HISTORIC SCOTCH PLAINS BAPTIST CHURCH and CEMETERY
SCOTCH PLAINS, Union Co. (then Essex Co.), NEW JERSEY
HOMEPAGE
SCOTCH PLAINS, Union Co. (then Essex Co.), NEW JERSEY
HOMEPAGE
Scotch Plains Baptist Church
333 Park Avenue
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
NOTICE:
This site is NOT associated with the Scotch Plains Baptist Church, but designed to be a genealogical collection site for its history. My interest lies in collecting information concerning the history of the church and gravestones photos located at its cemetery in an effort to preserve the history of the lives of those laid to rest there. Many of the old gravestones within its cemetery are weathered, deterioting, broken (never reset in place) and gone. Many gravestone names and their inscriptions once recorded as being read (1922 & 1952 by members of the Genealogical Society of New Jersey) have already been lost to the ages.
Names of some charter members appear to have been preserved while names of most early founding communicants appear to have been lost or never recorded. Some marriage records give clues to those families who were possibly early members of the church. It is not known if the church has burial records or other early records in its archives. A few ledgers with recopied names of some members were seen by this researcher in 1998. It is said that the original church records were microfilmed by Rutgers University Library, but it is not known if these are housed at Rutgers.
Names of Early Scotch Plains Baptist Church Members, Marriages, and Burials at the church are welcomed. |
Wilson B. BROWN of Canada Joyce (LEAVER) CARRAWAY of NJ Harman R. CLARK, Jr. of VT Carol Koehler of NJ Rachel Pincus of NJ Dave SHIELDS of Long Island, NY Other contributors are mentioned with their contribution(s): photos, information, family histories, etc. ASH |
- This webpage and others are authored by Audrey (Shields) Hancock of Portage, MI.
- NOTES with ASH are Audrey (Shields) Hancock comments or research.
- Contributors of information, resources, photos, documents, documentation, and etc. are acknowledged with their names and e-mail, or as they wish. These are greatly welcomed and appreciated by many family researchers.
- Numbers in parentheses ( ) represent the footnoted references below.
- Documentation when known accompanies information.
- I welcome any comments that will help in building this site and in presenting a history of this church of my early ancestors.
- Copies of this webpage can be made with my pleasure, but please give credit to my sources, contributors, and myself.
HISTORICAL TIDBIT
Becoming increasingly tired of traveling so far to attend their church service at the Piscataway (aka Piscataqua) Baptist Church in Middlesex Co., NJ and desiring to have a church within their own village/community appear to have been the catalysts for a group of faithful servants of God to begin discussing a separation from the mother church. A meeting house was built before the church was organized. Desires to separate from their mother church esculated and became more fervent. This led to the organization of the Scotch Plains Baptist Church. Fifteen members from the Piscataway Church wrote and endorsed their new covenant on 5 August 1747.
The first pastor chosen to lead the flock was Rev. Benjamin Miller. He served faithfully from 13 February 1748 until he was called to his Maker on 14 Nov 1781. He was buried in the churchyard cemetery located on the southeast corner of Mountain Avenue and Park Avenue. Biography of John Gano indicates he was ordained as pastor of the church in 1754, but left shortly afterwards to preach in various places; and he joined the western movement of 1788 into the Miami Valley of Ohio and Kentucky. In 1785 Rev. William Van Horne is said to have been pastor.
Published by the Scotch Plains Baptist Church 1997
The Historic Scotch Plains, NJ Church Cemetery
Among those buried in the churchyard of the Scotch Plains Baptist Church lies the remains of the slave known only as Caesar. On this site, First Baptist Church," one reads the story of Caesar, a Scotch Plains slave, who was a member of the church for over fifty years. He served as a teamster during the Revolutionary War, driving his wagon and team of horses. His owner was Deacon Drake who eventually set him free. Caesar evidently continued his membership in the church until his death on 7 February 1806 at 104 years. About 1995 this photo by Mary Ellen Walsh was taken of his gravestone which then and perhaps now still stands among others against the brick wall of the church.
