Rev. Henry Smith in Wethersfield, Expanded

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut Colony
Surname/tag: Smith

Henry Smith (abt.1599-aft.1648) Samuel Smith (1638-1703)

REV. HENRY SMITH IN WETHERSFIELD

This information was taken from the book The History of Ancient Wethersfield by Henry Reed Stiles in 1900. Sherman Wolcott Adams added several chapters in 1904, but none of these included more information about Rev. Henry Smith. If more information is found about Rev. Henry Smith in another source, please feel free to add it.

Contents 1 Settling in Wethersfield 2 Rev Henry Smith, Pastor in Wethersfield 3 The Pastor In Court 4 Henry's Son Samuel 5 Sources

Settling in Wethersfield

The first settlers came to Wethersfield in 1635. By 1639 the Wethersfield plantation was well established. A plantation was land area that wasn't covered by a township. Soon afterwards Wethersfield was established as a town. Rev. Henry Smith was among the 34 proprietors who had legitimately come by land by purchase from Indians by 1639, and they had a partnership with the town and church "to occupy such portion of the land as might be necessary for their respective wants." Rev. Henry Smith was one of the people granted land by the town.^[1]

Dates can get a little confusing since there were so many Henry Smiths in New England. One document mentions a list of 8 people in 4 towns in March 1636 who were commissioned make up the General Court of Connecticut. For Wethersfield it was William Swaine and Henry Smith. They weren't there for the first meeting, but were there for most of the rest. This would suggest that Mr. Smith had settled in Wethersfield either in 1636 or 1637. It's believed by some that this Henry Smith was someone else who might not have stayed in Wethersfield very long.^[2]There was a Henry Smith who left Weymouth, England in April 1637 with wife, 4 children and 8 servants. It's believed this is our Henry. On Dec 5 1637 Rev. Henry Smith and Dorothy became members of the Watertown, Massachussetts church - we don't know if this was our Henry Smith or not. He would likely have moved to Wethersfield after this. His earliest record in Wethersfield's records is in 1639 when land was assigned to him on the east side of the Connecticut River. In 1641 Rev. Henry Smith became the minister in Wethersfield and apparently remained in this position until he died. He wrote his will on May 8 1648; it is unknown how long after this he died.^[3]

Rev. Henry Smith obviously came from a wealthy family. His son Samuel said he had both manservants and maidservants. He is called a "gentleman of good family" and "the patriarch of one of the best sustained and accomplished families in New England" and "is entitled to our regards a gentleman of uncommon culture, refinement and firmness."^[4] One of his servants in 1640 was Thomas Wainwright^[5] We also know he owned 2 horses since in 1648 he was appraised at £23 for owning a horse and mare. ^[6]

Rev Henry Smith, Pastor in Wethersfield

Rev. Henry Smith is considered to be the first settled pastor in Wethersfield. The first three pastors simply officiated - they weren't settled. The first of these was Rev. Richard Denton who came from Watertown, Massachusetts in 1638. Indeed, there wasn't even a church in Wethersfield the first year of settlement as it wasn't settled by a church organization like its sister towns Hartford and Windsor. At this time plantations in Connecticut were named after the towns in Massachusetts that founded them, and the church of the plantation was considered an extension of the church in the established town. In spring 1636 six men of Watertown (the name before Wethersfield) petitioned and were granted permission to establish a church. Rev. Henry Smith wasn't among them, indicating he came later than this. No church notes exist until 1647 and we don't know how involved he was in its leadership at first.^[7] The church was finally organized on February 28, 1641. It seems that this was when Mr. Smith became its pastor.

