Historical Notes
Recording Early Church HistoryFirst Church owns nine hand-written volumes containing early church history. These records, mostly unsigned, were at first kept by ministers, later by scribes. In the 1940's the volumes were photocopied by the Connecticut State Library and the original volumes are now stored there. Members of the Historical Committee have, over the past seven years, transcribed these copies and recorded them into more readable form. They are now in the church computer. Volume One has had a peripatetic history. Here is a quote from Mr. William S. Porter, who made, in his fine, Spencerian hand, a more legible copy of this volume, at the behest of the church in 1842. (We weren't the only ones who had trouble deciphering that early handwriting!)
"The original first volume was for many years thought to be lost but was accidentally discovered by Dr. William Whitman, in the winter if 1841/2, among the papers of his father, Rev. Elnathan Whitman, who probably brought it to Hartford among his father, Rev. Samuel Whitman's, papers. It was wonderfully preserved on the destruction of the Whitman's house in Hartford, in which the Whitman papers were burned. The original properly belongs to the Church in Farmington, but as Dr. Whitman being now old, has a strong attachement to it as it contains the only record of his ancestor, and laying a claim to it, the church relinquished their right of [illegible word] for the present but should keep an eye on it and claim it at his death."
Remember that wandering first volume of our church records, which ended up in the hands of William Whitman, Reverend Samuel's son? On his death his son, William E. Whitman, took the volume with him back home to Philadelphia. At First Church's Annual Meeting in January, 1848, it was voted "that the Pastor be requested to write to Mr. Whitman of Philadelphia for the purpose of securing the first volume of Records of the church which was said to be in his possession and request its return." Eight long years went by. Then, at a special meeting in September, 1856, it was voted that "A.F. Willims, Esq., be requested to take all suitable measures to recover to the use of this Church the first volume of its records, as soon as may be. Voted that we respectfully request Mr. William Whitman, Esq., of Phila to deliver to the order of Mr. A.F. Williams the first volume of our records, which are supposed to have passed into his hands with the papers of his father, the late Mr. William Whitman of Hartford." Four months later, Volume One came home.
Where Mr. Porter, the copyist of this volume, was not able to read something, he just left it out but made no note of doing so! Nor did he copy page by page, but rearranged sections to suit his own sense of order, and in a way, he was right. He listed all baptisms together, all lists of members together, etc., no matter where they had appeared in the original. This was helpful for those looking for vital statistics, but it was a distinct disadvantage when comparing the two volumes! "Did he copy those minutes? WHERE did he put them???" Those vital statistics, by the way, and all the others that were included anywhere in the nine volumes, have now been collated and are available in the membership files, thanks to the careful work of Sandy Wheeler, who worked every Tuesday afternoon for those seven years. She has moved to New Hampshire but we will continue to benefit from her archival skills and her dedication to finishing the transcriptions.
Gathering for Worship in 1652
Throughout the early days of Farmington, the only gathering place for everyone was at the church services on Sunday. To most people, going to church was not only a matter of faith and conviction, but of desire. It not only answered their need for worship, but it furnished their best opportunity for getting together socially. After morning worship, the townspeople would meet in the Sabbathday house behind the Meetinghouse, where they would eat the food they had brought with them and catch up on town news. Since the Meetinghouse iteself had no heat until 1835, it's probable that there was no way of heating food; but baked potatoes, wrapped in cloth at home, would at least keep somewhat warm. It's not hard to imagine the steady chatter that went on until it was time to return for the afternoon service. In good weather, children could run off their energy and maybe be tired enough for a later nap, if the tithingman didn't catch them at it!
It was through the seating in church, decided by a committee made up of leading citizens, that one's status in the community was determined. It should have "respect to age, office and estate, so far as it tendeth to make a man respectable and to everything else which hath the same tendency." This arbitraty and undemocratic method of telling people where they must sit must have created jealousy and bitter feelings, but everyone went to church. If one failed to do so, he was made to feel the disapproval of the community. Such was the case with Seth North, who regularly absended himself from church and was always referred to as "Sinner North." The church's builder, Judah Woodruff, also refused to attend services, with what he considered good and sufficient reason, and for this he was excommunicated.
Construction of the Meetinghouse
This building is the third to house the congregation, and measures 50 x 75 feet. The framing is of oak, which came from Maine, shipped by boat to Boston and pulled on carts to Farmington. Local white pine was used in sheathing the walls, which are one inch thick. It was put together with mortise and tenon joints, held together with one-inch oak pegs and is still true today. All connecting pieces are numbered with Roman numerals. Nails used in the interior are of iron, hand-wrought by prisoners at Newgate Prison in Granby. The roof was originally covered with white cedar shingles, dipped in linseed oil, which lasted 129 years until 1901 when they were replaced with slate. The foundation is made of brown stone ashlar, sunk two feet underground. The first coat of paint was laid on in 1792 and when the Meetinghouse was stained in 1982, 20 coats of paint had first to be removed.
