Page 40 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 53 Early Spring 2025

he was not an ordained minister, he was A few paragraphs from the First Congre-
a church “elder” and was appointed to gational Church of Wallingford’s 300th
handle certain duties in the “church,” Anniversary booklet delightfully de-
such as it was. But the goal from the be- scribes both the building itself and what
ginning was to hire an ordained minister, it must have been like to attend weekly
and on April 21, 1671, the first tax ever services in that space:
imposed in the town was for that pur-
pose. “It had a square roof running to a point at
the center; doors on the east and south
“In 1673, the Reverend Samuel Street side, and small windows with shutters
of New Haven accepted an invitation to and no glass. It was devoid of all beauty
become the town’s first ordained min- and elegance, and consisted generally of
ister. He had graduated from Harvard rough, unhewn logs put together in such
in 1664 and was thirty-eight years old a manner as to be hardly sufficient to
when he came to town. He initially re- keep out wind or rain or sleet or snow or
ceived an annual salary of fifty pounds, even freezing cold air.
but was later granted two hundred acres Parade Ground Sign near the Church
of land and given additional gifts of land “The interior was furnished very plain-
and money. In 1673, ‘ … itt was ordered Massachusetts who had successful- ly. Immediately before the pulpit and
that Mr. Street’s house be Raised at the ly united almost all the Indian tribes in facing the congregation was an elevat-
Townes charge.’ ” (FCC of Wlfd 300th Anniversa- New England. Starting in 1675, after the ed seat for the ruling elder, and before
ry Booklet, p.15.) The house was finished the Plymouth Colony executed three of Phil- that, somewhat lower, was a seat for the
following year, and is still standing at 238 ip’s warriors, they ravaged the towns of deacons, behind the communion table.
South Main Street, presently the home southern New England and Massachu- On the floor of the house there were
of Patrick and Paige Birney. setts, seriously disrupting life there and neither pews nor slips, but plain seats.
questioning whether the settlers could Men and women were seated separate-
The First Congregational Church is remain. It ended in late 1676. ly, on opposite sides of the house, and
formed: On February 3, 1675, a day of everyone, according to his office, age,
fasting and prayer took place where Defending the colonies required that or rank in society had his place assigned
thought was given to the organization of a militia be formed, and that severe- by a committee appointed for that pur-
a church. The townspeople met again on ly impoverished the populations of the pose. Seats were placed on each side of
February 15, at which time thirteen of Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and the front door for soldiers, and generally
them were designated to “lay the foun- Connecticut Colonies. That most certain- a sentinel was stationed in the turret. Six
dation,” meaning to organize the church. ly included Wallingford. Therefore, in a pieces of artillery were placed around
These thirteen would compromise the town meeting held on November 27, the meeting house.
management of the church, and would 1678, a resolution was passed to build a
then admit others after a careful exam- smaller meeting house, one to be 28 feet “The temperature of the meeting house
ination of their qualifications and fitness. long and 24 feet wide. in winter must have been frightful at
times as there was never any artificial
Then, at the Court of Election, held in The First Meeting House is completed: heat allowed except in bitter winter
Hartford on May 13, 1675, it was made Work commenced slowly, but finally, in when the women carried foot stoves –
official when the court wrote: “Sundry of 1681, the smaller meeting house was little square boxes filled with glowing
the Inhabitants of Wallingford, Moveing completed. It was located just north of coals from the home hearth. Men with
the court that they might have liberty to the church’s present location, in the vi- bald spots on their heads were often
gather themselves into church Fellow- cinity of today’s Simpson Court. compelled to put mittens thereon, while
ship according to the order of the gos- some carried muffs and comfortables.
pel there request being considered. This The stamping of feet sometimes quite
court grants them their desire they at- drowned out the minister’s voice. The
tending the same with the approbation pastor often wore a fur skull cap, a large
of the Neighbor churches … “ thick coat, and mittens of heavy wool.
However, the construction of an actu- “Meeting began at eight o’clock in the
al church building would have to wait. morning on the Sabbath. The minis-
The first record of the intention to do ter was treated with special reverence.
so came at a town meeting on October When he entered the door and went to
2, 1676. At that time, it was agreed to the pulpit, the people rose. The congre-
build a meeting house that was to be 34 gation stood while he led the prayers,
feet long by 30 feet wide, with a price to nearly an hour long. After the prayer,
be determined and that brought back to the Scripture was read and expounded
another town meeting. Further progress and a Psalm was ‘lined out.’ Then an-
was significantly delayed by the dangers, other prayer was offered and another
concerns and cost of King Philip’s War. Psalm. Next came the sermon, timed by
an hour glass. During this lengthy ser-
King Philip was an Indian chieftain from The Founders Rock as we call it in our church. vice, the tything man saw that order was
It’s a list of the founders of Wallingford,
which are essentially also the founders of the
40 FCC of Wallingford Church. Wallingford Magazine - Early Spring 2025