South Church (Salem, Mass.) Records, 1774-1915, undated
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Not requestable
Scope and Content Note
The South Church of Salem records consist of administrative, financial, and pastoral records of this Salem, Massachusetts, church, as well as some small items from the church building. The collection has been arranged chronologically within four series.
Series I. Church Administrative Records consists of two reports.
Series II. Financial contains an account book, loose accounts, bills, contributions, receipts, records of pew sales and valuations, and other financial records of the church.
Series III. Pastoral Activities contains a record of marriages, sermons, and weekly calendars of services.
Series IV. Other contains church histories, photographs, poems, a glass negative, two newspapers, and some realia (e.g. pieces of a crystal chandelier).
Dates
- Creation: 1774-1915, undated
Creator
- South Church (Salem, Mass.) (Organization)
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open for research use.
Historical Sketch
South Church in Salem, Massachusetts, was formally founded in 1775 by members separating from the Tabernacle Church of Salem after a disagreement with the Tabernacle Church pastor regarding both the location of the new meetinghouse and the pastor's attempts to induct the church into the Presbytery. Originally called Third Church, it was later renamed in 1805 when the Proprietors of the New South Meeting House received incorporation. The church settled their first pastor, Daniel Hopkins, in 1775, and ordained him in November of 1778. The proprietors were then reincorporated as South Church in Salem in 1838.
In 1804-1805, a church was built. It featured a high spire, which was a great attraction for many years. It was renovated in 1860. The building burned in 1904; a stone church was erected in its place.
Hopkins served the church until 1814, dying in office at 81 years of age. Brown Emerson was called as pastor in 1805 and continued to preach to South Church until his death in 1872. South Church merged with Tabernacle Church of Salem in 1924.
South Church Succession of Ministers
Daniel Hopkins 1778-1814
Brown Emerson 1814-1872
Israel E. Dwinnell (Associate Pastor) 1849-1863
Edward S. Atwood 1872-1888
James F. Brodie 1889-1904
Harold Colson Feast 1904-1908
George W. Roesch 1908-1910
Thomas Langdale 1910-1914
H. M. Bartlett 1914-1920
George Leo Patterson 1920-1924
Extent
1 linear foot (2 boxes; 1 flat file)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The South Church of Salem records consist of administrative, financial, and pastoral records of this Salem, Massachusetts, church, as well as some small items from the church building.
Series List
SERIES I. Church Administrative Records
SERIES II. Financial Records
SERIES III. Pastoral Activities
SERIES IV. Other
Physical Location
Phillips Library Stacks
Provenance
The piece of board was donated by Mr. Ford on April 29, 1911. Two poems were a gift of Miss Saunderson in 1912. Twelve photographs of ministers were a gift of Miss Susan Driv(er) on June 13, 1916. A group of newspapers, histories, and photographs (1815-1915) were deposited by Rev. Thomas G. Langdale in 1917. The pew deed dated 1848 was a gift of Mrs. D. Coffin on July 10, 1923. The glass negative was donated by John Tilton of Salem. The provenance of the rest of the material is unknown.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Tamara Gaydos, September 2018.
Subject
- Daland, Benjamin, 1763-1826 (Person)
- Dwinell, Israel E., Rev. (Person)
- Emerson, Brown, 1778-1872 (Person)
- Hopkins, Daniel, 1734-1814 (Person)
- Jenks, John, 1751-1817 (Person)
- Norris, Edward (Person)
- Ropes, Timothy, 1797-1873 (Person)
- Tabernacle Church (Salem, Mass.) (Organization)
- Third Church (Salem, Mass.) (Organization)
- Title
- SOUTH CHURCH (SALEM, MASS.) RECORDS, 1774-1915, undated
- Author
- Processed by: Tamara Gaydos; machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Phillips Library Repository