|
First Presbyterian Church (New York, N.Y.) Records, 1717-1961 Finding Aid to Record Group 413 12.00 cubic feet |
|
|---|
ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
First Presbyterian Church
The First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York was established in 1716 and the first church building erected on Wall Street in 1719. As the Wall Street building became more crowded, families living in the northern part of the city wanted a church building of their own. This led to the establishment of the Brick Church on Beekman Street in 1768. As the growth of the city continued, Presbyterians established a third congregation, known as the Rutgers Church, on Henry Street in 1798. These three congregations continued until 1809 as one parish with a collegiate ministry, and it was not until that date that the Presbytery of New York enrolled them separately, each with its own minister. As the population continued to grow, the congregation of First Church decided to seek a new location. The foundation of the new church building on Fifth Avenue between Eleventh and Twelfth Streets was laid in 1844, and the church was dedicated in 1846.
One of the most significant church mergers in New York City history occurred in 1918. Two blocks from First Church was the University Place Presbyterian Church, and a little more than half a mile to the north was the Madison Square Presbyterian Church. These three united as the First Presbyterian Church and decided to use Old First’s building on Fifth Avenue as the location for the newly reconfigured First Presbyterian Church. This consolidation included an agreement to continue the various missions of the uniting churches including Emmanuel Church, Bethlehem Memorial Church, Madison Square Church House, and the Madison Square Boys Club.
University Place Presbyterian Church
On November 29, 1843, a group of interested Presbyterians held the initial organization meeting for the University Place Presbyterian Church. They secured lots on the southeast corner of University Place and 10th Street and dedicated the church building in 1845. Close by on the west side of Mercer Street near Waverly Place was the Mercer Street Presbyterian Church, founded on October 8, 1835. The two churches merged on September 16, 1870.
Madison Square Presbyterian Church
The Madison Square Presbyterian Church was organized on March 3, 1853, and the church building at the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and 24th Street was dedicated in December 1854. The church remained in this location until 1906 when it moved directly across the street to the northeast corner of Madison Avenue and 24th Street.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
This collection consists of minutes, registers, and other records of First Presbyterian Church (1717-1954), Mercer Street Presbyterian Church (1835-1918), University Place Presbyterian Church (1843-1926), Madison Square Presbyterian Church (1853-1925), and Madison Square Church House (1914-1961).
ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT
The collection is arranged as follows:
SERIES I: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (NEW YORK, N.Y.), 1717-1954
SERIES II: MERCER STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (NEW YORK, N.Y.),
1835-1918
SERIES III: UNIVERSITY PLACE PREBSYTERIAN CHURCH (NEW YORK, N.Y.), 1843-1926
SERIES IV: MADISON SQUARE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (NEW YORK, N.Y.),
1853-1925
SERIES V: MADISON SQUARE CHURCH HOUSE (NEW YORK, N.Y.), 1914-1961
NOTES TO THE RESEARCHER
Researchers should also consult the Presbyterian Historical Society catalog for further holdings.
Collection processed and finding aid prepared: 2001
David T. Euler, Archives Intern
Finding aid edited: October 2005
Bill Brock, Collection Management Archivist
Box Folder Description | ||
1 1 Finding Aid to Record Group 413
SERIES I: FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (NEW YORK, N.Y.), 1717-1954
2 Session minutes, 1765-1808, and list of baptisms 1766-1803
3 Session minutes (unofficial), 1804-1815
2 1 Session minutes, 1809-Sept. 1862
3 1 Session minutes, Dec. 1862- March 1907
2 Session minutes, April 1907-1916
3 List of members, 1807-1846
4 List of members, 1809-1812
5 List of communicants, 1809-1827
6 List of members, 1811-1824
7 List of church officers, 1809-1854
8 List of pastors, elders, and members, 1809-1867
9 Church register, 1717-1885 including lists of pastors, deacons, elders, and members
