atical that the settlement would be permanent. After the troubles in Stratford were settled by colonizing the new town, and the angry feelings that had been aroused had subsided, both Mr. Chauncy, who was an able and learned man, and Mr. Walker, became sensible that their conduct toward each other, during the long controversy, had not, at all times, been brotherly, and, after some time, made concessions to each other, became perfectly reconciled, and conducted themselves toward each other with commendable affection. The two churches were also on the most friendly terms, and Mr. Chauncy, in 1702, after the death of Mr. Walker, assisted at the ordination of Mr. Stoddard, his successor in the ministry. The personal history of Mr. Walker, which has reached us, is very brief. He was the son of Robert Walker, of Boston, where he was born in 1637. He was educated at Harvard College, but did not graduate. He preached as licentiate at Jamaica, Long Island, from 1663 to 1668, when he removed to Stratford, and preached in the same capacity to the members of the second church in Stratford, till its regular organization, and his own installation over it as pastor, May 5, 1670. After the troubles growing out of King Philip's war were ended, he removed with his family to Woodbury, and there spent the remainder of his days, which terminated on the 20th day of January, 1699-1700,' in the sixty-third year of his age. He was a man of solid attainments, as indeed he must be, to pass the rigid examination given him and other candidates for the ministry in those days. They were examined not only in the "three learned languages," Latin, Greek and Hebrew, but in respect to doctrinal points of theology, cases of conscience, and their ability to defend the tenets of Christianity against infidels and gainsayers, as well as their own experimental knowledge of religion. He was a pungent and powerful preacher, greatly beloved by the people of his charge. He conducted the affairs of his church with commendable discretion, and both it and the infant town flourished during his administration. settled over the first church in Stratford, in 1665, and remained there till his death in 1703, more than thirty-seven years after the settlement of Mr. Walker over the second church. No person of the name of Reed ever preached, or offered to preach, at Stratford, before the settlement of Woodbury. Rev. Peter Bulkley was solicited to preach by the dissenting party before Mr. Walker was engaged, but did not do so. The settlement of Woodbury became necessary in consequence of the disagreement of the parties of Messrs. Chauncy and Walker. The first mention of this tradition is made in Barber's Hist. Coll. of Conn., and it is suspected that a certain facetious friend of the author, residing in Woodbury, should have the honor of its paternity. 1 This da e, according to new style, is Jan. 31, 1700. The number of persons admitted to membership in his church during his ministry was one hundred and eight, a part of whom had been received on the half-way covenant plan in the first instance, but nearly all the living members at his death were such in full communion. Three hundred and seventy-six persons, infant and adult, were by him baptized. Dea. John Minor and Dea. Samuel Miles were appointed deacons at the organization of the church, and two others were subsequently chosen, on the death or resignation of the former, viz., Matthew Sherman, in 1682, and John Sherman, in 1685. Thus the infant church had secured a firm foundation, notwithstanding all the trials and hardships that beset its earlier years. After a life of usefulness, the revered Walker, "ye faithfull, worthy, beloved Minister of the Gospell, and much lamented Pastor of ye Chh of Christ," "was gathered to his fathers," and his remains repose in the southern part of the ancient burying-ground. He lies amid the faithful flock to whom he ministered in life. A rude headstone of native rock, containing only his name, and the date of his death, so worn and obliterated by the storms of more than a century and a half, that the name can scarcely be deciphered, is all that remains to mark the place of sepulture of this "early father." It might seem strange to the casual visitor within our limits, that the town he so much improved and benefited by his labors, and honored by his public and private virtues, had not long since erected a fitting monument to the memory of its earliest and most faithful servant. It is to be hoped, that the time is not far distant, when this debt of gratitude shall have been paid. in 1700, After Mr. Walker's death, the church was for a time without a pastor; but the Rev. Anthony Stoddard, having become a licentiate was engaged to supply the pulpit in this place. Being pleased with his labors, the church and town soon took the necessary steps toward his settlement in the ministry over them. Accordingly we find the following action on record: "At a law full Towns-meeting ye 13th of August 1700 in ord" to y settling of y Reverend m' Anthony Stoddard amongst us, in ye work of ye ministry. And for his encouragem' so to do; "It was Voted and agreed to allow him, as Mayntenance in ye Work of y Ministry, seventy pounds per Annu, in provision pay, or to his Satisfaction, in Case of faylure of provision pay. By provision pay, is intended, wheat, pease, Indian Corn & pork, proportionally: as also fire wood: "(We ee do also promise, to build him an house here in Woodberry of known Demensions; y' is to say, the Carpenters work & Masons work; hee providing nayles and glass; by building ye sd house is intended, doors, floures, filling up and playstering and partitions, finishing it as also a well. "(We do also promise to accommodate with a five and twenty Acre Accommodations Round y' is to say five & twenty Acres of home lott & homelott division, five & twenty acres of Meadow or lowland; five & twenty Acres of good hill Division, five and twenty of Woods Division. Twelve Acres and an halfe of pasture Division; Foure Acres and an halfe of white-oak-plaine division so Called: And all as Conveniently as may bee: Vppon such Conditions as shall be hereafter Contracted for and agreed to between him and us, and all other future divisions, successively with other five and twenty Acre Accommodations. "The Conditions of this engagement are; That in Case hee ye sd mr Stoddard, accepts of these of proposalls and engages to live and Continue with us in ye Work of ye Ministry six years after ye Date hereof; Then wt is promised as to house and Lands to bee a firm grant to him his Heires and Assigns forever to all intents & purposes w'soever, in Case of a Removall from us ye building and lands to return to us againe, to ye Town againe. we say a Removall within yes" Tearm. Death is noways intended by ye sd Removall, neither ye Towns enforcing him to a removall: In weh Covenant it is agreed on, y' in Case of a Removall: w'ever ye sd house or Accommodations, shall bee really bettered by ye sdm Stoddards own expence or improvemt ye Town shall pay him for that: "Since weh time at a Lawfull Towns-meeting ye 25th of Novemb' 1700 It was Voated and agreed y' ye aboves' specices for m' Stoddard's yearly mayntenance bee levyed at ye prices following: wheat at 4s 6d pr Bush; pork at 3 pr b: Indian Corn 2 61 pr Bush: pease three shillings p' Bush": And these prices for this yeare ye Town will not vary from for ye future Exterordinary providences interposing being Exceapted; "Recorded from ye originalls p' Jo" Minor Recorder, March 1700-1701."1 By this it will be perceived that the town not only voted him a salary, but also a settlement in land. They granted him the largest quantity of land allowed to any person, thus making him at once as rich as the most opulent farmer. His salary was to be paid entirely in provisions, a fact which again brings to our notice the almost entire want of a currency at this time. The contract of the town was carried into effect with all possible dispatch, and the house, still in existence, the oldest in the county, a cut of which appears on the opposite page, was the result. It is built in the old lean-to style. In front is the portico, on the second floor of which was the parson's study, where he prepared his sermons for the long period of fiftyeight years. On the first floor of this projection, the probate courts for the district of Woodbury were held for more than forty years. It is located in the midst of this beautiful valley, with the hoary 1 W. T. R., vol. 2, p. 24. |