First Congregational Church of Amherst Collection, 1735-2012 

first_congregational_church_circa_1900_cropped
First Congregational Church of Amherst, Main Street,
circa 1900.

First Congregational Church of Amherst Collection


Abstract

This collection documents over 250 years in the life of the First Congregational Church of Amherst. Materials include church records, meeting records, financial materials, hymnbooks, newspaper clippings and photographs, and convey the relationship and importance the church has had in the lives of its members and the history of Amherst.

Historical Note

The First Congregational Church of Amherst was founded in 1739 as the Church of Christ in Hadley Third Precinct as an extension of the town of Hadley, MA when citizens began to move further east in pursuit of more land. These citizens wanted to build a meetinghouse that was closer to their homes. The first meetinghouse for the church was built in 1743. The meetinghouse was constructed where the Amherst College Octagon now stands. David Parsons was appointed the first minister.

Eventually the citizens wanted the church and their homes to be recognized as a separate town from Hadley, MA. By 1759, Amherst, MA was considered separate from Hadley, but did not receive representation in the Massachusetts legislature. The full status of being a town was achieved in 1770. In 1783, the church changed its name and was incorporated as the First Parish in Amherst, and a new meetinghouse was built in the same location as the original, located where the Amherst College Octagon is currently located. It was at this time of incorporation that some members of the church began to split from the original church. They formed the Second Church in Amherst. Due to this split, many people referred to the First Parish, as the First Church in relation to the Second Church. In 1829 a third meetinghouse was built, this time where College Hall of Amherst College is now located. In 1868, the First Parish built another new meetinghouse, this time located on Main Street, where the current church building is located.

The First Parish did eventually change names and became incorporated as the First Congregational Church of Amherst in 1904.

Scope and Contents

This collection documents 250 years in the life of the First Congregational Church of Amherst. The records held in the collection start from when the church was called the Church of Christ in Hadley Third Precinct, through the incorporation as the First Parish in Amherst, and past the incorporation as the First Congregational Church of Amherst. Materials include church records, meeting records, financial materials, hymnbooks, newspaper clippings and photographs. 

The collection conveys the relationship and importance the church had in the lives of its members and the citizens of Amherst, MA, the church’s role in the establishing of Amherst in the 1730’s, and in the full recognition of Amherst as a town in the 1770’s. 

Extent

15 linear feet (30 manuscript boxes, including one containing unprocessed material)

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Provenance​

The materials in the First Congregational Church of Amherst Collection were donated to the Jones Library by several sources. Miss Katherine Cowles and the Amherst Town Hall donated a significant amount of the materials, while other materials were donated with the Boltwood Collection. This is an active collection, and new material may be added at any time.

Preferred Citation

(Folder name), The First Congregational Church of Amherst Collection, Special Collections, Jones Library, Amherst, Massachusetts. 

Processing information

The collection was processed in 2010 by Lea Soranno. The finding aid was re-written in 2022 by Katherine Whitcomb.

Related Materials

For material relating to the ministers of First Congregational held in the Manuscript Collection (especially Rev. David Parsons, Jr.), please check the card catalog in the Reading Room.

A copy of 250 Years at First Church in Amherst, 1739-1989 is located in the Amherst section in the Special Collections Reading Room.

Published works by Rev. Oliver Huckel are located in the Amherst Authors section and are searchable through the library's online catalog.

Arrangement 

The collection is organized into nine series:

Series 1: Church Records (1735-1941)
This series includes articles of faith, church bylaws, church record books, and legal cases between the church and its members.

Series 2: Financial Records (1784-1956)
This series makes up the bulk of the collection. It contains account books, annual reports, budgets, debt lists, bills and receipts, tax valuations, tax abatements, tax collections, credit bills, refunds, and record books kept by the treasurer and collector.

Series 3: Memberships and Vital Records (1787-1938)
Contains membership lists (loose and bound), membership certificates, statements of withdrawals, and meeting records.

