New Hampshire Historical Society, State Library, and State Archive

In October 2025, the New England Regional Genealogical Consortium (NERGC)—a conference devoted entirely to New England research—was held in Manchester, New Hampshire. NERGC takes place every two years, and this year I joined the tour that visited three key repositories: the New Hampshire Historical Society, the New Hampshire State Library, and the New Hampshire State Archives.

Each stop offered valuable insights, and naturally, I had plenty of questions about church records. This blog consolidates what I've learned, allowing you to reference these resources in your own New Hampshire research easily.

 

 

NH Historical Society taken by Bonnie Wade Mucia

NEW HAMPSHIRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 

The New Hampshire Historical Society, located at 30 Park Street in Concord (nhhistory.org), holds several resources for locating church records. In the reading room, they maintain an index listing all church records in their collection. According to their guide, “most of the records are in original manuscript volumes, though some typed copies and published extracts are included. These records include names of members, baptisms, marriages, or deaths. After each town name is the denomination, then the earliest and latest dates (not always inclusive) of records.”

 

Town	Denomination	Years	B, M, D
Acworth	Baptist	1826-1883
Albany	Baptist	1811-1851	B, D
Alstead	Unitarian/Universal	1820-1941
Alton	Congregational	1818-1821
Amherst	Congregational	1741-1816	B, D
Andover	Congregational	1880-1940
Andover	Unitarian/Universal	1819-1832
Antrim	Baptist	1906-1945	B, M, D
Antrim	Presbyterian	1825-1831
Auburn	Congregational	1842-1940	D
B
Barnstead	Baptist	1803-1875	D
Barrington	Baptist	1801-1873	B, D
Bedford	Baptist	1835-1848	B
Bedford	Presbyterian	1826-1938
Belmont	Baptist	1837-1938	B, D
Bethlehem	Baptist	1813-1822
Boscawen	Congregational	1804-1880	B, M, D
Bow	Methodist	1827-1867
Brentwood	Congregational	1802-1901	B, M, D
Bridgewater	Baptist	1819-1891
Bridgewater	Congregational	1802-1867
C
Campton	Baptist	1826-1899	B, D
Campton	Congregational	1811-1857	D
Canaan	Baptist	1795-1869	B, D
Canaan	Methodist	1825
Candia	Congregational	1771-1814	B
Canterbury	Baptist	1802-1919	B, D
Canterbury	Congregational	1790-1939	B, M
Carroll	Baptist	1845-1874	B
Chester	Baptist	1819-1902	B, D
Chester	Presbyterian	1738-1842	M, D
Chichester	Congregational	1791-1844	M, D
Colebrook	Congregational	1802-1910	B, D
Concord	Baptist	1818-1943	B, D
Concord	Congregational	1730-1934	B, M, D?
Concord	Episcopal	1893-1989
Concord	Methodist	1825-1916	M, D
Concord	Unitarian/Universal	1829-1982	B, M, D
Cornish	Baptist	1791-1954	B, D
Cornish	Congregational	1781-1954	B
Croydon	Congregational	1788-1912	M
D
Danbury	Baptist	1817-1929	B, D
Danbury	Congregational	1800-1946	B
Danville	Congregational	1790-1829
Deerfield	Congregational	1773-1854	B, M
Derry	Congregational	1820-1931	B, D
Derry	Presbyterian	1726-1808
Dover	Baptist	1843-100	B, D
Dover	Congregational	1856-1963
Dover	Methodist	1844-1856
Dover	Unitarian/Universal	1827-1834
Dublin	Baptist	1785-1903	D
Dunbarton	Baptist	1828-1906	B, D
Dunbarton	Congregational	1789-1877	B
Durham	Congregational	1779-1917	B, M, D
E
East Kingston	Congregational	1738-1792	B
Enfield	Congregational	1826-1951	B
Enfield	Unitarian/Universal	1855-1938
Epping	Congregational	1748-1965	B, D
Epsom	Congregational	1761-1927	B, M
Exeter	Baptist	1800-1833	B, D
Exeter	Congregational	1706-1870	B, M
F
Farmington	Baptist	1860-1861
Fitzwilliam	Congregational	1837-1868
Francestown	Baptist	1834-1844	B
Francestown	Congregational	1843-1952	D
Franconia	Congregational	1840-1906
Franklin	Baptist	1871-1877	D
Franklin	Roman Catholic	1884-1937	B, M
G
Gilmanton	Baptist	1773-1865	B
Gilmanton	Congregational	1774-1909	B, M, D
