Benjamin Strong was the first pastor of the Stanwich Congregational Church, from 17 June 1735 until 3 March 1767.
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Benjamin Strong, third son and child of Adino and Eunice Strong, of Woodbury, Connecticut, and grandson of Thomas and Rachel (Holton) Strong, of Northampton, Massachusetts, was born in Woodbury, June 10, 1710.
He appears to have been married as early as 1731, the baptism of a son to him and his wife Rachel being on record in Woodbury, February 20, 1732; and he must also have begun the study of theology about the time of his marriage, as he was licensed to preach by the Fairfield County Association of Ministers, at Newtown, December 14, 1732, he being then of Woodbury. It was probably after this date that he entered College. The parish of Stanwich, in the northern part of the present town of Greenwich, Connecticut, was constituted by a vote of the General Assembly, in October, 1732; and Mr. Strong was called to become their pastor on the 11th of April, 1735. A church was gathered on the 17th of the ensuing June, and he was ordained and installed the next day.
Difficulties arose between him and his church as early as 1745. In 1757, and again in 1759, he was arraigned for intemperance, and confessed his guilt before a meeting of the Consociation. The Association (Fairfield West) finally advised his dismission, "in view of his increasing bodily indisposition," and it took place on March 31, 1767.
In 1770 he was received as a member of the Dutchess County (New York) Presbytery, from the Fairfield West Association.
His will, in which he describes himself as of Stamford, was dated July 13, 1773, and was proved on the 21st of February, 1775; it mentions his daughter Sarah, wife of Reuben Ferris, as his only surviving child, and also mentions grandchildren by two or three deceased daughters.
A gravestone erected within a few years at Stanwich gives the date of his death as 1779, and that of the death of his wife Rachel as 1786.
▫ From Biographical sketches of the graduates of Yale college with annals of the college history by Franklin Bowditch Dexter (1885).
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Source: Abstracts of Stamford Probate Records — Book One compiled by Spencer P. Mead
Strong, Benjamin, Rev., late of Stamford, will dated July 13, 1773, probated Feb. 21, 1775, mentions his wife Rachel; only surviving child is Sarah, wife of Reuben Ferris; grandchildren Anna Fitch; Andrew Mead, Theodosia Mead; Benjamin Brush; Luceann Brush; Lorana Brush, and Hannah Brush, sisters of said Benjamin Brush; Ard Brush, a brother of said Benjamin Brush; Benjamin Strong Ferris, a son of said Sarah Ferris; nephew Benjamin Strong, a son of his brother Return Strong, devised land in Woodbury, Conn. Executor his grandson Benjamin Brush. Witnesses Erick Sutherland, Ebenezer Finch, and John Mackay, page 162. Inventory taken Mar. 1, 1775, by Ebenezer Finch and John Mackay, page 174.
Strong, Benjamin, Rev., late of Greenwich, Aug. 24, 1775, distribution of his estate ordered to his widow, Rachel Strong, and the legatees as in his will, page 282.
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Benjamin Strong, third son and child of Adino and Eunice Strong, of Woodbury, Connecticut, and grandson of Thomas and Rachel (Holton) Strong, of Northampton, Massachusetts, was born in Woodbury, June 10, 1710.
He appears to have been married as early as 1731, the baptism of a son to him and his wife Rachel being on record in Woodbury, February 20, 1732; and he must also have begun the study of theology about the time of his marriage, as he was licensed to preach by the Fairfield County Association of Ministers, at Newtown, December 14, 1732, he being then of Woodbury. It was probably after this date that he entered College. The parish of Stanwich, in the northern part of the present town of Greenwich, Connecticut, was constituted by a vote of the General Assembly, in October, 1732; and Mr. Strong was called to become their pastor on the 11th of April, 1735. A church was gathered on the 17th of the ensuing June, and he was ordained and installed the next day.
