The Establishment of Marshfield and the First Congregational Church
By 1630, Families were given land beyond the borders of the town of Plymouth. The homes were considered outposts and families were still expected to attend church in Plymouth.
Making Families attend in Plymouth was thought to help with safety, promote fellowship and the sharing of resources. The head of household in these homes stop bringing their families to church and started requesting to open Congregations in their own towns.
“In the beginning of the church of Marshfield was the second church of God that issues out of the church of Plymouth” can be found written in the margins of the First Church in Plymouth records under 1632.
Why in the margins?
Between 1632 and 1696, no separate records can be found. Marshfield town records, records from Pilmouth Colony and records of other churches provide the information for this time period.
In 1632, Edward Winslow moved to Marshfield. It is believed that he acted as minister as needed during this time. It is documented that in 1634 he was back in England and confessed to a serving as a minister and having married couples in the colony. It is from this information that we take that Marshfield had begun its own congregation before it was granted permission.
The Oldest Trinitarian Congregational Church?
The original First Church of Plymouth combined with the Church of the Pilgrimage in 1851and many of the early churches moved to Unitarian.
There are other churches in Massachusetts that predate Marshfield but they are Puritan, not Pilgrim.
Therefore The First Congregational Church of Marshfield believed itself to be the oldest Trinitarian Congregational Church.
In March 2, 1640, Green’s Harbor became “a town with the name Rexham, now Marshfield, and shall enjoy all the privileges of towns.” Therefore the church is older than the town.