Ebenezer Abbey Sr. was born July 31, 1683, in Salem Village, Essex Co., Massachusetts Bay Colony, and died December 5, 1758, Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, at age 75. Buried in Buried in Windham Center Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT. He is the son of Samuel Abbey of Wenham, Essex Co., Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Mary Knowlton of Chebacco, Ipswich, Essex Co., Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Mary Allen was born June 10, 1688, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, and died August 25, 1765, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, at age 77. Buried in Windham Center Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT. She is the daughter of Joshua Allen of Barnstable, MA, and Mary Crowell of Salem Village, Essex Co., Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Ebenezer Abbey Sr. and Mary Allen were married October 28, 1707, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut.

Ebenezer Abbey Sr. and Mary (Allen) Abbey had twelve children:

1. Ebenezer Abbey Jr.: Born July 27, 1708, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died April, 1758, in Colony of Connecticut (age 49). Buried in Windham Center Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT. Married February 7, 1730, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Abigail Goodell: Born about 1714, in Salem Village, Essex Co., Province of Massachusetts Bay; Died about June 21, 1745, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut (about age 30). Buried in Windham Center Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT.

2. Elizabeth Abbey: Born September 11, 1709, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died Unknown. Married November 13, 1735, in Mansfield, Colony of Connecticut, to Daniel Cross Jr.: Born July 20, 1713, in Mansfield, Colony of Connecticut; Died 1796 in Shaftsbury, Bennington Co., VT (about age 83).
3. Joshua Abbey: Born January 20, 1711, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died January 13, 1807, in Windham, Windham Co., CT (age 95). Buried in Windham Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT. Married April 14, 1736, in Unknown to Mary Ripley: Born November 16, 1716, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died October 13, 1770, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut (age 54). Buried in Windham Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT.
4. Mary Abbey: Born September 21, 1712, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died March 4, 1735, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut (about age 22). Buried in Windham Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT. Married May 9, 1734, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Jonathon Bingham Jr.: Born August 17, 1712, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died February 16, 1800, in Windham, Windham Co., CT (age 87). Buried in Windham Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT.
5. Nathan Abbey: Born May 6, 1714, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died April 26, 1807, in Connecticut. Buried in Old Mansfield Cemetery, Mansfield Center, Tolland Co., CT. Married (1) December 4, 1746, in Mansfield, Colony of Connecticut, to Silence Ames: Born Unknown; Died February 6, 1776, in Connecticut. Married (2) October 17, 1776, in Connecticut, to Lucy Hovey: Born Unknown; Died Unknown.
6. Gideon Abbey: Born February 13, 1716, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died 1784 in Mansfield, Tolland Co., CT (about age 68). Buried in Windham Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT. Married (1) March 15, 1737/1738 or 1735, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Mary Wood: Born about 1715 in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died October 1742 in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut (about age 27). Married (2) December 8, 1742, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Keziah Walker: Born about 1718 in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died 1746 in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut (about age 28). Married (3) 1747 in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Bathsheba Smith: Born about 1720 in Ashford, Colony of Connecticut; Died after 1790 in probably Colony of Connecticut.
7. Samuel Abbey: Born October 30, 1717, in Hampton, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died March 1, 1718, in Colony of Connecticut (age Infant).
8. Samuel Abbey: Born April 24, 1719, in Hampton, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died September 21, 1809, in Burlington, Otsego Co., NY (age 90). Buried in West Burlington Village Cemetery, Burlington, Otsego Co., NY. Married July 8, 1766, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Temperance Lincoln: Born about 1725 in Windham, Colony of Connecticut; Died Unknown.
9. Zeruiah Abbey: Born March 17, 1721, in Hampton, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died 1774, in  New Milford, Litchfield Co., CT (about age 64). Buried in Center Cemetery, New Milford, Litchfield Co., CT. Married May 10, 1736, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Elihu Amos Marsh: Born July 12, 1717, in Plainfield, Windham, Colony of Connecticut; Died 1784, in New Milford, Litchfield Co., CT (about age 67).
10. Jerusha Abbey: Born October 22, 1722, in Hampton, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died April 1, 1820, in Connecticut (age 97). Married March 31, 1842, in Colony of Connecticut, to Samuel Wood: Born March 31, 1722, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died January 27, 1807, in Connecticut (age 84).
11. Abigail Abbey: Born August 1, 1724, in Hampton, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died 1812, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., CT (about age 87). Married November 10, 1743, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Benjamin Corey: Born December 4, 1720, in Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA; Died February 25, 1810, in Shaftsbury, Bennington Co., VT (age 89). Buried in Center Shaftsbury Cemetery, Shaftsbury, Bennington Co., VT.
12. Miriam Abbey: Born August 31, 1726, in Hampton, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died December 2, 1823, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., CT (age 97). Married October 5, 1745, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut, to William Cross: Born May 25, 1720, probably in Colony of Connecticut; Died June 1, 1801, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., CT (age 81).
13. Solomon Abbey: Born May 29, 1730, in North Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut; Died 1799 in Mansfield, Tolland Co., CT (about age 69). Married (1) June 17, 1751, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, to Sarah Knight: Born about 1730 in probably Colony of Connecticut; Died Unknown. Married (2) to Elizabeth (Eastman) Burnham: Born Unknown; Died Unknown.

