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St. John's Church Records , 1721-1960 – MS027 Provenance: Most of the records are from the church's own files. Some papers were returned to the church by the son of Rev. Charles Holbrook in 1947; these were apparently found by Rev. Holbrook in a barrel in the Manent (or possibly Marsh) House. These were said to include the William Pepperrell letter, and correspondence about Rev. Ogden, and seemingly many other records (see Rev. Dunn correspondence file for 1947). Citation: St. John's Church Records, MS027, Portsmouth Athenaeum Size: 15 Hollinger Boxes, 5 Oversize Books, and 4 Oversize Folders (15 linear feet) Access: No restrictions Summary Chiefly wardens' and treasurers' organizational and administrative records; account books, bills, receipts, and other financial records; correspondence, including the appointment of ministers and dismissal of Rev. John C. Ogden in 1793; real estate and membership records; auction broadside advertising a large book sale; and other materials. Includes business letter (1721) from Jonathan Belcher to William Pepperrell; three letters (1847-1848) from George Marsh to John and Mehitabel M. Blunt; and information concerning early pastor Arthur Browne. Scope and Content These records are comprised primarily of the warden's and treasurers' organizational and administrative papers. The bulk of the collection dates from the nineteenth century but earlier records provide information on property titles, the invitation to Rev. Arthur Browne, the Rev. Ogden controversy, and the uninterrupted meeting records beginning in 1756 and ending in 1959. There are also records connected with Rev. Edward Base, the Bishop of Massachusetts, from the 1780s and 1790s. The largest part of the collection are financial records: account books and bills and receipts. Many of these records involve church land holdings and investments. The records have been divided into ten series. The first series, Parish and Wardens Meeting Records, is primarily record books with minutes of meetings but also, particularly in the earlier volumes, a record of all transactions: real estate, tax collection, and financial. There are a few loose records on actions taken at these meetings which include some records on the Rev. Ogden dismissal. There are two folders of meeting notices. These are usually summaries of business to be transacted at annual and special parish meetings. The second series, Constitutional Records, contains incorporation and bylaw records. The third series, Correspondence is comprised of three sub-series: wardens’, treasurers’ and rectors’ correspondence. The warden’s correspondence contains many letters regarding the appointment of ministers, with some correspondence on the dismissal of Rev. Ogden (1793), and the resignation of Rev. Armitage (1854). There are some letters regarding the national convention of the Episcopal Church. There are some letters about the land dealings, particularly a group of correspondence regarding the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel lands (1853-1856) with some of these letters addressed to Rev. Burroughs (1831-1848) and a group of correspondence belonging to Rev. Dunn. Some of the Dunn letters involve his interest in church history with two notable letters, one on memories of the Chase Home and another recounting a scandal involving Rev. Folsom and his extra-marital involvement with a young female parishioner. The forth series, Real Estate, Building and Furnishing Records, has all church deeds including some for the church tombs. There are various survey drawings of church property and one drawing of the church façade. This group contains various contracts and specification involving building alteration (financial records in this regard are in the sixth series). There are two early book catalogs in this series. One dated from 1738 of books sent from England and another of church books in Rev. Browne’s possession when he died (1773). This series includes a large number of insurance policies for the church, various properties, and possessions. There are also two none manuscript items, a manuscript bible page c. 1400, and a piece of the supposedly original cloth covering of the “George Washington” chair c. 1760s. The fifth series, Membership Records, is a small group of records, the majority of which are vital record cards (1910-1925) which index baptisms, burials, marriages, and communicants. There are also a few pew deeds and lists of pew holders (1808-1830) and one statistics report for a five year period ending in 1881. The sixth series, Financial Records, comprise well over half of all the records. There are account books for both wardens’ and treasurer (the treasurer seems at first to have been responsible only for investment accounts). The wardens’ and treasurer’s gave yearly account statements. These have been grouped together and include tax accounts and preliminary financial memorandum. The primary component of these records are yearly bills and receipts (not that the church’s financial year begins and ends on Easter and thus receipts and other records are arranged on this basis) and these include: records of church collections (many of these records give the name of the poor to whom money or food was distributed), contributions to the Bishop’s salary, wardens’ yearly receipts, tax receipts, loan receipts, and accounts involving the construction and repair of church buildings. A large group of financial records deal with land investments including those transferred from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. The seventh series, General Records, is comprised of many non-administrative records that were connected with church records although not directly. This series includes several manuscript addresses: a sermon by Rev. Burroughs on the death of John Langdon, an essay by Fernando C. Putnam, a historical essay by the son of Rev. Bingham (c. 1948), and a memoir on the death of Lydia B. Leavitt signed E.M. who from the context is thought to be Enoch Mudge the minister of the Methodist Church. There are various historical notes and copies of church related materials. There are three files of church programs, and two copies of serial publications by St. John’s: The St. John’s Bell (1914) and The Ensign (1930). The eighth series, Men’s Club Records, contains two record books and some loose records. The ninth series, Episcopal Church Records, contains the correspondence of Rev. Edward Bass and a few other records on the activities of the New Hampshire and Massachusetts diocese. Much of the Rev. Bass correspondence has to do with his relationship and recognition by the Church of England after the Revolution. The tenth series, Unrelated records, contains a business letter from Jonathan Belcher to William Pepperell (1721), three letters from George Marsh to John and Mehitable M. Blunt (1847-1848), and an Auction Broadside (1837) advertising a large sale of new books, listing hundreds of titles. Historical Note Organized in 1732 as the earliest Episcopal Parish in New Hampshire. The first church was named Queen's Chapel in honor if Queen Caroline of Great Britain. After the Revolution, in 1791, the church dropped the royalist connections and was incorporated at St. John's Church. The first rector was Rev. Arthur Browne, a missionary from Ireland, who served from 1736 until his death in 1773. Although there is some correspondence about possible successors, the church had no settled clergyman untuil 1786 when Rev. C. Ogden was installed as rector. The congregation was not satisfied with Rev. Ogden and in November 1792 called for his dismissal. The dissatisfaction seems to have stemmed from the suspected authorship of a publication possibly entitled "Situation of Ecclesiatical Affairs in the Neighboring State." He resisted removal but an arrangement in this regard was reached in 1793. On Christmas Eve 1806 a fire destroyed the church and most of the surrounding part of the town. The parish erected the present church on the same site, first holding services on May 28, 1808. At this same time a rectory was built adjoining the church. Charles H. Burroughs, a recent Master's graduate from Harvard (A.M. 1806) was installed as rector in 1808 although he was not ordained until 1812. He served as pastor until his retirement in 1858. Burroughs was very active in community affairs, among which he was a founder of the Portsmouth Athenaeum, the Portsmouth Lyceum, and the Howard Benevolent Society, and served on the Portsmouth school board and as a director of Philips Exeter Academy and Hampton Academy. Historical Timeline 1732 Purchase of land at Grafforts Fort 1734 Queen’s Chapel consecrated 1736 Rev. Arthur Browne installed as first rector 1773 