The town of Chatham was formed from Middletown and organized in 1767. The Congregational Church of Chatham was organized October 25, 1721, by settlers of Middletown. The town of Portland was taken from Chatham in 1841, so that the old church (at Gildersleeve) now belongs in Portland territory. The East Middletown parish, formerly a part of Chatham, was incorporated as Conway in 1841, but also became a part of Portland.