First Congregational Church (Shrewsbury, Mass.). Records, 1723-1951.
Title:
Records, 1723-1951.
This collection, of five octavo volumes, five folio volumes, and one folder of six miscellaneous items, contains the records of the First Congregational Church of Shrewsbury, 1723-1951, spanning the ministries of Rev. Job Cushing, Rev. Joseph Sumner (1740-1824), Rev. Samuel Bridge Ingersoll (1785-1820), Rev. Edwards Whipple (1778-1822), Rev. George Allen (1792-1883), Rev. James Averill (1815-1863), Rev. Nathan Witter Williams (1816-1902), Rev. William Anderson McGinley (1831-1896), Rev. Ebenezer Porter Dyer (1813-1882), Rev. John Lewis Scudder (1853- ), Rev. Frank Houghton Allen (1852-1924), Rev. Inman Lyon Willcox (1859-1932), Rev. Edward Allison Lathrop (1867- ), Rev. Arthur Henry Sedgwick (1860-1948), Rev. Frederick Burnham Lyman (1871-1936), Rev. Frederick Daniels Thayer (1876-1948), Rev. Clarence Edward Hellens (1890-1951), and Rev. Robert Merrill Bartlett (1898-1995). The records consist of notes on the business of the church including meetings and reports, and notes on its membership including baptisms, marriages, deaths, admissions, and removals. Octavo volume 1 contains records of admissions from 1 March 1723/4 to 6 June 1824, baptisms from 15 December 1723 to 6 June 1824, and marriages from 12 December 1723 to 8 June 1823; a list of the original members of the church; and a copy of the church covenant. It also contains the minutes of church meetings from 10 July 1840 to 4 June 1841 regarding the accusation of Rev. G. Allen that Brother Henry Dana Ward (1797-1884) was fraudulently connected with the church. Octavo volume 2 is a transcription, by Andrew Henshaw Ward (1784-1864), including most everything in Octavo volume 1 excepting the minutes of church meetings from 10 July 1840 to 4 June 1841. This volume also includes a "Pedigree of Revd. Mr. Cushing," and a "Pedigree of Revd. Dr. Sumner," as well as some biographical information on Rev. Ingersoll, Rev. Whipple, and Rev. G. Allen. Octavo volume 3 was "... presented to the Congregational Church in Shrewsbury, with the affectionate regards of their pastor, N. W. Williams. Shrewsbury, July, 1849." It contains a record of baptisms, from 19 September 1841 to November 1887. Most of this volume is blank. Octavo volume 4 was "... presented to the Congregational Church, in Shrewsbury, with the affectionate regards of their pastor N. W. Williams. Shrewsbury, March, 1850." It contains a register of admissions from 1 June 1791 to October 1840 (of members already belonging to the church and still alive in 1849; copied from various sources); from 5 October 1850 to 6 May 1877, 6 November 1887 to 2 May 1897, and January 1901 to March 1901. The volume also includes a register of removals from July 1843 to 17 December 1876 and from 4 November 1887 to 30 July 1897. There is a notation on p. 183 regarding the admission of Rev. Scudder and his wife. Octavo volume 5 is a folder containing two sermons of Rev. Cushing. The first sermon is only a portion of the full sermon; the first twenty-four pages are missing. A notation at the end of the sermon states that this sermon was preached on 12 December 1742, 10 November 1745, 17 November 1745, 22 April 1753, and 19 November 1753--"All Day." The other sermon is complete, with a notation at the end of it stating it was preached on 2 October 1743--"All Day" at Hingham, Mass., 3 October 1743. Folio volume 1 is a "copy of the second book of records of the Church of Christ in Shrewsbury by Andrew H. Ward--April 1860." It contains the notes of Rev. Cushing about parish business for the period 29 December 1731 to 17 September 1759. For the period 1 September 1760 to 24 May 1762, the church records were kept by Artemas Ward (1727-1800). After his ordination on 23 June 1762, the records were kept by Rev. Sumner, for the period 18 August 1762 to 24 April 1820. Folio volume 2 is a record book of the 1st Precinct of Shrewsbury, Mass. for the period 1742/3 to 1825. It contains notifications (or warrants) for meetings, returns of the notifications (or warrants), and minutes of meetings for the period 21 January 1742/3 to 12 December 1825. The volume also contains the parish tax lists for the years 1821 to 1825. Folio volume 3 is a "book of records for the use of the trustees incorporated to superintend the fund raised for the support of a Congregational Minister in the town of Shrewsbury December 29th 1800." This record book of the Ministerial Fund covers the period 29 December 1800 to 30 April 1915. Folio volume 4 is "records of the Congregational Parish in the Town of Shrewsbury Second Volume March 1826." It is a continuation of Folio volume 2 containing warrants of meetings, returns of warrants, and minutes of the meetings, for the period 13 March 1826 to 14 March 1870. It also contains the parish tax lists for the years 1826 to 1870. Folio volume 5 is "Records of the Congregational Church in Shrewsbury from the time of the Ordination of the Rev. James Averill as their Pastor, June 22d, 1841." The volume was given to the church by John Rice (1811-1886) in 1840 "... for the purpose of being used by them, as a book of Records." It contains the records of the church for the period 26 April 1841 to 16 December 1903. It also contains twenty-one pages of "Members Received" for the period 3 January 1837 to 6 April 1950, and three pages of "Members Removed" for the period 15 January 1942 to 25 October 1951. The folder contains miscellaneous papers concerning the church including a list of "Names of Members of the Congl. Parish in Shrewsbury Jan. 1, 1878;" a list of "Trustees of the Fund raised for the support of the Congl Minister in the Town of Shrewsbury," for the period 1801 to 1891; a typewritten account of the "Ministerial Fund of the Congregational Parish," for the year 21 April 1902 to 21 April 1903, with notes of a meeting held 23 April 1909 on the back; and a postcard addressed to Hiram Harlow (1906-1969), reminding him to attend Rally Day on 2 October 1921.
ArchivalResource:
5 v. ; octavo.5 v. ; folio.1 folder (6 items)
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