TIMELINE

Molly Shannon's website: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/58047097/person/290247563407/facts

Wendy Mulligan's The TreeDR website: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/89316435/person/430025106130/facts

Congregational Church, Hampton, CT

The Canada Society Church; The Second Congregational Church, Hampton, Windham Co., CT

The Congregational Church in Hampton, CT, was originally the Second Congregational Church in Windham Village, CT, also known as the Canada Society Church. Organized on June 5, 1723, it took its name from Canada Parish, comprising all of the village of Windham, which was named after David Canada, who built the first house in this area and kept the first tavern. Windham village later become the town of Hampton in 1786, and this church became the Congregational Church in Hampton. The Reverend Samuel Moseley, a close friend and supporter of Eleazar Wheelock's Indian School, was the pastor there from 1734 until his death in 1791.

One of the beautiful towns of this beautiful rural county is the town of Hampton. The territory covers about four miles in width from east to west and about seven miles in length from north to south… It lies in the southwest central part of the county, with Eastford and Pomfret on the north; Pomfret, Brooklyn and Canterbury on the east; Scotland on the south, and Chaplin on the west. The surface in most parts is hilly, in many places elevations rising in curious, majestic and commanding forms, giving ever changing scenes of quiet rural landscape to entrance the beholder who may for the first time be spell-bound upon their inviting summits. No village of any considerable magnitude exists in the town, but the central village on Hampton Hill makes up in the surpassing attractiveness of its scenery for any lack of busy life that it may show. The New York & New England railroad passes diagonally through the town, entering near the southwest corner and leaving near the northeast corner. Goshen, or Clark’s Corners, and Hampton Station are the two depots on that line within this town. A line of high hills runs through nearly the central line of the town from north to south. Between and along the eastern foot of these hills Little river runs the length of the town, furnishing on its course water power for two or three mills, which are, however, mostly falling into disuse. Some farming is pursued in the town, but in a business point of view it maybe said that the town is declining. But it cannot be that a section of country possessing such loveliness of scenery and health inspiring properties can long remain in obscure decay. Already the tide has turned in the direction of the coming uses. Whilst the old methods of farming must decline, the new methods and the summer delights which are here offered to the overheated and weary citizen of the great centers of population and business, are laying the foundations of a new system of culture, improvement and profitable use.

The territory of this town was once included in the bounds of Windham. The good quality of its soil and the cheapness of land in this neighborhood induced settlement in the early years of the history of this county. By a land distribution in 1712, Hampton Hill was opened to purchasers. Nathaniel Hovey bought land in this vicinity in 1713, and soon settled upon it. A hundred acres were soon after sold to Timothy Pearl, by one Jennings. The locality was known by the Indian name of Appaquage hill. Another lot, with land on Little river were purchased by John Durkee of Gloucester, in 1715. Other settlers on or near this hill were Abiel and Robert Holt of Andover; Nathaniel Kingsbury of Massachusetts; Thomas Fuller, John Button, George Allen and others. The settlement here was then known as Windham Village. A few sons of old Windham families like Ebenezer Abbe and Stephen Howard, joined in the settlement, but the greater part of the settlers were new-comers from Massachusetts.

