USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Acton > History of the town of Acton > Part 43
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would rather not. Major Buttrick turned to Capt. Davis and asked him if he was afraid to go. Capt. Davis replied promptly, "No, I am not and there isn't a man in my company that is!" Deacon Parkman said he saw Capt. Davis, immediately after, march his company toward the enemy, and soon after heard the firing, as he was going toward Col. Barrett's in the discharge of his duty.
Deacon Parkman spoke in high terms of approbation of the Acton Company, and particularly of the dignified and soldierlike appearance of their Commander. He said it was his belief that if Capt. Davis had not been killed, not one of the enemy would have returned to Boston. I asked him how it was that Concord had taken all the praise? He replied, with emphasis and feeling, "It is wrong - Acton ought to have the credit of it."
BRADLEY STONE
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Middlesex, ss. August 16, 1845 Then Bradley Stone, who is person- ally known to me as a man of veracity, made oath that the foregoing affidavit, by him subscribed, contains the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, relative to the subject matter thereof. Before me
SAMUEL HAYWARD, Justice of the Peace
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APPENDIX XIII
MODERATORS PRESIDING AT THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETINGS, 1735 - 1953
1735, 1736 John Heald 1820, 1821 Joseph Noyes
1737 John Davis 1822 Abraham Conant
1738, 1739 Joseph Fletcher 1823 John Robbins
1740 Gershom Davis 1824 Abraham Conant
1741 Zacheriah Emery
1825 - 1828 Stevens Hayward
1742, 1743 Joseph Fletcher
1829, 1830 John Robbins
1744 John Brooks
1831, 1832 Stevens Hayward
1745, 1746 Joseph Fletcher
1833
Francis Tuttle
1747 - 1748 John Brooks
1834
John White
1749 - 1751 Dea. John Heald
1835
Ebenezer Wood
1752 John Brooks
1836 - 1841 Stevens Hayward
1753 - 1758 Dea. John Heald
1842
Eliab Grimes
1760
Dea. John Heald
1844 - 1846 Winthrop E.
1761
Capt. Daniel Fletcher
Faulkner
1762
Dea. John Heald
1847
Phineas Harrington
1763 - 1770 Capt. Daniel Fletcher1848
Winthrop E.
1771 Capt. Samuel
Hayward 1849
Phineas Harrington
1772
Jonathan Hosmer 1850
Luther Conant, Sr.
1773, 1774 Capt. Daniel Fletcher1851
James T. Woodbury
1775 Capt. Samuel 1852 - 1860 Winthrop E.
Hayward
Faulkner
1776 Josiah Hayward 1861 - 1867 Luther Conant, Jr.
1777 - 1784 Ephraim Hosmer
1868 Francis Dwight
1785
Capt. Joseph Robbins1869, 1870 Luther Conant
1786, 1787 Ephraim Hosmer
1871
Francis Dwight
1788 - 1792 Jonas Brooks
1872
Winthrop E. Faulkner
1793 Josiah Whitney 1873 - 1888 Luther Conant
1794 - 1797 Jonas Brooks 1889 Alphonso A. Wyman
1798 no record 1890 - 1892 Luther Conant
1799, 1800 Jonas Brooks 1893 Alphonso A. Wyman
1801 - 1803 John Edwards
1894 - 1901 Luther Conant
1804 Jonas Brooks
1902 - 1904 Charles Kimball
1805 - 1808 John Robbins
1905 Luther Conant
1809 - 1813 Winthrop Faulkner
1906 - 1932 A. Brooks Parker
1814 - 1818 Joseph Noyes
1933 - 1953 Albert P. Durkee
1819 John Robbins
Winthrop Faulkner
1759
Capt. Daniel Fletcher 1843
Faulkner
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APPENDIX XIV BRIEF SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE SEVERAL CHURCHES IN ACTON
As has been noted in the body of the volume the church and the government were closely tied together in the early years of the colonies. A voter had of necessity to be a freeman and a church member. This restriction held firm for approximately two centuries in Massachusetts until relieved in 1833.