Death of Rev. Browne 1786 Rev. John C. Ogden installed as rector 1791 Incorporation as “ St. John’s Church” 1792-1793 Forced resignation of Rev. Odgen 1794 Rev. Joseph Willard installed as rector 1806 Chapel destroyed by fire 1807-1808 New Church is built, designed by Alexander Parris of Portland, Maine 1807 Rev. Willard resigns 1808 Rev. Charles Burroughs installed as rector 1831-1832 St. John’s Chapel erected on State Street 1848 Façade redone and other renovations 1848 Painting of “trompe l’oeil” on walls and ceiling by Daniel M. Shepard of Salem, Mass. 1857 New spire added 1858 Rev. William A. Hitchcock installed as rector 1862 Rev. Thomas F. Davies installed as rector 1867 Box pews removed 1868 Rev. Rufus W. Clark installed as rector 1871 Rev. Joel Foot Bingham installed as rector 1876 Rev. Charles A. Holbrook installed as rector 1877 The Children’s Home is established 1881-1883 Christ Church is built 1883 Rev. Henry Emerson Hovey installed as rector of both St. John’s and Christ Church 1887 New sacristy built 1894 Extensive building renovation 1897 Tower and walls repaired 1910 Rev. Harold M. Folsom installed as rector 1915 Rev. Welles M. Partridge installed as rector 1916 Rev. Nelson Partridge installed as rector 1925 Rev. Maxwell Ganter installed as rector 1942 Rev. Robert Hayes Dunn installed as rector 1953 New parish house erected 1960 Rev. William Charles Hodgins installed as rector 1965 Restoration of Brattle Organ 1969 New sacristy built 1974 Rev. Hodgins retires and is made Rector Emeritus 1975 Rev. Gordon Allen is installed as rector 1978 Accepted into the National Register of Historic Places Series Listing I. Parish and Warden’s Records
IV. Real Estate, Building, and Furnishings Records
Folder Listing I. Parish and Warden’s Records Box 1 Folder 1 Record Books, 1817-1945 Box 2 Folder 1 Record Book, 1945-1956 Folder 2-3 Meeting Notes and Records, 1761-1884 Folder 4-8 Meeting Notices, 1770-1881 Phase Box 1 Record Book, 1756-1816 Phase Box 2 Record Book (Copy) and index, 1756-1872 Oversize Box 7 Folder 14Meeting Notice, 1809
II. Constitutional Records Box 2 Folder 9 Act of Incorporation, 1791 Folder 10 Act of Incorporation (Copy) and Funds Inventory, 1880 Folder 11 Bylaws, ca. 1945 Folder 12 Bylaws Revision, Legal Report, 1944
III. Correspondence A. Wardens’ Correspondence Box 2 Folder 13Pastorate Invitation to Rev. Arthur Browne, 1735 Folder 14 With Gov. John Wentworth regarding Rev. Murray. 1772 Folder 15-22 General Correspondence, 1773, 1784-1814 Box 3 Folder 1-10 General Correspondence, 1818-1953
B. Treasurers’ Correspondence Box 3 Folder 11-16 General Correspondence, 1828-1886
C. Rectors’ Correspondence Box 3 Folder 17 Rev. Charles Burroughs Correspondence, 1831-1848 Folder 18 Rev. Robert Dunn Correspondence, 1942-1954
IV. Real Estate, Building, and Furnishings Records Box 3 Folder 19-20 Chapel Street Property, Deeds, 1721-1739, 1807-1810 Folder 21 High Street Property, Deeds and Mortgages, 1813-1848 Folder 22-23 Deeds and Mortgages, 1744-1789, 1810-1868 Folder 24 Society for Propagating the Gospel, Deed, 1788 Folder 25 Society for Propagating the Gospel Properties, Leases, 1808-1813 Folder 26 Tomb Deeds, 1819-1860 Folder 27 Memorandum notebook of various church properties, 1801-1823 Box 4 Folder 1 Subscribers’ Covenant for Rebuilding Church, 1806 Folder 2 Parish House Building Records and Subscription, 1806 Folder 3 Property Surveys, 1806 Folder 4 Building Alteration Records, 1836-1859 Folder 5 Façade Drawing, ca. 1848 Folder 6 Pew Alteration, 1866-1867 Folder 7 Chapel Window Alteration, 1868 Folder 8 Insurance Policies, 1848-1876 Folder 9 Rectors and Treasurers’ Transferal Receipts, 1773-1882 Proposal to Build Organ, ca. 1807 Folder 10 Estey Organ Contract, 1912 Folder 11 Inventory of Furniture and Gifts, 1941 Folder 12 Catalog of Books in Rev. Browne’s Study, 1774 Folder 13 Sunday School Library, Booklist and Order, 1869 Folder 14 Manuscript Bible Page, ca. 1400 Folder 15 Washington Chair Covering Sample, ca. 1760s Oversize Box 7 Folder 14 Building Consecration Certificate, 1848; J.P. Payson, Survey of Church Lot, no date; Benjamin Akerman, Survey of Marsh Property, 1831; Lectern Blueprints, 1944 Oversize Box 7 Folder 15 Insurance Policies, 1808-1889 Oversize Box 7 Folder 17 Catalog of Books in Rev. Browne’s Study, 1774