Gilsum	Baptist	1772-1872	B, D
Goffstown	Baptist	1793-1819	B, D
Goshen	Baptist	1803-1954	B, D
Goshen	Congregational	1822-1935
Gosport	Congregational	1729-1774	B, M
Greenland	Congregational	1710-1767	B, M, D
Groton	Congregational	1839-1911
H
Hampstead	Congregational	1752-1870	B
Hampton	Congregational	1667-1903	B, M, D
Hampton	Presbyterian	1796-1807	B, M
Hampton Falls	Congregational	1712-1754	B, M
Hancock	Baptist	1840-1851	D
Haverhill	Congregational	1815-1855	B
Hebron	Baptist	1815-1855
Hebron	Congregational	1779-1942	D
Henniker	Congregational	1769-1959	B, D
Hill	Congregational	1816-1836	B, D
Hillsborough	Congregational	1818-1964	B, M
Hinsdale	Baptist	1800-1876
Hinsdale	Unitarian/Universal	1833-1910
Holderness	Episcopal	1790-1879	B, M, D
Hollis	Baptist	1837-1853	B, D
Hollis	Congregational	1750-1939	M
Hopkinton	Baptist	1769-1899	B, D
Hopkinton	Congregational	1757-1909	M
Hudson	Baptist	1805-1924	B, M
J
Jaffrey	Congregational	1790-1830	M, D
Jefferson	Baptist	1812-1897	B
K
Kingston	Congregational	1725-1857	B, M, D
L
Laconia	Baptist	1888-1915	D
Lancaster	Congregational	1794-1826	B, M, D
Lee	Congregational	1833-1841	D
Lempster	Congregational	1828-1912
Lisbon	Baptist	1800-1839	D
Londonderry	Baptist	1799-1903	B, D
Londonderry	Congregational	1740-1875
Londonderry	Presbyterian	1736-1946
Loudon	Congregational	1780-1917
Lyndeborough	Baptist	1829-1892	B
M
Manchester	Methodist	1849-1854
Manchester	Roman Catholic	1848-1976	B, M, D
Marlborough	Baptist	1837-1862
Marlow	Baptist	1777-1900	B, D
Marlow	Unitarian/Universal	1872-1909
Mason	Baptist	1786-1830	B, D
Mason	Congregational	1772-1904	B, D
Meredith	Baptist	1779-1844	D
Moultonborough	Congregational	1850-1869
N
Nashua	Unitarian/Universal	1838-1863	M, D
Nelson	Baptist	1818-18
New Castle	Congregational	1778-1911	B
New Durham	Baptist	1792-1885
New Durham	Congregational	1818-1821
New Hampton	Congregational	1800-1842	B, M
New Ipswich	Baptist	1793-1841
New Ipswich	Congregational	1760-1955	B, D
Newfields	Congregational	1840-1914
Newmarket	Baptist	1834-1912	B, D
Newmarket	Congregational	1828-1960	B, D
Newport	Baptist	1804-1963	B, D
North Hampton	Congregational	1739-1870	B, M, D
O
Orford	Congregational	1770-1873	B, M, D
Ossipee	Methodist	1866-1925
P
Pembroke	Congregational	1773-1979
Pembroke	Presbyterian	1771-1805
Peterborough	Baptist	1840-1851
Piermont	Congregational	1794-1883	B
Pittsfield	Baptist	1791-1854	B, D
Plainfield	Baptist	1829-1906
Plaistow	Baptist	1838-1890
Portsmouth	Congregational	1671-1831	B, M, D
Portsmouth	Episcopal	1738-1884	B, M, D
R
Raymond	Congregational	1815-1836
Richmond	Baptist	1835-1911	D
Rindge	Congregational	1765-1855	B, D
Rochester	Congregational	1858-1864	B, M, D
Rye	Congregational	1736-1886	B, M
Rye	Episcopal	1874-1896
S
Salem	Congregational	1740-1957	B, M, D
Salisbury	Baptist	1810-1921	B, D
Salisbury	Congregational	1773-1967	B, M, D
Salmon Falls	Congregational	1846-1929	D
Sanbornton	Baptist	1793-1848
Sandown	Congregational	1759-1838	B
Sandwich	Congregational	1831-1876
Seabrook	Baptist	1932-1960
Seabrook	Congregational	1799-1968	B
Seabrook	Methodist	1852-1968
Seabrook	Pentecostal	1768-1776
South Hampton	Congregational	1742-1801	B, M, D
Strafford	Baptist	1801-1970	B, D
Stratham	Baptist	1808-1863	D
Stratham	Congregational	1746-1913	B, M, D
Sunapee	Episcopal	1896-1915
Sutton	Baptist	1803-1884	D
Swanzey	Baptist	1800-1917	B, D
T
Tamworth	Congregational	1792-1909	B, D
Temple	Baptist	1793-1841
Thornton	Baptist	1821-1843	D
U
Unity	Baptist	1806-1872	B, D
W
Wakefield	Congregational	1894-1934
Walpole	Congregational	1821-1953
Washington	Congregational	1840-1853
Westmoreland	Baptist	1809-1894	B
Westmoreland	Congregational	1826-1834
Westmoreland	Unitarian/Universal	1838-1896
Wilmot	Congregational	1829-1907	D
Wolfeboro	Baptist	1833-1885	D
Wolfeboro	Congregational	1812-1917	D
Wolfeboro	Unitarian/Universal	1834-1845

