Fisk, Samuel. Correspondence
Collection History
Please note that as of January 2022, the Samuel Fisk papers, 1731-1755, and all future digital collections are now hosted on the library's new digital archive.
Samuel Fisk, the son of Rev. Moses Fisk of Braintree, graduated from Harvard in 1708. He was invited to settle in Boston but there was so much opposition to him that he declined the invitation and was subsequently ordained at Salem in 1718. A dispute began shortly after Fisk's appointment, over his refusal to deliver a traditional annual lecture, as well as his tampering with the church meeting records. This led to a split in the congregation with a number of members leaving. Fisk finally received ecclesiastical censure from the Council of Churches and was dismissed in 1735. The House of Representatives voted to try him in court later that year. After Fisk's dismissal, he led a group of parishioners in building a new meetinghouse (also named First Church) which was then compelled to change its name to the Third Church of Christ in Salem in 1762. Later it would become known as the Salem Tabernacle, after the architectural style of its second meetinghouse. Rev. Fisk resigned his pastorate July 30, 1745, but continued to reside in Salem until he died in 1770.
This collection contains numerous items of correspondence to and from Rev. Fisk. These relate almost entirely to the dispute between the minister and his congregation, specifically the breakaway group referred to as the "aggrieved brethren". Initially these parishioners attempted to call Rev. Fisk to meeting to answer for his perceived misdeeds. Rev. Fisk's responses entail requests for clarification and delay of the meeting, resulting ultimately in the intervention of an ecclesiastical council. The council's letter condemning and dismissing Rev. Fisk is included in the collection, as well as subsequent censure by the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
The original manuscripts in this collection are part of a larger collection, the Joseph Bowditch Papers, which are owned by our project partners, the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum. Further information about the collection can be found in the Phillips Library's finding aid for the Bowditch papers.
Digital Materials
This collection contains letters regarding Rev. Samuel Fisk's dispute with the First Church of Salem. These include complaints from aggrieved members of the congregation, replies by Rev. Fisk, and further correspondence with Boston ministers and the Second Church of Boston regarding the dispute. The correspondence covers initial complaints by disgruntled members of Rev. Fisk's congregation, their separation from the First Church, and the proceedings of the ecclesiastical council members who were prevailed upon to intervene.
| 1731 March 16 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | letter discussing grievances |
| 1732 January 3 | from the ministers of Boston | to "the aggrieved brethren" | letter urging resolution of dispute |
| 1732 January 6 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to the congregation of the First Church of Salem | preface to copies of letters sent to Rev. Fisk |
| 1732 February 26 | from Rev. Fisk | to "the aggrieved brethren" | reply to complaints and request for unity |
| 1732 March 5 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | call for meeting |
| 1732 March 23 | from Rev. Fisk | to "the aggrieved brethren" | statement of terms for meeting |
| 1732 March 27 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | rejection of meeting terms |
| 1732 March 30 | from Rev. Fisk | to "the aggrieved brethren" (via Judge Lynd of Salem) | reiteration of desired meeting terms |
| 1732 April 7 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | refusal of terms and offer of new terms |
| 1732 April 18 | from Rev. Fisk | to "the aggrieved brethren" | reassertion of original terms of meeting |
| 1732 May | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | reassertion of call for meeting |
| 1732 May 15 | from Rev. Fisk | to "the aggrieved brethren" | rejection of meeting terms |
| 1732 May 24 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | call for meeting or ecclesiastical council |
| 1732 June 13 | from Rev. Fisk | to "the aggrieved brethren" | request for list of grievances in writing |
| 1732 August 7 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to the congregation of the First Church of Salem | complaint regarding Rev Fisk's refusal to hold a meeting; summary of prior correspondence |
| 1732 October 13 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to the congregation of the First Church of Salem | letter announcing separation from the congregation |
| 1732 November 20 | from the ministers of Boston | to Rev. Fisk | plea for resolution of dispute |
| 1732 November 20 | from the ministers of Boston | to "the aggrieved brethren" | plea for resolution of dispute |
| 1732 December 19 | from members of the Boston clergy | to Rev. Fisk and the congregation of the First Church of Salem | plea for resolution of dispute |
| 1733 February 6 | from the Second Church of Boston | to the First Church of Salem | offer of assistance and request for meeting |
| 1733 February 7 | from the pastors of the Second Church in Boston | to Judge Lynd of Salem | letter regarding the First Church of Salem |
| 1733 February 6 | from the Second Church of Boston | to the First Church of Salem | offer of assistance and request for meeting (copy) |
| 1733 February 7 | from the pastors of the Second Church in Boston | to Judge Lynd of Salem | letter regarding the First Church of Salem (copy) |