THE PURITAN CHURCH: This church, sometimes referred to as the old Congregational Church, had three ministers, namely, Rev. John Swift, Rev. Moses Adams, and Rev. Marshall Shedd. The first two died in service. Rev. Shedd was dismissed at his own request after eleven years.
Following the resignation of Rev. Shedd in May 1831, the old Acton Congregational Church was disrupted by doctrinal differences. Those holding to the original Trinitarian Faith withdrew. On January 6, 1832 the first meeting was called by general invitation and the follow- ing action was taken.
We the subscribers taking into consideration the importance of the stated preaching of the Gospel, do hereby agree to form a religious society in Acton by the name of the Evangelical Society in Acton.
And do hereby pledge ourselves to do all which shall seem meet and proper for the attainment of this glorious object.
Signed by
Stevens Hayward
Jotham Hunt
Phineas Wheeler
Adam Noyes
Amos Noyes
Stephen Weston
John Edwards
Luther Conant
Ephraim Hapgood
Simon Hapgood
Charles Tuttle
Joseph Wild
Asa Parker
Abraham Conant
Harriet Cowdrey
Silas Hosmer
On the twenty third of February following, at a meeting of the old Congregational Church, it was voted that thirteen male members and forty six females, be, according to their request, dismissed from the church, and recommended to the care of an ecclesiastic council to be by them called for the purpose of being formed into a church, in con- nection with the Evangelical Society in Acton. The council met and the present Evangelical Church of Acton was organized on March 13, 1832. In the meantime the chapel (now the property of the Acton Centre Women's Club) had been built and Rev. James Trask Wood- bury was called as pastor and was ordained and installed on August
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29, 1832.1 After preaching twenty years he was dismissed at his own request on June 23, 1852 and thereafter lived in Milford, Massachu- setts, where he died on January 15, 1861.
The liberal wing of the disrupted church continued to hold worship in the old church building for several years, but in 1859, the property was deeded to the town and became the Town House. It was so used until destroyed in the fire of 1862.
The persons who were taken into the church in its first several years are listed below for the information of those interested.
Admitted March 13, 1832, when organized.
Rhoda Wheeler
Lucy Wheeler
Harriet Davis
Lucinda Davis
Betsey Chaffin
Rebecca Billings
Hannah Burgess
Esther Billings
Susanna Edwards
Sarah Robbins
Susanna Wetherbee Sukey Conant
Abagail Cowdrey Eunice Weston
Eda Wheeler
Sally Parlin
Joanna Noyes
Abagail Keyes
Molly Hapgood
Susan Hayward
Sarah Chaffin
Tabitha Wood
Rebecca Hayward
Rebecca Hayward, Mrs.
1
Sarah Fuller
Susan Faulkner
Elisabeth Hunt
Lucy Hayward
Mary Faulkner, Mrs.
Mary Faulkner
Betsey Conant
Sarah Wild
Elizabeth Wheeler, from Carlisle
Amos Noyes
Jonathan Billings
Stephen Weston
Thomas Lawrence
Charles Tuttle
James Keyes
Stevens Hayward
Jotham Hunt
Joseph Wild
Admitted May 13, 1832
Hepzibah Bright
Eliza Bright
Almira Bright
Sarah Skinner
Sarah Davis
Charlotte Jones
Nancy Shirland
Charlotte Davis
Polly Billings
Mariah Edwards
John Edwards
Dr. Harris Cowdrey
Admitted July 8, 1832
Jerusha Noyes, from Thankful Harrington
Eunice Conant
=
Westmoreland, N. H. * Mary E. Tuttle
Joseph Cowdrey
Lucy Robins Abraham Conant
Elizabeth Brooks
Abigail Hayward
Admitted Sept. 9, 1832
Mary Ann Davis, Lucretia Blood,
Rachel Hayward,
from Winchendon from Bolton from Worcester
Esther Hosmer
Sophia Billings
*Jerusha Robbins
Louisa Osgood
Eunice Brown
1 There is a conflict here between Fletcher, who asserts on page 290 that Rev. Woodbury was ordained on March 13, 1832, and the Church Manual printed in 1912, which gives the August date used above.
