First Independent Church of Baltimore

Establishment of the First Independent Church of Baltimore

The First Independent Church of Baltimore, the progenitor of The First Unitarian Church of Baltimore (Universalist and Unitarian), was formally established in February 1817. It holds the distinction of being the oldest Unitarian church built by Unitarians for that purpose in North America. The official foundational meeting, focused on forming a religious society for Unitarians and those cherishing liberal religious sentiments, occurred on February 10, 1817, at the residence of Henry Payson.

The governance and initial funding were secured by key individuals, most of whom were merchants from New England.

Initial Board of Trustees and Officers (February 10, 1817) 

Nine men were chosen for the first Board of Trustees. The officers appointed from this group were:

• President/Stated Chairman: Henry Payson (1762–1845). Payson is considered the founder, was the first to sign the constitution, and secured its recording. Henry Payson was said to have been brought to Baltimore, along with Joseph Williams, by Cumberland Dugan.

• Treasurer: James W. McCulloh (1789–1861). McCulloh was involved in the banking scandal, along with George Williams, as the treasurer of the Baltimore Branch of the Second Bank of the United States. He later recognized for his involvement in the landmark Supreme Court case McCulloch vs. Maryland and served as the first Comptroller of the US Treasury.

• Register (Secretary): Tobias Watkins (1780–1855). Watkins was a physician, medical editor, and served as the Fourth Auditor in the U.S. Treasury.

• Other Trustees: Charles H. Appleton, William Child, Ezekiel Freeman, Isaac Phillips, John H. Poor, and Nathaniel Williams.

Financial & Leadership Roles

Eleven men advanced over $60,000 to the Building Fund to ensure construction could proceed. This group included Payson, McCulloh, and key members of the Williams family. Six siblings of the Williams family from Roxbury, Massachusetts, along with a cousin, were central to the church's formation and initial financing.

• Nathaniel Williams (1782–1864) served as the Register on the first Board of Trustees and was a major contributor to the Building Fund. His brothers, Amos Adams Williams (1776–1861), George Williams (1778–1852), and Cumberland Dugan Williams (1781–1840), were all significant financial contributors. The initial lot considered for the church belonged to George Williams.

• Susannah Williams (1766–1851): She was the sole woman among the 55 signatories who agreed to underwrite the salary of the first minister, Jared Sparks. She later contributed a goblet to the silver communion service given by the "ladies of the church".

• Cousin Nathaniel F. Williams (1779–1865): He was a founder, a major contributor to the Building Fund, and later served as Collector of the Port of Baltimore.

This was just another amazing story in the lives of the Williams family and their long-time associates.