1 October 1724 A.D. Richard Mansfield Born—Colonial Anglican & Royalist in Connecticut; he opted out of CT Congregationalism for the Church of England while studying at Yale
1 October 1724 A.D. Richard Mansfield Born—Colonial Anglican &
Royalist in Connecticut; he opted out of
CT Congregationalism for the Church of England while studying at Yale
No
author. “Rev. Richard Mansfield.” Derby History Quiz. N.d. http://www.electronicvalley.org/derby/quiz/Pages/mansfield,richard.htm. Accessed 26 May 2014.
Rev.
Richard Mansfield
Reverend Richard
Mansfield, the first resident Church of England clergyman in Derby, lived from
1724 to 1820 and served for 72 years, a period marking the longest rectorship
recorded in the United States. He was born in New Haven and his father was a
deacon in the Congregational Church. However, while studying at Yale he became
interested in the Episcopal faith. In 1748, he sailed to England, was admitted
to Holy Orders by the Archbishop of Canterbury and swore an allegiance to the
king that would later cause him some difficulties at home.
Upon his return to
America, he was assigned to Derby. There he married Sarah Anna Hull in 1751.
When the Revolutionary War broke out, Dr. Mansfield found himself in an awkward
situation having pledged his loyalty to the king. When a pro-British letter
that he had written to British authorities in New York fell into the hands of
patriots, he had to flee for his life to Long Island in 1775. He believed that
the colonists should remain loyal subjects of the King of England (As did many
others in Derby at the start of the War!). He fled Derby from his pulpit on a
Sunday morning just ahead of a pursuing band of patriots who didn't take kindly
to his pro-British sermons.
Though he escaped
safely to Long Island, while he was away, both his wife Anna, and their infant
daughter died while living in the Episcopal Glebe House Rectory. Following the
war he returned to Derby and took up his old rectorship at St. James' Church.
The animosity prevalent because of his pro-British stance seemed to fade as the
citizens turned to building their new country. Mansfield was a very active
clergyman serving all of Derby including Seymour and Oxford.
He died in 1820 and
is buried in the old cemetery on Elm Street in Ansonia which had been the site
of the first Episcopal church in the Valley.
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