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South Congregational Church Collection
Historical Note
The South Congregational Society was formed in 1824 to provide a meetinghouse in South Amherst closer to home for its members than the First Church in Amherst Center. Funds for the building were raised by subscription, and land was donated by Nathaniel Dickinson. The building was completed in September 1825, and the first minister, Rev. Horace Chapin, was ordained in November. In 1915 the church was incorporated and named the South Congregational Church in Amherst.
Scope and Content
The South Congregational Church Collection extends from 1824 to the present. Material includes bound volumes of church records beginning in 1825; early documents, such as the deed of land from Nathaniel Dickinson and the first subscription list; financial and committee records; records from the 1974 addition; bulletins; memorabilia of events; histories of the church; clippings; and photographs of the building and church members.
Extent
10 linear feet (18 manuscript boxes, 1 file box, 3 oversize folders)
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research. The materials in Box 17 (audiotapes and reel-to-reel tapes) require special equipment to use.
Some of the collection items have also been microfilmed – those items are noted on the cards in the card catalog.
Provenance
A major portion of the early records have been housed in The Jones Library Special Collections for many years. Additional material, mostly dating from 1950 to the 1980's, was obtained by gift from the church in January 1990. Sheila Rainford donated further material in 2001. This is an active collection, and new acquisitions may be added at any time.
Preferred Citation
(Folder Name), South Congregational Church Collection, Special Collections, Jones Library, Amherst, Massachusetts
Processing Information
The original collection processing information is unknown. The finding aid was re-written by Katherine Whitcomb in 2022. Slides and photographic negatives have been removed from their paper cases and housed in archival sleeves, with any identifying information transcribed or attached to the pages.
Related Materials
The Arnold Kenseth Collection is held by Special Collections, and publications containing Kenseth’s poetry are located in the Amherst Authors section, searchable through the online catalog.
Collection Inventory
| Box | Folder | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1-2 | Anniversaries – Centennial | 1924 |
| 1 | 3 | Anniversaries – 125th Anniversary | 1950 |
| 1 | 4-6 | Anniversaries – 150th Anniversary | 1973-1976 |
| 1 | 7 | Anniversaries – 175th Anniversary | 1999-2000 |
| 1 | 8-10 | Annual Reports | 1940-1966 |
| 2 | 1-3 | Annual Reports | 1967-2018 (not inclusive) |
| 2 | 4 | Arts Committee | 1998-1999 |
| 3 | 1-6 | Bulletins | 1943-1967 |
| 4 | 1-5 | Bulletins | 1968-1987 |
| 5 | 1-2 | Bulletins | 1988-2000 (not inclusive) |
| 5 | 3 | By-laws | 1939-2001 (not inclusive) |
| 5 | 4 | Christian Endeavor Society | 1899-1903 |
| 5 | 5-6 | Church Council | 1950-2000 (not inclusive) |
| 5 | 7-8 | Clippings | Various |
| 5 | 9 | Committee on Church and Ministry of the UCC | Circa 1976-1981 |
| 5 | 10 | COSSATEC Club (Married couples club) | 1946-1950 |
| 6 | 1 | Covenant | |
| 6 | 2 | Deeds | 1915, 1927, 1996 |
| 6 | 3 | Directories | 1968-2006 (not inclusive) |
| 6 | 4 | Events – Memorial and Candlelight Service | 1939 |
| 6 | 5 | Events – Miscellaneous | 1919-1988 (not inclusive) |
| 6 | 6 | Events – Old Home Sunday | 1922-1923, 1925 |
| 6 | 7-9 | Finances – Budget | 1857-1858; 1925, 1943-1994 (not inclusive); 1998-2015 (not inclusive) |
| 6 | 10 | Finances – Capital Campaign | 1998-2000 |
| 6 | 11 | Finances – Deposit book for Addie Fish Fund | 1910-1948 |
| 7 | 1 | Finances – Every Member Canvass Committee | 1954-1991 (not inclusive) |
| 7 | 2-3 | Finances – Treasurer | 1838-1860, 1858-1876 |
| 7 | 4 | History – Atkins, William H. | 1950-1951 |
| 7 | 5 | History – Chronology | 1824-1915, 1895-1949 |
| 7 | 6 | History – Dana, Minnie Louise | 1924 |
| 7 | 7 | History – Hayes, Kathleen King | 1959 |
| 7 | 8 | History – Miscellaneous | Circa 1954, 1969, 1977 |
| 7 | 9 | Home Department | 1938-1953 (not inclusive) |