408
-
i
Phineas Wheeler
Silas Hosmer
Admitted Nov. 4, 1832
Clarina Chaffin Rebecca Dudley
Luther Jones Simeon Conant
Sarah Parlin William Cutting
Admitted January 6, 1833
Mary Ann Clough
Abigail Davis
Sally Holden
Rebecca Barker
Ebenezer Davis
Daniel Barker
Elizabeth Brooks
Augusta Woodbury
Charlotte Handley
Anna Robbins
Timothy Wheeler
Benjamin Hall
Asa Pike Dudley
Admitted March 3, 1833
Lucinda Jones
Lucinda Hartwell
Rebecca Billings
Admitted May 5, 1833
Mary Hapgood Winthrop Wheeler
Lucy Lawrence
Mary Lawrence Damaris Chapman
Harriet Wetherbee
Adeline Weston
Susan Faulkner
Susan Hall, from
Roxa Keyes
Oliver Emerson Thorp
Essex St. Church,
Simon Hapgood
Boston
Franklin Wheeler
Admitted July 7, 1833
Emerson Prescott
Paul Dudley, 2nd.
Ann M. Parker
Elizabeth Blood
Leydia Robbins Mehitable Wheeler
Admitted Sept. 1, 1833
Simon Fletcher
William Jewell
Hiram Butters
Avery Reed
Harriet H. Stowell
Sarah Wheeler
Catherine E. Smith
Cyrene Fletcher
Admitted November 3, 1833
Hannah W. Fletcher
Edward Wetherbee
Darus Billings
Rufus Holden
Uriah G. Robbins
Timothy Heartwell
Cyrus Dole
Ebenezer Davis, 2nd.
Nathaniel Hapgood Abner Hosmer
Silas Jones
Ephraim Hapgood
Josiah W. Brown
Winthrop F. Conant
Luther Jones
Widow Mary Brooks
Emeline Hosmer Saphia Wetherbee Susan Hosmer Luther Conant Amos Handley, 2nd.
John Woodbury Davis Parlin
Rebecca Noyes
Mary W. Handley
Lucindy I. Wheeler
Clarissa Parker
Lounso A. Mace
Harriet Reed
Stephen Weston
Rebecca Hapgood Fidelia Wheeler Clarissa Fletcher Samuel K. Cagswell
Nabby Hosmer
Thomas F. Noyes Elisabeth H. Parker Olive Barker
Nathaniel S. Adams
Silas Holden
James T. Woodbury, from Bath, N. H.
from Charlestown
Maria Conant
Eunice Weston
Alden Fuller
Betsey Conant Sarah Ann Wild
409
Charles Wiley Moses A. Noyes
Isaac T. Flagg
Henry Fairbanks Josiah X. Wheeler
Daniel Jones
Luther Heywood James N. Brown
John Fletcher Francis W. Ayers
Admitted January 30, 1838
Bradley Stone Nathan Hosmer Joel Conant
Walter Keyes
Clarissa Stone
Rebecca Hosmer
Mary Hosmer
Dorcas Deeth
(by letter ) (by letter)
Note: The names in the foregoing list preceded by an asterisk indi- cate those who were baptized but not necessarily admitted to church membership.
So dynamic was the leadership of Rev. Woodbury that in 1833 a third meeting house, fifty by forty four feet, was erected on the site of the present building, to be followed by a fourth in 1846, in which he preached for five years before leaving Acton. In its original form this latter edifice was of the typical New England type with a central sharp spire in the center and two entrance doors. The main audit- orium occupied the whole second floor. The rostrum and the pulpit were at the far end from the street, and two main aisles led the length of the room from the doors. There were pews on either side of the rostrum facing it. The choir loft and the organ were at the rear of the congregation. The present Ladies Aid Parlor was non existent as of today on the third floor.
