New Milford. A memorial discourse, delivered in the Congregational church, New Milford, Conn., Sunday, July 9, 1876

Delivered in the calm of a summer worship service, this discourse invites listeners to wander through the early days of a New England town that grew from a modest tract of land into a vibrant community. The speaker weaves together fragments of town minutes, church records, and personal recollections, painting a picture of pioneers who arrived in the early 1700s, built the first bridge over the Housatonic, and established a modest school that taught for only four months each year. By grounding the narrative in concrete details—census figures, land patents, and the first town meetings—the address offers a richly textured sense of place and continuity.

Beyond chronology, the sermon highlights the town’s steadfast devotion to liberty, morality, and communal responsibility. Listeners hear how New Milford supported soldiers in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, enforced standards of public conduct, and entrusted its church with the moral oversight of daily life. The talk’s gentle reverence underscores how collective memory and shared values have shaped a community whose roots remain vivid and instructive.