Series 4: Meetinghouse (1785-2012)
Contains records pertaining to church meetings and the construction of the meetinghouses, including pew deeds.

Series 5: Ministers (1737-1984)
Contains materials on specific ministers and materials collected on the ministers in general.

Series 6: Church Clubs and Organizations (1826-1961)
This series contains information from a variety of First Church clubs and organizations.

Series 7: Church Publications (1834-1996)
This series contains church newsletters, directories, calendars and other materials published by the First Church.

Series 8: Subject Files (1791-1989)
Contains news clippings, church histories, celebrations, music and hymns, and some correspondence.

Series 9: Photographs and Drawings (circa 1740-1900)
Contains photographs of the First Congregational Church’s exterior and interior, members of the church, and portraits of ministers.

Collection Inventory

Series 1: Church Records (1735-1941)


Box Title/Description Date
1 Admission of Members
Undated
1 Articles of Faith, bound
The articles of faith and government of the First Church in Amherst adopted on February 13, 1834
1834-1923
1 Bylaws
Amendments and explanations of church bylaws.
1856
1 Bylaws 1904, 1941
1 Covenant Undated
1 Document Wrappers
Scraps of labeled paper (mostly folded; some with sealing wax) that were used to organize the First Church documents (bills and receipts etc.).
1800-1860
1 First Church – Second Church Relationship
1788, 1819
1 Legal Cases – Boltwood, Samuel – Legal Case
1790
Legal Cases – Church, Giles
1796
1 Meeting Minutes and Votes
1783-1895
1 Memoranda of Votes, bound
1786-1789
1 Memoranda of Votes
1790-1799
1 Memoranda of Votes
1800-1809
1 Memoranda of Votes
1810-1819
1 Memoranda of Votes
1820-1833
1 Parsonage – Meetings and Deeds
1826-1862
1 Parsonage – Proprietor’s Records
1854-1861
2 Pew Deeds
Includes mortgage deeds and records of the selling of personal property.
1834-1846
Prudential Committee Reports
1871-1882
Prudential Committee Reports, bound
Bound book and photocopied duplicates.
1903-1906, 1907-1924
Record Book, bound
Book of church records including births and communions.
1735-1819
Record Book, bound
Book including records of members, minutes, meetinghouse, and the ministers.
1783-1840
Record Book, bound
Book including records of members, baptisms, marriages, deaths, Articles of Faith, and ministers.
1820-1855 
Record Book, bound
Bound book including records of officers, members, meetinghouse, and ministers.
1840-1881 
Record Book, bound
Bound book including records of ministers, minutes, and meetinghouse.
1854-1890 
Record Book, bound
Bound book including records of Prudential Committee meetings, members, and ministers.
1891-1938 
Records of Baptism, bound
1739-1843 
Record of Members 
Bound book listing church members, pastors, and deacons. 
1739-1920 
Taxes – Officials – Oaths
1792-1861
Taxes – Officials – Summons
Summons to specific men to “qualify for office” as assessors and collectors of the First Parish.
1791-1807
Votes
The unanimous decision to authorize George Cutler, Jr., C. R. Elder, C. L. Nims, and H. T. Cowles to convey all real and personal estate of the parish.
1905
Votes – Church Union
1819 
Warrants
Notice of meetings and listing of articles to be voted on.
1868-1891
Warrants for Meetings
1784-1799
Warrants for Meetings
1787-1788 
Warrants for Meetings
1789-1792 
Warrants for Meetings
1800-1810 
Warrants for Meetings
1811-1850 
Warrants for Meetings  1816-1819 
Warrants for Meetings
1820-1829 
Warrants for Meetings
1829-1833 
Warrants for Meetings
1834-1837
Warrants for Meetings
1851-1905
Warrants for Meetings
1905 

Series 2: Financial Records (1784-1956)

