by Mrs. Gail Woodard
In 1761, “winter privileges” consisting of the right to employ a minister through the winter months was obtained by the Wapping parish. Their petition stated there were two hundred souls and thirty-two families. Prior to obtaining these privileges, they had to travel 4 ½ miles to the Main Street Church, “through the wilderness.” The first meeting house in Wapping was constructed under the title of “a schoolhouse.” The first preacher was Dr. Matthew Rockwell. He was a practiced physician as well as a minister. The ill-constructed schoolhouse, known as the “Wapping Barn,” was torn down by a group of young men in the year 1799. In 1801, a new structure was raised jointly by the people of different denominations. It was understood the Congregationalists were to become the sole owners when they paid the other denominations for the value of their shares. In 1834, the Congregational Society was formally organized. The present church, although remodeled several times, still contains many of the original beams and boards of the first church.
Please note that despite possible inaccuracies, we will include the description of each quilt square as published in the 1995 revised and corrected second edition booklet. This second edition was published in celebration of South Windsor’s “sesquicentennial” anniversary, 1845-1995, and was dedicated to the memory of Gail Woodard, who passed away in 1994. The revised edition was compiled by Charles E. Woodward in September, 1995, with the assitance of Doris Burgdof who provided many historical corrections.