Martha's Vineyard Museum
A Finding Aid to the Congregational Church Records of Holmes Hole, West Tisbury and Chilmark Churches, 1696-2009, undated
Table of Contents
- Summary Information
- Biography/Historical Note
- Scope and Content of Collection
- Administrative Information
- Index Terms
- Contents of Collection
- Series I: Congregational Church
- Series II: Diaries, Letters—West Tisbury Religious Leaders
- Series III: Congregational Church, Holmes Hole
- Series IV: West Tisbury Baptist Church
- Series V: Sermons, Sunday exercises
- Series VI: Recollections of West Tisbury
- Series VII: Additions to collection
Descriptive Summary
Repository | Martha's Vineyard Museum
Gale Huntington Research Library 59 School Street P.O. Box 1310 Edgartown, MA 02539 (508)627-4441 |
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Call Number | RU 201 |
Title | Congregational Church Records of Holmes Hole, West Tisbury and Chilmark Churches |
Date [inclusive] | 1696-2009, undated |
Extent | 2.5 boxes (1.260 cubic feet) |
Location | For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's staff. |
Language | The materials are in English. |
Abstract | The artificial collection is a compilation of published pamphlets, newspaper and magazine articles, administrative records, sermons, baptismal records, correspondence, and research notes. |
Administrative Information
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions.
Use and Reproduction Restrictions
Requests to reproduce material from this collection should be directed to the library's staff. Reproduction fees may apply.
Preferred Citation
Martha's Vineyard Museum, RU 201, Congregational Church Records of Holmes Hole, West Tisbury and Chilmark Churches.
Acquisition Information
- Gift of Margaret R. Maida in 2014 (Accession no. 2014.009). [Donation]
- The immediate source of acquisition and date of accession for the remainder of the materials are unknown.
Publication Information
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Gale Huntington Research Library59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441
Revision Description
Addition to the Collection; Addition of Series VII: Additions to collection, [CJ] August 2015
Processing Information
Finding aid prepared by Barbara Murphy in 2011 and machine-encoded by Clint Johnson in August 2015
Index Terms
Corporate Name(s)
- Chilmark Congregational Church
- Holmes Hole Congregational Church
- West Tisbury Congregational Church
Genre(s)
- Bylaws (administrative records)
- Church records
- Correspondence
- Sermons
Geographic Name(s)
- Chilmark (Mass.)
- Dukes County (Mass.)
- Edgartown (Mass.)
- Marthas Vineyard (Mass.)
- West Tisbury (Mass.)
Personal Name(s)
- Homes, William, 1663-1746
- Mayhew, Nathan, 1796-1865
- Thaxter, Joseph, 1744-1827
Subject(s)
- Chilmark (Mass.)--History
- Congregational Churches in Massachusetts
- Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--Social life and customs
Biography/Historical Note
The collection of records in Record Unit 1 has been “artificially” created. There is no original order to these documents. Rather, it is assumed that the organization’s librarians, interns and volunteers have brought these records together at some point. The institution’s own records do not shed any light on when and why the collection was originally formed. What is known is that the MVM was founded in 1922. And, the organization began to collect documents in 1923. Thus, the formation of this record unit can only by dated to sometime between 1923 and the present day. The processing of this collection in 2006 has largely kept this artificial collection together.
Scope and Content of Collection
This record unit consists of information, sermons and records pertaining to the Congregational Churches in Chilmark, Holmes Hole and West Tisbury including: information about church members in 1717, a warranty deed of 1871, two sermons of Rev. William Homes 1696, a Samuel Cooper sermon 1753, and some recollections of West Tisbury by individuals. On the back of the minutes of the Holmes Hole Congregational Church (folder 16), is a short genealogy of Nathan Mayhew including namesake who died aged 11 months, 15 days.
