This collection includes records maintained by the Town Clerk’s Office which relate to the First Church of Southborough (Congregational), and the Pilgrim Evangelical Society of Southborough. Since there was no separation of church and state in Massachusetts until 1806, the majority of records pertain to the First Congregational Church where the pastor was an employee of the town. The congregation was supported through public taxation in the form of a mandatory “Minister Tax''. Surviving records of the First Congregational Church include member lists, meeting minutes, records of baptism, marriage, and death, tax rolls, correspondence, and documentation relating to the pastor’s salary. In 1831 some members broke away from the First Church to form the Pilgrim Church of Christ and Pilgrim Evangelical Society. When they did so, notices of their transfer and membership at the new church were recorded with the Town Clerk.

Some additional context regarding the history of churches in Southborough is provided by "A History of The Pilgrim Church of Christ, Southborough, Massachusetts 1960-2002":

“In 1727 the Town of Southborough separated from the Town of Marlborough so that it could have a church and a school more readily accessible to inhabitants of the area. One of the first tasks of the town was to “erect and furnish a suitable house for the worship of God, and settle [...] a minister.” The word “settled” applied, indeed, for the Reverend Nathan Stone was the Town’s first and only pastor until his death 50 years later.

In 1806, the original meetinghouse was razed in order to construct a “most spacious and truly elegant house” a few feet south of the site of the original meetinghouse. However, soon after the erection of this new building the Great and General Court passed legislation that discontinued mandatory support of the Town Church through public taxation. The church had to become self-supporting.

In 1831, thirteen members decided to withdraw in protest from the Town Church because the church was growing away from its Unitarian tendencies. This group was organized as The Pilgrim Church of Christ. The supporting Pilgrim Evangelical Society was formed a few months later “to procure and maintain for us and our children [...] faithful evangelical preaching and instruction.”