Celebrating Our Journey of Faith
1826 - 2026
Simple Beginnings
The West Parish Congregational Meeting House was built with the funds of a private subscription of West Parish residents when the South Church decided not to fund a new meeting house "for worship in the westerly side of the Shawsheen River" in 1826.
Captain Solomon Holt circulated the subscription and gave the land for the church. Shares were sold and the $5,500 was raised in two years, mostly by pew sales. The cornerstone was laid June 15, 1826 by Saint Mathews Lodge according to Masonic ritual. The church was built by Captain Reuben Frye, mason, and carpenters John and Cyrus Brown. Reverend Samuel Jackson was installed as the first minister on June 6, 1827.
"Did You Know" Series
The committee for the 200th Anniversary of West Parish Church has been sifting through and digesting the archival records of the church. Since many of us are new to West Parish Church and its rich history, we thought it would be enlightening and fun to share some of the tidbits we have learned over the past two years of preparation. Every month in 2025, you will see a “Did You Know This About West Parish?” in the weekly announcements. These will all be based on information we have read in the archives. Some will be history-based, some will be humorous and some will be downright astonishing. We hope that you enjoy them!
2026 Preliminary Calendar of Events
January and February – Bring your West Parish swag and old photos to Fellowship hour. We will display items from past years during Fellowship hour and share old photos of West Parish people – hoping that we can help identify folks and reminiscence about some of the fun times had by all in the past 50 years.
March – The history of West Parish Church discussion offered (date TBD)
April 11 – Roaring 20s party at West Parish – come in costume
June – 1820s games for families at the annual picnic
July or August – A look at the history of West Parish Chapel
September – West Parish Church Cemetery walk with Jim Batchelder (for West Parish members only)
October – Share your photos and memorabilia from West Parish – including historic photos for the WPC archives
November 8 – the first anniversary service – a re-enactment of the service of the laying of the Cornerstone of West Parish Church in 1826.
November 15 – the second anniversary service – to celebrate the future of West Parish church.
December 26 – commemoration of the laying of the cornerstone 200 years ago on this day. This will include a walk from the Abbott house to the church as done in 1826.
2027 – a display of West Parish Church history at the Andover Center for History and Culture
Did You Know This About West Parish?
January
As early as 1788, members of what was to become West Parish petitioned the General Court of Boston looking to separate West Parish from Andover South Parish but the petition was withdrawn. One of the reasons residents of the Western area of Andover wanted this new Parish was that residents in the Western area of Andover no longer wanted to undertake the long travel involved in traveling to South Church. Remember, they were walking or traveling by horse and buggy with no real roads carved out. In 1826, after much discussion and conflict, the Westerly Meeting House Company was formed.
February
The first Pastor of West Parish Church was Samuel L. Jackson. He graduated from Andover Theological Seminary as Valedictorian. He was 24 when he became the first Pastor of West Parish Church and was also one of longest serving Pastors (from 1827-1850). He earned $600.00 per year and was paid only two times a year. The average reported salary in 1827 was between $200 - 700 per year.
March
The Womens’ evening Circle came from a group called the Junior Womens’ Union. However, the original “womens” group was founded in 1837 and the original name of the organization was The Ladies Seamen’s Friend Society. Their charter was to raise funds and supplies for the “men who went to sea”. In 1930 they merged with the “Ladies Aid Society” (formed in 1911). They worked to raise money for the church and the needs of the world.
April
In the early days of West Parish Church, Music for the Sunday services was led by 2 violas, a flute and a clarinet. In 1827 a men’s choral group was founded and called themselves the “Andover West Parish Singing Society”. It did not “permit” women to join until 1837 when 11 women accepted the “invitation” to join the group. The group remained active until 1885.
May
Beginning in 2015, a small group of church and community members took on the challenge of developing a Permaculture Garden at West Parish Church. The work was led by a Permaculture Specialist and Consultant. By 2016 the plans were coming to light and the team was joined by a local boy scout as part of his work to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. This scout designed and installed the drip irrigation system. The spring of 2017 led to teams from the church, community groups, as well as LLC and Discovery preschools, joining together to prepare the soil, plant and begin to weed the garden. The garden is funded by the church, the Smith Purdon fund and other generous contributions. Through its life time it has provided hundreds of pounds of food for local groups in need.
June
In recognition of Juneteenth, as an example of our history of inclusion as a congregation, this month we are sharing two resolutions that were passed by the leadership of West Parish Church in 1840. This information comes to us from a publication in our archives entitled “West Parish Church, Andover, Massachusetts, Historical Sketches 1906”. Only a few copies of this publication remain in our archives, and they provide important insight in to the early days of West Parish Church. The following are the two resolutions passed in 1840.
Quoted from “West Parish Church, Andover, Massachusetts, Historical Sketches 1906”.
On December 31, 1840, this church placed itself on record in pronounced opposition and uncompromising hostility to human slavery, by a preamble and resolutions of the most spirited nature. The Third and fourth resolutions are as follows:
"3. Resolved: That while we are constrained to 'receive one another as Chris has received us', and must, therefore, receive and fellowship all members of Christian churches who bear the image of Chris and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, we, nevertheless, can have no fellowship with this unfruitful work of darkness; but must rather reprove it and rebuke those who encourage it and persist in it.
"4. Resolved; That we view with surprise and regret the painful fact, that, in this day of light, some professed ministers and followers of Christ justify involuntary servitude, as a permanent institution of society and a scriptural institution, which we regard as obviously contrary to the principles of natural justice and the fruit of the Gospel, and which is condemned by the opinion and example of nearly the whole civilized world."
These resolutions did bring a great deal of further discussion and eventually led to the departure of some long time West Parish Church members, as well as members of South Church and the formation of the Free Church.
July
It was rumored that the “original bell” had been cast by Paul Revere. However in the early 1800s, Mr. Hiram Franch would furnish a new church bell and exchange for the old church bell. He did so on the condition that it would be rung at noon and 9 pm every day for a year.
September
Did you know that the arch in the West Parish Garden Cemetery was given by William M. Wood in memory of Benjamin Franklin Smith, Jr.? Mr. Smith had served as both secretary and intern to Mr. Wood while he was employed at the American Woolen Company. Later, when the cemetery arch needed a new cooper roof, Susanne Smith Purdon, sister of Benjamin Franklin Smith Jr., absorbed the entire cost of that undertaking. Another demonstration of the generous giving to West Parish Church and its cemetery by the Smith family.
October
James Merrill served as our Pastor from 1856-1879 - spanning the civil war. He was the pastor who ran from his home to the church after hearing that Richmond fell, to ring the church bell in celebration. Another demonstration of the loving, open community of West Parish and its leadership.
November
Did you know that West Parish Church in Andover used to hold a "live nativity" outdoors every year?
Stay tuned for celebration details as 2026 closes in!