BUILDINGS
CHURCHES
The first land purchased by Christ Church parish was a tract 66 feet long and about 100 feet deep, situated on State Street. The buyers were Messrs. Diah Allin, Samuel McNary and Erasmus P. Beach, who had been made, March 23, 1839, a body corporate under the name of Wardens, Vestry and Proprietors of Christ Church in Springfield, March 23, 1839. On the deed are written the names of Major Goodsell, Diah Allin, Henry Seymour, Marcus M. Talmadge, Lucius C. Allen, Michael Hancock and Ezra Kimberly,—Trustees.
The name "Proprietors" is worthy of description. "This religious corporation was organized under a special Act of the Legislature of Massachusetts. Each owner of a pew becomes thereby a member of the corporation and is called a 'proprietor.' The proprietors choose the vestry, tax the pews, make all appropriations, and in general control all church activities. The rector has no voice in and never attends a proprietors' meeting. He meets with the vestry by courtesy only, does not preside, and has no vote.
The easterly boundary of the aforesaid lot was a hedge owned by Mr. George Bliss. It was bounded on the south by State Street, and on its westerly and northerly sides was land owned by Mr. Henry Sterns, from whom it was purchased for the sum of $1000.00. Land values have changed a bit since those days. Later as the parish grew and waxed strong, more land was acquired at the rear, and land to the west known as the Rectory lot became theirs, also. In 1845 Dwight Street became the easterly boundary of the Rectory lot, for then that street was laid out as far as Sanford Street. Cows grazed peacefully in the
 |
|
|