Manuscript Group 812, First United Methodist Church, Newark, NJ Records, 1839-1960

Manuscript Group 812,

First United Methodist Church, Newark, NJ Records, 1839-1960,

10 linear feet

The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
Phone: (973) 596-8500 x249
Email: library@jerseyhistory.org
URL: https://www.jerseyhistory.org
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The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher

 Folder-level inventory organized by Dr. James Amemasor (2023)

Scope and Content Notes:

The collection consists of records of the First United Methodist Church, founded in 1849 as Central Methodist Episcopal Church. The church building was located at 277 Market St., east of Broad Street, and was dedicated in 1851. The church flourished for many years under the direction of several pastors. In 1937, the Central Church merged with Halsey Street Methodist Episcopal, which had been founded in 1808 as Wesley Chapel (the first Methodist congregation in Newark). The Central Church was renamed First Methodist Church after the merger. The Halsey Street church building, which was dedicated in 1852, was demolished in 1952.

The collection includes minutes, business and financial records, church registers, correspondence, and printed material. In miscellaneous files some records of the Central Methodist and Halsey Street churches are intermingled. Of particular interest is a group of 31 letters written by members of various New Jersey regiments in the Civil War to John M. Guinell (1861-1864).

Also of interest is an undated resolution (on a letterhead of a New York based company, with a plant in South Kearny, N.J., Whittaker, Clark & Daniels, Inc.) by members of the Woman’s Society of Christin Service of First Methodist Church deploring racial segregation in the denomination.