THE TOWN OF BEDFORD. 53 



& Delivered the same as his free & Voluntary act & Deed and having Examined 

 the same and finding no material mistake, Erasure or Interlineation Do allow 

 the same to be recorded. Eben Lockwood." 



The records of the town inform us that the town meeting of 1784 and 

 5 were held in the meeting house. The judges of the court of common 

 pleas and the supervisors of the county held their meetings May 9th, 

 1786, in the Presbyterian meeting-house in Bedford, so that we have 

 conclusive proof that this second house of worship was built where it 

 now stands, but which has been vacated by the people for one larger 

 and more commodious, built on the ground owned by the church next 

 to the parsonage. 



In 1785 the Presbyterian Society was incorporated by the name of 

 the Trustees for the Presbyterian Church and Congregation of Bedford, 

 to be governed in Discipline and Worship according to the Directory of 

 the now established Church of Scotland. The first Trustees elected were 

 Zebediah Mills, Israel Lyon and Joseph Owen. These were men, no 

 doubt, who were prominent in -erecting the church in 17 89. 



The next minister called here was Rev. John Devenport, May 18th 

 1786. He was born in Philippi, New Jersey, Aug. nth, 1752,- gradu- 

 ated at the college of New Jersey, in 1769, and studied theology partly 

 under Dr. Bellamy and partly under Dr. Buel, of East Hampton, Long 

 Island. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Long Island, and served 

 the congregation of Southhold as stated supply for two years. From 

 Southhold he came to Bedford, and settled May 18th, 1786, and re- 

 mained here a faithful and godly minister for five years. Leaving here, 

 he was called to Deerfield, New Jersey, and settled there Aug. 12th, 

 1795. He remained there ten years, and was dismissed on account 

 of failing health. He finally became a home missionary in Western 

 New York, and died in Lysander, July 13th, 182 1, an amiable and ex- 

 cellent man. 



In June, 1792, Rev. Isaac Foster was settled here, and remained not 

 more than two years. We are in possession of the original subscription 

 list, with the amount promised by each subscriber for the support of Mr. 

 Foster for one year, commencing March 2 2d, 1792, in -£. s. d., and 

 here we find the names of ancestors of families still residing in Bedford 

 — the Millers, Mills, Holmes, Clarks, Lyons, Benedicts, French, Ambler, 

 etc. Mr. Foster remained probably two years and left, as tradition re- 

 ports, with his name and that of his wife in bad repute. But we 

 know nothing of the place whence he came, or whither he went, or 

 where he died. Then came a most excellent. man, the Rev. Samuel 

 Blatchford, who preached here for some time as stated supply, refusing 