BoxTitle/DescriptionDate
6Account Book, bound
1833-1852
6Annual Budget Comparisons
1906-1939
6Annual Reports
1826-1947
6Assessor’s Book
1864-1867
6Assessor’s Correspondence
1864-1867
6Assessors Reports
1883-1893
6Bank Loan Receipts
1869-1874
6Bills and Receipts
Circa 1780s
6Bills and Receipts
Circa 1790s
6Bills and Receipts
1791-1799
6Bills and Receipts (fragments)
1793-1820
6Bills and Receipts
1802-1809
6Bills and Receipts
1811-1819
6Bills and Receipts
Circa 1820s
6Bills and Receipts
1828-1829
6Bills and Receipts
1830-1831
6Bills and Receipts1832-1833
6Bills and Receipts
1834-1835
6Bills and Receipts
1834-1838
7Bills and Receipts
1836-1837
7Bills and Receipts
1838-1839
7Bills and Receipts
1840-1841
7Bills and Receipts
1842-1843
7Bills and Receipts
1844-1849
7Bills and Receipts
Circa 1850s
7Bills and Receipts
1860s-1870s
7Bills and Receipts
1871
7Bills and Receipts
1872
7Bills and Receipts
1873
7Bills and Receipts
1874
7Bills and Receipts
1875
7Bills and Receipts
1889
7Bills and Receipts
1910
7Bills and Receipts
Undated
7Bills and Receipts – Councils
For providing food, drink (including alcohol) and other material goods to councils convened to dismiss or call ministers. 
1819-1840
7Budget
1892-1950
7Checks and Vouchers
1856-1878
7Checks and Vouchers
1877-1881
7Checks and Vouchers
1879-1880
7Checks and Vouchers
1882-1883
7Clerk’s Office Bills
1795-1814
7Collectors Annual Reports
1877-1893
7Credit Bills
1786-1789
7Orders for Payment
1873-1875
7Parish Committee
1850-1882
7Parish Committee, bound
1870-1878
7Reports
1892-1956
7Sinking Fund
Reports about the fund created in 1869 to liquidate the church debt.
1870, 1874
8Subscription Lists
1832, 1834
8Subscription Lists
1834-1870
8Subscription Lists – Meetinghouse
Subscription lists to pay off debt incurred by the church creation of Sinking Fund to pay off debt incurred by construction of fourth meetinghouse (on Main Street).
1869-1889
8Tax Abatements
1785-1812
8Tax Abatements
1813-1829
8Tax Abatements
1830-1859
8Tax Lists
1787
8Tax Lists
1805
8Tax Warrants
1801
8Taxes – Assessors and Collectors – Bills
Bills for collecting taxes and “making rates”.
1785-1814
8Taxes – Assessors and Collectors – Bills
Bills for collecting taxes and “making rates”.
1815-1861
8Taxes – Credit Bills
Notes listing parish members and the amount they owe in assessed taxes.
1784-1812, undated
8Taxes – Miscellaneous
Notes of accounts paid, owed, and other miscellaneous information related to Parish taxes.
1784-1861, undated
8Taxes – Refunds
1787-1822
9Taxes – Valuations
1786-1787, undated
9Taxes – Valuations
Assessor’s statements of total amount of Parish taxes.
1787-1861
9Taxes – Valuations
1788-1789
9Taxes – Valuations
1790-1791
9Taxes – Valuations
1792
9Taxes – Valuations
1793-1795
9Taxes – Valuations
1796-1799
9Taxes – Valuations
1800-1802
9Taxes – Valuations
1803-1804
9Taxes – Valuations
1805-1806
10Taxes – Valuations
1807-1808
10Taxes – Valuations
1809
10Taxes – Valuations
1810-1811
10Taxes – Valuations
1812-1814
10Taxes – Valuations
1815-1817
10Taxes – Valuations
1818-1819
11Taxes – Valuations
1820-1822
11Taxes – Valuations
1821-1823
11Taxes – Valuations
1823-1830
11Taxes – Valuations
1829-1837
11Taxes – Valuations
1838-1841
11Taxes – Valuations
1842-1845
11Taxes – Valuations
1848-1853
11Taxes – Valuations
1856, 1858, 1861
12Treasurer – Record Book
1839-1862
12Treasurer – Record Book
1864-1896
12Treasurer – Reports
1830-1893, undated