Ebenezer Abbey Sr. was one of the settlers who formed Canada Parish at Hampton Hill in the northeast part of Windham, and was one of those who on May 9, 1717, signed a petition to the General Assembly asking to be made a separate parish. In October of the same year another petition was sent to the assembly, asking that the taxes on property in this parish should be used for the establishing of their church. This petition was signed by Ebenezer Abbe, for the rest," and William Durkee.

In 1767 an effort was made to secure greater privileges to the society without becoming a distinct town. This plan failing, the society appointed Captain Jonathan Kingsbury to apply to the general assembly for a grant to allow them the rights of a distinct town. This effort was for the time also fruitless. And in this condition things remained until the end of the revolution, which of course absorbed the attention of the people to the exclusion of all minor topics. But in 1785 the people again urged their case, and the town voting by a majority of one “not to oppose the memorial,” the general assembly passed the act, October 2d, 1786, ” That the inhabitants of the Second Society of Windham, and those of Pomfret, Brooklyn, Canterbury, Mansfield and First Society in Windham be constituted a town by the name of Hampton. The bounds prescribed are identical with the present north, east and south bounds of the town, but on the west it extended to the Natchaug river, taking in a section now included in the town of Chaplin. About twelve hundred acres were taken from Brooklyn, a generous slice from Mansfield, and narrow strips from Canterbury and Pomfret. The first town meeting of the new town was held November 13th, 1786, at which Captain ‘James Stedman acted as moderator. Officers were chosen as follows: Thomas Stedman, clerk; Captain Stedman, Deacon Bennet, Jeduthan Rogers, selectmen; Andrew Durkee, Joseph Fuller and William Martin, Jr., constables; and a committee was also appointed to view and adjust the proportion of bridges belonging to the old town that should fall to the new. This important committee consisted of Philip Pearl, Ebenezer Hovey, Josiah Kingsley, Silas Cleveland, Andrew Durkee, Amos Utley, Thomas Fuller and Colonel Moseley.

The "Warwick Patent" is dated the "Nineteenth day of March in the Seventh/ yeare of ye reigne of our Sovergne Lord Charles by ye grace of God/ Kinge of England Scotland Ffrance and/ Ireland defender of ye ffaith &c Anno Dom/ 1631." Although not double dated, the historical context indicates that the date as recorded was "Old Style."  If double dated, it would have been recorded as March 19, 1631/2; if recorded "New Style," it would be March 19, 1632. 

The township of Scotland, lying in the southwestern part of the county, is about six miles long from north to south, and about three miles wide. It lies on the southern border of the county, being bounded on the north by Hampton and a small part of Chaplin, on the east by Canterbury, on the south by Lisbon and Franklin, in the county of New London, and on the west by Windham. It comprehends about eighteen square miles of territory, much of which is hilly and in a wild condition. This is particularly true of the northern part of the town. In the central and southern parts there is a great deal of good farming land, and the improved farms and residences give a very attractive and home like appearance to the country. The surface is sufficiently rolling to make the rural landscape fascinatingly picturesque. Merrick’s brook runs down through the middle of the town, joining the Shetucket in the southwest corner of the town. The Providence Division of the New York & New England railroad also runs with the Shetucket river across the southwest corner of the town.. Here is Waldo’s station, a locality surrounded by swamps and woods, an ancient saw mill having once been in operation near by on the stream already mentioned. Scotland presents to the passer-by one of those ripened communities in which the people are quietly and peacefully enjoying the fruits of labor performed in former years, rather than living on the sweat of present activities. The surrounding forest growth affords considerable timber, which is utilized in railroad ties. Scotland in 1870 had a population of 648; in 1880 the population was reduced to 590. As the history of the town is but little more than the history of the ecclesiastical society out of which it grew, we shall address ourselves at once to the consideration of that subject.

