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CHAPTER XXIV.

A. D. 1747-1790.

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ECCLESIASTICAL Rev. T. B. Chandler, D.D. - Birth-Education - Catechist of St. John's Chh. - Parsonage-Wardens and Vestrymen - Mr. Chandler goes to Eng., and obtains Orders-Rector of St. John's - Marriage - Has the Small Pox-Long Illness-Zeal for Episcopacy - Obtains a Charter for St. John's-Wardens and Vestrymen - Visit of Mr. Whitefield - Troubles in the Parish-Enlargement of the Parsonage - Political Troubles - Honorary Doctorate - Ep. Controversy Pension-Flies to England-Worship suspended for Years - Resumed again--Rev. Uzal Ogden, Ass. Minister— Birth Popularity-Settles at Newark-Rev. S. Spraggs, Ass. MinisterDr. Chandler 10 Years in England - Returns home - Obtains the Offer of an Episcopate --Too ill to accept Death -- His Family.

THE decease of the Rev. Mr. Vaughan, Rector of St. John's Church, in October, 1747, left the church for some years without a settled pastor. All the Episcopal clergymen either came here from the mother-country, or were under the necessity of making a voyage to England and back again, to obtain orders. It was, therefore, no easy matter to fill the vacancies made by death. It required time to send to England, and procure the needed ministry, unwilling as most candidates, at that period, were to migrate to America. In these circumstances, the vestry of St. John's were advised to secure the services of a Catechist, or Lay-Reader, for the time being. The Rev. Dr. Johnson, of Stratford, and others, thereupon, recommended a young man, who was teaching school at Woodstock, Ct., and studying theology, at intervals, with Dr. Johnson. They complied with this advice, and thrus secured, as their Rector, the

REV. THOMAS BRADBURY CHANDLER.

Mr. Chandler was in his 22d year, when he came to this

town. He was a descendant of William Chandler, who, with his wife, Hannah, and four children,-Hannah, Thomas, John and William,-came to this country from England, and settled at Roxbury, Mass., in 1637. His son, John, born in England, in 1635, married, Feb. 16, 1659, Elizabeth, daughter of Wm. Douglas, and had eight children,-John, Elizabeth, John 2d, Joseph, Hannah, Mehitable, Sarah, and Joseph, all born at Roxbury. In 1686, he united with several of his neighbors in the settlement of Woodstock, Ct., of the church of which he was chosen Deacon, and where, too, he died, Ap. 15, 1703. His son, John, born, April 16, 1665, married, Novem. 10, 1692, Mary, daughter of Joshua Raymond, of New London, and had ten children,-John, Joshua, William, Mary, Elizabeth, Samuel, Sarah, Mehitable, Thomas, and Hannah. His son, William, born, at Woodstock, Novem. 3, 1698, married Jemima Bradbury, who is thought to have been a daughter of Thomas Bradbury of Salisbury, Mass., whose father, William, married, Mar. 12, 1672, Rebecca, the widow of Samuel Maverick, and daughter of the Rev. John Wheelwright. Her father was born Dec. 24, 1674. Her son, Thomas Bradbury, was born April 26th, 1726. *

His early years were spent on the paternal farm. He graduated at Yale College, in 1745. In 1747, he was invited to serve as catechist at North Castle and Bedford, Westchester Co., N. Y.; but declined in favor of St. Peter's Church, Westchester. Directly, however, after the decease of Mr. Vaughan, he came to St. John's, in this town, about the 1st of December, 1747, and entered at once upon the duties of his mission. In commending him, at the request "of the good people of Elizabeth Town," to the Propagation Society, Dr. Johnson speaks of him, as having "known him three years at least," and as "a truly valuable person, of good parts and competent learning for his time and our circumstances, and of good morals and virtuous behaviour." The Rev. Samuel Seabury, also, spake of him, as one who "from his furniture in learning, prudence, gravity, sincere piety,

Savage's Gen. Dict., I. 357. Sprague's Annals, V. 187.

and good temper, as well as agreeable voice," bade fair to be very useful in the designs of the Society."

He was consequently appointed by the "Venerable Society," in May, 1748, their Catechist at Elizabeth Town, N. J., on a stipend of £10. a year, the church obliging themselves, in case he should be appointed to the mission, "to raise the sum of £50 Current Money of the Province, per annum," in addition, and to provide him a convenient parsonage.

At the close of his second year, Dec. 20, 1749, he reports,-

I have not only read Divine Service, and catechized the children, but have constantly visited all Ranks of People in the congregation-Particularly that part of the congregation which lives in Raway, a place four or five miles distant from the Church.... I have occasionally read divine service at a Private House in Raway, and have been surprised at seeing the great concourse of People on that occasion. I find there numbers of the Dissenters well affected towards the Church; and I doubt not by the Industry of a faithful Clergyman in Elizabeth Town a considerable part of the Presbyterian meeting in that place might be gained over to the Church.t

On the 11th of December, 1749, the church purchased of Capt. John Emott, (the step-son of Mr. Vaughan, and the sonin-law of Mr. Elias Boudinot, senr.), for £162, the present parsonage lot, of about four acres, with the old dwelling house built, in 1696-7, by Andrew Hampton. The Wardens, at this time, were John Halsted and Henry Garthwait; and the Vestrymen were William Ricketts, Jacob DeHart, Peter Trembly, Matthias De Hart, Jonathan Hampton, and Matthias Williamson.

During the same year, the Rev. Mr. Wood, "bred to Physick and Surgery," was appointed missionary to New Brunswick, with instructions to spend a Sunday or two every month at Elizabeth Town. At the close of May, 1750, he had made two visits only to the town, his duty at New Brunswick permitting him to officiate here only on every fourth Sunday.

The most urgent representations were made to the Society for a resident Rector-one who could give them his whole

Brit. Magazine, XXVII. 19. Clark's St. John's, p. 59.

+ Clark, pp. 60, 2, 3, 6.