Series 3: Memberships and Vital Records (1787-1938)

BoxTitle/DescriptionDate
13Admissions and Dismissals, bound book
1834-1855
13Amherst College Students
A subscription from John Leland of Amherst College for the students to attend the church. Signed by Leland and witnesses Samuel Fowler Dickinson and Elijah North.
1826 January 03
13Marriage Certificates
1855-1856
13Membership – Abby, Amos
1920
13Membership – District Lists
1928
13Membership Certificates – Second Congregational Church
1787-1824
13Membership Certificates – South Congregational Church
1824-1829
14Membership List
1891-1903
14Membership Requests
1790-1861
14Membership Requests
1951
14Membership Withdrawals
1824-1891
14Membership Withdrawals
1922-1938
14Membership Withdrawals to Baptist Society
1832
14Membership Withdrawals to Non-Amherst Churches
1828-1833
14Membership Withdrawals to North Congregational
1824-1831
14Membership Withdrawals to Second Parish
1788-1832
14Membership Withdrawals to South Congregational
1828-1832
14Mode of Admissions and Dismissals, bound book
1832-1869
14Record Book
Book of vital records compiled from records of the First and Second Churches.
1740s-1850s
15Register of Communicants, bound book
Includes list of the church Ministers (1739-1883).
1813-1881
15Register of Communicants, bound book
Includes list of Ministers (1729-1914), register of Deacons (1879-1926), register of Prudential Committee members (1879-1926), register of Sunday School Superintendents (1879-1926), and register of baptisms (1882-1925).
1831-1920
15Register of Communicants, bound book
1901-1922
15Register of Families, bound book
1830-1880

Series 4: Meetinghouse (1785-2012)

BoxTitle/DescriptionDate
16Agricultural Hall
1859, 1861
16Alterations
1850, c.1861
16Basement
c. 1860s
16Belfry  
1790
16Bell – Correspondence
1829
16Bell – Ringing – Subscriptions
1786-1842
16Bell – Subscriptions
1790-1857
16Bell – Subscription Lists
1868
16Bell – Tax Receipts
1793-1794
16Bell – Tax Valuation  
1793
16Bills and Receipts
1789-1815
16Bills and Receipts
1816-1835
16Bills and Receipts
1836- c.1880
16Blowing of the Conch – Subscriptions
1785-1786
16Board of Property – Minutes
Minutes detailing work done on church property.
2001-2012
16Clock – Subscription List
1847
16Construction – Contract with Samuel Abbey
1789-1794
16Construction – Legal Case against Samuel Abbey
1792-1794
16Construction – Subscriptions
1789-1796
16Debt Cancelled
1867-1872
16Ephemera
A brochure on the construction of the meetinghouse.
c.1950
16Heating
1798-1861
16Horseblock
Five subscriptions for the building of the horseblock.
1796, 1805
16Horse shed
Plans for the construction of the horse shed.
c.1868
16Lecture Proposals
1838
16Lecture Room
1855
16Lightning Rod Subscriptions
1790-1838
16Painting – Subscriptions List
1804, 1888
16Pews Deeds
1830-1845
16Pews – Financing
1854-1914
16Pews Meetings
1828-1830
OSPews Owners
1826
16Pews Owners, bound book
1861-1867
16Pews Surrendered to Church
1861-1867
16Plan Subscriptions
1785
16Pledge Drive
1956
OSProperty Deeds
1829-1889
16Pulpit
1883-1932
16Pulpit Subscriptions
1795-1842
16Reports
1828-1879
16Rugs and Roof
c. 1921
16Steeple and Cupola Subscriptions
1816-1818
16Subscription List
1867
16Sweeping Subscriptions
1792-1829
16Taxes
1788
16Taxes
1789-1791
16Vestry Subscriptions
1835-1860

