Central Baptist Church – MS020
Provenance: Placed on deposit by the Central Baptist Church (now Spruce Creek Church) in 1990.
Citation: Central Baptist Church Papers ( MS020), Portsmouth Athenaeum
Size: 16 Hollinger boxes (8 linear feet)
Access: No restrictions
Processed by:
Summary
Deeds, building records, record books, meeting notes, general correspondence, bills, receipts, and miscellaneous records.
Historical Timeline
1802 Christian Church was organized with Elias Smith as its leader
1803-1805 Meeting house was built on Chestnut Street, known as the Temple
1806 Incorporated as First Baptist Society of Portsmouth
1840 Became Pleasant Street Christian Society
1844 Returned to the Temple on Chestnut Street
1856 Vacate Temple which they have rented for services
1857 Move to a Chapel on Hanover Street
1858 Returned to the Temple on Chestnut Street
1861 Chapel on Hanover Street
1862 Purchased Broadhead Methodist Episcopal Church on Court Street
1891 Lifted Court Street Building and built vestry underneath
1919 Becomes Court Street Church
1954 Moved to Central Baptist Church brick building at corner of Middle and State Street
Series Listing
I. Record Books
II. General Records
III. Correspondence
IV. Pew Records
V. Financial Records
VI. Sunday School Records
VII. Societies
I. Record Books
Box 1
Folder 1 Record Book, with Pleasant Street Church, 1826-1878
Folder 2 Record Book, with Chestnut Street Church, 1826-1842
Folder 3-5 Record Book, 1859-1942
Box 2
Folder 1 Record Book, 1942-1945
Folder 2-3 Christian Society Record Books, 1856-1918
II. General Records
Box 2
Folder 4 By-Laws, 1925-1953
Folder 5 Meeting Notes, 1832-1883
Folder 6 Meeting Notices, 1832-1858
Folder 7 Committee Reports, 1842-1865
Folder 8-9 Pulpit Committee, Records and Correspondence, 1952-1953
Folder 10 Deed to Pleasant Street Church and Vestry, 1839-1843
Folder 11-12 Changing Incorporation Name, 1840, 1853
Folder 13 Lists of Church Members, ca. 1840
Folder 14 Miscellaneous Records, 1807-1945
Folder 15 Service Programs and Announcements, ca. 1930-1954
Folder 16-17 Miscellaneous Printed Materials, ca. 1870-1950
Box 3
Folder 1 Newspaper Clippings and Historical Notes, 1935-1953
Folder 2 Building Records, 1875-1952
Folder 3 Parsonage Building Records, 1907, 1928
Folder 4 Organ Records, 1915, 1954
Folder 5 Insurance Policies, 1834-1835, 1913
Folder 6 Sunday School Building Plans, no date
OV Box 3
Folder 1
1-2 Meeting Notices, 1839
3-5 Insurance Policies, 1876-1877, 1915
6 Building Plan, ca. 1850
III. Correspondence
Box 3
Folder 7-12 General Correspondence, 1837-1940
Folder 13-17 Transfers and Membership Correspondence, 1808, 1841-1946
IV. Pew Records
Box 3
Folder 18 Deed Book, 1840-1853
Box 4
Folder 1 Deed Book, 1863-1865
Folder 2 Record Books, ca. 1860s
Folder 3 Deeds, 1833-1853
Folder 4 Records, ca. 1803, 1839
OV Folder 5.9
7 Pew Ownership Chart, 1841-1844
V. Financial Records
Box 4
Folder 5-8 Account Books, 1843-1928
Folder 9-11 Christian Society Account Books, 1864-1882
Box 5
Folder 1-2 Collections and Account Books, 1923-1929
Folder 3-6 Collections Book, 1929-1948
Box 6
Folder 1-2 Collections Book, 1949-1956
Folder 3-4 Victory Fund Account Book and Ledger Sheets, 1946-1958
Folder 5-8 Financial Statements and Memorandum, 1818-1924
Folder 9 Financial Reports, 1957-1959
Folder 10-13 Bills and Receipts, 1803-1834
Box 7
Folder 1-19 Bills and Receipts, 1835-1889
Box 8
Folder 1-17 Bills and Receipts, 1890-1898
Box 9
Folder 1-12 Bills and Receipts, 1899-1913
Box 10
Folder 1-6 Bills and Receipts, 1914-1925
Oversize Box 3
Folder 2.1-21 Financial Statements and Memorandum, 1834-1841
Folder 3.1-12 Financial Statements and Memorandum, 1842-1845
Folder 4.1-15 Financial Statements and Memorandum, 1851-1858, 1891
Folder 5.1-7 Bills and Receipts, 1890-1891
VI. Sunday School Records
Box 10
Folder 7 Meeting Memorandum, 1844-1864
Folder 8-9 Records Books, 1877-1910
Folder 10 General Records and Correspondence, 1843-1882
Folder 11 Portsmouth Sabbath School Teachers Association, Constitution, 1848
Folder 12 Female Students List, 1870
Folder 13 Inventory of Books, no date, ca. 1850
Folder 14 Miscellaneous Records, 1923-1926
Folder 15 Attendance, Collections, and Comments Book, 1840-1844
Box 11
Folder 1-5 Attendance, Collections, and Comments Book, 1844-1852, 1857-1861, 1871
Folder 6-7 Collection Books, 1880-1887
Folder 8 Attendance Book, 1887-1889
Folder 9-10 Attendance and Finance Book, 1891-1892
Box 12
Folder 1-3 Attendance and Finance Books, 1893-1895
Folder 4 Attendance and Finance Book, 1896, 1907
Folder 5 Attendance and Finance Book, 1897, 1905
Folder 6-12 Attendance and Finance Books, 1898-1899, 1901, 1904, 1906, 1917-1920
Box 13
Folder 1-7 Attendance and Finance Books, 1922-1929
Folder 8-12 Class Attendance Books, 1865-1868, 1870, ca. 1880, 1887
Box 14
Folder 1-2 Class Attendance Books, 1920-1922
Folder 3 Account Book, 1919-1922
Folder 4 Financial Statements and Memorandum, 1849-1889
Folder 5-15 Bills and receipts, 1843-1897, 1904-1906
VII. Societies
Box 14
Folder 16 Christian Crusaders: By-Laws and Membership, 1952 and no date
Folder 17 Christian Endeavor Society: Account Book and Bills, 1918-1928
Box 15
Folder 1 Four Leaf Clover Society: Account Book and Bills, 1913-1919
Folder 2 Four Leaf Clover Society: Record Book, 1920-1921
Folder 3 Junior Christian Endeavor Society: Record Book, ca. 1923
Folder 4 Junior Christian Endeavor Society: Account Book, 1922-1923
Folder 5 Junior Christian Endeavor Society: Address Book, ca. 1925
Folder 6 Ladies Guild: Meeting Minutes and Records, 1943-1951
Folder 7 Ladies Guild: Dues Book, 1935-1951
Folder 8 Minute Men: Meeting Minutes, 1935-1937
Folder 9-10 Smith Pioneers: Record Books, 1926-1928
Folder 11 Smith Pioneers: Letters and Miscellaneous, 1925-1928
Folder 12 Smith Pioneers: Reunion, 1941
Box 16
Folder 1-2 Women’s Missionary Fellowship: Meeting Minutes, 1955-1968
Folder 3 Women’s Missionary Fellowship: Bibles for Submarines, Records and Acknowledgement Letters, 1942-1945
Folder 4 Women’s Missionary Fellowship: Miscellaneous Records, 1954-1968
Folder 5-6 Women’s Missionary Fellowship: Account Books, 1940-1953