From the 'Turnback Tuesday' archives: Chapel in Burtville neighborhood

This week's "Turnback Tuesday" features a photo taken in the neighborhood of Burtville off Route 34 East before you get to Mount St. Peter’s Cemetery in Derby. 

This area once had its own church (shown.) The community takes its name from David Burt, who owned the land where the village now stands. Considered quite a “character” in those days, Burt was brother-in-law to Rev. Stephen Jewett, rector of St. James Episcopal Church. 

In 1877, Mrs. D.M. Church organized a Sunday school class which grew into a mission, for which George Waterman donated a suite of rooms in the Reagan house that December. 

Dr. B.F. Leach succeeded Mrs. Church as head of the mission, and Mrs. Martha Ticknor, adopted daughter and heir of the Burts, donated a site for the chapel adjoining the Burt home. 

The work was completed on July 6, 1879 at a cost of $500. Charles H. French succeeded Dr. Leach as superintendent in 1883. Mrs. Charles French was organist, and Lorenzo D. Rockwell, sexton. There were 70 scholars registered at that time, representing the Baptist, Methodist, Congregational, and Episcopal denominations.

[First posted on this date in 2016.]

Thanks goes to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.

'From the 'Turnback Tuesday' archives: Focus on Rev. Mansfield

This week's "Turnback Tuesday" is an image of Rev. Richard Mansfield.

He was born in New Haven in 1724, his father a deacon for the Congregational Church.

However, during Mansfield's schooling at Yale he was converted to the Episcopal faith.

He became a Reverend and was assigned to the St. James Episcopal Church in Derby in 1748. He served there for 72 years - with only a brief interruption during the Revolutionary War, after he fled due to his loyalist views.

After the war, however, he was allowed to return and continued his duties at St. James until his death in 1820. He was buried in Elm Street Cemetery in Ansonia.

(Note: the bonus photo above of St. James is circa 1900.)

Thanks goes to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week.

'Turnback Tuesday' features St. James Episcopal Church

Turnback Tuesday looks at St. James Episcopal Church.

The church was established in 1737. The first resident rector was Rev. Richard Mansfield 1748-1820.The original building erected for the Episcopal Church still stands today on Elm Street in Ansonia. It was added to the David Humphreys House located across the street and used as a summer kitchen. During the rectorship of Rev. William Bliss Ashley,1842-1848, the church was relocated from east Derby to its present location at 123 Minerva St., along the Derby Green.

The parish was then enlarged and a tower added in 1853.

Thanks goes to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week!