Boston, Massachusetts. (Hyde Park). First Congregational Church of Hyde Park. Records, 1861-2003

Organizational History

For an in-depth history, see box 22 for William Lewis's work, which covers the years from the formation of the church in 1863 through 1948 and George Owen's resignation. The bulk of the collection is also for that timeframe.

Ministers

Timeline

Scope of Collection

The collection contains material from Hyde Park First Congregational Church, primarily from 1863-1920s. Records document the regular and annual meetings of the church, society, and corporation; vital statistics; planning and building a new church in 1910; minister files; church group meetings; published material and photographs.

The church originally used index books to store much of their records. Due to the high acidity, they were removed, however the original order that was in them was preserved as often as possible. Sheets of buffered paper have been used to indicate those internal box divisions. These index boxes often had a wide range of dates in them. In those circumstances, general dates were often employed.

Arrangement

Series 1 – Church and Society Records

This series is arranged first by topic and within that by chronological order. Topics include material pertaining to the regular and annual meetings, society and corporation meetings, executive committee, by-laws, correspondence, and financial information. Most material are in ledgers. There is also a separate section for financial, series 2, when they were independent ledgers or loose papers. The earlier ledgers include vital statistics: baptisms, membership, some marriages, and deaths/dismissals. For more information about membership, see series 3.

Series 2 – Financial Ledgers

These records are very sparse, 1870s-1890s: cash ledgers and pew rents, primarily. For more overall information about the financial status of the church, review the annual reports (1863-1958 available). They are arranged topically.

Series 3 – Vital Statistics/Membership

Records from this series are the most complete from the entire collection, from 1863-2002. Reference to vital statistics is also included in series, particularly in early ledgers. Records include lists of members, baptisms, marriages, deaths, letters of transfer (admission/dismission), and member biographies. Records are arranged topically.

Series 4 – Ministers and Ecclesiastical Councils

The majority of records in this series are from the search or supply committee and ecclesiastical councils. The Supply committees were tasked with finding a replacement minister. The George Owen ledger book is also helpful for those interested in the titles of the sermons he gave; the vital statistics he kept can be cross-referenced with the membership material in series 3. Letters from George Owen to members can also be found in Box 12, Letters, Biographies, and 1910s-1920s.

Series 5 – Building

The congregation spent years planning then building a new church in 1910. This series focuses on that event. The church group, New Church Building Society, later Church Building Society: its primary purpose was to raise money for this project. Those minutes can be found in Series 6, box 21.

Series 6 – Church Groups

This series includes Sunday school, youth groups, women’s groups, church aid society, and

Short-lived committees. Most of the groups kept their records in bound ledgers. The bulk dates are from the 1870s-1910s. The largest representation comes from the youth and women's groups.

Series 7 – Published Material and Photographs

Comprises programs from Sunday services and events, histories of the church, scrapbooks, and photographs. The Sunday bulletins are bound and arranged in chronological order, not in boxes.

Related Material

Davis, Perley B. Image. davisp01

Access Terms

Church records and registers - Massachusetts - Boston.

Hyde Park (Boston, Mass.)

Hyde Park (Boston, Mass.) -- Churches.

Detailed Description and Container List