First Church (Cambridge, Mass.)

The First Church was formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1633, but in 1636 the minister and most of the members removed to Hartford, Conn. In 1829 the First Parish or First Church (Congregational) in Cambridge split into factions of Unitarian and Trinitarian persuasion. The latter, with the pastor Abiel Holmes, separated to form the Shepard Congregational Society, and continued subsequently under the name of the First Church. The Unitarians continued to be known as the First Parish, though claiming the title of First Church until 1899.

A church was formed in Cambridge in 1633, but in 1636 the minister and most of the members removed to Hartford, Conn. A new church was gathered that year. In 1829 the congregation split over the unitarian controversy. The Unitarians retained the name First Parish and the Congregationalists kept the name First Church.

The church was gathered in 1635/36 (in 1633 a church had been gathered in what was then called Newtown with Thomas Hooker as pastor and Samuel Stone as teacher; they and many of the members moved to Hartford, Conn. three years later). After the separation of the Menotomy (Arlington) Precinct in 1733, the parish and church began to be known as the "First" in Cambridge. In 1829 the Parish became Unitarian and the orthodox withdrew under the minister, Abiel Holmes, to form the Shepard Congregational Society (i.e., First Congregational Church).