Difficulties arose between him and his church as early as 1745. In 1757, and again in 1759, he was arraigned for intemperance, and confessed his guilt before a meeting of the Consociation. The Association (Fairfield West) finally advised his dismission, "in view of his increasing bodily indisposition," and it took place on March 31, 1767.
In 1770 he was received as a member of the Dutchess County (New York) Presbytery, from the Fairfield West Association.
His will, in which he describes himself as of Stamford, was dated July 13, 1773, and was proved on the 21st of February, 1775; it mentions his daughter Sarah, wife of Reuben Ferris, as his only surviving child, and also mentions grandchildren by two or three deceased daughters.
A gravestone erected within a few years at Stanwich gives the date of his death as 1779, and that of the death of his wife Rachel as 1786.
▫ From Biographical sketches of the graduates of Yale college with annals of the college history by Franklin Bowditch Dexter (1885).
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Source: Abstracts of Stamford Probate Records — Book One compiled by Spencer P. Mead
Strong, Benjamin, Rev., late of Stamford, will dated July 13, 1773, probated Feb. 21, 1775, mentions his wife Rachel; only surviving child is Sarah, wife of Reuben Ferris; grandchildren Anna Fitch; Andrew Mead, Theodosia Mead; Benjamin Brush; Luceann Brush; Lorana Brush, and Hannah Brush, sisters of said Benjamin Brush; Ard Brush, a brother of said Benjamin Brush; Benjamin Strong Ferris, a son of said Sarah Ferris; nephew Benjamin Strong, a son of his brother Return Strong, devised land in Woodbury, Conn. Executor his grandson Benjamin Brush. Witnesses Erick Sutherland, Ebenezer Finch, and John Mackay, page 162. Inventory taken Mar. 1, 1775, by Ebenezer Finch and John Mackay, page 174.
Strong, Benjamin, Rev., late of Greenwich, Aug. 24, 1775, distribution of his estate ordered to his widow, Rachel Strong, and the legatees as in his will, page 282.
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Benjamin Strong was the first pastor of the Stanwich Congregational Church, from 17 June 1735 until 3 March 1767.
════════════════════════════════════════
Benjamin Strong, third son and child of Adino and Eunice Strong, of Woodbury, Connecticut, and grandson of Thomas and Rachel (Holton) Strong, of Northampton, Massachusetts, was born in Woodbury, June 10, 1710.
He appears to have been married as early as 1731, the baptism of a son to him and his wife Rachel being on record in Woodbury, February 20, 1732; and he must also have begun the study of theology about the time of his marriage, as he was licensed to preach by the Fairfield County Association of Ministers, at Newtown, December 14, 1732, he being then of Woodbury. It was probably after this date that he entered College. The parish of Stanwich, in the northern part of the present town of Greenwich, Connecticut, was constituted by a vote of the General Assembly, in October, 1732; and Mr. Strong was called to become their pastor on the 11th of April, 1735. A church was gathered on the 17th of the ensuing June, and he was ordained and installed the next day.
Difficulties arose between him and his church as early as 1745. In 1757, and again in 1759, he was arraigned for intemperance, and confessed his guilt before a meeting of the Consociation. The Association (Fairfield West) finally advised his dismission, "in view of his increasing bodily indisposition," and it took place on March 31, 1767.
In 1770 he was received as a member of the Dutchess County (New York) Presbytery, from the Fairfield West Association.
His will, in which he describes himself as of Stamford, was dated July 13, 1773, and was proved on the 21st of February, 1775; it mentions his daughter Sarah, wife of Reuben Ferris, as his only surviving child, and also mentions grandchildren by two or three deceased daughters.
A gravestone erected within a few years at Stanwich gives the date of his death as 1779, and that of the death of his wife Rachel as 1786.
▫ From Biographical sketches of the graduates of Yale college with annals of the college history by Franklin Bowditch Dexter (1885).
