Northbridge, Mass. First Congregational Church
Collection History
Please note that as of January 2022, the Northbridge, Massachusetts. First Congregational Church records, 1782-1836, and all future digital collections are now hosted on the library's new digital archive.
Northbridge, Massachusetts was originally part of Mendon (1667-1726), and then part of Uxbridge (1727-1772). The town incorporated as a separate municipality in 1772. Centre Congregational Church was officially organized in 1782 with eight members — five men and three women. They called Rev. John Crane as their first pastor. He was ordained in 1783 and continued there for the next fifty years, the longest serving minister in the church's history.
Centre Congregational Church, then known as the Congregational Church of Christ, had the first meeting house and first settled minister in Northbridge. The congregation built a new edifice in 1836, which burned in 1932. A third building was constructed where services were celebrated until the church's closure in 2011.
The town of Northbridge is comprised of five villages: Whitinsville, Rockdale, Riverdale, Linwood, and Northbridge Center. The Centre Congregational Church has a long connected history to Rockdale Congregational Church, and at times throughout their history shared a minister.
The digital materials below comprise a book of the earliest church records dating from 1782-1836, and containing two volumes arranged chronologically.
For additional information please see the finding aid.
Digital Materials
Two sequential books of records are bound together into this volume. The first set of records dates from the establishment of the church in 1782 to 1832 and includes the church covenant, marriage and baptismal records, member lists, church meeting minutes and disciplinary cases. The second set of records dates from 1832 to 1836 and continues the member lists, baptism and marriage records, and church meeting minutes. It also includes discussion of members leaving to form a new church, the Village Congregational Church of Northbridge.
Special Thanks
This digital resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this resource do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
