East Boston Church, Town of Sullivan, 1807-1817

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East Boston Church History 1807-1817
East Boston Church Members 1807-1817
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Lenox Congregational Church Members 1804-1898

History of a Town of Sullivan Church (East Boston) 1807-1817

According to a brief history written by Rev. Ira M. Olds a church was organized in the Town of Sullivan by the Rev. Phillip Wager on 23 October 1807 with seventeen members. While the location within the town is not specified in the document, cemetery burial lists and early property owner maps suggest that its members resided in the East Boston/Canaseraga area of the Town of Sullivan, a portion of which became the Town of Lenox in 1809. Considering the limited size of the congregation and the fact that this church survived only 10 years before merging with the Lenox Congregational Church at Quality Hill, it is unlikely that a church edifice was ever constructed. Religious services and church meetings were probably conducted in a school or private home.

Early Congregational churches organized church societies which were by usually incorporated under the laws of NYS. Although no incorporation document has been located for this church, records of the Lenox Church indicate a society associated with this church existed and was probably known as the Sullivan Congregational Society. In 1810 the Sullivan Congregational Society and the Lenox Religious Society, associated with the Congregational Church at Quality Hill, united to form the Lenox Congregational Society which was incorporated 9 May 1810.

During the summer of 1810 the two churches agreed to share pastoral services, and the Rev. Ira M. Olds was installed as pastor of this church and the church at Quality Hill on 22 Aug 1810. In 1812 the Sullivan Church was accepted under the care of the Onondaga Presbytery in Syracuse.

Apparently controversy arose among the members of the church, perhaps related to religious philosophy. One member was excommunicated in 1816, and a number of members requested dismissal to other churches. In 1817 the Sullivan Congregational Church severed its relationship with the Rev. Olds at which time the Onondaga Presbytery determined that the church should merge with the Lenox Congregational Church at Quality Hill.

Sandra B. Wilsey - 2012

Source: Information and membership list extracted from the Lisle Collection #R0112, Sub Group C, Series XIX, Box 29, Item 91 at the Boston Congregational Church Library, Boston, MA