Browse the First Church records in Danvers, Massachusetts

The First Church of Danvers was founded in 1672 when a group of farmers who lived quite a distance from the Salem meetinghouse of which they were members petitioned for permission to erect one of their own. After initially being denied, the Massachusetts Court granted permission for a meetinghouse to be established in what was then known as Salem Village, and for the gathered body to call a minister.

This collection contains records from the years 1672-1845. During that time, the First Church became the epicenter of the Salem witchcraft hysteria, built four meetinghouses, was instrumental in the establishment and building of the village's first school, saw Danvers incorporated as its own town, and survived the Revolutionary War while at the same time contributing numerous officers and soldiers to the cause. The church folded in 2016 and transformed into Disciples, United Church of Christ Danvers.