Stone in front was too heavy for photographer to move.
Photo #16 will soon be unreadable: "Betsy daughter of Stephen and Prudence Hand died November 2, 1801, age 12; Pegy November 2, 1801, age 8."
SURNAME |
appropriate to this topic are welcomed.
(1) ASQUITH, Glenn H. and Scotch Plains Baptist Church 1997 Historical Committee, A History of the Baptist Church, Scotch Plains, NJ, 1997, Published by the Church: 109pp. Contributor: Audrey Shields Hancock
(2) A History of the State of Ohio: "The Foundations of Ohio," Vol. 1 Columbus, 1941: Articles by Beverley W. BOND, Jr. Contributor: Harman CLARK, Jr.
(3) PARKS, Rev. J. H., D.D. & Judge James D. CLEAVER, The History of the Scotch Plains Baptist Church, Scotch Plains, N.J. Contributor: Harman CLARK, Jr.
(4) VAN HORNE, William, The Reverend William Van Horne, His Ancestors and His Descendants published 1990 by Mr. VAN HORN, ITG Publishing Company, Columbus, OH: Lib. of Congress Card No. 90-84551. Rev. Van Horne, the main subject of the book, was a Baptist minister in eastern PA at time of American Revolution, and was at Valley Forge. After the war he served for 22 years as pastor of the Scotch Plains Baptist Church. He was on his way to emigrate to Ohio, but died on the way. Contributor: Harman CLARK, Jr.
(5) Research of Audrey (SHIELDS) HANCOCK
(6) Records: Scotch Plains Baptist Church
(7) Scotch Plains Baptist Church Marriage Records, 1758-1761, NJ Archives, First Series, Vol. XXII.
Contributor: Joyce LEAVER
(8) Genealogical Magazine of NJ, "Scotch Plains Baptist Church Members, 1747-1814," Jan 1932, Vol. VII, No. 3
Contributor: Joyce LEAVER
(Source: One bound volume, containing vols. 34-36, published between 1959 and 1961: Vol. 35 (pp. 62-69 (Issue #2), pp. 130-137 (Issue #4); Vol. 36 (pp. 29-38 (Issue #1), pp. 86-96 (Issue #3) Thank you, Grace Hagedorn for citation information.)
(9) Internet, 10 Apr 2001, E-mail to ASH: Wilson B. BROWN: Manuscript of Edmund F. Brown on deposit at New Jersey Historical Society. Wilson is descendant of Joseph BROWN. See: BROWN Burials in Connecticut Farms, NJ and Historical Tidbits
(10) Visit: "The Westfield Leader"--"The Times"
(11) Visit: "The First Baptist Church"
(12) Visit: "A Sketch of Early Primitive Baptist History in the State of Ohio"
(13) Visit: "Baptist"
(14) Visit: "Scotch Plains History"
(15) Visit: Scotch Plains
(16) Visit: A GENERAL HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN AMERICA, AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD
(17) "Origins of the Jersey Settlement of Rowan County, North Carolina"
"She [Rebecca (???) Smith, widow of Thomas Smith] was there c1752 when a huge wagon train brought several hundred people, including most of the congregation of Scotch Plains Baptist Church from Essex County, New Jersey, and undoubtedly heard sermons in 1755 by that church's visiting minister, "Rev. (Benjamin) Miller-(who) spent several weeks at the Jersey Church for the colony was made up of many persons from his neighborhood.-"' [Rev. Morgan Edwards, Materials Towards a History of the Baptists, II:106].
(18) MARRIAGE RECORDS: 1665-1800: Scotch Plains Baptist Church & Others
(19) Virtual American Biographies: JOHN GANO
(20) New Jersey Historical Society: Genealogical Collections on Microfilm
ITEMS of INTEREST
Fanwood Channel 35
75 No. Martine Avenue
Fanwood, N.J. 07023
RETURN:
Union Co., NJ Cemeteries Homepage