The following is a description of the building as found in the church records in Mr. Woodbury's handwriting:
"1847, January Ist. The new meeting house erected on the spot where stood the former one was duly dedicated to Almighty God, Son and Holy Ghost, Dec. 16, 1846, Wednesday at one o'clock P. M. House 75 feet by 50, with a basement story of stone with 82 pews. Cost about $6000, exclusive of the fresco painting of the interior and the cushions, carpets, lamps, clock, communion table and chairs, Bible and hymn books, which all cost $700, and were all absolute gifts to the church and the house, not to be put upon the pews.
"The building Committee were: Dr. J. M. Miles, Samuel Hosmer 2nd., Simon Tuttle, John P. Buttrick, Col. Winthrop E. Faulkner, and they did their duty faithfully and are entitled to the lasting gratitude of the church".
Two phrases in the above may need a bit of explanation to the modern reader. In the reference to the basement it would appear that there were eighty two pews in the basement in addition to those in the main body of the church. This, of course, was not so. The very last phrase signifies that the gifts were absolute and were not to be charged to the pew holders.
410
1
1
In 1867 the pipe organ was installed and in 1875 the parsonage was built by Mr. Moses Taylor for Rev. Franklin P. Wood who was its first occupant.
The building was remodelled to its present form in 1898 during the ministry of Rev. Bernard Copping. The colored glass windows were given by friends of the church, among them the beautiful double front window donated by Hon. William A. Wilde.
In May of 1910 the Evangelical Church in Acton became in- corporated under the name of the Evangelical Congregational Church in Acton, Mass., and the old Parish, which had so long carried on the financial matters of the church, was dissolved.
At the meeting held in March of 1909 the town voted to accept the trust fund of three thousand dollars donated by the will of Charlotte L. Goodnow. The stipulation was that each year twenty dollars of the income should be utilized to care for the Goodnow lot in Woodlawn and the remainder be turned over to the treasurer of the Congrega- tional Church at the Centre to be applied toward the cost of preaching
Although the town gets nothing from the fund it does elect trustees and their annual statement is appended to each town report.
A list of the ministers follows:
Rev. James T. Woodbury Aug. 1832 - June 1852
Rev. Benjamin Dodge
Oct. 1852 - Apr. 1855
Rev. Charles Rockwell Sept. 1855 - July 1856
Rev. Joseph Garland
Jan. 1857 - Jan. 1859
Rev. Alpha Morton
May 1859 - May 1863
Rev. George W. Coleman
Nov. 1863 - May 1869
Rev. Franklin P. Wood
July 1871 - Dec. 1884
Rev. H. H. Osgood
Nov. 1884 - June 1886
Rev. G. W. Stearns
Sept. 1887 - Mar. 1891
Rev. W. N. Bessey
July 1891 - Jan. 1893
Rev. Bernard Copping
Apr. 1894 - Oct. 1902 Apr. 1903 - Jan. 1908 June 1908 - May 1913
Rev. Thomas M. Miles
Rev. Edward C. Hayes
Rev. Frederick W. Tingley
Jan. 1917 - Dec. 1920
Rev. Russell J. May
Mar. 1921 - Feb. 1924
Rev. Harry E. White
Rev. Dwight La Follette
Mar. 1924 - May 1926 Oct. 1926 - Oct. 1928 Dec. 1928 - Feb. 1932
Rev. Russell J. May
Mar. 1932 - April 1934
Rev. Glenn Douglas
June 1934 - Dec. 1938
Rev. Lynne Townsend
June 1939 - April 1943
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Rev. Howard A. Long
Nov. 1913 - Sept. 1916
Rev. James Robertson
Rev. Charles Havice
Aug. 1943 - July 1945
Rev. Gilbert Zimmerman
Dec. 1945 - May 1947 Oct. 1947 - July 1949
Rev. Donald Yaekle
Rev. Howard B. Simms
Oct. 1949 - Oct. 1950
Rev. Eric Grimshaw Nov. 1951 -
THE BAPTIST CHURCH: Upon the occasion of its centennial celebration in 1946 the Baptist Church published a twenty page history which was compiled by Miss Evelyn A. Knowlton. The following sketch is taken in large part from that brochure.