The territory of this town was originally a part of the extensive domain of ancient Windham, being the southeast section of that town. Settlement began here about the year 1700. The first settler was Isaac Magoon, a Scotchman, who gave to his adopted home the name of his native country. He was admitted an inhabitant of Windham in 1698, and chose to establish himself east of Merrick’s brook, in a remote and uninhabited part of the town. The brook of which we have spoken is supposed to have been named in honor of an early Norwich land owner. In 1700 Magoon purchased of Mr. Whiting several hundred acres in the southern extremity of Clark & Buckingham’s tract. The first rude hut built by him in this locality is said to have been destroyed by fire, whereupon his Windham neighbors helped him to rebuild it. He afterward bought sixty acres on both sides of Merrick’s brook, and crossed by the road from Windham to Plainfield, of Joshua Ripley, and this is supposed to have been his homestead. This road becoming a great thoroughfare between more important points, and the good quality of the soil here, as well as the natural beauty of location, soon attracted other settlers to the spot. In 1701 Magoon sold farms to Samuel Palmer, John Ormsbee, and Daniel and Nathaniel Fuller, all of whom came hither from Rehoboth. In 1702 Josiah Kingsley, John Waldo, Nathaniel Rudd, Josiah Palmer and Ralph Wheelock purchased land of Crane and Whiting and removed to this new settlement. Waldo’s land, in the south of this settlement, is still held by his descendants. Many Mohegans frequented this part of the town, clinging to it by virtue of Owaneco’s claim to it as Mamosqueage. A hut on the high hills near Waldo’s was long the residence of the Mooch family, kindred of Uncas and the royal line of the Mohegans. The settlement made quite rapid progress. Among others who soon followed were Josiah Luce, Thomas Laselle, Robert Hebard and John Burnap. Luce and Laselle were of old Huguenot stock. Burnap came from Reading, Mass., purchasing a tract of land of Solomon Abbe, by Merrick’s brook, April 13th, 1708.

The demand thus incited here caused valuations of real estate to rise considerably. A saw mill was already in operation on the brook, and in 1706 a highway was ordered to be laid out for the farmers of Scotland, above the mill-dam, for the convenience of getting on and off the bridge which was then about to be constructed, and thence it was to run to John Ormsbee’s land. With the destruction of the forests and the accompanying decadence of the streams this mill site has long since been powerless for the purposes to which it was once appropriated. And the same may be said in regard to Wolf Pit brook, the privilege of which was granted to Josiah Palmer in 1706, ” to set up a grist mill-he building the same within three years and ditching and damming there as he thinks needful on the commons, not to damnify particular men’s rights.

In 1707 the town of Windham regarded its southeastern quarter as of sufficient importance to be allowed a burying ground, and at that time Samuel Palmer, George Lilly and William Backus were appointed to view the ground here and consult the people with regard to laying out a burying place in this locality.

The Scotland settlers still maintained their connection with the church at Windham Green, though their number was constantly increasing. George Lilly, in 1710, purchased land on both sides of Little river, which runs down along the eastern border but just outside the present limits of the town, and in 1714, John Robinson, a descendant of Elder John Robinson, of Leyden, removed to Scotland. The old Puritan stock was well represented in this locality. Descendants of Robinson, Brewster and Bradford, with French Huguenots and Scotch Presbyterians, were among its inhabitants. A pound had been erected and a school house was built, at what date we have not learned, and about these public institutions a straggling village grew up. Many sons of the first settlers of Windham established themselves here. Joseph and John Cary settled on Merrick’s brook, on land given them by their father, Deacon Cary. Deacon Bingham’s son Samuel settled on Merrick’s brook, and Nathaniel on Beaver brook. Nathaniel, son of Joseph Huntington, occupied a farm on Merrick’s brook, near the center of the settlement and became one of its most prominent citizens. The population was gathered mainly on the road to Canterbury and on Merrick’s brook. Many of the Scotland settlers were members of the Windham church and some were active and prominent men in the affairs of the town.