════════════════════════════════════════
Source: Abstracts of Stamford Probate Records — Book One compiled by Spencer P. Mead
Strong, Benjamin, Rev., late of Stamford, will dated July 13, 1773, probated Feb. 21, 1775, mentions his wife Rachel; only surviving child is Sarah, wife of Reuben Ferris; grandchildren Anna Fitch; Andrew Mead, Theodosia Mead; Benjamin Brush; Luceann Brush; Lorana Brush, and Hannah Brush, sisters of said Benjamin Brush; Ard Brush, a brother of said Benjamin Brush; Benjamin Strong Ferris, a son of said Sarah Ferris; nephew Benjamin Strong, a son of his brother Return Strong, devised land in Woodbury, Conn. Executor his grandson Benjamin Brush. Witnesses Erick Sutherland, Ebenezer Finch, and John Mackay, page 162. Inventory taken Mar. 1, 1775, by Ebenezer Finch and John Mackay, page 174.
Strong, Benjamin, Rev., late of Greenwich, Aug. 24, 1775, distribution of his estate ordered to his widow, Rachel Strong, and the legatees as in his will, page 282.
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Benjamin Strong, third son and child of Adino and Eunice Strong, of Woodbury, Connecticut, and grandson of Thomas and Rachel (Holton) Strong, of Northampton, Massachusetts, was born in Woodbury, June 10, 1710.
He appears to have been married as early as 1731, the baptism of a son to him and his wife Rachel being on record in Woodbury, February 20, 1732; and he must also have begun the study of theology about the time of his marriage, as he was licensed to preach by the Fairfield County Association of Ministers, at Newtown, December 14, 1732, he being then of Woodbury. It was probably after this date that he entered College. The parish of Stanwich, in the northern part of the present town of Greenwich, Connecticut, was constituted by a vote of the General Assembly, in October, 1732; and Mr. Strong was called to become their pastor on the 11th of April, 1735. A church was gathered on the 17th of the ensuing June, and he was ordained and installed the next day.
Difficulties arose between him and his church as early as 1745. In 1757, and again in 1759, he was arraigned for intemperance, and confessed his guilt before a meeting of the Consociation. The Association (Fairfield West) finally advised his dismission, "in view of his increasing bodily indisposition," and it took place on March 31, 1767.
In 1770 he was received as a member of the Dutchess County (New York) Presbytery, from the Fairfield West Association.
His will, in which he describes himself as of Stamford, was dated July 13, 1773, and was proved on the 21st of February, 1775; it mentions his daughter Sarah, wife of Reuben Ferris, as his only surviving child, and also mentions grandchildren by two or three deceased daughters.
A gravestone erected within a few years at Stanwich gives the date of his death as 1779, and that of the death of his wife Rachel as 1786.
▫ From Biographical sketches of the graduates of Yale college with annals of the college history by Franklin Bowditch Dexter (1885).
════════════════════════════════════════
Source: Abstracts of Stamford Probate Records — Book One compiled by Spencer P. Mead
Strong, Benjamin, Rev., late of Stamford, will dated July 13, 1773, probated Feb. 21, 1775, mentions his wife Rachel; only surviving child is Sarah, wife of Reuben Ferris; grandchildren Anna Fitch; Andrew Mead, Theodosia Mead; Benjamin Brush; Luceann Brush; Lorana Brush, and Hannah Brush, sisters of said Benjamin Brush; Ard Brush, a brother of said Benjamin Brush; Benjamin Strong Ferris, a son of said Sarah Ferris; nephew Benjamin Strong, a son of his brother Return Strong, devised land in Woodbury, Conn. Executor his grandson Benjamin Brush. Witnesses Erick Sutherland, Ebenezer Finch, and John Mackay, page 162. Inventory taken Mar. 1, 1775, by Ebenezer Finch and John Mackay, page 174.
Strong, Benjamin, Rev., late of Greenwich, Aug. 24, 1775, distribution of his estate ordered to his widow, Rachel Strong, and the legatees as in his will, page 282.
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Gravesite Details
His will was probated on 21 February 1775, indicating that the date of death engraved on his grave marker (1779) is incorrect.
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