Note: The town was incorporated Oct, 1703, from Plainfield, which had been incorporated four years earlier.

The Assembly granted the town permission to form their church in 1711.

The church started as a full-boat Puritan Congregational Church, but by 1744, the church was split by the Great Awakening and dissension between the "strict" religious folks holding to the "old" views and the "half-way members. These old views required a "religious experience" before one came a full member of the church. Folks who behaved like Christians and professed belief, without a personal religious experience, were "half-way" members, who were not granted communion, nor could they hold offices, like deacon. The church split in two in 1744, and the "stricter" folks kept the church records and the "half way" folks went to the other forms of Calvinism that were sweeping the nation at that time (ie Methodism, Baptist, etc.). The "old" church finally folded in 1807. The new church continued on and advertised it was the continuation of the original church. It apparently was in existence at the time of the printing of the book. A second record book was available from this church, the entries of which continue through 1844. So, this book is composed of two records (This is paraphrased from the preface to the book.)

 We have yet to find out how or where our Baldwins (and our Adams, Knights, or Partidge in-laws) stood on these issues. Maybe we can guess as we examine the records.

Notes: I believe "admitted" means admitted to the church.
I'm not quite sure what the fine definition of "owning" the covenant means. Can anyone explain exactly what that means?
I'm curious why the children are identified as the children of Benjamin and not including a reference to a wife. Did she die early, ie even before 1713??
Keep in mind the dates before 1752 are probably old style.
It sticks in the back of my mind somewhere that I read that Bennie's wife got baptised with the kids... anyone else remember reading that somewhere? She definitely is not shown when the kids were "gang-bang" baptized.
Surely both Bennie's wife and Richard Adams wife's are dead by 1721, don't you think? The wedding announcment for their kids don't mention the mothers. Most unusual by today's standards, anyway.
Daniel & Hannah's marriage not here... hope it will be in maybe Preston or Norwich.
 
 

Admitted

Pg 46, 1740 Sep 14
Susannah Wife to Timothy Baldwin, were admitted.
 
 

Baptisms

Pg 49, 1713 Oct 25
Benjamin, Daniel, Ebenezer, Timothy, Hannah, Patience Baldwin, the children of Benjamin Baldwin, sen were Bap

Pg 50, 1714, Aprill 11
Henery Baldwin the Son of Benjamin Baldwin was Bap

Pg 59, 1725 Novem 7
Ebinezer and Mary Baldwin the Children of John & Mary Baldwin
(I don't see an event here, probably baptism; it may have been a caption on a preceding page that I didn't copy.)

Pg 61, 1727 June 25
Adah ye Daughter of John & Mary Baldwin, were all Baptized by ye Rev Mr. Wills

Pg 64, 1730, July 5
Isaac Son to John & Mary Baldwin was Baptised.

Pg 67, 1733, May 21
William Son to John & Mary Baldwin (baptized?)

Pg 70, 1735, May 4
Joseph Son to Timothy & Susanna Bauldin were baptized.

Pg 70, 1735, Jul 20
James Son to John & Mary Bauldwin was baptised.

Pg 71, 1736 May 9
Jacob Son to Timothy & Susannah Bauldin were Baptised

Pg 73, 1738, Aug 27
Zipporah Daughter to Tim & Susanna Bauldin was baptised.

Pg 76, 1742, Jun 27
David son to Timothy & susanna Bauldwin was Baptised.

Pg 78, 1745, May
Benjamin Son of Timothy and Paishence Bolden (baptised?)
 

Marriages

Pg 98, 1721, Febrewary 22
John Bauldwin the Son of Benjamin Bauldwin and Mary Adams the Daughter of Richard Adams of Norwich
 

Owned the Covenant

Pg 104, 1725 Novem 7
John and Mary Bauldwin owned the Covenant

Pg 105, 1734, May 4
Timothy & Susanna Bauldwin owned the Covenant

Pg 106, 1740, Augu 31
Hannah Baldwin owned the Covenant
 

Admitted after the Settlement of James Cogswell in the Work of the Ministry here, (There is a heading that says: "This Book Belongs to the Church in Canterbury May 19, 1753. (the official date of the split?). Note there are dates of "admission" before then. The first "gang", in which we find the Hannah below, is not dated.

Pg 119, No date
Hannah, the wife of Ebenezer Baldwin

Pg 121, June 20, 1762
Widow Thankful Baldwin

Pg 121, Jan 29, 1764
The Widow Mary Baldwin

We whose names are subscribed being desirous of....

Pg 123, No date (but, I'm guessing it's in connection with the 1753 date above)
Hannah Bauldwin

The names of persons who ware members of the Church When Morgan Setled hear, and of those who have Since that Time Joined:

Pg 123, No date
Susannah Baldwin
 

Deaths

Pg 130, 1831, Aug 18th
Benjamin Baldwin drowned

Pg 132, 1834, Feb 26
Alice S. Baldwin of Canterbury

More Baptisms (from New Church Records??)

Pg 137, 1824
Mary Baldwin, baptised

Pg 142, No date?
Aaron Son of __________ Baldwin

Pg 142, No date?
John Son of _________ Baldwin

Pg 144, 1750 March
Jedidiah, Son of Ebenezer & Hannah Baldwin

Pg 144, 1750, May 20
Susannah, Daughter of Timothy & Susannah Baldwin

Pg 145, 1752, Aug 30
Timothy Son of Timothy & Susannah Baldwin

Pg 147, 1756, Jan 4
Lucy Daughter of Ebenezer Baldwin

Pg 147, 1757, Sept 15
Anna Daughter of Ebenezer Baldwin

Pg 148, 1759, Nov 18
Sarah Daughter of Ebenezer Baldwin

Pg 149, 1762, June 20
Elisha Son of Wid Thankful Baldwin

Pg 149, 1762, Dec 22
James Son of Ebenezer Baldwin

Pg 150, 1764, Aug 5
Mary Daughter of Joseph Baldwin

Pg 151, 151, 1767, August 9
Lydia, Daughter of Joseph Baldwin

Pg 152, 1769, August 6
Phebe Daughter of Joseph Baldwin

Pg 153, 1773, April 4, 1773
Unace ye daughter of Joseph & Thankfull Baldwin

Pg 157, 1824
Mary Esther, David Clark, Alice Susannah, Nancy Fitch, Harriet Atwood, Simeon Lathrop, children of Timothy & Mary Baldwin

Dismissals?

Pg 162, 1824
Mary Baldwin

In Full Communion in the Church at the Settlement of Robert C. Learned Dec 22, 1847

Pg 166, 1824
Mary (wid of Tim) Baldwin

Don't know What This Is - - Marriages Maybe?? Need to Get the First Page to see heading

Pg 170, 1763, Jun 2
Joseph Baldwin & Thankful Baldwin
Note: they are the only couple on the page with the same last names
If these are marriages, maybe cousins marrying cousins??

More Baptisms

Pg 175, May 2, 1824
Mary, wife of Timothy Baldwin, and Lucinda Goodspeed were baptised and admitted to communion, and Lydia, wife of John M. Francis, was admitted to communion.

Other surnames I'm seeing here that are familiar are Tracy (many times Trasy), Adams, Green, tons of Cleavelands,

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