Series 5: Ministers (1737-1984)

BoxTitle/DescriptionDate
17Adam, Rev. Matthew T.
1833-1835
17
Anderson, Rev. Wilbert L.
1907
17
Bent, Rev. Josiah
1837-1839
17
Bills for Payment
1793-1861
17
Blodgett, Rev. Barbara Jane
1988
17
Brown, Rev. Robert McAfee
1984
17
Clark, Rev. Daniel A.
1819-1825
17
Coe, Rev. Chalmers
1948-1984
17
Colton, Rev. Aaron
1840-1853
17Councils
Invitations from North Congregational, Amherst College Church, and Hatfield Congregational to First Church to participate in an ecclesiastical council convened for the purpose of dismissing or calling ministers.
1857
17Dickerman, Rev. George S.
1883
17Dwight, Rev. E. S.
1853-1860
17Emerson, Rev. Forrest F.
1879
17Farrell, Rev. Charles R.
1978-1979
17Good, Rev. Jeannette A.
1984
17Goodspeed, Rev. F. L.
1892
17Hawley, Rev. John A.
1914-1939
17Hubbell, Rev. Henry
1860-1861
17Huckel, Rev. Oliver
1895-1897
17Jenkins, Rev. J. L.
1868
17Kingsbury, Rev. Howard
1877-1878
17McCartney, Rev. Henry R.
1898-1900
17Merrick, Rev. T. W.
1897
17News clippings
1936-1954
17Parsons, Rev. David, Jr.
1737-1819
17Parsons, Rev. David, Jr. – Correspondence about portrait
1948-1954
17Parsons, Rev. David, Jr. – Family History
1948
17Pearson, Rev. Roy M.
1944
17Retirement Funding
1938
17Schapner, Rev. Donna            
1980
17Strong, Rev. William E.
1901
17Waser, Rev. Raymond A.
1937
17Washburn, Rev. Royal
1826-1833

Series 6: Church Clubs and Organizations (1826-1961)

BoxTitle/DescriptionDate
18Christian Endeavor Society
1912-1926
18Hampshire County Alliance of Auxiliaries of Women’s Home Missionary
1920-1927
18Hampshire County Alliance of Auxiliaries of Women’s Home Missionary – Correspondence
1909-1914
18Hampshire County Branch of the Women’s Board of Missions – Miscellaneous
1876-1928
18Hampshire County Branch of the Women’s Board of Missions – Minutes
1878-1921
18Interfaith Service Council – Programs
1983
18Junior Christian Endeavor Society
Circa 1895
18Ladies Benevolent Society
1863-1931
19Ladies Benevolent Society
1863-1931
19Ladies Benevolent Society, bound records
1863-1884
19Ladies Benevolent Society, bound records
1884-1921
19Ladies Benevolent Society, bound records
1925-1937
19Ladies Benevolent Society, Treasurer's Books
1871-1918
20Lookout Committee Records Bound
1893-1905
20Men’s Class
1919-1960
20Missionaries
Names of beneficiaries and correspondence about missionaries
1868-1936
20Music Committee
1870-1893
20Prudential Committee – Letters
1924-1936
20Prudential Committee – Visioning Report
1961
20Rouseaunnian Society – Miscellaneous
1835-1836
20Rouseaunnian Society – Records
1835-1836
20Sunday School – Miscellaneous
1848, 1897-1925
20Sunday School Records
1826-1852
20Trustees – Record Book
1904-1924
21Women’s Foreign Missionary – Records
1905-1936
21Women’s Home Missionary – Records
1880-1915
21Women’s Home Missionary – Records
1880-1927
21Women’s Missionary Society – Miscellaneous
1906-1936
21Women’s Missionary Society – Reports
1934-1937
21Women’s Union – Miscellaneous
1944-1961
21Women’s Union – Yearbooks
1937-1967
21Youth Program
1878-1880, 1889

Series 7: Church Publications (1834-1991)