Rev. Henry Smith as pastor was provided with a parsonage to live in, wood for fuel and a pasture for his cows. He had 240 acres of land on the east side of the river, but it's unknown whether this was given to him as pastor or if that was his first general allotment. His salary is the first one known, being raised from £70 to £80 in September 1647. His house, sitting on 5 acres, was west of High Street and east of the Meeting House Square; south of the highway and north of the burying ground. Eventually his house became the church parsonage, the Meeting House being next door. The nearby Meeting House was where all community meetings were held: worship services, elections, public gatherings, etc. It didn't hold the same kind of sacredness that churches often hold today.^[8]

The Pastor In Court

Mr. Clement Chaplin had become ruling elder of the church in 1639. A ruling elder did the work that the pastor did not have time for. He would watch over "the brethren and sisters", admonishing, warning, etc. Also he visited the sick. When the pastor was gone, he would pray on Sunday and expound scripture. Chaplin seems to have been inclined to quarreling as other disagreements are listed in records. He took Mr. Mitchel the town recorder to court in 1640. Many Wethersfield people emigrated to other towns for some peace, it is said, because of Chaplin's behavior. He was particularly quarrelsome with Rev. Henry Smith.^[9]

On March 5 1639 Clement Chaplin brought Rev. Henry Smith to court, claiming he had moved the posts on his land, thus stealing some of Chaplin's land. The court came to Wethersfield, studied it and judged it "very equall and reasonable, in regard Mr. Smith in setting up his posts proceeded in a legall and just way, that he be not put to the charge of taking up and setting downe his posts againe.” It seems Chaplin never really let go of his grudge against Mr. Smith for winning this case. There are also some indications that there was a title to some real estate in the Great Meadow that they argued over. The issue wasn't fully settled until some years after Mr. Smith had died.^[10]

On April 13 1643 a petition against Mr. Smith was brought to court. The committee decided to take it into "sadde and serious consideration" and declared "we doe finde the distance and differences to be exceeding great, and some of them such as will necessarily require publique examination and censure, so that till then we can not express our judgments concerning p'ticulars." It seems the accusations were rather vague, being called indecent proceedings in church and civil matters. Everyone was invited to set a date to give particular grievances. While Mr. Smith was exonerated, it was suggested that in the interest of the "publique peace" he "lay downe his place." However, Mr. Smith remained as pastor. Several people came forward to accuse Mr. Smith. But the court called these accusations "mistakes", and it became clear the Mr. Smith "was wronged by false reports and unjust surmises." On November 24 1643 the General Court unanimously cleared Mr. Smith from these accusations against him “both in Church administration & in acting the civell occations of the Towne”. The following people were fined for their part as signers of the petition against him: Clement Chaplin, £ 10; Francis Norton, £5; John Goodrich, 40 shillings; Mr. John Plumb, "for preparing a roll of grievances against Mr. Smith and failing of proof in the prosecution thereof," £10; Robert Rose, 40 shillings. They also imposed a fine of £10 on anyone who would thereafter “renewe any of the former complaints.”^[11]

Chaplin continued to bother Mr. Smith with civil lawsuits. And he continued instigating others against him as well. It is thought that this caused him bad health and caused his premature death.^[12] In one of these lawsuits, on June 6 1644 Clement Chaplin brought a case against Henry Smith and Samuel Smith, but he didn't show up. Later that day the case was decided in favor of the defense. Only one witness showed up.^[13]On December 4 1645 Clement Chaplin brought Henry's son Samuell to court. Once again, the defense won. (page 38 of above source) It's odd because Samuel was only about 7 years old at this time. Perhaps it was the other Samuel Smith that Chaplin brought to court? But then, why would he involve Henry?

There is another view of Rev. Henry Smith given by Rev. Samuel Peters in his History of Connecticut in 1781. This book is not to be taken seriously since entries tend towards the burlesque and are highly slanted to his own view. Claims include that Mr. Smith and his followers left Watertown near Boston to escape the power of Mr. Cotton, and that Mr. Smith continued the spirit of persecution but "carried with him a sufficient quantity to distress and divide his little flock."^[14]

Mr. Henry Smith appeared in court on a few other cases as well. On June 15 1643 Thomas Waynewright brought his master to court, accusing him of battery and trespass. The defense won.^[15] And on October 1 1646 Henry Smith brought Jarvis Mudge to court, who then was required to pay 5 buh (bushels?) of dry Indian corn or its value to Mr. Smith.^[16]

