The baptismal basin has a deep depression, domed in the centre, and a beaded
edge. It is inscribed on the rim in one line:
THE GIFT OF THE REv. EZRA STYLES, D.D. LL.D. PRESIDENT YAL.
COLL. TO THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN NORTH HAVEN. 1794.
Diameter, Iof in.; depth, 21 in.
Maker's mark: M     , for Freeman Woods of New York, circa i790.
Rev. Dr. Ezra Stiles, the donor, was the well-known president of Yale col-
lege. He was the son of Rev. Isaac Stiles, pastor of this church, and of his wife
Keziah Taylor, and was born November 29, 1727. He graduated at Yale in 1746,
and was a tutor of the college from 1749 until 1755. In 1777 he was ap-
pointed president, and remained in that office until his death, May i 2, x 795-
He married (i), February 1 o, 1757, Elizabeth, eldest daughter of colonel John
and Elizabeth (Stevens) Hubbard of New Haven, who died May 29, 1775, aged
44. Dr. Stiles married (ii), October I7, 17 82, Mrs Mary Checkley, who gave a
silver cup in I 797 to the First Congregational church at Providence, Rhode Is-
land (see page 3 8 8). His literary diary has been published. For further details of
his career, see Barber's Historical collections of Connecticut, and Franklin B.
Dexter's Yale Biographies and Annals.
A silver tankard, made by Samuel Casey of Newport, Rhode Island, was given to
Ezra Stiles by his pupils, January 1, 1 755; it is now in the possession of Mrs
Kate Gannett Wells.
NORWALK, CONNECTICUT, FIRST
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Founded in 1652.
IGHT plain straight-sided silver beakers on flat bottoms, and a pair of
flagons are in this church.
The beakers are inscribed:
The first Church in Norwalk I18or
Height, 3- in.
Maker's mark: SBOWN, for Samuel Bowne of New York, circa 1 8oo.
Inscription on the pair of tall cylindrical flagons:
The first Church in Norwalk I1 8 1 1
Height, 122 in.
Makers' mark: I              for John and Peter Targee of New York, circa
i 8oo.
358