A One-Name Study for the BARNUM/BARNHAM Surname
Reverend Medad Rogers was a native of Branford, Connecticut. He was the son of Josiah Rogers, Jr. of Branford, and grandson of Josiah Rogers, Sr. His great grandfather, Noah Rogers, came from Huntington, New York, on Long Island. His great-great grandparents were among the first settlers of Huntington, in 1655. Reverend Rogers settled in New Fairfield in 1786. Quoted below is a letter which he wrote accepting the call to the New Fairfield church. It is noteworthy that this letter is one of the few recorded writings of Reverend Rogers, and it serves as a valuable indicator of the state of the church at that time.
Meeting opened on the 6th Day of Novr 1786. The worthy Mr Rogers gave his answer to the society in the affirmative in the words following. Viz. Gentlemen and Friends. Haveing taken into consideration your situation as being formerly broken & Divided as sheep without a shepherd, Also the remarkable Union God hath of Late Given to this People, the Publick spiritdness which Reigns among them as though one soul animated the whole, the appearance that God is about to return, Pour out his Spirit, revive his work, animate and comfort his Children with happier scenes, the harmonious agreement & well regulated state of this church all conspire with the Unanimous call which this Church and society gave one to settle with them in this work of the Gospel Ministry. Deeply impressed with a sense of the importance, Difficulty and Greatness of the work to which I am Called, sensible of my great deficiency & entire insufficiency of myself without Divine Assistance to feed Christ's Sheep and Lambs, I Cheerfully (though with trembling) accept the invitation of the Society & Church in this Place to settle with them in the work of the Gospel Ministry. Depending on your friendship and Assistance in all matters which may call for your Aid both temporal and spiritual, hoping by the grace of God ever to be ready in love to return you all the Duties of a kind Neighbor, a cordial friend, a faithful Minister & of a meek, tender hearted watchful Pastor in Christ Jesus, may God grant that you may never be Disappointed in me, but ever find me such as the Gospel points out. May we all be brought at last to unite in that one holy, glorious and harmonious society and Church of the first born in heaven. These are the Desires of your real friend and Pastor Elect, Medad Rogers.
Whereupon the society appointed Capt Phins Beardsley, Col Nehh Beardsley, Thos Brush Esqr, Mr Samll Hendrick & Capt Gideon Beardsley a comttee to join a comttee appointed by the church to agree with Mr Rogers with respect to the time of his ordination (which was on the 29th Day of Novr 1786) & to agree with sd comttee in sending out Letter requesting the Assistance of such Elders & churches as they should think fit. Also to represent said society before the Council when met. Meeting Dissolved. The above is a true Record of Votes Past at sd Meeting. Test, Amos Brush, Clerk Protem. Present at Mr. Rogers' examination for ordination in 1786 was Jonathan Edwards, D.D., son of the pastor by the same name who gave birth to the Great Awakening, that religious revival which swept through the country in the early 1800s, and which served to revitalize religious life for years to come. This younger Jonathan Edwards became famous as a president of Union Seminary in New York City. Reverend Rogers continued as pastor of the church until 1822, serving a total of 36 years. That was the longest pastorate in the history of the church. He passed away in 1824. His son, Colonel Amzi Rogers, continued to be actively involved in the church for many years. His son, Theodore Dwight Rogers, was responsible for compiling the "New Fairfield Ecclesiastical Society Records," which are stored in a safe in the New Fairfield Public Library and serve as the source of the information found here.
In the New Fairfield or Town Center Cemetery, the oldest existing cemetery in the town of New Fairfield. It is located on the east side of Brush Hill Road (Route 39) across from the Town Hall and the former location of the Congregational Church. His gravestone reads: In memory of the Rev. Medad Rogers, who died August 25, 1824, aged 74 years.
A Research Guide to the Genealogy of the Barnum/Barnam/Barnham Family Worldwide
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