508

ment was made with Rev. Daniel Boardman and he was ordained to be their minister. Among other things in the agreement to the

was one

effect that the society should dig a well for the minister which they accordingly did and it is still in existence on the grounds of Mrs. W. D. Black's house lot.

The first meeting

house for this society stood in what is now the highway above the north end of the present green. It was not completed

Abigail-Ferriss.

mark.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

510

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

reshets. They took under consideration in 1822 the project of building the Ousatonic Canal through the Housatonic Valley from tide-water

to the state line at
Canaan, and later in
1827 another plan
for a canal was pro-
jected from New
Milford to the
Sound at Sauga-
tuck. These pro-

jects never materia-
lized, partly on ac-
count of many of
the New Milford
people giving their
attention to the set-

tlement of the

Western Reserve in

In 1840 they took an active part in the building of the Housatonic Railroad which was opened by an excursion train from Bridgeport to New Milford, February 11, The historian's account of the 1840. event is as follows: "The people came from all parts of the country and waited until late in the afternoon, on a cold winter's day, and some went home before the train came; but finally it made its appearance to the great pleasure of the interested multitude. In the expression of the appreciation of the event the church bells were rung with much earnestness, and the old cannon, located on the rocks then south of the village houses, poured forth its thunder of welcome to the screaming railroad-steam-engine-whistle."

Among those largely interested in the Western lands was Hon. Elijah Boardman, a grandson of Rev. Daniel Boardman, and one of the most prominent men of New Milford. He became a merchant in the town and in 1793 built the house now owned and occupied by Mrs. Cornelia E. Wright, his granddaughter. In this house is a full length portrait of himself and one of his wife, who was Mary Anna Whiting of

THE HENRY W. BOOTH PLACE.

512

RESIDENCE OF HON. I. B. BRISTOL.

He was
records made by his own hands.
a man of tremendous energy and industry,
studied for the law and was admitted to
the bar. He was a county judge and
Representative at several sessions of the
Assembly; was chosen Governor's Assis-
tant and appointed Judge of the Superior
Court, which office