250 years at First Church in Amherst, 1739-1989

ma216 First Congregational Church in Amherst Records, 1829-1959 (bulk 1829-1939) Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Sara Smith, Archives and Special Collections Specialist. Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Amherst, MA

2011 Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Peter A. Nelson. 2011-12-01 Finding aid written in English Collection Overview First Congregational Church (Amherst, Mass.) First Congregational Church in Amherst Records 1829-1959 1829-1939 1 archives box (0.5 linear ft.) English Amherst College Archives and Special Collections

Amherst, MA

Sermon and anniversary celebration programs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other records documenting activities of the First Congregational Church in Amherst, Massachusetts, chiefly 1829-1939. Historical Note

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 Scope and Contents of the Collection

This collection consists of sermon and anniversary celebration programs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other records documenting activities of the First Congregational Church in Amherst, Massachusetts, chiefly 1829-1939.

Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into six series:

1. Histories and anniversary publications, 1889-1959 2. Church texts, 1829, 1923 3. Correspondence, 1885 4. Clippings, 1939, 1959 5. Photographs, 1920s, 1943 6. Record books, 1891 (pertaining to 1735-1891)

There is no restriction on access to the First Congregational Church in Amherst Records for research use. Particularly fragile items are restricted for preservation purposes.

Requests for permission to publish material from the First Congregational Church in Amherst Records should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

[Identification of item], in First Congregational Church in Amherst Records [Box #, Folder #], Amherst College Archives and Special Collections, Amherst College Library

Processed in November 2011 by Sara Smith.

First Congregational Church (Amherst, Mass.) -- Sources. Amherst (Mass.) -- Church history. Series 1: HISTORIES AND ANNIVERSARY PUBLICATIONS

Souvenir programs and booklets containing historical essays and information on the church, produced for anniversary celebrations held in 1889, 1939 and 1959. A pamphlet detailing the origin of the pulpit of the First Congregationalist Church and a program from the opening of Amherst College's College Hall are also included here.

1 1 Histories and anniversary programs and pamphlets 1889, 1905, 1932-1959 Series 2: CHURCH TEXTS

Contains "The Articles of Faith and Government, of the First Church in Amherst, Mass" (1834) and the "Manual of the First Congregationalist Church" (1923) as well as programs from services held and texts of sermons delivered from 1829-1904.

1 2 Articles of Faith and Government; Manual of the First Congregational Church 1834, 1923 1 3 Sermons and programs from services and the installation of Forrest F. Emerson 1829-1904 1829-1904 Series 3: CORRESPONDENCE

Contains one letter from Aaron M. Cotton to Edward B. Marsh, 1885.

1 4 Letter from A[aron]. M. Colton to Edward B. Marsh 1885 Series 4: CLIPPINGS

Contains newspaper clippings related to anniversary services and celebrations.

1 5 Clippings 1905, 1939, 1959 Series 5: PHOTOGRAPHS

Contains two photographs of the church at Main Street, one exterior and one interior.

1 6 Photographs 1920s, 1943 Series 6: RECORD BOOKS

Contains two volumes made in 1891: a copy of the records of the First Church and of the Second Church from 1735-1819, made by Pastor G. S. Dickerman; and the Catalogue of the Pastors and Deacons of the First Church of Christ in Amherst, compiled by G.S. Dickerman, with Rev. D.W. Marsh D.D. and Mrs. Helen T. Magill.

1 7 Book-Copies of the records of the First Church and of the Second Church of Amherst, MA, covering 1735-1819. Copied by Pastor G. S. Dickerman, 1891. "The volume of original records of the first church of Amherst has been kept for better preservation in the vault of the first national Bank." 1891 1 8 Catalogue of the Pastors and Deacons of the First Church of Christ in Amherst, Mass. Compiled by G.S. Dickerman, with Rev. D.W. Marsh D.D. and Mrs. Helen T. Magill, 1891. 1891