Table of Contents

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Administrative Information

Description

Subject Headings

Inventory of the First Congregational Church Records

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Historical Note

Initially known as the Second Church of Christ, a name chosen to distinguish this church from the First Church located at the "Head-of-the-River" in present-day Acushnet, The First Congregational Church of Fairhaven was established on July 23, 1794. During their first year, the Church consisted of 26 members from New Bedford, a town that included present-day Fairhaven and Acushnet in 1794. The Church's first home of worship was initially called the Phoenix Hall Block, but was later known as the Second Congregational Meeting House. Rev. Isaiah Weston served as the first pastor of the church and remained in that capacity until 1808. In 1844, now called the First Congregational Church of Fairhaven, the Church purchased land on the Northwest corner of Centre and William Street for a new church, built and dedicated in 1845.

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Scope and Content Note

The earliest church records (Accession # B88-54) are found mostly in bound volumes. Each volume may contain a variety of records as described in the box list. These records are of a general administrative type of church record. Other volumes represent the records of specific groups within the church organization such as the Ladies Aid Society, the Women’s Guild, and the Lyman Class. In addition to the records found in the bound volumes there was a group of loose documents that relate to the same church activities and have been integrated with several bound volumes by subject and date.

The papers belonging to Accession # 2008.14 follow accession B-88-54 chronologically with Accession # 2012.2 coming last. The papers in, # 2008.14, have mostly to do with the matter of pew ownership and are related to the records found in Volume 9.

The papers from Accession # 2012.2 had been arranged by the church and were organized chronologically by year. This arrangement has been maintained within the various categories according to the records of the time. The exception being, the collections of Series II., Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, Annual Reports, Women’s Guild/ Women’s Fellowship, and The Tandem Club which have been arranged by specific group.

Researchers should also note that this collection contains a genealogical index created by Cynnie McNaughten relating to Accession B88-54 shortly after the arrival of the collection at the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library in 1988. This index consists of a card catalog located in the Research Library's Reading Room containing additional notes on selected people. This collection also contains additional appendices consisting of an abridged history of the Church from 1794-1953, a list of the Church's pastors since its founding,and copies of miscellaneous notes from church records.

Arrangement of Collection

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Information for Researchers

Access to Collections

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 109, [sub-group, series, sub-series, folder/volume as appropriate], [item]

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 United States Code 552a) governs the use of materials that document private individuals, groups, and corporations.

Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction if the document does not infringe the privacy rights of an individual, group, or corporation. These specified conditions of authorized use include:

If the researcher later uses a copy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," the researcher is personally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement and agrees to indemnify the New Bedford Whaling Museum from any legal action as a result of the error. Permission to obtain a photographic, xerographic, digital, or other copy of a document does not indicate permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, sell, distribute, or prepare derivative works from the document without permission from the copyright holder and from any private individual, group, or corporation shown or otherwise recorded.

Permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, prepare derivative works from, sell, or otherwise distribute the item must be obtained separately in writing from the holder of the original copyright (or if the creator is dead, from his/her heirs) as well as from any individual(s), groups, or corporations whose name, image, recorded words, or private information (e.g. employment information) may be reproduced in the source material. The holder of the original copyright is not necessarily the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is not legally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement when materials are wrongfully used after being provided to researchers for "fair use."

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if fulfillment of the order is judged in violation of copyright or federal or state privacy law. This institution also places restrictions on the use of cameras, photocopiers, and scanners in the research room.

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Materials in this collection were donated to the New Bedford Whaling Museum by the First Congregational Church of Fairhaven in 1988, 2008, and 2012.

Processing Information

Processed by: Jalien Hollister, 2012

Encoded by: Mark Procknik, 26 December 2012

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Description

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Subject Headings

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