Notebook of Deacon Abraham Pierson, Killingworth

The notebook kept by Deacon Abraham Pierson recording events in the Killingworth Congregational Second Society offers a unique look at the religious life of the Griffin family in Killingworth. The notebook covers the years from 1787 to 1802. As his own personal notebook it remained in his family after his death. It was purchased in a bookstore in Connecticut in the 1980s. The person that made the purchase had the wisdom to recognize its historical value and donated it to the Connecticut State Library. Deacon Pierson’s famous grandfather, Abraham Pierson, was the first rector of Yale. Abraham himself was Yale educated. He served in a number of high ranking positions in local government and as a judge in the courts. Even with all of the prestigious hats that he wore he insisted that he be referred to as Deacon Pierson. Abraham Pierson played a major role in collecting and maintaining the records from Clinton and Killingworth. ---------------------- A Congregational Society had two sides. One was the ecclesiastical side the domain of the Ordained Minister. The other side was the business of running the Society. A primary function of the business side was raising revenue. The revenue was used to pay the Minister, build and maintain the buildings, manage the burying yard, organize and maintain the schools etc. Many Societies had a Deacon’s fund that was used to help the needy. In the minutes kept by the Society we see calls for work details to build, clean, paint and even cut and gather fire wood for both the meeting house and the minister. The two halves of the society came together in the Deacons. The Deacons served as an assistant to the Minister during Communion, baptisms etc. They managed all of the affairs of the Society in those times when the Society was without a Minister. The Deacons took the lead in hiring and dismissing Ministers. Each year a moderator was chosen to chair the Society meetings. Those meeting selected action committees to put in place the decisions of the committee. The Deacons were the first among equals in all of this arraignment. ----------------- You can see Deacon Pierson paternalistic view of the Society reflected in his notebook. He kept track of items that are not included in the official Society ledgers. One of the basic tenants of Congregational belief was that all teaching was to be done directly from the scriptures. One of the items that Abraham recorded in detail was the scriptural texts that served as the basis for each Sunday's sermon. From his list you can read the scriptures that the Griffins were taught on any given Sunday. It is interesting to note that each year he noted the week that Thanksgiving was celebrated. He also notes on occasion, “Sacrament Day”. ----------------- One of the other things that he record was what he termed “acknowledgements”. It is very common in Congregational ledgers to see records of church members being called out over the pulpit for sinful behavior. It is also common to see notes in the church minutes of committees being formed to help wayward members repent and return to good standing. Deacon Pierson’s acknowledgement seem to be in this vein. Of a curious nature the large majority of them are for “Fornication”. A study of the use of that term in colonial America leads you to believe that it had a very different meaning than is attached to it today. It was some behavior very different than adultery. It seems to have not involved third parties however its exact meaning escapes this author. The other common acknowledgement is for intemperance for those who imbibed too much and too often. ---------------- Deacon Pierson also kept record of marriages in the Society including that of Worden Griffin and Rhoda Hull. The notebook traces Worden and Harmon Griffin's families. We find in his baptismal records the baptism of of all of Henry Davis and Azuba Griffin's children he have included the record for their daughter Achsah.