Browse the First Congregational Society of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, records

The town of Hampton Falls, New Hampshire split off from Hampton and incorporated in 1718. The Hampton Falls community had already built its own meetinghouse and hired a minister a few years prior to incorporation. Rev. Theophilus Cotton was called as the first minister after having preached there for a couple of years and was ordained in 1712. His church had 56 members in 1712. Cotton served as the minister until his death in 1726. The second minister at Hampton Falls was Rev. Joseph Whipple. Whipple was ordained in 1727 and remained the minister until his death in 1758.   

Many of the early church records were destroyed by a fire in the home of Rev. Bridge in 1858. One record book, dating from the early eighteenth century and kept by Rev. Cotton and Rev. Whipple survived. The current meetinghouse, a Greek revival style church listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was constructed in 1838. The church is still active today as the First Congregational Society Unitarian Church. 

This collection includes one volume of records from the period of Rev. Theophilus Cotton and Rev. Joseph Whipple of church admissions, dismissions, baptisms, marriages, meeting notes, and disciplinary records. 

Materials in this collection have been digitized in partnership with the New Hampshire Historical Society and have been made available through our New England's Hidden Histories project.