Hampshire Colony Congregational Church
About this property
The Hampshire Colony Congregational Church of Princeton, Illinois was founded in 1831 and was the first Congregational church in Illinois. Its Richardsonian Romanesque church building, which was built in 1905-06, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1831 young people in the New England area were encouraged to take advantage of the fertile land in Illinois, being sold cheaply. On February 9, 1831, The New Hampshire Gazette printed a notice from the Illinois Colonial Association that a meeting would be held in a local coffee house in Northampton, Massachusetts on Wednesday, the 16 February 1831 at 10:00 A. M. “It was not so much to promote the private interests of its members as to advance the cause of Christ by planting religious institutions in the virgin soil of the west and aiding the cause of Christian education in its various departments.” When more than a few people offered themselves to this effort, a council was convened. This is how Hampshire Colony Congregational Church was founded on March 23, 1831. Ebeneezer Strong Phelps, a deacon at Northampton Church, was one of the charter members and the council meeting was held in his home. The 18 charter members of the church came not only from the Northampton church but from surrounding churches as well. They came from Elizabethtown, Conway, Amherst, Warwick, Springfield, South Haley, and even Chutney, Vermont. The purpose of this church start was clear. In fact, at the service held to organize the church, even the council was made up of pastors and laymen from three of the churches. It is fitting then, to name the church Hampshire Colony, after the county where it was founded. The council was held. After they went to the church to worship. Rev. Diabolic Spencer preached a sermon and quoted Luke 12:32, “Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” After the sermon they took communion with the large congregation that had gathered to see them off, and a collection of $54.00 was given to supply the infant church with new vessels for the communion table. The church is now a member of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Hampshire Colony Congregational Church listed on the National Register?
Hampshire Colony Congregational Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 28, 2018.
What type of historic resource is Hampshire Colony Congregational Church?
Hampshire Colony Congregational Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Hampshire Colony Congregational Church?
The period of significance for Hampshire Colony Congregational Church is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Hampshire Colony Congregational Church?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Hampshire Colony Congregational Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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