Henry's Son Samuel

After Henry died, his wife Dorothy married Mr. John Russell, who had come from Cambridge, Massachusetts. John Russell's son, Rev. John Russell, became the next pastor in Wethersfield in 1648. In 1657 another huge church controversy broke out in Wethersfield and Hartford. Rev. John Russell was ready to leave Wethersfield in 1658: on April 16 a committee requested him to stay. But on May 20 the Massachusetts government gave people from Hartford and Wethersfield permission to settle in Norwattock, which became Hadley. And in December the town declared they no longer had a settled minister. Mr. Russell moved to Hadley shortly afterwards. Twenty families joined him there, including his father and step-mother and Samuel Smith the son of Rev. Henry. ^[17]

Apparently only one of Rev. Henry Smith's sons survived to adulthood and had children: Samuel, who married Mary Ensign. Peregrine died just before his father did; Noah died soon after. Samuel inherited his father's land and house. He lived in his father's house for several years and then sold it to Samuel Boardman. He also wrote up a detailed description of his father.

Samuel is not to be confused with Samuel Smith Jr. (also known as Lieutenant Samuel Smith), son of Samuel Smith "the settler" or "the fellmonger". Both moved from Wethersfield to Hadley at the same time. There were a few other Samuel Smiths who moved to Wethersfield by 1670 as well. So it takes some sorting out to figure out who did what.^[18]

It seems that Samuel at first was planning to move to Hadley, but then it's believed that in 1660 he moved to Northampton, Massachusetts instead. This is just a little south of Hadley. I could find no indication of Samuel being involved in civic life in Northampton. There's the possibility he never made it there and instead remained in Wethersfield until 1679. In any case, in 1679 he moved to Hadley to take care of his mother Dorothy whose second husband John Russell Sr. had recently died.^[19]

Our Samuel doesn't seem to have involved himself much with government in any of the places he lived. There are many records for Lieutenant Samuel Smith, but this isn't our man. And the name is very common. Sometimes there is a listing simply for Samuel Smith, but in Hadley these occur between 1660 and 1680 and thus would refer to the other Samuel who actually lived there at this time. County courts for Hampshire county were held once a year, and a Samuel Smith was one of the commissioners and associate judges for 8 years. Both Hadley and Northampton were included in this county. We don't know for certain if this was our Samuel Smith or someone else. ^[20]

A rate was made up for taxing the citizens of Hadley in 1687. Samuel Smith Sr. was living on his mother's lot, apparently either with her or next door to her. He paid 14 shillings 10 pence while Dorothy paid 1 shilling 6 pence. The other Samuel Smith's property was several houses down, both on the east side of the street. It seems he had died by now and his grandchildren John and Samuel lived there now.^[21]

Sources

1. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [1]
2. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [2] also page 182
3. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [3], pages 150 - 153
4. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [4], pages 150 - 153
5. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [5], pages 150 - 153
6. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [6]
7. ↑ Church: The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [7]
8. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [8]
9. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [9], pages 150 - 153
10. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [10], pages 150 - 153
11. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [11], pages 150 - 153
12. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [12], pages 150 - 153
13. ↑ Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society by Connecticut Historical Society Publication date 1860 as found at [13]
14. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [14]
15. ↑ Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society by Connecticut Historical Society Publication date 1860 as found at [15]
16. ↑ Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society by Connecticut Historical Society Publication date 1860 as found at [16]
17. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [17]
18. ↑ The history of ancient Wethersfield by Stiles, Henry Reed, 1900 as found at [18]
19. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 published 1905 as found at [19]
20. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 published 1905 as found at [20]
21. ↑ History of Hadley : including the early history of Hatfield, South Hadley, Amherst and Granby, Massachusetts by Judd, Sylvester, 1789-1860; Boltwood, Lucius M. (Lucius Manlius), 1825-1905 published 1905 as found at [21]