Guide to the Records of North field Baptist Church 1786-1885 MG 700

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Descriptive Summary
Historical Note
Scope and Content Note
Restrictions
Access Points
Related Material
Administrative Information
Bibliography

Container List

Historical Sketch and Church Records


Guide to the Records of Northfield Baptist Church
1786-1885
MG 700
The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
(973) 596-8500 x249
library@jerseyhistory.org
https://www.jerseyhistory.org
© 2004 All rights reserved.
The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher
Inventory prepared by Bob Golon as part of the “Farm to City” project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Finding aid encoded by Danielle Kovacs. March 2004. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Finding aid written in English.


Descriptive Summary

Creator: Northfield Baptist Church
Title: Northfield Baptist Church Records
Dates: 1786-1885
Abstract: Consists of photostatic copies of a historical sketch of the Northfield Baptist Church and congregation, covering the period from 1786 through 1867, written by John R. Burnet.
Quantity: 0.10 linear feet (4 items)
Collection Number: MG 700

Historical Note

The Reverend George Guthrie, a schoolmaster in Livingston, along with several other area ministers, formed the Canoe Brook Baptist Society in 1876. The church was officially established and constituted on April 17, 1786, as the Canoe Brook Baptist Church. The area was known as the Canoe Brook section of the town of Northfield, which became Livingston, New Jersey in 1813.

The original members of the church were Obed and Mary Denham, Moses and Desire Edwards, Content Edwards, Timothy Meeker, William Meeker, Sarah Cook, Mary Cory, Thomas Forse Jr., and Timothy Ward. Those members were joined by Albert Ball and his family in 1788. The name of the church was changed when the Baptist Society was incorporated as the Northfield Baptist Church in 1800, under the Reverend Moses Edwards. Funding was raised and a new church building was erected, also in 1800. Edwards, Deacon Thomas Force, and Albert Ball were the chief contributors to the building of the new church.

In 1842, during the pastorate of Isaac M. Church, a 22-day revival meeting was held at Northfield, under the direction of the noted revivalist from New York, Reverend Washington Kingsley. This revival resulted in an increase of interest and membership in the church. Pastors who were ordained at Northfied in the 19th century include Moses Edwards, Isaac Price, Caleb Wilson, William Hind, John Watson, George Benedict, Willard Howell, John T. Craig, and Dr. George Clarke.

The Northfield Baptist Church is currently located at 17 East Northfield Road in Livingston, New Jersey.
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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of photostatic copies a historical sketch of the Northfield Baptist Church and congregation, covering the period from 1786 through 1867, written by John R. Burnet. He chronicles the formation of the congregation, the erection of the Church building in 1800, and the involvement of the many influential people and pastors on the church’s behalf. Additionally, Burnet describes church life as it existed in the early to mid 1800s.

Also in this collection is a copy of the “Church Book of Canoe Brook,” which shows meeting minutes and notes regarding the conducting of church business from 1786 through July 1801. This book consists of a copy of the original church covenant from 1786, and a copy of a letter to the congregations of Newark, N.J., requesting donation subscriptions to help defray the cost of the new church building. The collection contains, too, copies of the Sunday School records from 1868 through 1885, including notes concerning Christmas proceedings and celebrations for students, weekly, quarterly, and yearly activity reports, and an undated attendance listing as well as a list of marriages and deaths from April 1790 to May 1816.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Photocopying of materials is limited and no materials may be photocopied without permission from library staff.

Use Restrictions

Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.

The New Jersey Historical Society complies with the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code), which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials.

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Access Points

The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, forms, and occupations documented in this collection.
Subject Names:
Ball, Albert, fl. 1788.
Benedict, George, fl. 1830.
Burnet, John R. (John Robertson), 1808-1874.
Church, Isaac.
Clarke, George, fl. 1860.
Craig, John T.
Denham, Obed.
Edwards, Content.
Edwards, Desire.
Edwards, Moses.
Force, Thomas.
Guthrie, George, fl. 1786.
Hind, William, fl. 1855.
Howell, Willard.
Meeker, Timothy, fl. 1786.
Meeker, William, fl. 1786.
Price, Isaac, fl. 1787.
Watson, John, fl. 1825.
Wilson, Caleb, fl. 1830.
Subject Organizations:
Baptist Church of Canoe Brook (Livingston, N.J.)
Northfield Baptist Church (Livingston, N.J.)
Subject Topics:
Church–History–New Jersey.
Sunday schools.
Subject Places:
Essex County (N.J.)
Livingston (N.J.)
Document Types:
Minutes.
Notebooks.
Subject Occupations
Clergy–New Jersey.

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Related Material

For material related to the individuals or topics documented in the collection, see:

Manuscript Group 259, Philadelphia Baptist Association Records

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as: Manuscript Group 700, Northfield Baptist Church (Livingston, N.J.) Records, The New Jersey Historical Society.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Mrs. Ethel A. Harrison, 1969.

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Bibliography

Cook, Lillias Collins. Pioneers of Old Northfield. Livingston, NJ: Triangle Publishing Company, 1953.

Cook. Lillias Collins. Souvenir 125th Anniversary Northfield Baptist Church. Northfield, N.J.: Northfield Baptist Church, 1911.

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Container List

Historical Sketch and Church Records

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Historical sketch (copy) 1786-1867
1 2 Record book (copy) 1786-1801
1 3 Record book (copy) 1868-1885
1 4 Marriage and death register (copy) 1790-1816

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