The Massachusetts citizens of the Baptist faith had been very active in the agitation that led to the separation of the church and state. For some years previous to the organization of the Acton church certain of the local people were communicants in the church at Littleton.
On July 10, 1846 a group which had its focus in West Acton met at the home of Mr. Leonard Pierce for the purpose of establishing a church. Horace Richardson was chosen moderator and James M. Brown clerk. Of this group John Blanchard, Margaret B. Blanchard, Semantha B. Little, Elizabeth D. Blanchard, Hannah F. B. Mace, Matilda Fletcher, Percyveranda Hapgood, Aaron Hosmer, Becca Hosmer, Joel H. Whitcomb, Catherine Wheeler, Heywood Brown, Laura Brown and James K. Brown already had letters of dismission and recommendation from the Baptist church in Littleton. Others present who had sent for letters were Leonard Pierce, and wife and daughter Olive, Eri Huggins and wife, Horace Richardson, Rebecca Hapgood, and Mary Ann Hapgood.
In September the land was bought for the church. The old school house had stood upon the spot until removed to form the ell to the the brick house across the way.
First meeting house dedicated July 19th, 1847.
On March 26, 1848 the congregation was called together by the bell for the first time.
On July 2, 1853 the first meeting house was burned. Presumably the fire was of incendiary origin since on August 14th the town voted a reward of one hundred dollars for evidence leading to the detection of the persons setting the fire.
On January 9, 1853, after six years of service, the first minister Rev. Horace Richardson was released at his own request. He had decided to evangelize in some small way the wild society of California during the most hectic days of the gold rush period.
On September 19, 1854 the second meeting house was dedicated. It had by far the sharpest and the tallest spire of any local church edifice.
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1
In 1868 the church asked to be dismissed from the Boston Associ- ation to unite with the Wachusett Association with which it has since been affiliated.
In 1879 Rev. J. R. Haskins was the first to inhabit the newly erected parsonage.
In 1898 extensive alterations were made and during that time ser- vices were held in Littlefield's Hall.
In 1934 the tall steeple was adjudged unsafe and the present dome to the belfry was built.
The list of pastors follows:
Rev. Horace Richardson
1846-1853
Rev. W. W. Watson
1853-1860
Rev. Jacob Tuck
1861-1863
Rev. J. V. Ambler (Acting
pastor several months)
Rev. Walter Rice 1865-1867
Rev. W. K. Davey
1868-1873
Rev. J. C. Boomer
1874-1878
Rev. J. R. Haskins
1878-1883
Rev. C. L. Rhoades
1883-1888
Rev. Frank A. Heath
1888-1891
Rev. Bryant Mclellan
1891-1893
Rev. E. I. Lindh
1893-1895
Rev. Gorham Esterbrook
1896-1905
Rev. David W. Lovett
1905-1911
Rev. Charles L. Pierce
1912-1919
Rev. George L. Michelson
1919-1921
Rev. A. E. Wheeler
1921-1923
Rev. Lockwood (Acting pas-
tor)
7 months
Rev. Fred P. Haggard
1924-1925
Rev. B. Stanley Batstone
1925-1928
Rev. Dr. Wolfe (Acting pastor)
1 year
Rev. Arthur Jeffries
1929-1937
Rev. Arthur H. Wilde
1937-1943
Rev. H. E. Danielson
1944-1948
Rev. David Thompson
1948-1952
THE UNIVERSALISTS: The first Universalist sermons were preached in Acton by Rev. Hosea Ballou (1771-1852) as early as 1814
413
or 1815.1 The following data is taken in part from a sermon preached by Rev. I. C. Knowlton at the dedication of the present Universalist meeting house in South Acton in 1878.
