Manuscript Group 733, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Newark, NJ Sessionbook, 1831 – 1848

Archive Documents, Manuscripts, Maps, & Photographs

Manuscript Group 733, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Newark, NJ
Session book, 1831-1848, 1 volume
Call Number: MG 733

Summary:

Minutes of session meetings, 1831-1845; records of members, births, baptisms, and marriages.

Gift of Robert D. Weeks, 1886.

Organizational History:

The Fourth Presbyterian Church of Newark, New Jersey was organized on April 14, 1831 in the Session Room of Newark’s First Presbyterian Church with Reverend Philip Hay, Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church of Newark, presiding. The Fourth Presbyterian Church was founded by persons from Newark’s First, Second, and Third Presbyterian Churches. On July 24, 1832, the Reverend William R. Weeks was installed as Pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian Church.

There is nothing in the Session Book of the Fourth Presbyterian Church to indicate, as it has been reported, that this church was an African-American Church. The church met in various locations in Newark.

On October 8, 1845, the Presbytery of Newark dissolved the Fourth Presbyterian Church following a request by Reverend Weeks to resign as Pastor of the Church due to health reasons and a request by the Session of the Fourth Presbyterian Church to dissolve the church because “this church is unable to support the institutions of the Gospel and there is no prospect that it ever would.” When the Presbytery dissolved the Fourth Presbyterian Church, it also authorized Reverend Weeks to give the members of the church Letters of Dismission to give to whatever church they transferred to.

Provenance Note:

The session book of the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Newark was donated to the Society by Robert D. Weeks in 1886.

Scope and Content Note:

The Session Book of the Fourth Presbyterian Church contains session records from April 14, 1831-November 29, 1838 and October 7, 1840-September 10, 1845 (pages containing the session records of the years in between are missing) as well as a list of members (including the dates of the deaths of members and dates and places of transfer to other churches), a record of baptisms, and a record of marriages. The membership and marriage records continue into 1846 and one separate listing, probably a marriage, is dated April 20, 1848.

Additional information regarding the prior church affiliation of the Fourth Presbyterian Church’s incoming members and the place to which departing church members transferred to is contained in the session records for most members.

List of Members, Fourth Church, Newark:

1831 Ap. 14 George Crane, Dis. Oct. 2, 1834.
  John Morehous, Dis. to new chh. Feb. 14, 1838.
  Nancy, his wife, Dis. to 1st Chh. Feb. 3, 1839.
  Abraham Miller, Died, Feb. 29, 1844.
  Mary, his wife, Died, Sept. 10, 1833.
  David M. Morehous, Dis. to new chh. Feb. 14, 1838.
  Charles Crawford, Died, Oct. 28, 1833.
  Rachel, his wife, to Central Chh. Aug. 31, 1846.
  Ezra B. Morehous Dis. to N. York,
  Susan E. his wife,  Jan. 26, 1838.
  Ellison Conger, Dis to form a new chh. Feb. 14, 1838.
  Lucy, his wife. Died, June 20, 1835.
June Stephen M. Conger, Dis. Sept. 22, 1833.
  Betsey, wife of Josiah Bruen, Died, Mar. 1, 1838.
  Isaac Combs, Died, Jan. 7, 1837.
Dec. 29 Aaron Ward
  Polly, his wife, Died, Sept. 15, 1834.
  Abraham K. Ward To 2nd Church,
  Abby, his wife  Feb. 8, 1847.
  Widow Abby Munn, Died, Nov. 20, 1833.
  Widow Sarah Beach, Dis. to New York, Mar. 29, 1838.
  Betsey Morris, to 2nd Chh., Feb. 1846.
  Charlotte Crane (wife of D.J. Baldwin), Dis. to 2nd Church, June 27, 1841.
   
1832 April Amos Holbrook, Dis. to new chh. Feb. 14, 1838.
  Sophia, his wife, Suspended, Dec. 18, 1838. Excom. March 1, 1840.
  Eliza J. Ward, wife of John C. Nuttman To 2nd Church, August 27, 1846.
  Charlotte A. Ward
  Deborah Combs, to 2nd Chh. Newark, Feb. 17, 1846.
  Josiah Congar, Died, June 4, 1832.
  Joanna M. Crane, Dis. Oct. 2, 1834.
  Isaac C. Winans, To the 1st Chh., April, 1846.
  Sarah W., wife of I. Combs, Pil. Chh. Brooklyn, Nov. 3, 1846.
July 5 Robert Moore, Died, Jan. 20, 1834.
July 8 Moses R. King, Dis. to new chh. Feb. 14, 1838.
Sept. 17 Hannah, wife of Rev. W.R. Weeks, to Central Chh., Sept. 29, 1846.
Dec. 19 John C. Burnet, Died, Oct. 14, 1842, aged 73.
  Davis Sayre, Phebe, his wife To 2nd Church, May 8, 1846.
  Widow Clara Davis, Pilgrim Chh. Brooklyn, Nov. 3, 1846.
  John A. Paine, Amanda, his wife, Dis to N. Hartford, New York Oct. 23, 1842
  Mary Scofield, (wife of Alex Underwood) Died July 22, 1839.
   
