First German Presbyterian Church, East Williamsburg, Ridgewood, Queens
According to the “Inventory of the Church Archives of New York City: Presbyterian Church in the USA,” in 1863, the First German Presbyterian Church of East Williamsburg was established through a mission of Louis Eulner through the American Tract Society. In 1962, the First German Presbyterian Church of East Williamsburg changed its name and location to First Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood, Queens, New York. First Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood and the St. James Ridgewood Presbyterian Church merged in 1991 to form the United Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood, Queens, New York. The congregation was dissolved in 2016.
A search of our catalogs shows the following records of the United Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood, and its predecessor congregations, deposited in our holdings:
First German Presbyterian Church of East Williamsburg, Queens, NY
Records, 1914–1975 (1.50 cubic ft.)
(Call number: ARCHIVES 96 1111 47A)
United Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood, N.Y.
Records (2.50 cubic ft.)
Box 1: Session minutes, 1929-1946. Session minutes, 1964-1969. Session minutes, 2001-2004. Marriages, 1903-1928. Deaths, 1903-1930. Membership roll, 1951-1965. Register, 1940-1964, including baptisms, 1941-1964, marriages, 1941-1964, and deaths, 1940-1964. Register, 1964-1985, including baptisms, marriages, and deaths. Confirmation class, 1950-1962.
Box 2: Directories, 1960-1996
Box 3: Baptisms and marriages, 1929-1940
(Call Number: ARCHIVES 14 0950 37J)
United Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood (Ridgewood, N.Y.)
Records, 1862-2008 (3.70 cubic ft.)
Box 1: Session minutes, 1895-1927. Draft session minutes, 1988-1991Directories, 1956-1979.Session and trustees minutes, 1890-1900.
Box 2: Session and congregation minutes, 1946-1957. Session and congregation minutes, 1957-1964. Session minutes, 1991-2000. St. James United Presbyterian Church (Ridgewood, N.Y.) register, 1952-1991, including baptisms, 1954-1991, marriages, 1956-1991, and deaths, 1952-1991. Session minutes, 1969-1992. Register, 1985-2013, including baptisms, 1985-2013, marriages, 1985-2009, and deaths, 1985-2008. First German Presbyterian Church (East Williamsburg, N.Y.) confirmation program, 1922.
(Call Number: 16 1221 25H|45B)
It is the policy of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to restrict access to all official records on deposit at the Presbyterian Historical Society that are less than 50 years old. This restriction applies at the national, mid council, and congregation level. We administer this restriction in order to protect the rights and privacy of the records’ creators/owners and the privacy rights of the individuals mentioned in the records. If researchers want to access official records less than 50 years old, we require that they secure written permission from the records’ owners.
When the United Presbyterian Church of Ridgewood, Queens, was dissolved, its records became the property of the Presbytery of New York City. It will be necessary for you to obtain permission from the Stated Clerk:
New York City Presbytery
475 Riverside Drive Suite 1600
New York, NY 10115
212-870-2221
https://www.nycpresbytery.org/
Please request that the signed letter be sent to the attention of Public Services at the Presbyterian Historical Society. Please ask that a copy be sent to you, so that you will know when permission is granted. After you receive the letter, you may then visit the society and use the requested materials or submit an interlibrary loan.
Sources:
Inventory of the Church Archives of New York City: Presbyterian Churches (New York, NY: Historical Records Survey, 1940). (Call number: Ref CD3409.N5P7).
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