V. Membership Records Box 4 Folder 16 Pew Deeds, 1808-1810, 1849 Folder 17 Pew Holder Records, 1808-1830, undated Folder 18 Vital Statistics Report and Alms Account, ca. 1881 Folder 19 Baptism Certificates, 1909, 1912 Folder 20 Baptism Record Cards, 1910-1916 Folder 21 Burial Record Cards, 1910-1917 Folder 22 Marriage Record Cards, 1914-1915 Folder 23 Communicants Record Cards, 1914-1925
VI. Financial Records Box 4 Folder 25 Wardens’ Account Books, 1786-1808 Box 5 Folder 1-2 Wardens’ Account Books, 1889-1916 Folder 3-4 Treasurers’ Account Books, 1824-1929 Box 6 Folder 1-4 Treasurers’ Daybooks, 1884-1916, 1921-1948 Box 7 Folder 1-3 Treasurers’ Investment Accounts Daybooks, 1824-1946 Box 8 Folder 1-9 Treasurers’ and Wardens’ Financial Statements, 1800-1881 Folder 10-16 Monthly Financial Reports, 1924-1932 Folder 17 Tax Memorandum Book, 1812-1813 (with Account Memorandum, 1841-1842) Folder 18-19 Tax Memorandum Books, 1813-1816, 1822-1823, 1830-1831 Box 9 Folder 1-2 Pew Tax Account Books, 1895-1909, 1914-1940 Folder 3-5 Poll and Pew Tax Bills, 1811, 1831, 1867 Folder 6-8 Account Memorandum Books, 1807-1809, 1811-1812, 1841 Folder 9-11 Bank Account Books, 1825-1844, 1864-1879 Folder 12 Chapel Building Account Memorandum Book, 1832-1833 Folder 13 Building Repair Accounts, 1847-1850 Folder 14 Chapel Expansion Account Memorandum Book, 1868-1871 Folder 15 Subscription for Vestry, 1831 Folder 16 Subscription for Sunday School, ca. 1870s-1880s Folder 17 New Hampshire Bank Stock, 1810 Folder 18 Legacies, 1746-1864 Folder 19 Court Claims, 1765-1878 Folder 20 Loan Notes Against Church, 1806-1868 Folder 21 Loan Notes for Church and Financial Memorandum, 1810-1845, undated Folder 22 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Land Memorandum, 1825-1827 Folder 23 Kirby Farm Memorandum, 1823-1831 Folder 24 Peyton R. Freeman, Financial Memorandum, 1817-1837 Folder 25-26 Peyton R. Freeman, Piscataqua Bridge Shares, Deeds and Certificates, 1816-1850 Phase Box 3 Warden’s Account Books, 1786-1808 Phase Box 4 Warden’s Account Books, 1807-1851 Phase Box 5 Treasurer’s Daybooks, 1825-1882 Phase Box 6 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, Lands Account Book, 1807-1904 Oversize Box 7 Folder 15 Tax Statements, 1762-1781 Box 9 ½ Folder 1-10 Bills and Receipts, 1745-April 1797 Box 10 Folder 1-21 Bills and Receipts, May 1797-Easter 1829 Box 11 Folder 1-19 Bills and Receipts, Easter 1829-Easter 1848 Box 12 Folder 1-18 Bills and Receipts, Easter 1848-Easter 1866 Box 13 Folder 1-13 Bills and Receipts, Easter 1866-1902 Box 14 Folder 1-5 Bills and Receipts, Easter 1904-Easter 1909
VII. General Records Box 14 Folder 6 Record Book on Church Services, 1916-1920 Folder 7 John Langdon, Masonic and Social Address…On the Laying of the Cornerstone of St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1807, (Photocopy 1955) Folder 8 Rev. Charles Burrough’s, Sermon on the Death of Gov. John Langdon (manuscript), 1813 Folder 9 Rev. James Morss, “Discourse in St. John’s Church, Portsmouth, …On Occasion of Opening the New Church,” 1808 (typescript) Folder 10 E. M. [Rev. Enoch Mudge, Minister of the Methodist Church?], “Memoir of Miss Lydia B. Leavitt,” (manuscript) 1824 Folder 11 Fernando C. Putnam, “Some Considerations on the Use of Forms of Prayer in Social Worship,” (manuscript) 1849 Folder 12 Sermon Notes and Poem, 19 th Century Folder 13 H. H. C. Bingham, “ Portsmouth and My Recollections As a Boy 75 years ago,” ca. 1948 Folder 14 St. John’s Bell, 1914 Folder 15 The Ensign, 1930 Folder 16-18 Church Programs, 1871-1884, 1892-1898, 1923-1953 Box 15 Folder 1 Notes and Articles on Church History, ca. 20 th century Oversize Box 7 Folder 17 Harvard University, Order of Exercises for Commencement, Valedictory Address by Charles Burroughs, 1809
VIII. Men’s Club Records Box 15 Folder 2-3 Record Books, 1925-1959 Folder 4 General Records, 1941-1960, undated
IX. Episcopal Church Records Box 15 Folder 5-6 Rev. Edward Bass, Correspondence, 1782-1785 Folder 7 Petition for the Appointment of American Bishops, ca. 1760s Folder 8 Massachusetts Episcopal Church Meeting Votes, 1797-1798 Folder 9 New Hampshire Episcopal Church, Ecclesiastical Constitution, 1802
X. Unrelated Records Box 15 Folder 10 William Pepperrell, Letter from Jonathan Belcher, 1721 Folder 11 John and Mehitable M. Blunt, Letters from George M. Marsh, 1847-1848 Oversize Box 7 Folder 17 Samuel Larkin, Auction Broadside, 1837
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