Finding aid for the First Congregational Church (Hudson, Ohio) records

History of First Congregational Church (Hudson, Ohio)

The First Congregational Church was the first organized church in Hudson, Ohio. Hudson was founded by David Hudson (1761-1836), of Goshen, Connecticut, who had purchased rights to land in the Western Reserve. Hudson made his first trip to the area in 1799 and a year later returned with a group of settlers. The first worship service was held on Sunday, June 8, 1800, a day after the group's successful trip.

The church was formally organized on September 4, 1802 with the assistance of Rev. Joseph Badger of the Connecticut Missionary Society. The church had 13 charter members and David Hudson and Stephen Thompson, Jr. were named the first deacons.

Services were held in a log schoolhouse until 1820 when a meeting house (where the Town Hall stands today) was built. The present church at 47 Aurora Street was dedicated on March 1, 1865 and designed by local architect Simeon Porter (1807-1871). In 1909, James Ellsworth (1849-1925) gifted the house next door to the church for use as a parsonage, but it was sold in 1947. A new wing was added in 1924, which included a new gymnasium, Sunday School rooms, and a kitchen. An educational wing was dedicated on October 25, 1959.

In 1836, the First Congregational Church became involved in the slavery debate, which eventually divided the congregation. Among those dedicated to the cause was longtime Hudson resident Owen Brown (1771-1856). His son, abolitionist John Brown (1800-1859), who was among one of the church's members, famously vowed during an 1837 prayer meeting that he would dedicate his life to abolishing slavery. While most of the congregation felt that slavery should be abolished, the congregation disagreed over what should happen to the freed slaves. Most of the congregation felt that former slaves should be sent back to Africa to start their own colonies. However, other individuals, including Owen Brown, felt that former slaves should be freed and allowed to remain in the United States. A group of 11 members, led by Owen Brown, left the church and formed the Free Congregational Church in a building next to Turner's Mill. Most of the members eventually returned to the First Congregational Church in the 1850s after the colonization program failed.

Source of First Congregational Church history: Manak, Frank, ed. The First Congregational Church of Hudson, Ohio United Church of Christ : bicentennial history, 1802-2002. Hudson, Ohio: The First Congregational Church of Hudson, Ohio, 2003.

Scope and Content

The First Congregational Church (Hudson, Ohio) records have been divided into two series: First Congregational Church and the Free Congregational Church.

The First Congregational Church records include deeds of the first meetinghouse, the current church (at 47 Aurora), and a parsonage. The financial information relates to Sunday School accounts and the Ravenna Street parsonage built for Rev. William Hanford in 1833. The First Congregational Church records also include some historical background on the church, including histories of the church written by members of the congregation on the occasion of the church's centennial and 175th anniversary. Membership rosters can be found in this series, including a booklet compiled for the 175th anniversary that lists the charter members and descendants. A typescript and two copies of minutes of the First Congregational Church from 1802-1837 are also included (the First Congregational Church owns the originals). The series also includes programs, announcements, invitations, and newsletters documenting some of the activities of the church throughout its 200 year history.

The Free Congregational Church series is comprised solely of the church's minutes from 1842 to 1849 when it split from the First Congregational Church.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Use

The collection is open for research use.

Restrictions on Access

The collection is open for research use.

The Hudson Library & Historical Society also owns microfilm and a transcript of church business, baptisms, and admissions to the church from 1802-1837. The microfilm and transcript are available for research use in the library.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

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Preferred Citation

[Box number, Folder number], First Congregational Church (Hudson, Ohio) records, Hudson Library & Historical Society

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Hudson Library & Historical Society staff. Polly Reynolds reprocessed the collection in 2010.

Detailed Description of the First Congregational Church (Hudson, Ohio) records