But the Scotland settlers soon began to feel a desire for church privileges nearer their homes than away over the hills several miles to Windham Green. At what time this feeling began to develop into open agitation we do not know, but it had gone so far in that direction that in February, 1726, the town took action so far as to consent by vote that when the public list of that section should reach in amount £12,000 the town would build a meeting house in that section, and when they should desire to settle a minister the town would join with them in supporting two ministers and keeping the two meeting houses in order. In December, 1727, the Scotland people were allowed to employ a suitable person to preach to them during the winter, and this permission was kept up for several winters. But the Scotland people could not see the advantage to them of paying their proportionate part of supporting the ministry at Windham Green and then hiring a minister additional during a part of the year, at so much extra expense. Hence the question of society privileges was agitated, and after a spirited contest before the general assembly the petition was granted and a charter for a distinct society was given by the legislature in May, 1732. The bounds of the society were substantially the bounds of the present town. They began at the junction of Merrick’s brook with the Shetucket, thence northerly to the southwest corner of the land of John Kingsley ; thence to Beaver brook at John Fitch’s dam ; thence a straight line to Merrick’s brook, at the crossing of the road from Windham Green to the Burnt Cedar swamp ; thence north on the brook to the southwest corner of Canada Society ; thence easterly by the south bound of that society, and southerly along the Canterbury line to the dividing line between Windham and Norwich, and westerly along the Norwich line to the mouth of Merrick’s brook. This bound probably included less than one-third of the territory of Windham. The petitioners, in answer to whom the charter was granted, were Nathaniel Bingham, Jacob Burnap, Eleazer and Samuel Palmer, Joshua Luce, Daniel Meacham, Isaac Bingham, Samuel Hebard, Seth Palmer, Timothy Allen, Charles Mudie, Benjamin Case, John Waldo, David Ripley, Caleb Woodward, John Cary, Jonathan Silsby, Elisha Lilly, Jacob Lilly, Joshua Lasell, Nathaniel Huntington, Nathaniel Brewster, Nathaniel Rudd, Wilkinson Cook, Carpenter Cook and Samuel Cook. The number of families in the society was about eighty, and the number of persons probably about four hundred. The list of estates reported amounted to £3,945.

The new society met to organize June 22d, 1732, at the house of Nathaniel Huntington. Edward Waldo was chosen moderator ; John Manning, clerk ; Peter Robinson, John Waldo and Edward Waldo, society committee_ In September the society voted to employ a minister, and began eagerly to discuss the location of their prospective meeting house. It was then decided that the preaching services should be held at the house of Nathaniel Huntington. The importance of having the business well attended to-and the magnitude of the undertaking as it appeared to those people is shown by the vote at that time that “Ensign Nathaniel Rudd, Mr. Samuel Manning, Lieutenant Peter Robinson, Sergeants Nathaniel Bingham and Edward Waldo, Mr. John Bass and Mr. John Cary, be a committee to provide us a minister to preach to us, and also to provide a place for him to diet in, and also to agree with him for what he shall have a day.” The minister then employed by this ponderous committee was a Mr. Flagg.

After settling some disputes as to the law in regard to electing officers, the society unanimously set to work to locate and build a meeting house. The site decided upon was ” a knoll, east side of Merrick’s brook, south side of the road from Windham to Canterbury.” Nathaniel Huntington, who owned the land, promptly made over a quarter of an acre for that purpose. June 25th, 1733, it was voted to build a house 43 by 33 feet and twenty feet high, the roof and sides to be, covered with chestnut sawed shingles and clapboards. The work went bravely forward and by November 20th a society meeting was held in the house. Then the windows were glazed, and rough board seats provided, as well as a ” conveniency for a minister to stand by to preach.” Thus equipped the house was ready for service and the energies of the society were then devoted to employing a regular minister.

After several attempts, which from one cause or another proved abortive, the society succeeded in obtaining the services of a minister to be permanently located among them. This they found in the person of Ebenezer Devotion, son of Reverend Ebenezer Devotion of Suffield, a young man of good abilities, pleasing address and unimpeachable orthodoxy, who had just completed his ministerial studies, having graduated from Yale College in 1732, and was just twenty-one years of age when called to this parish. On the 22d of October, 1735, a church was organized and Mr. Devotion ordained as its pastor, on a settlement of £300 and a salary of £140 a year, which was afterward increased by an additional thirty pounds_ Eighty-nine members were dismissed from the First church of Windham to form the Scotland church. Edward Waldo and Nathaniel Bingham were chosen deacons.

