First Congregational Church (Amherst, Mass.)

Founded in 1739, the First Congregational Church of Amherst built a meeting-house upon the knoll where the Amherst College's Octagon building stands. In 1788 another meeting-house was built on the same site. In 1828 another building was built that in 1866 became Amherst College's College Hall. In 1867-1868 a new church was built on Amherst's Main Street.

From the description of First Congregational Church, Amherst, Mass. records, 1739-1939. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 52218773

Chronology of the First Congregationalist Church in Amherst, 1781-1939

• 1734: The Third Precinct of Hadley is organized by the General Court with a condition to "build a meeting house and settle a learned Orthodox Minister in three years."
• 1735: Rev. David Parsons is employed as the first Minister of the church
• 1739: First Church is organized with sixteen members on November 7; Rev. David Parsons is ordained as pastor
• 1741: The First Meeting House is built on the future site of the octagon building at Amherst College
• 1753: The First Meeting House is completed
• 1759: The Third Precinct of Hadley becomes the District of Amherst
• 1781: Rev. David Parsons dies
• 1782: Rev. David Parsons (son of first Minister) is ordained
• 1783: The First Church Parish is established to manage church financial business
• 1784: Political objections to Rev. David parsons lead a group to break from the church to form the Second Church of Amherst
• 1785: The Second Church of Amherst meeting house is completed
• 1788: The larger, Second Meeting House is erected on the site of the First
• 1792: A Paul Revere bell is installed in the church belfry, and the practice of blowing a "konk" to gather worshipers is discontinued
• 1819: Rev. David Parsons retires
• 1820: Rev. Daniel A. Clark is installed as Minister; Noah Webster writes a constitution for the newly established Sunday school; David Parsons lays cornerstone for Amherst College
• 1822: Amherst College holds its first commencement ceremony at the church
• 1824: Rev. Daniel A. Clark is dismissed; Samuel Hills and 16 other members unite with others to organize the South Congregational Church
• 1826: Rev. Royal Washburn is installed as Minister; Oliver Dickinson and others leave the church to form the North Church
• 1828: The Third Meeting House is built on the southwest corner of South Pleasant Street and Northampton Road
• 1833: Rev. Royal Washburn dies; Rev. Matthew T. Adam is installed as Minister
• 1834: Matthew T. Adam dismissed; Edward Hitchcock serves as one of the interim Ministers
• 1837: Josiah Bent is installed as Minister
• 1839: Josiah Bent dies
• 1840: Rev. Aaron M. Colton is ordained as Minister
• 1853: Aaron M. Colton is dismissed at his own request; Rev. Edward S. Wright becomes Acting Pastor
• 1854: Rev. Edward S. Wright in installed as Minister; meeting house is used for the inauguration of William A. Stearns, President of Amherst College
• 1857: Ralph Waldo Emerson delivers lecture in the meeting house, "The Beautiful in Rural Life"
• 1860: Edward S. Dwight is dismissed
• 1861: Rev. Henry L. Hubbell ordained as Minister
• 1865: Amherst voters gather in meeting house to vote on the establishment of the Massachusetts Agricultural College; Henry L. Hubbell resigns
• 1867: Rev. Jonathan L. Jenkins becomes Acting Pastor; Amherst College buys the meeting house (now known as College Hall)
• 1868: The Fourth Meeting House is built on the south side of Main Street; the pulpit, made of wood from the Lebanon Mountains in Syria, is donated by the Rev. Daniel Bliss; Rev. Jonathan L. Jenkins is installed as Pastor
• 1877: Rev. Jonathan L. Jenkins resigns; Rev. Howard Kingbury is installed as Minister
• 1878: Rev. Jonathan L. Jenkins dies
• 1879: Rev. Forrest F. Emerson is installed as Minister
• 1883: Rev. Forrest F. Emerson resigns; Rev. George S. Dickerman is installed as Minister
• 1888: Church bylaws are amended to give women voting power
• 1891: Rev. George S. Dickerman resigns
• 1892: Rev. Frank L. Goodspeed is installed as Minister
• 1894: Rev. Frank L. Goodspeed resigns
• 1895: Rev. Oliver Huckel is installed as Minister
• 1897: Rev. Oliver Huckel resigns
• 1898: Rev. Henry R. McCartney is installed as Minister
• 1901: Rev. Henry R. McCartney resigns; Rev. William E. Strong is installed as Minister
• 1904: The administrative parish is dissolved and the church incorporates
• 1906: Rev. William E. Strong resigns
• 1907: Rev. William I. Anderson is installed as Minister
• 1909: Organ is donated by Fidelia S. Gaylord
• 1913: Rev. William I. Anderson resigns
• 1914: Rev. John A. Hawley begins ministry
• 1915: Church is remodeled to increase space for social activities
• 1936: Ruth E. Sherburne is elected clerk of the church
• 1937: Rev. John A. Hawley resigns; Rev. Raymond A. Waser begins ministry
• 1939: Rev. Raymond A. Waser resigns

From the guide to the First Congregational Church in Amherst Records, 1829-1959, 1829-1939, (Amherst College Archives and Special Collections)