 

They also have some minister diaries and other church related items in their collection, which are listed here:

 

Location	Dates	Person	URL	Facility	Call No.	Notes
Southern NH, Maine	1845-1885	Quimby Moses	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/272902/personal-papers	NHHS	1994-061	Free Will Baptist minister
Gilmanton, NH	1835 through 1882	Almon Benson	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/272861/diaries	NHHS	M 1930-004	minister
Keene, NH	1836-1846	Abiel Abbot Livermore	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/259851/livermore-abiel-abbot	NHHS	M 1926-001	Unitarian minister
Keene, NH	1832	Zedekiah Barstow	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/277819/diary-of-zedekiah-s-barstow-approximately-1832	NHHS	1977.003	Diary, Congregational minister
Exeter, NH Durham, NH	1740-1744	Nicholas Gilman	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/267254/diary	NHHS	M 1934-004 (M)	Diary
Barnstead, NH Strafford, NH	1803-1832	James Jewett Wentworth	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/272862/diary	NHHS	M 1933-002	2 vol. Autobiography and diary.
Concord, NH	1821-1836	Mary Hall	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/272528/mary-hall-diary-1821-1836	NHHS	M 1967-0047	Sermons of Congregational minister, Ephraim Hall
Goffstown, NH	186601898	Anson Case Coult	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/273100/letters-and-diary	NHHS	M 1961-016	Methodist Minister
New Durham, NH	1853-1891	David L. Edgerly	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/259873/edgerly-david-l	NHHS	M 1935-003	Free Baptist minister. Records of marriage, baptisms, and funerals.
Exeter, NH	1807-1831	Isaac Hurd	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/273062/isaac-hurd-papers	NHHS	1913.003	2ndCongregational Church
Rochester, NH Dover, NH Concord, NH Manchester, NH Orange Co., VT	1829-1869	Osmon Cleander Baker	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/273222/osmon-cleander-baker-diaries-1829-1869	NHHS	920 B1686	Diary contains marriages, baptisms, and funerals
Canaan, VT Clarksville, NH Colebrook, NH Columbia, NH Danbury, NH Grafton, NH Marlow, NH Pittsburg, NH Springfield, NH Stewartstown, NH Wilmont, NH	1843-1918	William S. Morrill	https://www.nhhistory.org/object/1865491/william-s-morrill-papers-1843-1918	NHHS	2000.016	Baptisms, marriages, funerals

 

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE LIBRARY

Right next door to NHHS is the New Hampshire State Library, located at 30 Park Street in Concord. The library holds a small but useful collection of church records, some with catalog records and finding aids that make them easier to navigate.

