THE SOUTH CIIURGir. 15 



away; but others had taken their places, and the Church liad 

 become firmly united as one band to carry forward Cliurcli 

 work. 



After his ministry with this Church of fifteen and a half 

 years, Mr. Rockwell was dismissed at his own request, June 20, 

 1858 ; but he continued to reside in the parish until his death. 

 He was born at Winchester, Conn., April 18, 1'803. On his 

 father's side, he was a direct descendant, the seventh genera- 

 tion, of Deacon William Rockwell, member and deacon of the 

 Congregational Church originally organized at Plymouth, 

 England, and on his mother's side he was the eighth generation 

 in descent of Governor William Bradford of the Plymouth 

 colony. He graduated at Yale college in 1825, studied theol- 

 ogy at Andover and Yale Theological seminaries, and was 

 licensed to preach in 1828. He was pastor of the Church in 

 Plainfield, Conn., from 1832 to 1841, and in 1842 came to New 

 Britain. He was a faithful pastor, endeared to his people by 

 his kindly sympathy with them, and his constant interest in 

 whatever concerned their welfare. While a settled pastor, he 

 devoted his time and strength to the Church and parish, but af- 

 ter his dismission from the Church he was repeatedly chosen to 

 offices of honor and trust. He was a member of the Connecti- 

 cut Assembly, being in the House in 1862 and 1869, and in the 

 Senate in 1865. He was the first treasurer of the Savings Bank 

 of New Britain, holding the office from 1862 to 1879, and was 

 judge of probate from 1864 to 1872. He was married to Julia 

 Ann Plummer of Glastonbury^ June 6, 1833. She died in 

 1838, and he married. May 5, 1840, Elizabeth Eaton of Plain- 

 field. She died April 18, 1842, and he married July 29, 

 1844, Mrs. Charlotte Stanley, the daughter of Seth J. North, 

 one of the founders of the Church. Mr. Rockwell died De- 

 cember 25, 1881. 



With Mr. Rockwell's pastorate closed the first century of 

 Church work in New Britain. The history of this period would 

 be incomplete without some allusion to the men who contribu- 

 ted most to molding the thoughts and forming the character of 

 the Church during this time. The first pastor of the First 



