Marblehead, Mass. First Church
Collection History
Please note that as of January 2022, the Marblehead, Massachusetts. Old North Church records, 1684-1866, and all future digital collections are now hosted on the library's new digital archive.
Marblehead was originally settled as a plantation of Salem in 1629, and incorporated as a town in 1649. The First Church in Marblehead, also sometimes referred to as Old North Church, was formally established in 1684, although pastors had been preaching in the plantation as early as 1637. Samuel Cheever, who had begun his tenure in Marblehead in 1668, was called as pastor. The meetinghouse used by First Church predated the founding of the church by 25 years, with a tax for the building of the meetinghouse being raised in 1648 and built in 1659 on Old Burial Hill. Various additions were made to expand the building and its capacity. Sometime shortly before 1716 the building was moved a new location. In 1824 a new building was built after the original was lost in a fire.
The Second Congregational Church (est. 1715, later Unitarian) and Third "South" Congregational Church (est. 1858) both split off from First Church following disputes over incoming ministers. Many members of Third Church rejoined First Church in 1877 when their building was lost in a fire.
The church continued to serve the community during the twentieth-century. During the 1950s and 1960s the church membership increased dramatically. In 1950 the Parish House was rebuilt. In 1964 the Old North Church joined the United Church of Christ. The church continues to serve the local community today.
The digital collections below encompass several volumes of church, meetinghouse, society, and financial record books. The church records primarily relate to the spiritual life of the congregation, whereas the society records encompass the bulk of the finances and administration of the parish as a legal entity.
For additional information please see the finding aid.
Digital Materials
Before accessing transcriptions, please read this Note on Transcription >
This volume contains the church's official declaration of separation from Salem, its covenant, and early membership records. It also includes church meeting minutes and financial records.
A full transcription of this volume is available.
The second volume continues the membership records and church meeting minutes. The original manuscript pages were in delicate condition, but we have captured as much of the information as possible.
The third volume continues the membership records and church meeting minutes. It also contains the wills of William and Hannah Reed.
This volume contains records pertaining to the construction, maintenance, and administration of the first church building.
This volume collects the financial records of the parish society, including pew owners and related taxes. The book itself consists of several groups of pages bound at a later date.
Society records, 1795-1825, 1852, 1857
This volume contains the financial records of the parish society, including meeting minutes, pew taxes, and a copy of the Act of Incorporation put in place following official disestablishment by the Massachusetts General Court.
This volume contains records concerning the parish, financial matters, and the building. It records regular committee, quarterly, and annual meetings.
This volume primarily contains lists of expenses for bread and wine used in Communion, referred to as "Church Stock". Also indicated are amounts gained "By Collection". Church historian's notes indicate that the collection would have been for Sabbath School.
This volume lists individual member contributions, pew taxes, expenses, and maintenance.
