The 19th Century

1804: The church voted to update the interior of the sanctuary, converting the “body seats into pews and [enlarging] the singer seats and finish them in a decent manner.”

1804: A number of residents around Weymouth Landing, desiring not to have to travel to North Weymouth nor to Braintree Square in order to attend worship, established the Union Church of Weymouth and Braintree.

1815: A Sabbath School was organized at First Church. At the time, the school had 10 teachers and around 100 “scholars,” the latter number growing to about 150 by 1820. The first superintendent of the school was Lemuel Humphrey.

1824: Though he was well-liked and respected, Rev. Norton’s doctrinal views changed over the course of his ministry, the most consequential being his shift from affirming infant baptism to insisting upon believer’s baptism. Unable to reconcile the changes in his views, the church dismissed him on July 10, 1824. He never pastored again, and soon converted both to unitarianism and universalism. Despite his termination from the church, Norton Street in North Weymouth is named after him. The Rev. Josiah Bent Jr. of Milton, a student of Harvard and Princeton, was called and ordained to the pastorate on October 13.

That same year, Rev. Norton offered to sell the Torrey mansion to his friend and cousin-in-law, John Quincy Adams, who was soon to be elected the sixth President of the United States. Adams nearly purchased the property due to the fond memories he had in the house and the fond relationship he had with his grandfather, Rev. Smith, but he turned it down due to "inconvenience." It was sold instead to Ansel Burrell.

1826: A proposal was made “to the ladies of the North Parish of Weymouth to form themselves into an association to assist in the great and laudable purpose of missionary effort.” This association laid the groundwork for the future Ladies’ Benevolent Society (LBS). Also this year, the church bought the Torrey mansion from Ansel Burrell, but eventually sold it a few years later due to disrepair.

1832: With the meetinghouse in disrepair and severely rotting, the church voted 43-19 to take it down and erect a new building. It was recorded: “We have purchased a building lot from Dea. John Bates for $200. The Meeting House will contain 76 pews on the lower floor and 12 pews in the gallery. We have also procured a new bell.” The fifth meetinghouse was finished in 1833 and remains the meetinghouse of First Church to this day.

1833: Rev. Bent was granted dismission from the pastorate after confessing to being a Freemason, which at this time in U.S. history was viewed as deeply suspicious and even anti-Christian. He later served at churches in Falmouth and Amherst, dying in 1839. In his place, the Rev. John C. Phillips, a graduate of Harvard and Andover Theological Seminary, as well as the son of first Boston Mayor John Phillips, was unanimously called and ordained on December 18. The LBS was formally organized in this year, with donations being expected annually from all members.

1837: Rev. Phillips resigned from the pastorate for personals reasons, perhaps due to conflict with the church. It was recorded that “there was widely expressed regret,” and his ministry had been the shortest at the church since the 1630s.

1838: The Rev. Joshua Emery Jr., a graduate of Andover Theological Seminary and pastor at Fitchburg, was called to Weymouth and installed as the 15th settled pastor on January 25. A new parsonage was built this year on the site of the old one, with the former (the Abigail Adams Birthplace) being moved to Bicknell Square on Bridge Street.

1843: The church formally published a resolution denouncing slavery as a sin, as well as a societal disease.

1848-9: Two silver tankards of Sheffield plate were presented to the church by Mrs. Mary Bates and Mrs. Christiana Jones. A baptismal basin was presented a year later by Ms. Priscilla Blanchard.

1852: With the sanctuary being too small to accommodate the large worship services being attended, permission was granted to form a daughter church in North Weymouth, named Pilgrim Church. 51 members left to join Pilgrim.

1856: To better accommodate the needs of the church, a chapel was erected and attached to the rear of the church.

1863: To celebrate the first 25 years of his pastoral service to the church, Rev. Emery was presented with a beautiful pitcher, goblet, and tray, as a testimonial of regard from the church and society.

1873: Wishing to spend the twilight years of his life at rest, Rev. Emery retired after 35 years of ministry in Weymouth. He is remembered as “an excellent minister as well as a valuable citizen,” having served many years as chairman of Weymouth’s school board, and oversaw the admission of 183 members to the church. He moved to Boxford, Mass. where he died in 1882, much to the sorrow of the church. On October 22, the day of his formal retirement, the Rev. Franklin P. Chapin was installed as the 16th pastor of the church, where “he labored faithfully and won the respect and honor of the people.”

1875: A fund of $10,000 was established by the will of Joseph Loud. The income was to be used “for supporting and maintaining the present religious doctrines of said Parish.”

1885: In accordance with Rev. Chapin’s desire to see new leadership in the church, he left Weymouth and was replaced by the Rev. Frank H. Palmer as acting pastor.

1886: Rev. Palmer was formally called to be the 17th settled pastor of Old North Church.

1887: The old creed of the church was revived and made a test for membership.

1891: Rev. Palmer, unable to continue after the death of his wife at only 30 years old, resigned the pastorate and recommended the Rev. Robert R. Kendall as his replacement. Rev. Kendall was installed that year.