| 7 | 10 | Incorporation | |
| 7 | 11 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Box Project (Mississippi) | 1971-1973 |
| 7 | 12 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Correspondence | 1897 |
| 7 | 13 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Correspondence | 1917-1921 |
| 7 | 14-15 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Miscellaneous | Various |
| 8 | 1 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Programs (including photographs) | 1948-1966, 1989-1994 |
| 8 | 2 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Records (Volumes 1 & 2) | 1868-1882, 1883-1890 |
| 8 | 3 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Records (Volumes 3 & 4) | 1891-1897, 1898-1908 |
| 8 | 4 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Records (Volumes 5 & 6) | 1908-1924, 1925-1938 |
| 8 | 5 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Records (Volumes 7 & 8) | 1940-1945, 1945-1951 |
| 8 | 6 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Records (Volumes 9 & 10) | 1950-1962, 1968-1975 |
| 9 | 1 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Records – Minute Book | Circa 1960-1963 |
| 9 | 2 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Regional, state and national orgs. | Circa 1955-1990 |
| 9 | 3 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Songbooks and plays | 1879-1945 (not inclusive) |
| 9 | 4 | Ladies Benevolent Society – Treasurer's Records | 1873-1910 |
| 9 | 5 | Manuals | 1875, 1885, 1923, 1945, undated |
| Map case | Meetinghouse – Addition – Blueprints | 1974 | |
| 9 | 6 | Meetinghouse – Addition – Construction Bills/Receipts | 1976-1977 |
| 9 | 7 | Meetinghouse – Addition – Dedication | 1977 |
| 9 | 8 | Meetinghouse – Addition – Financial Records | 1975-1979 |
| 9 | 9 | Meetinghouse – Addition – Fundraising | 1975-1977 |
| 9 | 10 | Meetinghouse – Addition – Mortgage | 1976-1977 |
| 9 | 11 | Meetinghouse – Addition – Plans | 1974 |
| 9 | 12 | Meetinghouse – Addition – Progress Reports | 1976-1977 |
| 9 | 13 | Meetinghouse – Addition – Space Needs Committee | 1973-1975, undated |
| 9 | 14 | Meetinghouse – Improvements | 1923, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1971, 1984 |
| 9 | 15-16 | Meetinghouse – Miscellaneous | Various |
| 9 | 17 | Meetinghouse – Subscription Lists | 1824 |
| 10 | 1-2 | Membership | |
| 10 | 3 | Membership – Annual Role Call | 1919-1930 |
| 10 | 4 | Membership – Miscellaneous | Various |
| 10 | 5 | Membership – Withdrawals | 1869-1880 (not inclusive) |
| 10 | 6 | Memorials | 1976-1977 |
| 10 | 7 | Men's Club | 1914-1922, 1937-1941 |
| 10 | 8 | Men's Fellowship | 1953-1962 |
| 10 | 9 | Ministers | Various |
| 10 | 10 | Ministers – Ahlstrom, T. R. | 1990-1993 |
| 10 | 11 | Ministers – Barnes, Charles | 1992-1995 |
| 10 | 12 | Ministers – Hunt, Rev. Leland O. | 1938 |
| 10 | 13-14 | Ministers – Kenseth, Rev. Arnold | Circa 1949-1989 |
| 11 | 1 | Ministers – Kerr, Rev. Archibald | 1922-1926 |
| 11 | 2 | Ministers – Worcester, Rev. Sara G. | 1995-2003 |
| 11 | 3-4 | Miscellaneous | Various |
| 11 | 5 | Missionaries | 1924 |
| 11 | 6 | Missionaries – Silver Tea Tradition | 1959 |
| 11 | 7 | Music – Events | 1965-2000 (not inclusive) |
| Map case | Music – Organ (Drawing of/Proposal for new organ) | Undated | |
| 11 | 8 | Music – Organ | 1911-1924 |
| 11 | 9 | Music – Organ – Dedication | 1912 |
| 11 | 10 | Music – Organ – Contracts | 1969 |
| 11 | 11 | Music – Organ – Correspondence | 1969 |
| 11 | 12 | Music – Organ – Dedication | 1969 |
| 11 | 13 | Music – Organ – Miscellaneous | 1962-1979 (not inclusive) |
| 11 | 14 | Music – Organ – Organ Fund | 1966-1969 |
| 11 | 15 | Music – Organ – Proposals | 1965-1969 |
| 11 | 16 | Music – Organ – Dedication | 2012 |
| 12 | 1 | Music Committee – Meetings | 1977-1980 |
| 12 | 2 | Music Committee – Miscellaneous | Various |
| 12 | 3 | Newsletters | 1940-1990 (not inclusive) |
| 12 | 4 | Newsletters | 1992-1999 |
| 12 | 5 | Officers | 1950s-1960s |
| 12 | 6 | Pamphlets | Various |
| 12 | 7 | Parish House Committee | 1955 |
| 12 | 8 | Parish Meetings – Miscellaneous | 1958-1978 |
| 12 | 9 | Parish Meetings – Warrants | 1829-1876 (not inclusive) |
| 12 | 10 | Parish Meetings – Warrants | 1958-1979 |