NH State Library photo taken by Bonnie Wade Mucia

Manuscript and Archival Collections with Finding Aids

Item	Dates	Church	Catalog URL	Notes	Finding Aid
Jacob White papers	1835-1840	Lynde-boroughCong. Church	https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=124014	From 1835 until 1840 Jacob White supplied the Congregational Church in Lyndeborough, New Hampshire	https://nhsl.ptfs.com/aw-server/rest/product/purl/NHSL/i/c8824bf9-3243-4aac-8b3c-ebae10f933ae
Thornton Center Freewill Baptist	1821-1931	Thornton Center Freewill Baptist church	https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=31759	This collection consists of records from the Thornton Center Freewill Baptist Church in Thornton, New Hampshire, established in the 1820s. The collection was received as a stack of 9 bound ledger books and encompasses the business records of the church, its Female Benevolent Society, and its Sabbath School. The collection covers the period from 1821-1931.	https://nhsl.ptfs.com/aw-server/rest/product/purl/NHSL/i/b68bb05c-6864-4c3f-8877-64bd415bf81a
Andover, NH Unitarian Congregational Church	1879-1960		https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=30193	This collection consists of the business records of the Congregational Society of Andover, New Hampshire. It originally consisted of one large cloth- and leather-bound ledger and two 3-ring binders. The material includes the society's constitution and by-laws, correspondence, budget and fundraising information, conference materials, attendance and membership lists, minutes, and a history of the society and its ministers.	https://nhsl.ptfs.com/aw-server/rest/product/purl/NHSL/i/99e82238-6277-4b6a-8023-25fce7d4cf5e
Brentwood Congregational Church	1889	Brentwood Cong. Church	https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=48963	The corrections, gathering of documents, recovery of records, searching out church & parish matters of interest and indexing, was completed by Benj. A. Dean, acting pastor.	N/A
East Lempster Universalist Church	1842-1962	East Lempster Universalist Church	https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=50015	No description on the catalog	N/A
Microfilm:
Rockingham Assoc. of Cong. Christian Churches and Ministers	1837-1921		https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=201027&query_desc=callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742a%20OR%20callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742b	1 microfilm reel	N/A
Portsmouth Church Records, Vol 1-2	1671-1828	Portsmouth Church	https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=200199&query_desc=callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742a%20OR%20callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742b	1 microfilm reel:  Contains minutes of meetings, records of members, historical notes, records of baptisms, marriages, and funerals of the First Church of Christ between 1671 and 1828.	N/A
Hampton Falls Cong. Church and Smithtown Church in Seabrook, NH	1852-1905 (Hampton Falls) 1873-1880 Smithtown Church		https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=203396&query_desc=callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742a%20OR%20callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742b	Minutes of Smithtown Church of Seabrook, N.H. 1873-1880   Minutes of Smithtown Church 1880-1905    Hampton Falls Congregational Church 1893-1900   Hampton Falls Congregational Church 1711-1900   Hampton Falls Congregational Church 1852-1866.	N/A
Greenfield, NH Union Cong. Church. Series I, Minutes, 1791-1969		Greenfield Union Congreational Church	https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=219160&query_desc=callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742a%20OR%20callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742b	Volume 1. Church of Christ records, 1791-1822 -- volume 2. Congregational Church (Church of Christ) records, 1823-1834 -- volume 3. Evangelical Church of Christ records, 1833-1867 -- volume 4. Congregational Church records, 1839-1860 -- volume 5. Union Congregational Church records, 1867-1912 -- volume 6. Union Congregational Church business meeting minutes, 1885-1898 -- volume 7. Union Congregational Church records, 1913-1946 -- volume 8. Union Con	N/A
