St. Paul's Church (Dedham, Massachusetts)#1797 building

A group of Anglicans began meeting in Clapboardtrees in 1731.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=136}}

For a time, the church's rectory was 45 Court Street, a house built by Jabez Chickering.{{sfn|Neiswander|2024|p=52}}

Samuel Colburn{{efn|Colburn was a descendant of Nathaniel Colburn and John Hunting.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}}}} died in the Crown Point Expedition of 1756.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}} Though he was not an Anglican, he left almost his entire estate to the Anglican community in Dedham to establish St. Paul's Church.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}} The grant, consisting of 135 acres of land and other cash and property, was hindered only by a life estate left to his mother.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}} Some of the eight parcels were on the outskirts of town, along Mother Brook or up in Sandy Valley, but most were centered around modern day Dedham Square, including 369 Washington Street.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}} The main portion ran from Maple Place to Dwight's Brook, and 10 acres bounded by High, Court, and School streets.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}}

When Colburn's mother died in 1792, Montague began laying out streets and house lots on the property.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}} The first street Montague laid out, modern day Church Street,{{efn|It was known at the time as New Street.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}}}} was the first street in Dedham to be laid out with house lots on either side, as opposed to simply being a road to connect one farm to another.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}} Norfolk Street was next, followed by School street.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}}{{efn|Norfolk Street was originally known as Cross Street, and School Street was originally Back Street.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}}}} Montague rented out the parcels in 999 year leases.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}} One lessee, Samuel Richards, hired Charles Bulfinch to design his house on the corner of Highland and Court Streets.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=165}}

William H. Mann was the organist in both the 1797 church and in the 1845 church until it burned down.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=10}}{{Efn|Mann lived on Court Street. He also played at the First Church and Parish in Dedham and at the Baptist Church in East Dedham. He learned the trade of a printer and in his later years he was a bookkeeper at the Maverick Woolen Mills.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=10}}}} John H.B. Thayer then left the brand new organ at the Allin Congregational Church in 1858 to play at St. Paul's.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=13}}{{efn|Thayer was the son of postmaster Elisha Thayer and a cashier at the Dedham Bank.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=13}}}} He held the position until his death in 1873.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=13}}

The first church, a simply structure measuring 30' by 40', was built on Court Street in 1758 diagonally across from where the current church stands.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=27}}{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=136}} It was built by a Mr. Durpee.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=136}} When the main beam of the church was raised, it broke causing 12 men to fall.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=136}} None were injured.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=136}} It was dedicated in 1761, but it wasn't complete until 1771 when it was plastered and permanent seats were installed.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=136}} When Norfolk County was established in 1792, the congregation offered their building for use of the courts, but it was in such poor condition that the county declined.{{sfn|Hanson|1976|p=166}}

The people of Dedham stoned the church during the American Revolution and then took it over for use as a military storehouse.{{sfn|Worthington|1827|p=70}}{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=157}} From then on, Rev. William Clark would secretly conduct services in his house.{{sfn|Worthington|1827|p=70}}

The congregation attempted to move the church to Franklin Square in 1797, but the entire structure collapsed, sending a cauldron of bats out of the belfry.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=194}} It was reconstructed in that location in 1798 using various portions of an abandoned church in Stoughton.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=27}}{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=194}}

In 1845, Comfort Weatherbee was commissioned to demolish the church.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=10}} All the boarding was removed and a capstan was used to pull the frame and tower down.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=10}}

The builders of the 1845 church, Thomas and Nathan Phillips, were from Dedham.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=27}} Designed by Arthur Gilman after Magdalen College, Oxford, it was consecrated on Court Street in 1845 but burned down in 1856.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=27}} The bell from the 1797 church hung in the tower for three or four years, but was eventually replaced with a rich toned bell.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=10}} The old bell, which was small enough for neighborhood boys to pick up and chime, was then placed on the ground next to the tower for a few weeks before removal.{{sfn|Clarke|1903|p=10}}

The present church was built in 1858 at the corner of Court Street and Village Ave.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=27-28}} It was 90' long and the bell tower, added in 1869, was 100' high {{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=27-28}} The bell was donated by Ira Cleveland.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=28}} It is made of Dedham granite.{{sfn|Parr|2009|p=19}}

A chapel was built with a bequest from George E. Hutton.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=28}} {{As of|2001}}, it is a nursery school.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=28}}

{{main|Church of the Good Shepherd (Dedham, Massachusetts)}}

Lay readers from the church began ministering to Episcopalians in the Oakdale section of town in 1873 who could not get to the church easily.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=32}} Out of their efforts grew the Church of the Good Shepherd, which was dedicated in 1876.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=32}} One of the early members was William B. Gould.