1833  
Jan. 2 Widow Joanna Crane, Died, Sept. 16, 1834.
Jan. 4 John C. Nuttman, to 2nd Church, Aug. 27, 1846.
March 20 John H. Baker, Hannah S., his wife
Sept. 27 George Rohde, Hannah, his wife, To 2nd Church, Feb., 1846.
  Eleanor Strong
  George Baldwin, Amanda, his wife, Dis. April 22, 1836.
   
1834  
June 24 Sarah M. Karr, April. 27, 1846, To 2nd Church.
Oct. 2 Eliza, wife of Abrm. Miller, To 3rd Chh. Oct. 8, 1845
   
1835  
April 2 David Dingwell, To 2nd Chh., Sept. 18, 1846.
Jan. 4 Joanna Kemper, Mercer St. N.Y., April 25, 1846.
Dec. 16 Elizabeth Paine, Died, June 4, 1837.
  Julia Brown, wife of Alexander Underwood, Dis. Oct. 6, 1844
   
1836  
Dec. 28 Joanna Crane, Dis. May 29, 1842.
   
1837  
Sept. 29 Sarah, wife of Abraham Winans, 2nd Chh. Feb. 1846.
Nov. 20 Lucy D., wife of Theodore Strong. 2nd Dutch, N. Brunswick.
   
1838  
Ap. 1 Alexander Underwood, Dis. Oct. 6, 1844, To Ref. D. Chh, Mohawk.
  Dorlisca Scofield, Dis. to 1st Orange, Nov. 1, 1840, wife of Matthias Soverel.
Sept. 13 Julia Davis, 2nd Chh. Feb. 1846.
Sept. 20 Martha Ann Davis.
   
1842  
April 3 Mary Ann Mitchell
   
1843  
Oct. 1 Robert D. Weeks, Dis. To Whately, Ms.(Mass.), Mar. 24, 1844.
   
1844  
July 5 John A. Paine, L To 2nd Ch. Albany, Dec. 24, 1846. Amanda, his wife
   
Record of Baptisms:
1832  
July 5 Catherine Thurston, infant of Charles and Rachel Crawford
July 22 Abby Butler, infant of Ellison and Lucy Conger, born, July 21, 1831.
July 29 Sarah Jane, and Caroline, infants of Isaac C. Winans.
Dec. 25 John, son of Widow Betsey Bruen. Born, Aug. 31, 1828.
   
1833  
Oct. 6 Charlotte Merrell, infant of Rev. William and Ms. Mary [S.] Johnson, born, May 8, 1833.
   
1834  
June 15 Edward Pierson, infant of Davis and Phebe Sayre.
Aug. 3 Pamela Camp, infant of Isaac C. Winans.
Oct. 4 Emma Louisa, infant of Ezra B. and Susan E. Morehouse.
  Charles Treeliece, infant of Widow Rachel Crawford.
Dec. 21 Mary, infant of Geo. and Amanda Baldwin…. Born, Sept. 4, 1834
   
1835  
June 14 William White Day, infant of Ellison and Lucy Conger, Born, Feb. 16, 1835.
Aug. 23 William Clinton, infant of Moses R. King.
   
1837  
May 7 James Birney, infant of Abraham and Eliza Miller, born Dec. 3, 1836.
July 2 Caroline Jane, infant of Mary, wife of Alexander Underwood
July 16 Ogden Johnson, infant of Issac C. Winans.
Aug. 13 George Field, infant of Ellison Conger; born, April. 16.
Oct. 1 William Henry, inf. of Davis and Phebe Sayre.
   
1838  
Mar. 25 Samuel Baker, inf. adopted child of John H. and Hannah Baker
Ap. 1 Alexander Underwood, adult.
July 1 Theodore, inf. of Lucy D., wife of Theodore Strong.
Dec. 16 Mary Augusta, inf. of Jesse F. and Sophronia Randel.
   
1839  
Sept. 22 Catharine Ramage, inf. of Isaac C. Winans.
Dec. 22 Horace James, inf. of David Dingwell.
   
1840  
April 26 John Alsop, inf. of John A. and Amanda Paine.
  Alvan Stewart, inf. of Abraham and Eliza Miller, born Jan. 13, 1840.
1841  
Oct. 10 Charlotte Ward, infant of John C. and Eliza Nuttman.
   
1842  
April 10 Augustin William, Edmund Richard, Grove Price, Josephine Matilda, children of Mary Ann Mitchell
May 29 Sarah Rebecca, inf. of Davis and Phebe Sayre.
   