Records of the First Cong. Church in Raymond, NH	1834-1887	Raymond First Cong. Church	https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=141530&query_desc=callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742a%20OR%20callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742b	Records of the 1st Congregational Church Raymond 1834-1870 -- Records of the 1st Congregational Church Raymond 1871-1916 -- Records of the 1st Congregational Society 1816-1867 -- Records of the 1st Congregational Society 1868-1900 -- Membership list 1791-1887.	N/A
Records of the Cong. Church, UCC, Temple, NH		Temple Cong. Church	https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=219145&query_desc=callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742a%20OR%20callnum%2Cwrdl%3A%20gfilm%20285.8742b	[Reel 1.] CR I. (Spine): "Church book." Church records, 1782-1865 -- CR II. (Title page): "Records of the 1st Congl. Ch. Temple/N.H." Church records, 1865-1954 -- CR III. Church records, 1954-1966 -- CR IV. (Title page): "Annual reports / the Congregational Church of Temple, New Hampshire (U.C.C.)" Annual reports, 1971-1974 (4) -- SR I. (Spine): "Records." (Title page): "Congregational Church & Society's Book / Temple." Society records, 1832-1932 -- SR II. (Spine): "Records." (Title page): "Congregational Church and Society's Book / Temple 1933." Society records, 1933-1966. [Reel 2.] ST I. (Title page): "Congregational Church and Society Book / Temple Sept. 1st 1832." Treasurer's records, 1832-1892 -- ST II. (Title page): "Treasurer's Book of the Congregational Church of Temple, N.H." Treasurer's records, 1898-1952 -- ST III. (Spine): "Cash." (Inside cover): "Temple Cong. Society Cash Book." Treasurer's records, 1929-1952 -- C Misc. I. Christian endeavor book, 1892-1899 -- C Misc. II. (Cover): "S.S. record book--Temple, N.H." (Title page): "Sabbath School record book--Temple, N.H. March 1863." Sabbath School records, 1863-1941 -- Town Misc. I. (Cover): "Union Society." (Title page): "The property of the Union Society in Temple 1832." Union Society records, 1832-1875 -- Eight envelopes of miscellaneous papers: Env. 1: 2 pieces. Church Council, 1946. Minutes; Society subscription book, 1873 -- Env. 2: 2 pieces. Contract for call of minister, 1951; Contract for organist, 1952 -- Env. 3: 1 piece. Executor's notice to Legatees, Charles W. Edwards estate, 1920 -- Env. 4: 2 pieces. Society Fund (held by N.H. Conference) 1945 agreement and receipt -- Env. 5: 6 pieces. Deeds to land and water rights, 1865, 1868, 1887, 1888 (2), 1895 -- Env. 6: 4 pieces. Anniversary programs, 1898, 1921; Constitution, n.d.; Organ dedication concert, n.d. -- Env. 7: 3 pieces. Bi-centennial program, 1971; History of the Congregational Church of Temple, N.H. by William Banks, 1971; Constitution and by-laws, 1966 -- Env. 8: 2 pieces. Sermon delivered at 200th anniversary on Oct. 10, 1971 by Rev. Harrell Beck; Contents of time capsule, 1971.

Other church records are scattered throughout other microfilm collections as well:

·      https://nhsl.bywatersolutions.com/cgi-bin/koha/opac-search.pl?advsearch=1&idx=callnum&q=gfilm+974.2b&op=OR&idx=callnum&q=gfilm+929.3742&do=Search&sort_by=relevance

 

 
NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE ARCHIVES

And right across the street from the New Hampshire State Library is the New Hampshire State Archives. Because the Congregational Church served as the official state church until 1817, researchers will find a few church-related materials housed in the Archives’ collections. A few examples include:

·      Selected church-related documents within the Meshech Weare Papers. The Archives staff noted that most of the church items relate to the creation of parishes in different years and towns. The collection is large—about twenty boxes—and many folders aren’t labeled by topic, so locating specific church records may take a bit more time.

·      A file on the Revere bell belonging to the First Congregational Church in Hopkinton which contains newspaper articles from the 1970s.

·      Incorporation papers for the Congregational Church in Raymond in 1934.

·      A 1939 land-transfer record for the Franklin Street Congregational Church in Manchester.