| 1733 April 23 | from the ministers of Boston | to "the aggrieved brethren" | call for an ecclesiastical council |
| 1733 April 23 | from the ministers of Boston | to Rev. Fisk | call for an ecclesiastical council |
| 1733 April 30 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | request to call ecclesiastical council |
| 1733 May 3 | from Rev. Fisk | to "the aggrieved brethren" | statement of terms for ecclesiastical council |
| 1733 May 3 | from Rev. Fisk | to the ministers of Boston | castigation of the ministers for meddling in Fisk's affairs |
| 1733 May 5 | from the congregation of the First Church of Salem | to the ministers of Boston | argument against separatist brethren and defense of Rev. Fisk |
| 1733 May 7 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | reiteration of terms for ecclesiastical council |
| 1733 May 7 | from the ministers of Boston | to "the aggrieved brethren" | request to delay ecclesiastical council |
| 1733 May 11 | from Benjamin Coleman (on behalf of Boston Ministers) | to "the aggrieved brethren" | request to delay ecclesiastical council |
| [1733] | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to the ministers of Boston | selection of ecclesiastical council members |
| 1733 July 17 | from Benjamin Coleman | to "the aggrieved brethren" | selection of ecclesiastical council date for 17 July, 1733 |
| 1733 July 17 | from ecclesiastical council members | for the attention of Fisk and the First Church of Salem, etc. | notes on the ecclesiastical council at Salem, 17 July 1733, including judgements by the council and a call for unity (and a copy of the above) |
| 1733 August 20 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | reiteration of ecclesiastical council's findings; call for Fisk's answer to alleged charges |
| 1733 August 31 | from Rev. Fisk | to "the aggrieved brethren" | rejection of ecclesiastical council's findings |
| 1733 September 4 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | call for Fisk to attend a second ecclesiastical council |
| 1733 October 4 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to the congregation of the First Church of Salem | reiteration of ecclesiastical council's findings |
| 1733 October 26 | from the congregation of the First Church in Salem | to "the aggrieved brethren" | call for unity |
| 1733 December 20 | from the congregation of the First Church in Salem | to unknown pastor | call for intervention in the First Church |
| 1733 November 12 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to the congregation of the First Church of Salem | call for meeting |
| 1734 August 12 | from the congregation of the First Church of Salem | to "the aggrieved brethren" | call for reinstatement of lecture |
| 1734 August | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to the congregation of the First Church in Salem | reply raising concerns about heretical nature of Fisk's sermons |
| 1734 August 20 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to Rev. Fisk | call for meeting, and for Fisk's answer to alleged charges |
| 1734 August 29 | from the congregation of the First Church in Salem | to "the aggrieved brethren" | request for list of specific grievances against Rev. Fisk |
| 1734 September 12 | from William Williams | to "the aggrieved brethren" | call for unity |
| 1734 September 19 | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to the congregation of the First Church of Salem | refusal to list grievances against Rev. Fisk |
| 1734 October 17 | from ecclesiastical council members | for the attention of Fisk and the First Church of Salem, etc. | rulings of second ecclesiastical council |
| 1735 April 27 | from ecclesiastical council members | to Rev. Fisk | letter of dismissal |
| 1735 June 25 | from the Mass. House of Representatives | summary of vote on Fisk's dismissal | |
| 1735 November 20 | from the committee of the First Church of Salem | copy of meeting minutes | |
| 1736 December 7 | from Rev. Fisk | to Mr. John Sparhawk | discussion of new ministerial appointment |
| 1736 December 7 | from Rev. Fisk | to Judge Lynd of Salem | letter regarding Fisk's dismissal |
| 1742 January 24 | from Timothy Pickering (on behalf of the congregation of the First Church in Salem) | to unknown | call for restitution |
| 1745 July 30 | from Timothy Pickering (on behalf of the congregation of the First Church in Salem) | to the aggrieved brethren | call for reconciliation |
| 1755 September 16 | from Dudley Leavett (on behalf of the congregation of the First Church in Salem) | to the ecclesiastical council | letter regarding the installment of Thomas Barnard as pastor |
| undated | from the congregation of the First Church in Salem | to unknown recipient | assurance of unity within the church |
| undated | from the committee of the First Church of Salem | copy of meeting minutes | |
| undated | from James Lindace, et al. | to unknown recipient | confirmation of call to meeting |
| undated | unsigned | "an extract from a dialogue between the Rev. Mr. Fisk and Mr. Benjamin Pickman" | |
| undated | from "the aggrieved brethren" | to unknown pastor | complaint regarding Fisk's parish |
| undated | from unknown | to unknown | summary of arguments between Fisk and aggrieved brethren |
| undated | from delegation of churches | to Rev. Fisk | report on situation in the First Church |
Related Materials
Braintree, Mass. First Congregational Church records, 1697-1825
Salem, Mass. Tabernacle Church records, 1743-1850
Special Thanks
This digital resource has 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.
