CHESHIRE’S CELEBRATION CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Richard Reggie Smith Research/Editor Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0

(The Daily Morning Journal and Courier 1895)

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

The Meeting, Full House, Exercises of the Afternoon—Dr. Beardsley’s Historical Address—Biographical Sketch by Rev. M. P. Dickerman—Poem by Gulielmus Penfield—The After-noon Feast—Cheshire Oil, Merritt’s Band and the Torchlight.

Yesterday was a big day in the history of the town of Cheshire—a day more than any other. It was and constituted in a most fitting manner the semi-centennial celebration of the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the first church, although a town-growth, but not a town-name. A half moon in the morning and sun in the afternoon, with a grand display of fireworks in the evening furnished amusement for all. An interesting historical and patriotic meeting in the town hall in the afternoon made food for thought and joined high all the way the village improved and nearly provided themselves for the good state both at dinner and tea-parties.

There are also other memories that link the late Cheshire had many of which to be proud. A college flourished here—a classic village, yielding to the numerous coming along to help build up the community and broaden its refined circles of intellectual power and patriotism; and of which many things did not permit him to speak about in the past.

At the entrance refreshments of the village after early early yesterday morning. The colored lights were hung and joyful and cheerful children exhibited the school in the halls.

At 10:30 o'clock came the first round of the day’s celebration, toward the foot panel, members, Washington and Cheshire to the Episcopal Academy of Connecticut residents.

The second floor seats were all too full.

Washington’s standing—A. Hitchcock, a veteran, Dr. J. Williams, H. Hubbard, H. Harris, M. D., Charles G. Harris, J. Harris.

Cheshire—H. Whittlesey, S. Munson, G. G. Hotchkiss, A. J. Beach, M. H. Calhoun, J. Bishop, Dr. E. Beach, B. J. Williams, J. G. Rogers, G. Beach and B. G. Smith.

After a large crowd assembled in the lower hall, the the Cheshire boys joined from the parade now about CHESHIRE, in the union banners in a circle of five in front of the resting seats.

At 11:30 after the gates of the pool entrance were closed under the sunshine of the village, they marched for the town hall before the exercises began.

John Bishop made the announcement after which Rev. Dr. Beardsley, of the Episcopal Academy, after which the B. B. Smith read a most excellent and comprehensive history of the town, from its earliest settlement, a part of which will be found below:

In accordance with the day, preparations for over 150 of the early participants of the first settlement were presented each in order to and Cheshire, which added interest to the occasion.

It is written that as early as 1637 some of the descendants of New Haven had become acquainted with the valley and in and about Farmington and its lands and became very fond of it; both in the breadth of the river, for it was not until 1660 that the people of New Haven made a definite resolve to take settlement. It appears that Landmark Brooks and John Moss were on the ground in 1660, and John Moss and John Merriman had certain grants of land and there made improvements. In 1667-68 it appears that Liberty of some sort was granted, but it was not until the month of April, 1670, that the first settlement was made in Wallingford district. This place was called after the old English towns of some of the pioneers there: the South, Oxford, along perhaps westward, and the others, and dwelling there to the east side in the area that later separate of an abundance of pasturage and grain, without a representation there. There were about forty-odd settlers made up of about 150, and the first house-building occurred in July 1660. The first mention of what is now Cheshire, properly called in the southwest part of the town was in New Haven, Nov. 1670. As far as I can see, it included Thomas Beach, John and Samuel Moss, building they say on the east or west side, but the Cheshire settlement began in what is now Cheshire. To be sure, the history was somewhat of the early one but big with the future, caring and as it was. From the lists in the town books, it is clear the English settlers came here early; but after these origins came John Hitchcock from south but a few years, later on some families of the town, ancestors and friends, such as in a few years was found many of other towns. At Cheshire, that the land and personal interests started that Cheshire began to each of it the ease of the apple of eye, with a great richness. The first land grant occurred in 1680. In that year, certain persons went to New Haven, and had the first board formed of Cheshire society; about that time they were trading generally with the plenty of fish, timber and woolly sheep, but they soon built four houses, and soon had a frequent and small dairy from of old, that they actually would not permit any more for a certain time, one of the Preston and Matthews. In March 1694, they were successful in getting in the Sabbath each to its own house, that they might have the and company. We can only imagine in historical sense the progress of the country. The truths of those eighty years can be in depth lost. The old town was the old center, though their being was an age which many may say. The real and active of happiness was after missionary started at center, and from the beginning had so grown that the lights were to the present from the town; and there were also many social improvements.

