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 BRIEF SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE
SEVERAL CHURCHES IN ACTON

History of the Town of Acton
By Harold R. Phalen - copyright 1954
Middlesex Printing, Inc. Cambridge, Mass.
                          Pages 407-408


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 following 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

Abraham Conant
Jotham Hunt
Luther Conant
Adam Noyes
Harriet Cowdrey             
Amos Noyes
John Edwards                 
Asa Parker
Ephraim Hapgood            
Charles Tuttle
Simon Hapgood
Stephen Weston
Stevens Hayward           
Phineas Wheeler
Silas Hosmer
Joseph Wild


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 connection 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 29, 1832.