58-59.
Baptist Society.—Meetings of persons friendly to sentiments of this denomination were held in this place as early as the year 1773.
For this sketch we are indebted to a History of the Baptist Church in Arlington, mainly written by Dr. Swaim, and published in the Arlington Baptist Church Book.
The writer of that sketch quotes Backus's History to the effect that a Baptist church existed in Cambridge as early as 1761. The earliest known records of the society are dated Sept. 4, 1780on Morse and Charles Miller, 1834-38;
So given in the Arlington Baptist Church Book, but not recognized as such in the Massachusetts Registers of the time. Timothy C. Tingley, 1838-45; George J. Carleton, 1845-51; Joseph Banvard, 1851-53; Samuel B. Swaim, 1854-62; John Duncan, 1863-64; Amos Harris, 1865-75; Charles H. Spaulding, 1876-79.
Universalist Society.—A Society of this denomination appears to have existed in the town as early as 1832, but without a regular established organizatio
and invited to become the minister of the Society on Feb. 5, 1850.
After a ten-years' pastorate his resignation was accepted Jan. 16, 1860.
He was succeeded by the Rev. William E. Gibbs, who was invited to become pastor on May 28, 1860. Mr. Gibbs remained minister until Oct. 1, 1866, when his resignation took effect, and he was followed by Rev. J. W. Keyes, who was invited Dec. 7, 1866.
On Aug. 30, 1869, the resignation of Mr. Keyes was accepted, to take effect Oct. 1, that year.
Rev. William H. Ryder was invited March 20, 1871.
He resigned May 20, 1873.
The present minister is the Rev. William F. Potter, who began to preach to the Society on the first Sunday in July, 1876.
Thanks are extended to Mr. Arthur W. Peirce for assistance in preparing this sketch.
Orthodox Congregational Society.—On the evening of June 8, 1842, several members of Orthodox churches, residing in West Cambridge and its vicinity, met at the residence of Miss Anna Bradshaw, for religious worship.
Mi
of Miss Anna Bradshaw.
The house, after being repaired and enlarged at an expense equalling its original cost, was re-opened for worship on Nov. 15 1857.
See Church Manual.
The original members of the church were Rev. Thaddeus Fiske, D. D., Miles Gardner, Jonathan Teel, Thomas Teel, Edwin R. Walker, Luke Wyman, John Williams, Luke Wyman, Jr., James Wyman, Mrs. Lucy Fiske, Mrs. Lydia Teel, Mrs. Lydia T. Richardson, Mrs. Adeline W. Dodge, Miss Susan F. Teel, Miss Lydia T. Gardner, Miss Almira Gardner, Mrs. Lydia Gardner, Mrs. Mary Frost, Miss Anna Bradshaw, Mrs. Ellen Bartlett, Mrs. Rebecca Williams, Miss Lucy Davis, Mrs. E. C. Proctor, Miss Catherine H. Pollard [Mrs. Symmes], Mrs. Mary Brown, Mrs. Frances A. Thompson, Mrs. Mary Ann Wyman, Mrs. Rebecca A. Drury, Mrs. Amy Locke, Mrs. Eliza Osborn, Mrs. Electa B. Hill, Mrs. Ruthy Wyman, Mrs. H. M. Bemis. 33.
The ministers of this Society have been:—
Francis Horton, installed May 17, 1843; dismissed March 29, 1854. Daniel R.
