Boxford, Mass. First Church

Collection History

Please note that as of January 2022, the Boxford, Massachusetts. First Church records, 1703-1823, and all future digital collections are now hosted on the library's new digital archive.

The First  Church of Boxford was formed in 1701 when the parishioners of Boxford were granted independent status from Topsfield Church. A meeting house was built, in which all town meetings and civic gatherings were held until 1800, when they were held alternatively in West Boxford. The meeting house building was replaced in 1742 and again in 1836. The church was likely used for storage of arms and gunpowder during the Revolutionary War, in the absence of a dedicated armory in the area until 1801. The current church, known as First Church Congregational Boxford, is a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (CCCC).

The original manuscripts in this collection are part of a larger collection, the Perley Family Papers, which are owned by our project partners, the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum. Materials pertaining to Boxford consist of loose church records which include meeting minutes and member listings. The bulk of the records, however, pertain to a lengthy dispute between two parishioners during the ministry of Rev. Isaac Briggs.

For additional information please see the Phillips Library's finding aid.

 

Digital Materials

Church records, 1703-1823

These loose records include membership lists, minsters' salaries, and records related to the formation of a singing school. The bulk of the documents pertain to a dispute between parishioners Benjamin Spofford and Aaron Perley during the ministry of Rev. Isaac Briggs, with Spofford alleging that Perley had stolen one of his sheep.

1703 February 21			list of members admitted to First Church
1758 November 27			First Church meeting minutes
1805 October 31			First Church meeting minutes pertaining to singing school
1805 October 31	by Thomas Perley (scribe)		subscription lists for singing school
1808 August 8			First Church meeting minutes relating to Rev. Brigg's salary
1817 July 4	by Aaron Perley	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute over a stable
1817 July 14	by J. Thimball (clerk)		First Church meeting minutes
1817 November 12	by Mr. Sleeper	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
1817 December 25	by Mary Spofford	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
1818 April 19	unsigned	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
1817 April 29	by Aaron Perley	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
undated			list of subscribers for Rev. Briggs salary
1818 April 4	by Aaron Perley's brother	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
1818 April 14	from Aaron Perley	to Rev. Briggs	letter summarizing dispute
undated	by Aaron Perley	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
1818 May 5	from Benjamin Spofford	to Mehitable and Aaron Perley	letter requesting a meeting
1818 May 6	by Aaron Perley's brother	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
1818 May 14			First Church meeting minutes regarding dispute
undated	by Mr. Merrill	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
1818 April 28	from Benjamin Spofford	to Rev. Briggs	letters regarding dispute
1818 May 7			First Church meeting minutes regarding dispute
1818 May 14	by Isaac Broman, David Thimball, Charles Foster	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Perley and Spofford
1818 May 20	from Benjamin Spofford	to Rev. Briggs	letter requesting representation by an attorney
1819 August 3	from Messrs. Stearns, Briggs, Chickering, Allen, Soring and Edwards	to the First Church	Andover Association meeting minutes, refusing a re-trial as requested by Spofford
1822 November 29			First Church meeting minutes regarding a dispute between Parker Cleaveland and Solomon Stickney
undated	by D. Hale, Joseph Searl, Samuel Merrill	for the First Church	testimony regarding dispute between Cleaveland and Stickney
1823 January 2	by E. Parish (clerk)		First Church meeting minutes with vote to admonish Stickney
1823 March 15	from Parker Cleaveland and P. Perley	to Solomon Stickney	letter admonishing Stickney for speaking against the pastor
1823 June 21	by E. Parish (clerk)		First Church meeting minutes, including excommunication of Solomon Stickney
1824 January 9	by John Bartlett (scribe)	to the First Church	letter describing Ecclesiastical Council's decision in the case of Spofford versus Perley
1823 June 17	from Benjamin Spofford	to Rev. Briggs and the First Church	letter stating refusal to confess
1823 (summer)	from "a concealed writer"	to Rev. Briggs	letter in support of Benjamin Spofford
1823 July 2	by Stephen Peabody and other signatories	to the First Church	petition in support of Benjamin Spofford
undated	by Rev. Briggs	to a church council	petition by church members refusing to readmit Spofford
1823 November 12	by Nathaniel Whitman (scribe)		letter with results of investigation by the Ecclesiastical Council
1823 December 4	by Capt. Young		contract confirming lodging for a church council
1823 December 4	from Benjamin Spofford	to his supporters	letter regarding meeting arrangements
1823 December 8	by Capt. Young		contract confirming lodging for a church council

 

Related Materials

Topsfield, Mass. Congregational Church, 1684-1869

 

Special Thanks

These digital resources have been made possible in part by the Council on Library and Information Resources, through a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this resource do not necessarily represent those of the Council on Library and Information Resources.