BoxTitle/DescriptionDate
22Annual Reports
1947, 1949
22Calendars
Loose church calendars, marking church events, meetings, and services.
1892-1944
22Calendars
Loose church calendars, marking church events, meetings, and services.
1945-1951
22Calendars
Loose church calendars, marking church events, meetings, and services.
1952-1964
22Calendars
Loose church calendars, marking church events, meetings, and services.
1965-1989
23Calendars, bound book
1914-1918
23Calendars, bound book
1919-1923
23Calendars, bound book
1924-1928
23Calendars, bound book
1929-1933
23Calendars, bound book
1934-1936
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1834
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1850
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1859
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1869
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1870
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1875
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1880
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1885
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1890
24Membership Directories and Manuals
Circa 1895
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1910
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1923
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1950
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1951
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1952
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1955
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1956
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1957
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1958
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1963
24Membership Directories and Manuals
1992
24Newsletters, bound
1940-1942
25Newsletters1945-1947
25Newsletters
1948-1949
25Newsletters
1950-1951
25Newsletters
1952-1953
25Newsletters
1954-1955
25Newsletters
1956-1957
25Newsletters
1958-1959
26Newsletters
1960-1961
26Newsletters
1962-1966
26Newsletters
1980-circa 1991
26Program of Activities
1981
26Programs – Events
1889-1996
26Programs – Services
Includes undated chapbook of Advent and Christmas family services, edited by Gene Kohler with woodcuts by Lorie Leininger.
1892-1991
26Programs – Services – Sesquicentennial
1889

Series 8: Subject Files (1791-1989)

BoxTitle/DescriptionDate
27Celebrations – Christmas
1872-1940
27Celebrations – Dedication
The 1868 dedications to the new meetinghouse.
1868
27Charles Green Correspondence
1923
27Election – Ballots
1920-1948
27Ephemera
Church pamphlets.
Circa 1900
27History – Essays
Short essays on the history of the First Congregational Church of Amherst from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Undated
27History – First Church of Christ, Amherst, Mass
Two copies of the published history of The First Church, titled, “An Historical Review: The First Church in Amherst”.
1889 November 07
27History – Hawley, John A. and Frank Prentice Rand
Two copies of “Two Hundred Years of View and Review”.
1939 November 04-05
27History – McClung, Robert M.
Photocopies of the illustrations used in the 250th anniversary book.
1989
27History – Miscellaneous
Undated
27History – Putney, Clifford W.
A history titled, “A Twentieth-Century Intellectual History of First Church, Amherst”.
1985
27History – Tyler, William S.    
1897
27Humor
1921
27Manuscript Fragments
Circa 1800s
27Memorial Gifts – Anderson
1916
27Mission Statement
1932-1987
27Music – Base Viol Subscriptions
1800-1850
27Music – Hymnals
1833-1910
27Music – Organ
1855-1937
28Music – Organ Recitals
1909-1938
28Music – Organ Subscription List
1862
28Music – Singing
1805
28Music – Singing Bills and Receipts
1791-1860
28News clippings
1914-1984
28Open and Affirming
Sharing the journey: reflections on one church’s path towards becoming open and affirming: with covenant of openness and affirmation.
1995
28Poetry – Koehler, Stanley
1974-1975
28Services – Hours
Letter from E. S. Dwight to First Society of Amherst about a change of hours for services.
1835
28200th Anniversary – Miscellaneous
1939
28200th Anniversary – Programs
1939
OS200th Anniversary Scrapbook
1939
28250th Anniversary
1989
28World War II – Correspondence
1944-1946

Series 9: Photographs and Drawings (circa 1740-1900s)

BoxTitle/DescriptionDate
29Church Building
Photographs and illustrations of the various meetinghouses belonging to the First Congregational Church.
1788-1900s
29Church Members
Photographs and news clippings of group portraits of members of the church.
Circa 1906
29Ministers
Photographs and drawings of ministers of the First Church.
Circa 1740-1890
OSW. E. Strong portrait
1901-1906