Arrangement
- Series I: Congregational Church
- Series II: Diaries, Letters—West Tisbury Religious Leaders
- Series III: Congregational Church, Holmes Hole
- Series IV: West Tisbury Baptist Church
- Series V: Sermons, Sunday exercises
- Series VI: Recollections of West Tisbury
- Series VII: Additions to collection
Contents of Collection
Series I: Congregational Church, 1717-1983
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Box | Folder | |||
West Tisbury Church documents, 1717-1983 NoteIncludes originals and photocopies. |
1 | 1 | ||
West Tisbury Church baptismal records, 1783, 1785 NoteIncludes photocopies. |
1 | 2 | ||
First Church and Society in Tisbury Sermon, 1801 |
1 | 3 | ||
Bell, West Tisbury Congregational Church, 1837 NoteWritten copy. |
1 | 4 | ||
Congregational Society of West Tisbury warranty deed and draft of by-laws, 1871 NoteIncludes photocopy. |
1 | 5 | ||
West Tisbury Church Steeple and clock articles, 1923-1975 NoteIncludes 4 copies and one original. |
1 | 6 | ||
West Tisbury Congregational Church pamphlets, 1923, 1986 |
1 | 7 | ||
Early Church of West Tisbury and Chilmark, 1942 |
1 | 8 | ||
Service program sketches, 1903, 1965 |
1 | 9 | ||
Clock clippings, 1985-1987 |
1 | 10 | ||
Church floor plans, undated |
1 | 11 | ||
Church petition, 1861 |
1 | 12 | ||
Series II: Diaries, Letters—West Tisbury Religious Leaders, 1894-1939
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Box | Folder | |||
Reverend William Homes diaries and letters, 1715-1746 NoteAlso includes genealogical information. |
1 | 13 | ||
Church records, 1910-1939 |
1 | 14 | ||
Series III: Congregational Church, Holmes Hole, 1774-1852, undated
|
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Box | Folder | |||
Holmes Hole Congregational church letters, 1814-1848 NoteLetters granting dismissal of individuals in order to join new church. |
1 | 15 | ||
Holmes Hole Congregational Church letters, 1844 NoteLetters concerning the establishment of a new church. |
1 | 16 | ||
Holmes Hole Congregational church letters, 1847 July 2 NoteLetters concerning the possible ministerial replacement. |
1 | 17 | ||
Holmes Hole Congregational church meeting minutes, 1851-1852 |
1 | 18 | ||
Holmes Hole Congregational Church bylaws and confession of faith pamphlet, 1844 |
1 | 19 | ||
Holmes Congregational Church correspondence, 1848 NoteBetween Church and possible pastor George Dunham |
1 | 20 | ||
Reverend Joseph Thaxter biographies, undated |
1 | 21 | ||
Holmes Hole Congregational Church receipt, 1849 July 23 NotePayment of ministerial services. |
1 | 22 | ||
Church correspondence, 1847 January NoteLetters concerning sale of religious literature. |
1 | 23 | ||
Church correspondence, 1847 July 25 NoteLetters concerning possible visit to Church. |
1 | 24 | ||
Church correspondence, 1842 January 4 |
1 | 25 | ||
Church correspondence, 1847 NoteLetters concerning the sale of religious tracts. |
1 | 26 | ||
Church account, undated NoteRegarding the sale of pews from Holmes Hole Congregational Church. |
1 | 27 | ||
Series IV: West Tisbury Baptist Church, 1837
|
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Box | Folder | |||
West Tisbury Baptist Church dedication, 1837 |
1 | 28 | ||
Series V: Sermons, Sunday exercises, 1696-1851
|
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Box | Folder | |||
Encouraging Industry and Employing the Poor sermon, 1753 |
1 | 29 | ||
Sermon, 1811 |
1 | 30 | ||
Questions on the New Testament, 1818 |
1 | 31 | ||
To Young Ministers in Particular sermon, 1851 |
1 | 32 | ||
Proposals of Some Things to be done in Church Government, 1732 |
1 | 33 | ||
Four Sermons preached in Chilmark, 1732 |
1 | 34 | ||
Two Sermons preached in Straban, Northern Ireland, 1692 |
1 | 35 | ||
Series VI: Recollections of West Tisbury, 1987
|
||||
Box | Folder | |||
19th Century Recollections of West Tisbury, circa 1920 |
2 | 1 | ||
Series VII: Additions to collection, 1784-2009
|
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Box | Folder | |||
West Tisbury Church vital statistics records, circa 1780-1850 |
2 | 2 | ||
Church vital statistic records, 1784-1855 NoteIndex on page 180. |
2 | 3 | ||
Parish business records, 1796-1887 |
2 | 4 | ||
Reorganization of the First Parish of Tisbury Application, 1878 |
2 | 5 | ||
Parish business records, 1884-1930 |
2 | 6 | ||
Minister's diary, 1904-1939 |
3 | 1 | ||
First COngregational Church of West Tisbury, Massachusetts Historical Notes, 1986 March |
3 | 2 | ||
First Congregational Church of West Tisbury pictorial directory, 2009 |
3 | 3 | ||