Church records at the Lawrence History Center in Lawrence, Massachusetts

If you have ancestors from Lawrence, Massachusetts, the Lawrence History Center is a must-visit destination. Nestled along the Merrimack River, this quaint city covers seven square miles in Essex County, bordering New Hampshire. It boasts a rich mosaic of diverse cultures. Originally part of Methuen and Andover, Lawrence was incorporated in 1847, at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Its prime riverside location made it a bustling hub for various mills. Many of these mills still dot the skyline today, offering a unique mix of industrial architecture and modern adaptations that echo a bygone era. As someone hailing from a small New England mill city, I found Lawrence utterly charming. I visited on a cold day in February of this year, 2025.

 

Lawrence History Center research room

The Lawrence History Center, established in 1978 as the Immigrant City Archives by Eartha Dengler, a German immigrant, is a treasure trove of history. Eartha's portrait proudly adorns the facility, watching over its vast collection of resources. Located in downtown Lawrence at 6 Essex Street, at the corner of Essex and Union, the center is easily accessible. I had reached out to the staff regarding a personal research project on early school records, and they provided access to original manuscripts from the first schools. The staff is so helpful and knowledgeable. Amita Kelley is the Collections Manager, Research Coordinator, and a native of Lawrence. She has extensive knowledge not only of the holdings in the History Center but also of Lawrence. She gave me a tour of the facility from the basement to the stacks. Frankly, I was blown away by the array of holdings with a remarkable assortment of documents and manuscripts.

 

Essex Company records

Lawrence History Center website

I also wanted to look at their church records collection, which has an intriguing selection of documents from various denominations, including Congregational, Baptist, Presbyterian, Universalist, and Unitarian traditions.

Congregational Records:

• Hope Congregational Church (1847-1998): This collection can be viewed here. 

• Lawrence Street Congregational Church (1847-1965): It features detailed membership records, including dates of admission and removal due to relocation or death—with death dates notably included.
  
  
  These ledgers provide insight into the lifecycle of church membership and are invaluable for understanding individual and family histories within the congregation. 

  

  Lawrence Street Congregational church membership registers

Additionally, the Congregational collection includes an assortment of letters that shed light on when and why individuals joined or left the church. These documents detail their previous residences, church affiliations, and corresponding dates. 

Congregational Letters

Baptist Records:

• They have records from several Baptist churches, including First Calvary Baptist, Second Baptist, and Third Baptist. The records for Third Baptist can be found here.
  
  

Presbyterian Records:

• A finding aid for the Presbyterian collection offers a comprehensive preview of the collection, which is in progress but not yet available for public distribution.

First Unitarian Society

Universalist and Unitarian Records:

• First Universalist Society of Methuen (1824-1959): Access the collection here.
• First Spiritual Church of Methuen (1887-1974): The collection can be viewed here.
• Church of the Good Shepherd Unitarian Universalist (1847-1980): More details about this and other Unitarian collections can be found in their blog found here.

 

In addition to these collections, they also have extensive Essex County Prison records, among other exciting collections, like all the records from the Essex Company Collection, which created the dam, canals, streets, and sewers in Lawrence. If your person worked for the Essex Company, you will love exploring this collection! 

 

Essex County prison records