Jesse Smith

GEDCOM Note

Jesse Smith is not listed as one of the children of Samuel Smith and Rachel Lambert. Discrepencies in birth dates prevent accuracy as well. A Daughter Elizabeth is said to be born 30 Jul 1708, and it is not possible to have another kid one week later. If they were twins they would be born within 24 hours apart most likely.
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The Plymouth Church, or as it was long known, the Second Congregational Church of Milford, was formed mainly of dissenters from the First church. In 1737 near the close of the ministry of Reverend Samuel Andrew, a colleague pastor was called in the person of Reverend Samuel Whittlesey of Wallingford. His settlement was opposed by a considerable minority who accused him of inclining too much toward Arminianism, and being therefore doctrinally unsound. After much discussion of the matter, they consented to his ordination, provided that if at the end of six months they should remain unsatisfied, they should have the liberty of another, chosen by them to be settled in the ministry as the colleague of (the new pastor) Mr Whittlesey. It appears that in this probationary period Mr Whittlesey so much guarded himself against the utterance of so called unsound doctrines that the minority did not move for a compliance of the agreement. But soon after the expiration of the six months he gave them cause for uneasiness by declaring from the desk such doctrines as they did not believe were agreeable to the Word of God, neither were embraced by their pious predecessors the Fathers of England.

They made complaint, but the church failing to take cognizance of their grievance, the county association was appealed to, in May 1740, for advice and counsel. But they were told by the Reverend Fathers of that body that they had no advice to give thus slighting them in their distressed and afflicted state.

An appeal was next made to the town in December 1740, also to no purpose the Hon Jonathan Law, moderator of the meeting appearing not pleased with it and putting it aside.

Failing in every attempt to obtain relief they availed themselves of their right to dissent from the church constitution and to declare for the excellent establishment of the Church of Scotland or to avow themselves to be Presbyterians and to incorporate as such under the laws of the colony To this end the following persons agreed to apply to the next county court and there perform what the act required Seth Plumb, Peleg Baldwin, Jesse Smith, Samuel Merchant, Samuel Hines, Gyles Oviatt, Deliverance Downs, Jonathan Fowler, Samuel Hine, Daniel Collins, Joseph Prichard, Joseph Northrup, John Baldwin, Josiah Hine, Joel Baldwin, Andrew Santford Jr, Samuel Bristol, Jesse Lambert, Samuel Santford Jr, Daniel Downs, Lewis Mallett, John Oviatt, James Smith, Samuel Eells, Nathaniel Buckingham, Samuel Oviatt Jr, William Fenn, Andrew Santford, George Clark, Benjamin Fenn, Jeremiah Peck, Joseph Smith, Bartholomew Sears, Thomas Welch, William Sewall Sears, Joseph Fenn Jr, John Downs, Nathaniel Eells, Samuel Eells Jr, John Smith, Joseph Howman, Lemuel Smith, Josiah Tibbals, Samuel Oviatt, Samuel Hine Jr, Horace Peck.

These were all members of the First church and as such declared their sober dissent. Twelve others soon joined them and cause gained sympathy every day. The matter coming before the court in January 1741, that body put it off until the April term, and then still further postponed action, advising them not to prosecute their dissent thinking that the feeling created in Milford that by Reverend Mr Tennant's preaching might indicate a way of relief. But this hope not being realized the plea before the court was continued in November 1741. To their great surprise, the judges not admit their dissent, dismissing it on a technicality. A new memorial couched in the language of the statute was now presented, proclaiming their dissent without expressing assent to any of church government which was placed on file. They also agreed November 30th 1741, to set up a separate assembly if thirty would unite for that purpose. These were secured and in January 1742, they qualified themselves according to the English act of Toleration as Separatists from the church established by the laws of colony.

But in the meantime the decided opposition of the First church was awakened and a series of petty persecutions followed The ministers at their public meetings were cited to appear before the magistrates as disorderly transient persons In this way Benajah Case AM of Simsbury was brought before Governor Jonathan Law January 17th 1742 charged with preaching to the sober dissenters After two days trial in which the governor made many apparent prejudicial rulings against Mr Case he was adjudged guilty and sentenced to pay in all 41 shillings and 4 pence Mr Case refused to do this when he was taken to the New Haven jail until the sentence should be satisfied.

But the congregation was not discouraged and in June 1742 decided to build a meeting house asking the consent of the town to set it on public land This privilege being refused a lot was purchased of Bartholomew Sears east of the old meeting house and on the opposite side of the river the county court granting the necessary liberty November 9th 1742 The first sermon in it was preached by Reverend John Eells in April 1743 The house was very plain and had no steeple until 1799 when one was built by subscription Stephe n Treat Esq donating the bell for the same The house was used until 1833 when a part of the present edifice took its place.

Complaint having been made of Mr Eell's preaching the constable searched for him but he could not be found Mr Kent who was the second person to preach in this house was also complained of but could not be apprehended.

In April 1743 the church placed itself under the care of the Presbytery of New Brunswick and in June that year Reverend Richard Treat of that body came and preached so acceptably that his settlement as a minister was most earnestly desired. But his charge in New Jersey would not consent to his leaving them. Meantime Mr Whittlesey and his Old Light adherents had not become more tolerant. But so strongly were they opposed to those holding New Light views that up to 1743 he had refused the use of his pulpit to five ministers in good standing but who differed with him on the points which were then engaging the attention of the people in so earnest a manner. Hence to appease the popular desire to hear them on one occasion, one of these visiting brethren preached from the doorstep of the meeting house to more than a thousand people.

In 1743 the persecution reached its climax. In August of that year Reverend Samuel Finlay, president of Princeton College by the approval of the New Brunswick Presbytery, preached twice for the dissenters, but he was apprehended for disorderly conduct, prosecuted, condemned, and ordered by Governor Law to be transported as a vagrant from town to town by the constable of each town. This outrageous sentence reacted upon the opposition and greater liberty was accorded in the course of a few years.

In May 1750, the general assembly released the dissenters from paying taxes to the First society and gave them certain parish privileges In 1760 they became an ecclesiastical society of the established church holding their first regular meetings as the Second Society in Milford October 27th 1760. Thus the society and church were designated until May 1859 when the general assembly authorized the name to be changed to the Plymouth Society of Milford by which title it and the church have since been known.

- History of New Haven County, Connecticut, Volume 2, Edited by John L. Rockey

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jan 14 2018, 22:36:06 UTC