On January 19, 1816 the first Universalist Society of Acton was formed, consisting of eleven members. In 1821 and 1822 Rev. Dr. Benjamin Whittemore preached one half of the Sabbaths in Acton in halls, school houses and private residences.
On January 27, 1821 the First Universalist Society of Acton was legally incorporated. It consisted of fifty paying members, two years later of sixty one members, and eventually reached eighty paying members.
On December 17, 1833 a church of thirty nine members was formed as the result of the labors of Rev. Joseph Wright, who, that year, became the pastor of the society.
On October 4, 1834, the Boston Association of Universalists met at Acton. During the next six years the religious services were held in the First Parish Church (the meeting house built in 1807) and were well attended.
In June 1836, Rev. Isaac Brown became the resident minister of the society and continued for three years. In July 1837 he was formally installed as pastor with appropriate services.
About 1850 the Universalist interest at Acton Centre peacefully expired. From that date to 1858 there were no regular services in the town. In 1858 Rev. J. M. Usher preached in both South and West Acton. According to the West Acton records Robinson's Hall (later known as Grand Army Hall) was used as the meeting place. As of April 17, 1859 arrangements are on record whereby until December first Rev. J. M. Usher was to preach four Sundays while the other Sabbaths were to be taken by various laymen, namely Messrs, Bruce, Talbot, Record, Weaser, Shepard, Russ, Prince and Plummer. Rev. Usher served both the West and South Societies for six years and upon his retirement in 1864 Rev. Edwin Davis became pastor of both groups and so continued until April of 1872, being followed by W. W. Harward for three years and Rev. N. P. Smith for one year.
The West and South Societies, although entirely separate, were started at the same time and Rev. Usher was really the founder of both.
In 1861 the South Society moved into Exchange Hall where it wor-
1 The name Hosea Ballard (Fletcher p. 293) is a misprint. Rev. Hosea Ballou (not to be confused with Hosea Ballou 2nd. who became the first presi- dent of Tufts College in 1852) was a sort of patron saint of Universalism and its most prominent and ardent advocate. He preached at the home of Robert Chaffin, now the residence of Mr. Ralph C. Choate, on January 16, 1816. According to data provided by the church records it was at this meeting that the society was organized rather than on the 19th as per Fletcher. Furthermore there were twelve members, not eleven.
414
shipped for seventeen years. In 1868 the West Society built the meet- ing house which served it until 1925 at which time it ceased to function as a place of worship and was, through the generosity of Mr. Arthur F. Blanchard, Mr. George C. Wright, and Mr. George V. Mead, pur- chased outright and donated to the West Acton Women's Club.
In October of 1875 Rev. I. C. Knowlton assumed charge of the two societies and continued until 1892.
According to Fletcher a society of thirty members was organized at West Acton on May 21, 1876. Thereafter for two generations the names associated with the families of Oliver and Adelbert Mead, F. C. Nash, George Wright, Harriet Gardner, Capt. Frank Whitcomb, Oscar Preston, Hanson Littlefield, Clark and Charles Durkee, Phineas Wetherbee, Henry Haynes, and Fred and Almon Gilmore were prominent in the Universalist church activities.
The present Universalist meeting house in South Acton was built by George Wood of Concord and dedicated Frebruary 21, 1878. Mr. J. K. W. Wetherbee was chairman of the building committee and Mr. James Tuttle chairman of the trustees of the church. Rev. I. C. Knowlton preached the dedicatory sermon.
The original membership is given below:
Mr. & Mrs. J. Warren Tuttle Mr. & Mrs. J. K. W. Wetherbee
Mr. & Mrs. James Tuttle Mr. & Mrs. Reuben Hayward
Mrs. E. H. Wheeler Mrs. Evelina Shapley
Mrs. E. Josephine Conant
Mrs. Marthetta Taylor
Mrs. Mary Wheeler
Mrs. Harrietta Harris
Mrs. Charlotte A. Tuttle
Mrs. Charlotte Ames
Mrs. Althea Houston Miss Jennie Gates
Mr. & Mrs. Hiram Hapgood Mr. & Mrs. Albert Moulton
The Society was known as the South Acton Christian Church.
