COLLECTION GUIDES

1631-1980

Guide to the Collection


Collection Summary

Abstract

This collection consists of the records of First Church (Charlestown, Boston, Mass.), a Congregational and later Unitarian church, and Winthrop Church (Charlestown, Boston, Mass.), 1631-1980. (The First Church of Charlestown and the Winthrop Church merged in 1913). Records include incorporation records, committee minutes and reports, vital statistics, clerks', deacons', and ministers' records, estate papers, treasurers' records, building records, and records of church-affiliated organizations.

Historical Timeline

July 1629
First religious services held in Charlestown by Rev. Francis Bright.
1630
Governor John Winthrop settles in Charlestown along with over one thousand colonists.
30 July 1630
Charlestown settlers form a Church Covenant with Rev. John Wilson as minister. Within 3 months the church relocates to Boston and continues as the First Church of Boston.
1632
Church members still living in Charlestown organize a new church due to distance from Boston.
2 Nov. 1632
First Church of Christ in Charlestown re-affirms the original church covenant.
ca. 1633
First Church begins meeting in a house that was previously intended for Gov. Winthrop.
1636
First Church's second building built.
5 Aug. 1716
First Church's third building dedicated.
17 June 1775
First Church's third building destroyed by fire during the Battle of Bunker Hill.
1783
First Church's fourth building built.
1803
First Church in Charlestown incorporates as First Parish Church in Charlestown.
23 Nov. 1832
Members of the First Parish gather to form the Winthrop Society. Meetings are held in the Town Hall
1833
First Church's fiftly building built.
Nov. 1833
The Winthrop Church's first building is completed on Union Street.
Feb. 1847
Members of the Winthrop Church gather to form Bethesda Church.
31 May 1848
Cornerstone laid for new Winthrop Church building on Green Street.
4 Mar. 1849
Green Street Winthrop Church building dedicated.
22 Mar. 1849
Bethesda Church dissolves.
1874
Charlestown annexed to Boston.
Sept. 1912
First Parish and Winthrop Churches merge.
1913
The merged First Parish and Winthrop Churches are incorporated as "The First Church in Charlestown."
12 Jan. 1957
Church building on Green Street destroyed by fire.

Sources

Worthley, Harold Field. An Inventory of the Records of the Particular (Congregational) Churches of Massachusetts Gathered 1620-1805. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1970.

First Church (Charlestown, Boston, Mass.) records, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Collection Description

The records of the First Church in Charlestown span the years 1631 to 1980, and encompass the records of both the First Church in Charlestown and the Winthrop Church, which was gathered by former members of the First Parish in 1832. The two churches merged in 1912. The records of both churches include church records, treasurers' records, building records, Sabbath School records, records of various church affiliated organizations, and printed materials.

First Church and Winthrop Church records both include incorporation records, minutes and reports of the church, standing and prudential committees, vital statistics, clerks' records, deacons' records, ministers' correspondence, invitations to ecclesiastical councils, and requests and recommendations for church membership transfers. In addition, First Church records contain Sarah L. MacDonald estate papers and records of Charles P. Curtis v. The First Church in Charlestown, a dispute over the distribution of the estate of Mary D. Balfour.

The treasurers' records of both churches include church accounts, pew records, records of weekly contributions, treasurers' reports, and correspondence. Winthrop Church treasurers' records also include warrants issued to the treasurer by the church committee authorizing calls for church meetings.

The Building Committee records of First Church relate to the fire that destroyed the church in January 1957, and the subsequent rebuilding. Winthrop Church building records primarily relate to funding for and construction of the Green Street building, 1847-1849.

First Church Sabbath School records include records of the Charlestown Female Sabbath Society, lists of students and teachers, teacher meeting minutes, records of weekly attendance, school secretary's records, and Pilgrim Practical Class Books. The records of the Winthrop Church Sabbath school consist of similar materials, including Sabbath School Committee reports and statistics, lists of students, and teacher reports.

First Church records also include meeting minutes and a song book of the Bunker Hill Temperance Legion. The Winthrop Church records include reports, minutes, by-laws, and accounts of the following organizations: the Winthrop Church Benevolent Association, Choir, Ladies Sewing Circle, and Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor.

The printed materials of both churches include newsletters; orders of services; church manuals including covenants, articles of faith, lists of members and pastors, and church histories; sermons; other church publications; clippings; and printed ephemera.

Winthrop Church records also include the records of Bethesda Church, which briefly gathered former Winthrop Church members in 1847 before dissolving in 1849.

Acquisition Information

Deposited by the First Church in Charlestown (Charlestown, Mass.) through Victor Ford, 1995, 1997, and Rev. Christine Jaronski, 2001, 2004.

Detailed Description of the Collection

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I. First Church (Charlestown) records, 1631-1980

Close I. First Church (Charlestown) records, 1631-1980

II. Winthrop Church records, 1832-1920

Close II. Winthrop Church records, 1832-1920

Preferred Citation

First Church (Charlestown, Boston, Mass.) records, Massachusetts Historical Society.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in ABIGAIL, the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should search the catalog using these headings.

Organizations:

Bethesda Church (Charlestown, Boston, Mass.).
Bunker Hill Temperance Legion.
Charlestown Female Sabbath Society.
Winthrop Church (Charlestown, Boston, Mass.).
Winthrop Ladies Sewing Circle.
Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor.

Subjects:

Account books,--1671-1968.
Church buildings--Massachusetts--Charlestown.
Church charities--Massachusetts--Charlestown.
Church music.
Clubs--Massachusetts--Charlestown.
Congregational churches--Massachusetts--Charlestown.
Decedents estates--Massachusetts--Charlestown.
Pews and pew rights.
Sunday schools--Massachusetts--Charlestown.
Temperance--Massachusetts--Charlestown--Societies, etc.
Unitarian churches--Massachusetts--Charlestown.
Women--Societies and clubs.
Charlestown (Boston, Mass.)--Church history.
Charlestown (Boston, Mass.)--Statistics, Vital.

Photographs Removed from the Collection

Photographs have been removed from this collection to the First Church (Charlestown, Boston, Mass.) photographs, 1896-1957. Photo. Coll. 500.71.

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