Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Primitive Baptist Churches in the State of Massachusetts

Massachusetts was one of the original thirteen states of the Union. Churches were established here long before the American Revolution.

We have not researched the historical accuracy of all of these churches, nor can we vouch for their soundness in the principles of the Baptist faith, nor can we confirm the order of their constitutions, the validity of their baptisms, etc.

CHURCH (COUNTY)(YEAR ORGANIZED):

FIRST SWANSEA (1663)

In 1665 Elder John Miles arrived in Massachusetts with part of his Baptist congregation of Swansea, Wales. He had founded a Baptist church in Swansea, in his native country, in 1649, and was one of about two thousand ministers who were ejected from their places by the cruel Act of Uniformity in 1662. He brought to this country the records of the Swansea church in Wales, from which large extracts were made from them by Mr. Backus, and sent over to Mr. Tommas of Leominster, England, the historian of the Welsh Baptists. Some of Elder Miles’ company in Wales came over with him, and at the house of John Butterworth in Rehoboth, they, to the number of seven, united in a solemn covenant together. Their names were Elder John Miles, James Brown, Nicholas Tanner, Joseph Carpenter, John Butterworth, Eldad Kingsley, and Benjamin Alby.

FIRST BOSTON (1665)

The First Baptist Church of Boston was organized June 7, 1665, by two women and seven men. It was the third church of any kind in Boston, and the fifth Baptist church in America.

SECOND SWANSEA (1694)

INDIAN TOWN (1730)

REHOBOTH (1732)

SOUTH BRIMFIELD (1736)

LEICESTER (1738)

SECOND BOSTON (1743)

STURBRIDGE (1749)

BELLINGHAM (1750)

Elder John Leland was a member and pastor of the church at this place, and was baptized by Elder Noah Alden.

CHESHIRE

Elder John Leland was later a member and pastor of the church at this place.

WESTFIELD

WOBURN (MIDDLESEX)(1838)

The Woburn Old School Baptist Church was organized in 1838, by about forty members, who left the New School party at Woburn on account of their adherences to false practices. The Woburn Church became a part of the Maine Predestinarian Baptist Conference, in connection with the North Berwick Church. Its meetinghouse was located at 452 Main, Woburn, Massachusetts, a western suburb of Boston.

BRIGHTON

A church was organized at Brighton, Massachusetts, probably in the 1830's also.

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Church and Family History Research Assistance for Primitive Baptist Churches in the State of Massachusetts

Massachusetts was one of the original thirteen states of the Union. Churches were established here long before the American Revolution.

Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Primitive Baptist Churches in the State of Massachusetts