Rec. minister of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in Bedford.

e Son of the Rev. John Jones, of Fairfield, born at Concord, January 11, 1641.

2 2 HIISTORY OF THE

A^ V

The first regularly installed Presbyterian pastor of Bedford, ^vas the Rev. Wihiam Tennent ; this individual upon his first i^rrival in America, (in 1716,) settled at East Chester, A. D. 1720 ; the exact date of his removal to Bedford has not been determined ; it probably took place in 1721. a

The Presbyterian Society was incorporated by virtue of an act of the legislature of this state " entitled an act to enable all religious denominations in this state to appoint trustees who shall be a body corporate, for the purpose of taking care of the temporalities of their respective congregations, and for other purposes therein mentioned, passed 6th of April, 1784, " to be known by the name of the trustees for the Presbyterian Church and congregation of Bedford, to be governed in discipline and worship according to the Directory of the now established Church of Scotland," first trustees Zebadiah Mills, Israel Lyon and Joseph Owen.b

LIST OF MINISTERS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT

BEDFORD.

Install or call, JMinisters. Vacated by

1721 Rev. ^ViUiam Tennent, resig.

1740 Rev. Robert Sturgeon, do.

1743 Rev. Samuel Sackett, do. 1753

Jan. 1, 1769 Rev. Ehphalet Ball, do. Jan. 1, 1769

Dec. 13, 1769 Rev. Samuel Mills, do. May 18, 1786

May IS, 1786 Rev. John Davenport, do. May 4, 1791