The Morris Academy, under the direction of Captain James Morris, a soldier who distinguished himself at the capture of Cornwallis, also added materially to the education, interest and influence of the community.
Naturally all the ecclesiastical and religious sentiment of the community centered around the First Ecclesiastical Society, the Congregational Church, but as the inhabitants increased other churches were formed.
Quite early the Episcopalians had the services of a missionary here, but in 1745, Mr. John Davies, an Englishman who had settled in the town and was deeply attached to the principles of the established Church of England, gathered around him the people of the neighborhood and organized St. Michael’s Parish, and donated to it a piece of land on which subsequently a church was erected. From that day to this, not only Litchfield, but New Milford has largely benefited by his generosity and the interest of his family.
The late Bishop Davies of the Diocese of Michigan, and his son, the Rt. Rev. Thomas F. Davies of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts, have always taken a great interest in Litchfield and have often visited here reviving their family interest in the place of settlement of their ancestors in this country.
St. Michael’s Church has had the good fortune of having Rectors distinguished for their piety and ability. Perhaps the Rev. Henry R. Hudson, the distinguished Shakespearian scholar, was from a literary point of view, the most distinguished. He was Rector of the church for two years and subsequently became Shakespearian Professor at Harvard University.
The Roman Catholic Church, St. Anthony’s Parish, was started largely through the kindly benevolence and gifts of Miss Julia Beers, a daughter of the Hon. Seth P. Beers. Late in life she became deeply interested in Roman Catholicism, and by her social influence and her many devoted friends in the town, she gave the Parish an influence that it has ever since retained.
Our Methodist Brethren ever since 1837 have maintained services here, and have always had an influential and devoted congregation.
Upon the settlement of the town, our forefathers seem to have pursued a wise and friendly course towards the Indians, and on the whole—notwithstanding a few unpleasant instances—there were no serious conflicts.
The community seemed to have had no part in the first French and Indian War of 1744, commonly called Queen Anne’s War. On the dispersion of the inhabitants of Acadia, so graphically described by the historian Bancroft and the poet Longfellow, some four hundred of these unfortunate refugees were sent to Connecticut, and by our Legislature, on January 21st, 1755, distributed among the different towns of the State. Of these a number were sent to Litchfield, as appears of record, and some became permanent inhabitants of the town.
In the last French and Indian War, beginning in 1755, and continuing until 1763, the town took not only a considerable but a distinguished part.