These trying ordeals having been safely passed, the society now enjoyed a period of peaceful and harmonious prosperity reaching through many years. The interior of the meeting house, was subject to many changes in its arrangements and seating, as was usual in those days, privileges being allowed individuals, singly or in groups, to erect pews for their own use and at their own expense. In this line one item is worthy of notice. In 1739 twelve young men had liberty to build a pew the length of the front gallery, dividing the same by a partition of wood, taking one half as their own seat and gallantly allowing the other half to as many young women.

We come now to the period when this church and society were greatly agitated, in common with others about them, by the great revival and the Separate movement, which occurred between the years 1740 and 1750. A very respectable part of the Scotland church became dissatisfied with the existing discipline and adopted decided Separate principles. Mr. Devotion, who was strongly attached to church order and the Saybrook Platform, wholly refused to grant them any concessions or liberty, whereupon they withdrew from the . stated religious worship, and held separate meetings in private houses. Among the number were Joseph and Hannah Wood, Benjamin and Anne Cleveland, Zebulon and Hannah Hebard, Mrs. Samuel Manning, John Walden, Daniel Ross, Amos Kingsley, Peleg Brewster, Thomas and Henry Bass, and John, Sarah, Mary and Margaret Wilkinson. January 26th, 1146, these persons were cited to appear before the church court to “give their reasons for separating for a long time from the worship or ordinances which God had set up among them.” Their answer in general was that the ministrations of Mr. Devotion were not satisfying to their souls like those of other preachers, like Lawyer Paine, Deacon Marsh and Solomon Paine, whom Mr. Devotion refused to recognize. Nothing conciliatory resulting from the hearing and subsequent action, these people joined themselves into a Separate church. This was organized during the summer of 1746, and soon gained a very respectable position, receiving into its membership some of the leading families in the parish

The Windham County Association of ministers held an investigation in February, 1747, and after hearing much testimony in regard to the Separatists, declared their action to be unscriptural, uncharitable and unchristian, and that the churches ought not to recognize them in a church capacity, but to labor with them as individuals to convert them from the error of their ways. The Scotland Separate church was, however, notwithstanding this meeting had been held in this town, unaffected by its judgments or proclamations, but continued to increase in numbers and influence. One of the deacons of the standing church lapsed to the Separatists among the rest. For a time they enjoyed the ministrations of their favorite ministers, the Paines and Elder Marsh. John Palmer, a descendant of one of the early Scotland settlers, exercised his gift of exhortation so freely that he was summarily arrested by the civil authority and lodged in jail at Hartford, where he was kept four months. This only increased his zeal, and after his release the church gave him further trial and eventually united in a call to its ministry. He was accordingly ordained May 17th, 1749, as pastor of the Separate church of Scotland.

Though deficient in education and somewhat rough in speech and manner, Mr. Palmer was a man of estimable character and sound piety, and under his guidance the Brunswick church, as this body was now called, maintained for many years a good standing in the community, comparatively free from those excesses and fanaticism which marred so many of its contemporaries. No difficulty was found in supporting its worship by voluntary – contributions. A church edifice was built . about a mile southeast of Scotland village, and this was long known as the Brunswick meeting house. Mr. Devotion was never reconciled to this intrusion within his parochial limits, but true to his own name as he was to his cause, it is said that he was accustomed every Sunday morning to send his negro servant with a rescript to the Brunswick meeting house, forbidding Mr. Palmer or any unauthorized person to preach therein that day ; a prohibition which doubtless only served to increase the number of attendants there.

For many years after this Separate church was established its members were obliged to pay their proportion of taxes for the support of the ministry in the regular church of Scotland society. When they refused to comply with such demands their cattle or goods were taken by distraint or themselves were imprisoned in Windham jail. But on the prospect of having to pay rates toward the building of the new meeting house in 1773 they petitioned the assembly for relief, and that body gave a favorable response, granting them release from the burden of taxation to build the house in which they did not expect, to worship. The names of those at that time identified with the Separatist church were Zacheus Waldo, Zebulon Hebard, Lemuel Bingham, Ebenezer Webb, John Palmer, Benjamin Cleveland, Joseph Allen, John Walden, Stephen Webb, Israel Hale, William Perkins, Joseph Allen, Jr., Jonathan Brewster, Ebenezer Bass, John Silsbury, Timothy Allen, Samuel Baker, Jr., Jedidiah Bingham, Henry Bass and Moses Cleveland.

