1744. Until 1744 there was but one military company in the Town. The officers were as follows: Capt. Stephen Noble (served 20 years), Lieut. John Bostwick, Ensign Wm. Gaylord, Capt. Theophilus Baldwin, Lieut. Joseph Bostwick, Ensign Samuel Canfield. 1746. The first Episcopal Church was established in New Milford about this time. 1746. Roger Sherman settled with his brother William on the west side of Winnisink brook, the place called New Dilloway. 1754. Rev. Solomon Palmer, the first resident Episcopal clergyman, came to New Milford. Voted: “that the meeting-house ---- shall be erected in the town street, east from Joseph Northrop’s dwelling house and west from Samuel Comstock’s well, where there is a heap of stones erected.” Voted: “that the inhabitants of this Society will raise the meeting-house by free will offering.” Voted: “that the committee shall provide what liquors they shall think necessary to be used at the raising of the meeting-house at the cost of the Society.” The second Congregational meeting-house was built. The Newbury Society was incorporated. 1755. The bridge was carried away by flood, and a new bridge built by the taxpayers of the town, and the Assembly granted the privilege of taking toll of all persons except taxpayers. Ezekiel Payne settled on the east side of the Housatonic, at Gaylords Ville. Lazarus Ruggles settled at Lanesville and erected the Iron Works. 1756. “Voted: that the old meeting-house which belongs to this Society shall be disposed of as follows, viz.: three-quarters of the body seats and two pews shall be given to the Church of England, and the remainder of the body seats to the Quakers in this Society, and the pulpit to those of Newbury (Brookfield), [Illustration: CAPTAIN GARRY BROOKS Grandson of Rev. Thomas Brooks, first pastor at Brookfield, Connecticut, and the oldest living person born in New Milford] and the gallery seats to those of New Preston Society which belong to New Milford, and the remainder to be disposed of and the avails of it improved toward the new meeting-house in this Society.” 1757. Mary Roberts gave her negro slave, Dan, his freedom upon his paying her £3, 2s. 5d. annually during his life. The church was organized in Newbury Society Sept. 28th. Mr. Thomas Brooks was ordained the first minister. 1758. Capt. Joseph Canfield raised a company and served with them under Col. David Wooster. They marched to Albany in May. 1760. Gaylordsville School District laid out. Upper Merryall burying ground laid out. 1761. The Separatists or Strict Congregationalists built a house of worship near the Center Cemetery. An effort made to clear the Housatonic River for navigation. A committee appointed and liberty granted to raise 300 pounds money by lottery. 1766. The bridge was carried away and rebuilt, and in three years a part of it went off again. It was again repaired but did not remain a year.