Skip to main content

Weymouth, Mass. Old South Church records, 1723-1905.

 Collection
Identifier: RG5273

Scope and Contents

The records within this collection document the administrative history of the church and the vital records of its members. This collection includes meeting minutes, committee reports, baptismal records, marriage records, membership lists, financial records, and ministerial records.

Dates

  • 1723-1905

Creator

Restrictions on Access

Access to this collection is unrestricted and open to the public.

Restrictions on Use

Items in this collection are subject to U.S. Copyright Law. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine the copyright status of collection items and to secure any permissions necessary for their reproduction and publication. Requests for permission to publish material must be discussed with the archivist or librarian.

Digital Reproductions are protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use the Digital Reproductions in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the Congregational Library & Archives for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the Congregational Library & Archives. For additional information regarding copyright, please consult the Congregational Library & Archives' Digital Collections Copyright & Use policy.

Historical Note

With the resignation of Rev. Peter Thatcher, pastor of the First Church in Weymouth, in 1718, the residents of South Weymouth decided to create a new church closer to their community as the travel to North Weymouth was difficult to impossible depending on the season. In 1722, the South Weymouth community built the first meeting house and in 1723 the Second Church, also known as the South Church, was gathered following a successful petition to the General Court of Massachusetts. Reverend James Bayley was ordained as the first minister of the Second Church. The second meeting house was constructed in 1785 and in 1788 a silver bell for the church was procured and placed in the belfry. In 1819, a Sunday school was organized in part by the efforts of Rev. William Tyler.

Following the dismissal of Rev. Charles Warren in 1834, a parish committee was formed to search for a new minister. This committee chose Rev. Sylvanus Cobb, a Universalist minister, and the result was an almost immediate split in the church, with the orthodox majority leaving. In 1838, Rev. Wales Lewis was ordained as a compromise minister; however there was no major reconciliation between the two parts of the parish. In 1842 the orthodox members formed as the Union Church, making the split permanent.

In 1854 the third and final meeting house was constructed. A Holbrook organ was installed into the church in 1858. This was later replaced by a Hastings organ in 1903. In 1865, as the story goes, the silver bell cracked while being tolled for the death of Abraham Lincoln. The ball was recast as a new bell shortly there-after. Between 1871 and 1872, the Union Church built a new church building almost directly across the street from the Second Church. In 1873 a vestry was added to the church building. On May 2, 1892, the Second Church was incorporated as the Old South Church of Weymouth.

After years of efforts from members of both churches, the Old South Church and Union Church merged and became the Old South Union Church on November 18, 1918. The Union Church building became the Parish House. The building was torn down in 1963 and the space converted into a parking lot. In 1948, the Old South Union Church voted to become a member of the United Church of Christ, and has remained a part of that denomination since. In 1957, the third meeting house underwent extensive renovations which greatly expanded the space available within the church. The church building was rededicated in 1963.

The Old South Union Church in Weymouth continues to serve the South Weymouth community today.

Extent

0.72 Cubic Feet (3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Second Church in Weymouth, also known as the South Church, was gathered in 1723 with James Bayley ordained as the first minister. The first meeting house was constructed in 1722 and the second in 1785. The ordination of a Universalist minister in 1834 resulted in a rift in the church membership with the orthodox members eventually forming the Union Church in 1842. The third meeting house was constructed in 1854. In 1892 the Second Church was incorporated as the Old South Church in Weymouth. In 1918, the Old South Church and Union Church merged to form the Old South Union Church. This collection includes meeting minutes, committee reports, vital records, financial records, and ministerial records.

Arrangement

This collection has been arranged by topic, first, and then by chronological order by the first date.

Technical Requirements

To access digital user’s copies via online-interface, a java-enabled web browser is required. Internet Explorer 8.x and later, Firefox 5.x and later, Opera 12 and later, Safari 5.x and later, or any version of Google Chrome are recommended.

Custodial History

The Church records, 1723-1818, the Parish records, 1723-1811, and the Parish records, 1812-1868 were rebound and repaired by the Northeast Document Conservation Center in 1977.

Acquisition Information

Permananetly loaned to the Congregational Library & Archives, 2014 and 2015, by the Old South Union Church in Weymouth; recieved in two batches: accessions 2014-120 and 2015-2.

Accruals

Additional accruals are expected for this collection in the form of full-text transcription. There is no anticipated date for this accrual.

Bibliography

Old South Union Congregational Church: 1723-1948. Old South Union Church: Weymouth, 1948. 17.11.1 W54.78 OldSUC

Robinson, Myrtle E. & Kevitt, Chester B. Ed. Two-Hundred-Fiftieth Anniversary: Old South Union Church. Old South Union Church: Weymouth, 1973. 17.11.1 W54.78 OldSUC

Processing Information

Processed by Zachary Bodnar, September 2018, using DACS Second Edition.

Title
Weymouth, Mass. Old South Church records, 1723-1905.
Status
Completed
Author
Zachary Bodnar
Date
2018-09-05
Description rules
Dacs2 2013
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Congregational Library & Archives Repository

Contact:
14 Beacon Street
Suite 200
Boston MA 02108
617-523-0470