One unique feature of the building was that the church kitchen in the basement had access to a valuable open spring which proved most useful until the introduction of town water.
The present heavy bell was put into place with proper ceremonies in May of 1908.
In 1948 the original altar and rail that were used in Exchange Hall when the services were held there before the building of the church were rediscovered in the Exchange Hall attic by Otis Reed. Their existence had been forgotten. They have been refurbished and put into the present church and add a great deal to the furnishings.
The Young Peoples Christian Union was organized April 19, 1891.
The list of pastors following Rev. I. C. Knowlton is given below.
Rev. H. M. Smith 1892 - 1895
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Rev. William F. Dusseault
1895 - 1902
Rev. Frank Rice
1902 - 1907
Rev. Sidney J. Willis
1907 - 1914
Rev. Luther Morris
1914 - 1918
Rev. Hugo Perdelwitz
1919 - 1920
Rev. Charles Paddock
1921 - 1923
Rev. Charles Haney
1924 - 1925
Rev. Andrew J. Torsleff
1925 - 1931
Rev. George Wood
1931 - 1833
Rev. Ernest Carritt
1833 - 1936
Rev. Norman Kellett
1936 - 1938
Rev. O. S. Milburn
1938 - 1940
Rev. F. Milner Dunn
1940 - 1943
Rev. Gordon MacKeeman
1944 - 1944
Rev. Kieth Munson
1945 - 1946
Rev. Gordon Crook
1946 - 1948
Rev. Carl Hempel
1949 - 1952
Rev. Edwin Burlingame
1952 -
SOUTH ACTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH: The South Acton Congregational Church is the outgrowth of a movement begun in 1876.
Rev. F. P. Wood, at the time pastor of the Center Congregational Church, brought the South community to the attention of the Middlesex conference of churches and the Massachusetts Home Missionary Society. Under their auspices religious services with preaching was established in June of 1876.
The original place of worship was a hall in Dwight's Block. On June 1, 1877 the services were transferred to the chapel room in the school building where they continued to be held until the completion of the present house of worship in 1892.
For five years, until August 1881, the community had the ser- vices of Rev. N. Thompson who shared his ministry with the church in Boxboro. Mr. Thompson's successors were the Rev. William Leonard and Rev. George Dustan, each of whom served two years.
At the termination of Mr. Dustan's pastorate the church voted to sever connections with the conference and the missionary society and endeavor to be self supporting.
Arrangements were made with the Rev. C. L. Rhoades, pastor of the Baptist Church in West Acton, to officiate for the South Acton church. This plan was continued for two additional years with Rev. Frank Heath, successor to Mr. Rhoades.
At a meeting held April 4, 1890 it was voted to return to the Congregational order and Rev. F. P. Wood filled the pulpit for a year.
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On April 14, 1891 it was voted to unite with the Centre Church and under this regime Rev. Wiliam N. Bessey officiated for both parishes until 1893.
Since that time the following pastors have been active:
1893 - 1900
Rev. W. R. Buxton
1901 - 1904 Rev. E. G. Smith and Rev. J. T. McBean
1904 - 1907 Rev. Arthur B. Peebles
1907 - 1911 Rev. Merrit A. Farren
1911 - 1914 Rev. Edgar Crossland
1915 - 1916
Rev. Raymond Fitz
1916 - 1932
Rev. Ralph A. Barker
1933 - 1935
Rev. Arthur E. Beckett
1935 - 1939 Mr. Amel W. Whitmer
1939 - 1946
Rev. Harry B. Roberts
During World War II the Universalist and Congregational churches met together to conserve fuel, their respective ministers sharing the work. This plan was discontinued in January of 1949 and the Congregational Church was served by Rev. Marshall Jenkins as interim minister.
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