1802. After stages began to run for carrying the mail, the bridge was carried away, and the Stage Coach Company sued the town for damages in failing to make a crossing. The town employed Homer Boardman to build a boat to be run across by a large rope to meet the emergency, and the next Spring they applied to the Assembly for the privilege of a toll-bridge. 1803 or 1804. Bridge built at Gaylordsville. 1807. A dam was built across the river. Saw mill erected and Grist mill at Gaylordsville. Peter Gaylord built a store on the east side of the river about this time. 1809. Church organized in Bridgewater. Meeting-house begun to be built by lottery instituted 1807. 1810. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church organized in Bridgewater. 1812. A fever epidemic occurred that carried off by death fifty-eight persons in two and a half months. 1814. St. Peter’s Lodge No. 21, F. A. M. leased land of Eli Starr to build Lodge on. 1814. Baptists at Northville organized a Church known as the New Milford Baptist Church. Eleazer Beecher was licensed to preach the Gospel to them. 1816. Upon the petition of sundry inhabitants in the vicinity of what is called Gaylord’s Bridge praying a grant of money from the town to rebuild the bridge upon Ousatonic River at Gaylords Falls, it was put to vote that a sum of $400 be granted which was negative; another vote was then put for a sum of $300 which was also voted in the negative. 1818. The New Milford and Sherman Turnpike Company incorporated. 1819. Wm. Roberts settled in Gaylordsville, erected clothing works. 1822. A convention of delegates met to consider the advisability of building “The Housatonic Valley Canal.” Funds were raised and an estimate of the expense of construction made. The enterprise failed. 1823. A Baptist meeting-house erected near Lower Merryall burying place. Glover Sanford began making hats in Bridgewater. 1824. The first Methodist Church organized by Rev. C. Silliman. 1826. Peter Gaylord appointed first Postmaster, Gaylordsville. Union Church building erected, Gaylordsville. The trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Northville bought of Henry Benson a piece of land for erecting a house of worship. 1827. Sylvanus Merwin erected a store and hotel on west side. 1828-9, A Methodist meeting-house was built at the Corners at the old John Warner place in Lanesville. 1830. Anan Hine, James S. Clark, and George Taylor, and such other persons as they shall associate with them, not exceeding twenty in the whole, be and they and their successors [Illustration: REV. NOAH PORTER, D. D., LL.D. Pastor Congregational Church, New Milford, 1836-1843; President of Yale College, 1871-1886] are made a corporation by the name of “The New Milford Fire Company.” A Baptist Church was organized. 1832. Roswell and Sheldon Northrop started Machinery business and Foundry in Maryland District, now carried on by Jasper A. Northrop in this village. 1833. Congregational Church erected.