44° HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



upon a deliberate consideration unanimously agreed and vote to proceed in the 

 ordination of Mr. Mead. Voted tint Mr. Ingersol make the first prayer and 

 give the right hand of fellowship ; that Mr. Todd should preach, that Mr. Sacket 

 make the ordination prayer, that Mr. Kent give the charge, and that Mr. Daven- 

 port conclude with prayer and a word of Exhortation. At which time a church 

 was gathered consisting of eighteen members (viz.) Josiah Gilbert, Solomon 

 Close, Stephen Brush, Jonah Keeler, Noah St. John, Daniel St. John, Nathan 

 Northrup, Andrew Bishop, Ebnr. Scofield, John Bouton, Ebnr. Grummond, Lot 

 Keeler, Paul Keeler, Abraham Northrup, Benjamin Bishop, and Elijah Keeler, 

 and the ordination Performed accordingly. Test., 



Jonath. Ingeesol, Scribe." 



" This was the first ordination in Salem, and the first church gathered 

 in said town.* Solomon Mead." 



" The first Sabbath after the ordination," says Mr. Mead, " (viz.) 

 May the 24th, I took a vote of the church whether we should join with 

 the western association in Fairfield County ; voted in affirmative the 

 whole church, except Matthew Northrup. Accordingly I joined as a 

 member of said association on the next Tuesday, viz., the 26th of May, 

 there being an Association of said county then setting, a consociation 

 as yet not meeting the church. As yet have not joined, but propose so 

 to do as soon as opportunity does present." 3 



The following items relate principally to election of officers and 

 adoption of Church government : 



"At a meeting of said church, on July 2, 1762 — 1. Voted our 

 Brother Solomon Close be our deacon. 



" 2. Voted our Brother John Bouton be our deacon also. 



"September 14, 1752. New stile at a meeting of said church. Voted 

 to contribute four pence a man and three pence a woman for one year 

 ensuing ; also agreed on it by the desire of the church to have the 

 Sacrament administered once in two months." 



" September 8, 1757. At a meeting of the church to hear reasons of 

 Deacon Bouton's resigning his office, after hearing and agreeing he had 

 power to Lay Down, the church proceed to a new choice ; again make 

 choice of the deacon, he desires three weeks from the Lord's Day en- 

 suing for consideration, the petition granted the deacon accepts." 



a Mr. Mead was not, perhaps, aware that the Rev. Ebenezer Dibblee, claimed Salem as 

 belonging to his parochial care, under charge of the Venerable Propagation Sow t v and had 

 performed services here soon after his return from England in 174S. He formally inducted 

 his successor, Epenetus To vnsend, 29th of May, 1T68. 



b Book of Records of Presbyterian church, South Salem, vol. I., entitled " Records of the 

 Church of Christ 111 salem scl iirst church iu sd town with some places adjacent," p.p. 1-2. 

 This volume has just been discovered and brought to light by the Rev. Thomas ,\i. Gray who 

 kindly loaned it to the author. It contains besides other minutes a " lists ol members from 

 1752 to 1802." Persons who Had renewed their covenant from Aug. 23d, 1752 to March 3, 1783, 

 making in all 167. The number of marriages from Aug. 13, 1752, to June 2d, 1805, in all 666 

 a list of infants and adults baptized from May 24th, 1752, to June 24, iso4, in all 'J12, and to 

 complete the whole a list of deaths from Dec. 22d, 1767 to Jan. 11, 1805. 