1844  
July 7 Frances Pratt, inf. of Ellison and Mary Conger, Born Aug. 30, 1843.
Oct. 6 George William, inf. of David Dingwell.
   
1845  
Sep. 7 Isaac Combs, Infant of Isaac C. Winans.
   
This seems to be a Marriage, but it was located at the end of the Baptismal Register
1848  
April 26 Clayton M. Shotwell of New York to Caroline Scofield of Newark
   
Record of Marriages:
1832  
Aug. 9 David J. Baldwin to Charlotte Crane, both of Newark.
   
1833  
March 7 Carlisle McKee to Mary Winans, both of Newark.
June 23 Benjamin Davis to Sarah Rankin, both of Newark.
Oct. 13 Thomas Tucker to Sarah Morgan, both of Elizabethtown.
Dec. 2 Lewis M. Lindsley, of Newark, to Catharine Henderson, of Springfield.
   
1834  
Feb. 12 Ephraim D. Cramer to Nancy D. Briant, both of Randolph Township, Morris Co.
Mar. 2 Alexander Major to Sarah Caroline Douglass, both of Newark.
Mar. 3 Abraham Miller to Eliza Ward, both of Newark.
Mar. 24 David Longworth, of New York, to Elizabeth C. Brown, of Newark.
July 31 Edward D. Dodd to Eliza E. Morehouse, both of Newark.
Sept. 15 Lewis Anderson, of Rahway, to Sarah Gardenier, of Newark.
Nov. 11 George Thompson, to Hannah Brown, both of Newark.
Dec. 25 William Edmund Deely, to Dorinda Kinney, both of Newark.
   
1835  
May 10 James J. Wheeler to Mary Hardin, both of Newark.
Sept. 24 Jesse F. Randel of Waterford, N. York, to Sophronia Davis of Albany, New York.
Dec. 5 William Garrabrant to Caroline Crosson, both of Orange.
Dec. 31 Alexander Underwood to Mary Scofield, both of Newark.
   
1836  
Mar. 10 James McClaskey to Frances Osborn, both of Newark.
May 31 Chandler D. Norton to Ann Mourison, both of Newark.
July 2 Richard Reed to Eliza Harding, both of Newark.
Sept. 14 Allen Osborn to Sarah Hedden, both of Camptown.
July 4 William Bacorn to Sarah Ann Hand, both of Newark.
   
1837  
Feb. 2 Henry J. Vanderworken, of Waterford, Saratoga Co., N. York, to Jane Mulliken, of Stillwater, in the same county.
Mar. 1 or 2 Thomas Dodd to Emma Hyland, both of Newark.
Oct. 30 Horace Stevenson, of Williamstown, Ms. (Mass.) to Violetta Swain, of Newark.
   
1838  
April 1 John A. Oliver to Christian R. Williams, both of Newark.
June 27 Julius L. Crone to Emeline Kemper, both of Newark.
Dec. 26 William Chapman to Bridget McDade, both of Newark.
   
1839  
Jan. 23 William S. Ketcham to Nancy L. Estile, both of Newark.
May 4 John C. Nuttman to Eliza J., daughter of Aaron Ward, both of Newark.
June 16 Anthony Vanblank of Rahway, N. Jersey to Sally Ann Livingston, of Ballston Spa, New York.
   
1840  
Dec. 5 George N. Sharp of New York to Mary G. Humphries of Newark.
   
1841  
Jan. 2 Henry Saddle to Phebe Ogden Baker, both of Clinton.
Feb. 1 Andrew Wetterson to Catharine Ann Walquist, both of Jersey City.
Feb. 23 John Begbie to Sarah M. Doremus, both of Newark.
Oct. 7 John Van Dyke, Esq. of New Brunswick to Mary D. Strong of Franklin Township, Somerset County.
   
1842  
Feb. 3 John B. Dean to Elizabeth C. Miller, both of Newark.
March 30 Stephen C. Smith of Livingston to Charlotte B. Morehous of Newark.
June 26 John Shepard to Elizabeth Anderson, both of Newark.
   
1843  
Sept. 28 Robert D. Weeks of Newark to Elvira J. Crafts of Whately, Massachusetts.
   
1844  
April 4 William H. Laine to Sarah Scofield, both of Newark.
May 9 Frederick Stag

Muller to Mary Hey, both of Newark.
Aug. 8 George P. Brown of Newark to Jane C. E. Jeed of Livingston.
   
1842  
Nov. 10 Alexander Underwood of German Flats, New York, to Julia Brown of Newark.
   
1844  
Oct. 9 Amos S. Holbrook to Elizabeth A. Randel, both of Newark.
   
1846  
Jan. 7 Theodore Mead to Joanna Mary Dodd, both of Newark.
Sept. 3 Samuel Randel of New York City to Jane Walker of Cobleskill, Schoharie Co., New York.

Processed by Robert Graul

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