The first minister, Rev. William Clark, held controversial Tory views.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=27}} By March of 1777, Clark announced that he would cease preaching; such an action was easier to swallow than eliminating prayers for the king.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=157}}{{sfn|Worthington|1827|p=70}} Two months later, he was charged by the Board of Selectmen in Dedham of being a traitor to the American Revolution.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=155-156}}{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=27}}

After being denied bail, he was brought to Boston to stand before a military tribunal.{{sfn|Worthington|1827|p=70-71}}{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=158}} He refused to pledge allegiance to the Commonwealth, and so was sent onto a prison ship for 10 weeks.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=158}}{{sfn|Worthington|1827|p=71}} In June 1778, Fisher Ames obtained a pass for him and Clark was allowed to leave America.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=158}}{{Sfn|Hurd|1884|p=56}}

In 1791, the congregation regrouped and called William Montague away from Old North Church.{{Sfn|Hanson|1976|p=164}} Montague received a salary of £100 sterling. He remained in the Dedham church until 1818.{{sfn|Slafter|1905|p=89}}{{efn|Burgess has his departure as being in 1815.{{sfn|Burgess|1840|p=515}}}}

Samuel B. Babcock served as rector in three buildings from 1834 to 1873.{{sfn|Dedham Historical Society|2001|p=28}}

When Bishop Alexander Viets Griswold died in 1843, he was interred in Trinity Church on Summer Street in Boston.{{sfn|Worthington|1958|p=26}} In 1876, the bodies of Griswald and his family were removed to the churchyard outside St. Paul's.{{sfn|Worthington|1958|p=26}} Bishop Manton Eastburn is also buried outside the church.{{sfn|Worthington|1958|p=26}}

Poet Anne Sexton's funeral was held at the church.{{r|coming}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|refs=

{{cite web | url = https://stpauls-dedham.org/node/73 | title = MELANIE MCCARLEY, RECTOR | publisher = St. Paul's Church | accessdate = November 16, 2023}}

{{cite web| url = http://www.stpauls-dedham.org/history | title = Church History | publisher = St. Paul's Church | first = Sally | last = Burt | date = January 2008 | access-date = May 6, 2021 }}

{{cite journal|author=Stephen K. Brayton |title="Diary of a Contraband" – Professor Gould Relates Story Of Dedham Civil War Veteran Who Escaped Slavery |journal=Dedham Historical Society Newsletter |year=2003 |issue=July |url=http://www.dedhamhistorical.org/newsletters/2003/dhs_news_07-03.doc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231055354/http://www.dedhamhistorical.org/newsletters/2003/dhs_news_07-03.doc |archive-date=December 31, 2006}}

{{cite news | title = James Joyce Ramble coming up next weekend | page = 7 | date = April 19, 2024 | newspaper = The Dedham Times | volume = 32 | issue = 16 }}

}}

• {{cite book|last=Burgess|first=Ebenezer|title=Dedham Pulpit: Or, Sermons by the Pastors of the First Church in Dedham in the XVIIth and XVIIIth Centuries|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hDoPAAAAIAAJ|accessdate=May 3, 2021|year=1840|publisher=Perkins & Marvin}}
• {{cite book | title = Mid-Century Memories of Dedham | first = Wm. Horatio | last = Clarke | location = Dedham Historical Society |year = 1903}}
• {{cite book|author=Dedham Historical Society|title=Images of America: Dedham|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cRpMDQffkGsC|year=2001|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-0944-0|access-date = August 11, 2019}}
• {{cite book|last=Hanson|first=Robert Brand |title=Dedham, Massachusetts, 1635-1890|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4oslAQAAMAAJ|year=1976|publisher=Dedham Historical Society}}
• {{cite book|last=Hurd|first=Duane Hamilton |title=History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts: With Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2EU4AQAAMAAJ&pg=PR5|accessdate=May 2, 2021|year=1884|publisher=J. W. Lewis & Company}}

• {{cite book | title = Mother Brook and the Mills of East Dedham | last = Neiswander | first = Judith | publisher = Damianos Publishing | year = 2024 | isbn = 978-1-941573-66-2}}

• {{cite book | title = Dedham: Historic and Heroic Tales From Shiretown | first = James L. | last = Parr | publisher = The History Press | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-1-59629-750-0}}
• {{cite book| title = A Record of Education: The Schools and Teachers of Dedham, Massachusetts 1644-1904| first = Carlos | last = Slafter| url = https://archive.org/details/arecordeducatio00slafgoog| quote = 1642-3.| publisher = Dedham Transcript Press| year = 1905}}
• {{cite book|last=Worthington |first=Arthur Morton | title = History of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Dedham | year = 1958 | url = https://stpauls-dedham.org/sites/default/files/worthington.pdf }}
• {{cite book|last=Worthington|first=Erastus |title=The History of Dedham: From the Beginning of Its Settlement, in September 1635, to May 1827|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v2sWAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA65|access-date=14 August 2019|year=1827|publisher=Dutton and Wentworth|pages=106–107}}

{{Dedham}}

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Category:Churches in Dedham, Massachusetts

Category:1845 establishments in Massachusetts

Category:1798 establishments in Massachusetts

Category:1758 establishments in the Province of Massachusetts Bay

Category:Episcopal church buildings in Massachusetts

Category:History of Dedham, Massachusetts