10 List of members, 1866-1886
11 Register of baptisms, 1728-1790
12 Register of baptisms, 1791-1802
13 Register of baptisms, 1798-1809, 1815-1825
4 1 Register of baptisms, 1810-1884
5 1 Register of marriages, 1756-1864
6 1 Register of baptisms, 1766-1803, and marriages, 1766-1776, 1793-1798
2 Register of baptisms, 1765, and marriages, 1789-1809, 1815-1824
7 1 Register of marriages, 1793-1849
2 Church register including baptisms, 1886-1910, and marriages, 1887-1890
3 Pastor’s register of George Alexander including baptisms, 1926-1930
4 Marriage records, 1859-1883
5 Marriage records, 1906-1930
6 Register of marriages, 1928-1932
8 1 Register of deaths, 1786-1804
9 1 Record of burials, 1807-1811
2 Church yard vault leases, 1846-1888
3 Record of remains removed from the burial ground in Forsyth St., c. 1865
10 1 Trustees records, 1717-1775
11 1 Trustees minutes, 1784-1809
12 1 Trustees minutes, 1801- March 1844
13 1 Records and maps of the ground purchased by the Trustees, 1843-1844
2 Trustees minutes, May 1844-1902
3 Pew subscription records, 1804
4 Record of pew holders, c. 1820
5 Record of pew deeds, 1846-1866
6 Record of pew deeds, 1866-1917
7 Men’s Association minutes, 1925-1927
8 Alexander Memorial Chapel benefactors, 1938
9 Church histories, 1886, 1891, 1919
10 Yearbooks, 1894, 1916, 1918-1919
11 Yearbooks, 1920-1923
14 1 Yearbooks, 1923-1925
2 Yearbooks, 1934-1940
3 Yearbooks, 1940-1944
4 Yearbooks, 1944-1947
5 Annual financial reports, 1948, 1951, 1952
6 Directories, 1952/53-1953/54
SERIES II: MERCER STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (NEW YORK, N.Y.), 1835-1918
15 1 Session minutes, 1835-April 1865
2 Session minutes, May 1865-1870
3 Register of members, 1835-1866
4 Register of members, 1866-1870
5 Register of baptisms, 1849-1870; also includes baptisms for University Place Presbyterian Church, 1870-1918
6 Register of marriages, 1861-1870; also includes marriages for University
Place Presbyterian Church, 1870-1918
15 7 Form of admission, 1835
8 Manuals, 1855, 1862
9 Board of Deacon’s Poor Fund ledger and other accounting records, 1841-1873; also includes records for University Place Presbyterian Church
SERIES III: UNIVERSITY PLACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (NEW YORK, N.Y.), 1843-1926
16 1 Session minutes, 1843-June 1870
2 Session minutes, July 1870-May 2, 1889
3 Session minutes, May 23, 1889-Sept. 1906
4 Session minutes, Oct. 1906-1918
5 Church register, 1845-1870 including baptisms, 1844-1870
6 Register of members, 1871-1895
7 Register of members, 1895-1918
17 1 Register of members of Emmanuel Chapel, 1897-1918
2 Register of members, 1892-1915
3 Register of members, 1916-1920
4 Scratch register, 1892-1929
5 Pastor’s register of George Alexander, 1884-1892, including baptisms, marriages, communicants received, funerals, and sermons
6 Pastor’s register of George Alexander, 1891-1898, including baptisms, marriages, communicants received, funerals, and sermons
7 Trustees minutes, 1843-April 1883
8 Trustees minutes, May 1883-1918
9 Men’s Association minutes, 1904-1926
10 Yearbooks, 1893-1898
18 1 Yearbooks, 1898-1906
2 Yearbooks, 1906-1912
3 Yearbooks, 1912-1917
4 Yearbooks, 1917-1918
SERIES IV: MADISON SQUARE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (NEW YORK, N.Y.), 1853-1925
19 1 Session minutes, 1853-Aug. 1869
2 Session minutes, Sept. 1869-Oct. 1882
3 Session minutes, Nov. 1882-May 1902
4 Session minutes, Oct. 1902-1918
19 5 Register of baptisms, marriages, and deaths, 1853-1879
6 Church register, 1853-1881, including baptisms, 1853-1881
7 Church register, 1882-1909, including baptisms, 1882-1906
8 Church register, 1853-1918
20 1 Mission Chapel register, 1867-1925, including baptisms, 1867-1925, and marriages, 1868-1925
2 Trustees minutes, 1853-1917
21 1 Trustees minutes, 1916-1918
2 Building Committee minutes, 1853-1855
3 Board of Deacons minutes, 1854-1914
4 Board of Deacons minutes, 1914-1918
5 Young Men’s Association minutes, 1857-1882
6 Young Men’s Association constitution, report, and directory, 1859
7 Manuals 1856, 1862
8 Year book, 1899, 1901
SERIES V: MADISON SQUARE CHURCH HOUSE (NEW YORK, N.Y.), 1914-1961
9 Session minutes, 1940-1944
10 Church register, 1917-1925, including baptisms, 1917-1925
11 Church register, 1914-1930, including baptisms, 1917-1930, and marriages, 1920-1930
22 1 Church register, 1915-1944, including baptisms, 1931-1942, and marriages, 1931-1946
2 Trustees minutes, 1959-1961
3 Gospel Committee minutes, 1935-1948 | ||