1782First Parish took goods belonging to Universalist Society Members.People and Communities, Religion
Although the First Parish church had suspended many Universalist members, they were still expected to pay taxes to the church. They refused because they were not required to by the newly enacted Bill of Rights attached to the State Constitution. In response, the First Parish seized goods, such as silverware, from three of the members and sold them at auction.
Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. History of Essex County, Massachusetts, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men. Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co., 1888, http://archive.org/details/historyofessexco02hurd