to Church fellowship. In the 19 years of Mr. Murdoch’s ministry there were added to the Church, 243 persons; and under the present pastorate of 6 years 80 have been received. The number of names on the Church roll up to this date is 1593. In 1861 there was a reported membership of 476; but the roll had not been revised and corrected since 1836. A careful sifting of the list in the Fall of 1870, showed a Church membership of 310 at the beginning of the present pastorate. The actual membership to-day is 332—27 of them over 75 years of age, and one of them over 100 years. At the head of the list is Mrs. Polly Canfield who united in 1812. Two persons are said to have died in this town over 100 years of age—Harry Carpenter, a colored man, and Noah Nodine, who was born in the 17th century and died in the 19th. Miss Sally Northrop, who celebrated the anniversary of her 100th birthday on the 29th of June is still living.

During the last century, the Church was sensitive as to the character of its Deacons. Instead of electing brethren at once to the office, it choose them to serve during the Church’s pleasure. If acceptable after one or two years trial, they were, by vote, “established as Deacons.” And in 1750 the Church voted that one brother, who had thus been on trial for two years, “should not be established in the office of Deacon.” Twenty-one persons have so far served the Church in this office, viz:—Samuel Brownson, James Prime, John Bostwick, Job Terrill, Samuel Canfield, Bushnell Bostwick, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Gaylord, John Hitchcock, Sherman Boardman, Elizur Warner, Joseph Merwin, Dobson W. M’Mahon, John Beecher, Nicanor Stilson, Geo. W. Whittelsey, Geradus Roberts, Seymour B. Green, William Hine, John J. Conklin, and Ethiel S. Green. From 1716 to 1803, the Lord’s Supper was administered 4 times a year; since 1808, every two months.

Nineteen men from this Church have entered the Gospel ministry, viz:—

1. David Bostwick, born here January 8th, 1721; was ordained pastor at Jamaica, L. I., October 9th, 1745, where he stayed until 1746. He was installed pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, in New York City, in 1756, and died in 1763. His work on Infant Baptism was published here and in England, and republished in 1837.

2. Joseph Treat; graduated at Princeton College, in 1757. He was ordained pastor colleague of Rev. Dr. Bostwick, First Presbyterian Church, N. Y. City, in 1762, where he remained until 1784.