| 12 | 11 | Parsonage – History | 1990 |
| 12 | 12 | Parsonage – Restoration | Various |
| 12 | 13 | Parsonage Company | 1864-1869 |
| 13 | 1 | Photographs | |
| 13 | Env. | Photographs – Stained Glass Windows (by Sheila Rainford) | |
| 13 | 2 | Photographs with Negatives | |
| 13 | 3 | Photographs – Negatives | 1980-1983, undated |
| 13 | 4 | Photographs – Negatives and Slides (by Roy Heath) | 1976-1982, undated |
| 13 | 5 | Photographs – Scrapbook donated by the Schoonmaker Family | |
| 13 | 6 | Pilgrim Fellowship | 1965-1986 (not inclusive) |
| 13 | 7 | Programs | 1975-1976 (not complete) |
| 13 | 8 | Property | 1858-1859 |
| 13 | 9 | Property | 1900, 1940, 1944, 1958 |
| 14 | 1-5 | Records (Five separate record books) | 1824-1842, 1841-1859; 1824-1858; 1858-1883; 1884-circa 1915 |
| OS | Records (Record book) | 1915-1957 | |
| 15 | 1 | Records | 1946-1949, 1977, 1979-1980, 1987-1992 |
| 15 | 2 | Sermons | 1895, circa 1925, 1975 |
| 15 | 3 | South Sabbath School Association (also contains records of the Auxiliary Tract Society of the South Parish in Amherst) | 1827-1850 |
| 15 | 4 | Subscription Lists | 1824, 1837, 1854, 1885, 1888 |
| 15 | 5 | Sunday School | 1891-1939 (not inclusive), 1979 |
| 15 | 6 | Trustees – Minutes (Removed from binder, 2015) | 1969; 1970; 1971; 1972-1975 |
| 15 | 7 | Trustees – Minutes (Removed from binder, 2015) Correspondence + reports from back of binder | 1966-1975 |
| 15 | 8 | Trustees – Minutes | 1976-1989 |
| 15 | 9 | Trustees – Reports | 1924 |
| 15 | 10 | Woman's Home Missionary Society – Miscellaneous | Circa 1887-1899 |
| 16 | 1 | Woman's Home Missionary Society – Secretary's Books (2 books) | 1887-1896, 1897-1900 |
| 16 | 2 | Woman's Missionary Society – Miscellaneous | 1916, 1937 |
| 16 | 3 | Woman's Missionary Society – Secretary's Book | 1881-1900 |
| 16 | 4 | Woman's Missionary Society – Secretary's Books (2 books) | 1900, 1910-1920; 1920-1927, 1934 |
| 16 | 5 | Woman's Missionary Society – Treasurer's Books (2 books) | 1881-1900, 1900-1937 |
| 16 | 6-10 | Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor – Minutes | 1885-1888; 1888-1890; 1894-1900; Circa 1901-1911; 1917-1922 |
| 16 | 11 | Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor – Miscellaneous | 1899, 1900, 1904, 1932 |
| 16 | 12 | Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor – Prayer Meeting Topics | 1888-1926 (not inclusive) |
| 17 | 1 | Events – O'Donnell Lecture on Robert Frost (Audiotape) | 1988 |
| 2 | Music – Recordings – Concert at Haydenville Congregational Church (Audiotape) | 1975 April 20 | |
| 3 | Music – Recordings – Services (Audiotape) (2 tapes) | 1975 March; 1976-1977 | |
| 4 | Music – Recordings – Services and Concerts (Audiotape) | 1979-1984 | |
| 5 | Music – Recordings – Service (Audiotape) | [no year] December 10 | |
| 150th Anniversary Celebration, tape of the Morning Worship Service, Sunday, Oct. 13, 10am; Preacher: Arnold Kenseth (Reel-to-reel tape) | 1974 | ||
| Choir practice (Reel-to-reel tape) | Undated |
Sheila Rainford Donation, 2001
| Box | Folder | Title | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Account Book – Benevolence Fund | 1970-1978 | |
| Account Book – Income-Church Budget | 1970-1979 | ||
| 1 | Auction | 1992 | |
| 2 | Clerk’s Records – Year-Book of Congregational Churches | 1914-1957 (not inclusive) | |
| 3 | Clerk’s Records – Church Year-Book Records | 1975-1975, 1987-1989 | |
| 4 | High School Graduation Class and Baccalaureate Service (1976) and Letters (1976-1977) | 1976-1977 | |
| 5 | International Sunday | 1968-1972 | |
| 6 | Kenseth, Rev. Arnold | ||
| 7 | Kenseth, Rev. Arnold – Letters to High School Graduates | 1968-1973 | |
| 8 | Kenseth, Elaine – Save the Children | 1959-1965 | |
| 9 | Miscellaneous | 1966, 1969-1970, 1977 | |
| 10 | Missionary Committee | 1960-1964 | |
| 11 | Philip Ives Day | 1980 | |
| 12 | ‘Philosopher Kings’ | 1968-1969 | |
| 2 | 1 | Pilgrim Fellowship | 1957-1986 (not inclusive) |
| 2 | Religious Education Board | 1940-1951, 1956, 1961 | |
| 3-5 | Sermons | 1993-1995 | |
| 6 | Sesquicentennial Committee – Minutes | 1973-1978 | |
| 7 | Worship Services | 1965-1971 | |
| 17 | 2 Reel-to-reel tapes are housed with the A/V materials in the main collection | ||