Settling Scotland

The territory of this town was originally a part of the extensive domain of ancient Windham, being the southeast section of that town. Settlement began here about the year 1700. The first settler was Isaac Magoon, a Scotchman, who gave to his adopted home the name of his native country. He was admitted an inhabitant of Windham in 1698, and chose to establish himself east of Merrick’s brook, in a remote and uninhabited part of the town.

The brook of which we have spoken is supposed to have been named in honor of an early Norwich land owner. In 1700 Magoon purchased of Mr. Whiting several hundred acres, in the southern extremity of Clark & Buckingham’s tract. The first rude hut built by him in this locality is said to have been destroyed by fire, whereupon his Windham neighbors helped him to rebuild it. He afterward bought sixty acres on both sides of Merrick’s brook, and crossed by the road from Windham to Plainfield, of Joshua Ripley, and this is supposed to have been his homestead. This road becoming a great thoroughfare between more important points, and the good quality of the soil here, as well as the natural beauty of location, soon attracted other settlers to the spot.

In 1791 Magoon sold farms to Samuel Palmer, John Ormsbee, and Daniel and Nathaniel Fuller, all of whom came hither from Rehoboth. In 1702. Josiah Ralph Wheelock purchased land of Crane and Whiting and removed to this new settlement. Waldo’s land, in the south of this settlement, is still held by his descendants. Many Mohegans frequented this part of the town, clinging to it by virtue of Owaneco’s claim to it as Mamosqueage. A hut on the high hills near Waldo’s was long the residence of the Mooch family, kindred of Uncas and the royal line of the Mohegans.

The settlement made quite rapid progress. Among others who soon followed were Josiah Luce, Thomas Laselle, Robert Hebard and John Burnap. Luce and Lasalle were of old Huguenot stock. Burnap came from Reading, Mass., purchasing a tract of land of Solomon Abbe, by Merrick’s brook, April 13th, 1708. The demand thus incited here caused valuations of real estate to rise considerably. A saw mill was already in operation on the brook, and in 1706 a highway was ordered to be laid out for the farmers of Scotland, above the mill-damn, for the convenience of getting on and off the bridge which was then about to be constructed, and thence it was to run to John Ormsbee’s land.

With the destruction of the forests and the accompanying decadence of the streams this mill site has long since been powerless for the purposes to which it was once appropriated. And the same may be said in regard to Wolf Pit brook, the privilege of which was granted Josiah Palmer in 1706, “to set up a grist mill—he building the same within three years and ditching and damming there as he thinks needful to the commons, not to damnify particular men’s rights.”

Taking Shape

In 1707 the town of Windham regarded its southeastern quarter as of sufficient importance to be allowed a burying ground, and at that time Samuel Palmer, George Lilly and William Backus were appointed to view the ground here and consult the people with regard to laying out a burying place in this locality.

The Scotland settlers still maintained their connection with the church at Windham Green, though their number was constantly increasing. George Lilly, in 1710, purchased land on both sides of Little river, which runs down along the eastern border but just outside the present limits of the town, and in 1714, John Robinson, a descendant of Elder John Robinson, of Leyden, removed to Scotland. The old Puritan stock was well represented in this locality. Descendants of Robinson, Brewster and Bradford, with French Huguenots and Scotch Presbyterians, were among its inhabitants. A pound had been erected and a school house was built, at what date we have not learned, and about these public institutions a straggling village grew up.

Many sons of the first settlers of Windham established themselves here. Joseph and John Cary settled on Merrick’s Brook, on land given them by their father, Deacon Cary. Deacon Bingham’s son Samuel settled on Merrick’s Brook, and Nathaniel on Beaver Brook. Nathaniel, son of Joseph Huntington, occupied a farm on Merrick’s Brook, near the center of the settlement and became one of its most prominent citizens. The population was gathered mainly on the road to Canterbury and on Merrick’s Brook. Many of the Scotland settlers were members of the Windham church and some were active and prominent men in the affairs of the town.