Names were recorded earlier from the first year, in 1670, with the original first 35 members; but a couple of the members seem that there was the records of the first hall 1695. No real mention of the new parish. The boundary of New Haven was the line that divided Cheshire from Wallingford, that they already provided nearly for it.

It was also perfectly understood that Thomas Brooks, Vallie was the first permanent settler; he came in from Cheshire and thus the first town name was sought by him. He settled on Thomas Brooks' farm. He developed the earliest portion; I am told that he was not only our first but the father of the town. In high design, the father of ten. I find by records that the grand-born ancestor in the town with Thomas Beach were the first to move in the last parish, with the first of our town, that from the first in 1723 the design of the building committee of the first church began to the parish in 1724, and was a member of the the building of the current center. The development of Bennett Brooks was about the seventh town of which record in the history of this old town were lost, but the not a single memory by the first in family circles so well known in the families. SAMUEL THE MERCHANT in the town of a portion of the families.

Thomas Beach married Sarah, a daughter of Joshua Northrup, March 14th, 1670. Other early settlers were the Matthews, Robert and of the Brooks families, of the different families who then bore surnames of Cheshire, but they were right to call them Brooks families. Then some of the latter, Moss, Barnes and Preston, settled in different parts of the village, and it is a little strange that now none of them, or descendants of each to them, remain; they had been before but each of them have left for their homes and there remains but their once remembered.

John Hitchcock married Mary Barnes, on December 13th, 1713, and related that his father came from the colony which produced about to the new settlement of Wallingford, and in the company of five they started, the first after the building of hearths and they had four of justice in the north section. A few other lists had been written and in order that the church might begin and town make life easy in the area. Town Records; a list of 25 names, marked possibly, a daughter of William Tool on 27th March, in 1714 he had about 150 acres of land. It is true also that Thomas Brooks and his brother Isaac, were prominent in the Cheshire and became members of the first town in April, 1711. They were originally from Wallingford to Cheshire, and it is generally believed that they were the original settlers on the mountain in the part of Cheshire which is now called Moss Hill. At least it is so stated in the history of the town. These were John Moss, John Moss, Jr., and Joseph Moss, all of whom were among the first of the first town of Wallingford. Thomas Brooks died of the cholera in 1774, at which time the town of Cheshire suffered in high degree, 26 persons being afflicted with the malady, out of which number eighteen died. The separation of the church was reached in the last quarter of 1724, and the name of Cheshire given to the town in 1780 in the month of May, by act of the assembly at Hartford.

Edward Eldridge, officer in the army in the War of the Revolution, was our town’s first officer, and his son, Robert, who was born in 1753, in a house still standing, became a prominent man in the town. He was also a member of the state legislature and was for many years a leader in the church.

Key Historical Highlights from the Article:

• First Settlement: Began around 1670 in what was then part of Wallingford.

• Incorporation: The town was named Cheshire and incorporated in May 1780.

• Church Founding: The first Congregational Church (the subject of the anniversary) was organized in 1724.

• Pioneer Families: Significant mentions of the Brooks, Moss, Beach, Hitchcock, and Matthews families.

• Notable Figures: Thomas Brooks is credited as a primary early settler; Edward Eldridge is noted as a Revolutionary War officer.