Pierce, Richard D. (Richard Donald), 1915-1973

Richard Donald Pierce became a Unitarian minister in 1951. He spent most of his academic life at Emerson College in Boston, where he was Dean of the College from 1958-1973. He belonged to the First and Second Church in Boston, but preached often in various churches over the course of his career.

Richard Donald Pierce (1915-1973) was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1935 and received his BD in 1938 from Andover Theological Seminary. On August 19, 1939, he was ordained by the Franklin Association of Congregational Ministers and Churches. He served as acting minister for the Congregational and Baptist Churches in Temple, Maine, from 1937-1952. He was granted affiliated Unitarian standing in 1944, and in 1951 became a minister in the American Unitarian Association.

He received an SB from Simmons College in 1946, a PhD from Boston University the same year, and an STM from Harvard Divinity School in 1948. He spent most of his academic life at Emerson College in Boston, joining the history faculty in 1947, and becoming Dean of the Chapel in the same year. He was Chair of the Faculty from 1952-1958, and Dean of the College from 1958-1973.

He prepared and edited the Records of the First Church in Boston, 1630-1867, which was published in 1961, and also edited the Records of the First Church in Salem, published in 1974. He belonged to the First and Second Church in Boston, but preached often in various churches over the course of his career.