But the Scotland settlers soon began to feel a desire for church privileges nearer their homes than away over the hills several miles to Windham Green. At what time this feeling began to develop into open agitation we do not know, but it had gone so far in that direction that in February, 1726, the town took action so far as to consent by vote that when the public list of that section should reach in amount of 12,000 [English pounds] the town would build a meeting house in that section, and when they should desire to settle a minister the town would join with them in supporting two ministers and keeping the two meeting houses in order.

In December, 1727, the Scotland people were allowed to employ a suitable person to preach to them during the winter, and this permission was kept up for several winters. But the Scotland people could not see the advantage to them of paying their proportionate part of supporting the ministry at Windham Green and then hiring a minister additional during a part of the year, at so much extra expense. Hence the question of society privileges was agitated, and after a spirited contest before the general assembly the petition was granted and a charter for a distinct society was given by the legislature in May 1732. The bounds of the society were substantially the bounds of the present town.

They began at the junction of Merrick’s Brook with the Shetucket, thence northerly to the southwest corner of the land of John Kingsley; thence to Beaver brook at John Fitch’s damn; thence a straight line to Merrick’s brook, at the crossing of the road from Windham Green to the Burnt Cedar swamp; thence north on the brook to the southwest corner of Canada Society; thence easterly by the south bound of that society, and southerly along the Canterbury line to the dividing line between Windham and Norwich, and westerly along the Norwich line to the mouth of Merrick’s brook. This bound probably included less than one-third of the territory of Windham.

The petitioners, in answer to whom the charter was granted, were Nathaniel Abingtham, Jacob Burnap, Eleazer and Samuel Palmer, Joshua Luce, Daniel Meacham, Isaac Bingham, Samuel Hebard, Seth Palmer, Timothy Allen, Charles Mudie, Benjamin Case, John Waldo, David Ripley, Caleb Woodward, John Cary, Jonathan Silsby, Elisha Lilly, Jacob Lilly, Joshua Lasell, Nathaniel Huntington, Nathaniel Brewster, Nathaniel Rudd, Wilkinson Cook, Carpenter Cook and Samuel Cook. The number of families in the society was about eighty, and the number of persons probably about four hundred. The list of estates reported amounted to 3,945 [English pounds].

The new society met to organize June 22d, 1732, at the house of Nathaniel Huntington. Edward Waldo was chosen moderator; John Manning, clerk; Peter Robinson, John Waldo and Edward Waldo, society committee. In September the society voted to employ a minister, and began eagerly to discuss the location of their prospective meeting house. It was then decided that the preaching services should be held at the house of Nathaniel Huntington. The importance of having the business well attended to and the magnitude of the undertaking as it appeared to those people is shown by the vote at that time that “Ensign Nathaniel Rudd, Mr. Samuel Manning, Lieutenant Peter Robinson, Sergeants Nathaniel Bingham and Edward Waldo, Mr. John Bass and Mr. John Cary, be a committee to provide us a minister to preach to us, and also to provide a place for him to diet in, and also to agree with him for what he shall have a day.” The minister then employed by this ponderous committee was a Mr. Flagg.

Ebenezer Abbey Sr. was one of the settlers who formed Canada Parish at Hampton Hill in the northeast part of Windham, and was one of those who on May 9, 1717, signed a petition to the General Assembly asking to be made a separate parish. In October of the same year another petition was sent to the assembly, asking that the taxes on property in this parish should be used for the establishing of their church. This petition was signed by Ebenezer Abbe, for the rest," and William Durkee.

Ebenezer Abbey Sr. was born July 31, 1683, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut.

Mary Allen was born June 10, 1688, in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut.

Ebenezer Abbey Sr. and Mary Allen were married October 28, 1707, in Mansfield, Tolland Co., Colony of Connecticut.

Ebenezer Abbey Sr. died December 5, 1758, Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, at age 75. Buried in Buried in Windham Center Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT.  

Mary (Allen) Abbey died 1766 in Windham, Windham Co., Colony of Connecticut, at about age 78. Buried in Buried in Windham Center Cemetery, Windham, Windham Co., CT.