The Reverend Charles Pitman Croft was ordained here at Avon Congregational Church in 1871 and served as pastor here from 1871-75. As a Methodist minister, he was expected to change churches every three years. Instead, he changed denominations. Subsequently, he was a pastor for churches in Torrington and Willimantic. He supported women’s suffrage and was active for years on the Simsbury Free Library board. Rev. Croft (1844-1921) was born in New York and attended Wesleyan University and Yale Seminary. He married Julia Mather of Simsbury in 1871. Photo from FindAGrave.com.
