History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 67

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print
Number of Pages: 942

USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Morristown > History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1 > Part 67

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" the care of this Pby to be careful punctu- " ally to send up annually to Pby, at their " stated fall sessions, reports on these sub- " jects agreeably to blank form No. I., pre- " sented by the General Assembly, and the " Stated Clerk is hereby directed to trans- " mit to all our church sessions an extract " of this minute ; and the church sessions "are hereby directed to enter this extract "upon their session Books.

" A true extract

" JOHN MCDOWELL, Stated Clerk."

Mr. David Lindsly was appinted a dele- gate from the session to attend the meet- ing of Pby to be held at Westfield on the 4th instant. [First appearance in Minutes of the appointment of such a delegate ; though not recorded, appointments were previously made.]

TRUSTEES AND PARISH.

[Trustees.] April 22, 1795. Silas Condict, Moses Estey, Benj. Lindsly, Isaac Canfield, Wm. Canfield. John Mills, Jonas Philops, Richard Johnson, Jonathan Dickerson, Jon- athan Ogden,Jonathan Stiles, Joseph Lewis, Daniel Phoenix, Ezra Halsey, Alex. Carmi- chael, Benj. Holloway, Gilbert Alling,Joseph Pruden, Joseph Halsey, David Lindley, John Lindley, Caleb Russell, Abraham T. Schenck, and Samuel Oliver appointed un- dertakers or managers to finish with the advice and consent of the Com. of Council the new meeting house.

[Trustees.] Oct. 29, 1795. Voted that the money collected last Sabbath be applyed to the support of the Missionarys on the fron- tiers. Agreed that no public provisions be made for those employ'd in gitting wood for Mr. Richards.

[Trustees.] Jan. 1. 1796. Voted that Mr. Johnson, Mr. Ogden and Ezekiel Whitehead be requested to set with the singers, and lead the Tenor & Bass. Committee also appointed to raise money by "an equitable assessment on the parishioners for the purpose of pay- ing for the new meeting house."

[Parish.] Feb. 18,1796. Com. reported they could not raise the money. As worship had already begun in the new building (on the 26th of Nov., 1795), it was resolved that the seats be sold for the purpose of reimburs-

PASTORATE OF THE REV. JAMES RICHARDS.

ing the undertakers or managers for moneys advanced or promised.

[Among the regulations of this sale we find that seat No. I on the East side was to be reserved for the minister's family, and on the West side for strangers, and No. 31 and 32 for those hard of hearing and for the poor.]

That the undertakers affix such a price to the remaining seats as will in the whole amount to £4,000, the estimated expense of said house.

That five per cent, of the valuation be assessed upon the pews to pay the minis- ter's salary.

Feb. 25, 1796. Parish meeting voted to make eight seats free, and fixed the assess- ments on the others at sums ranging from £29 to £120. The front seats brought the higher price.

March 5, 1796. Parish meeting author- ized the Trustees to have the old meeting house taken down at parish expense.

Proposed and agreed that the former per- sons who were appointed as choristers be a committee to elect the leading singers to fill the reserved seats for the singers. The chief of the seats were this day struck off. That the year of renting and sallery gener- ally to begin on September the 12th, * * Agreed that the seats No. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 28, 29, &e., to 53 inclusive be reserved on sacra- mental days for the communicants.

[Parish.] Ap'1 8, 1796. Deacon Alling, mod- crator ; William Campfield, clerk.

Trustees dispose of the same to the best ad- vantage.

Voted that the whole of the year sallery be paid Mr. Richards of the year when he was absent some time.

[Parish.] July 4, 1796. Richard Johnson, Moderator ; Jonat'n Ogden, clk .-

Voted that the parrish Treasurer affix one person at each of the meeting house doors. and pay them not to exceed 6d each Sabbath during three months, for the pur- pose of keeping dogs out of the Meeting house.

Voted that Mr. Philops be requested to put in windows in the corner pews No. 4 and 5, agreeable to a vote of a former Parish meeting.

Meeting of the Trustees at Mr. Mills house, 20 Sept., 1796. Present all the Trus- tees.

Voted that the parish Treasurer inform the delinquents of Mr. Richards salery, by letter or otherwise, that, on neglect or re- fusal of spedy payment, the sd. Sallery delin- quents shall be immediately prosecuted by reason of Mr. Richards necesituous circum- stances.

Trustee Meeting, 18th October, 1796, at Esquire Lindsleys ; present, the Presi- dent, Mr. Lindsleys, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Pierson.

Voted that Mr. Mills and Mr. Pierson be appointed to call on the executors of the late Rev'd Doct'r Jones for a settlement re- pecting a certificate or money said to have been given to the sd. Dr. Johnes for the parsonage fence destroyed by the army in the late war ; and if a settlement is not ob- tained to the Satisfaction of the sd. Commit- tee, that they shall proceed to take the tes- timony of Jonat'n Stiles, Esquire, agreeably to law for perfectuating Testimony, &c.

Voted that so much of a former vote be resinded as respects the power given the Trustees to rent out the seats unsold at the sallery appraised on them and the interest of the apprisal; and that the Trustees have the power of renting out the Seats unsold to the best advantage and not under the sum of the Sallery appraised on them, Meeting of the Trustees, 19 Jan'y, 1797, at Mr. Condict's House. Present all the Trustees. with a reserve that they may be sold at any time when a purchaser applies ; and if any person applies to rent a Seat, who has trans- Voted that the Committee appointed to call on Mr. Jones be instructed to inform him (provided Mr. Johnes refuses to pay the order drawn by the Trustees in favor of B. Lindsley,) that the committee will be under the necesaty of prosecuting for the same, and that sd. committee offer to leave the de- mand of the Trustees, respecting the land fered his property in the books of the par- ish, he shall pay the interest of that trans- fer : that Isræl Canfield, Joseph Halsey and William Campfield be managers to dispose of the overplus on the Seats sold, to finish- ing of the House ; the pulpit first to be fin- ished :- that the former vote respecting the old meeting house be resinded, and that the ) said to be in the inclosure of Wm. Jones

TRUSTEES AND PARISH.

and belonging to the parrish, also the rails burnt by the Army and paid for to Rev'd Doctor Jones, to Arbitration.

Voted that Matthias Crain, Usual Con- dict and Zenus Lindsley be appointed to col- lect in the Gallery.

Parish Meeting, 25 May, 1797. Deacon Alling' chosen Moderator, and Matthias Crain, Clerk.

Voted that the large windows each side of the pulpit be fixed so that they may be raised when they are wanted, and that a committee of three be appointed to fix the above win- dows, and all the other windows in the house to be raised also at their discretion, and that Alexander Carmichæl, George Tucker and Deacon Alling be the committee to superin- tend said business.

Voted that the same committee attend to stoping the leaks about the house and re- pairing the upper part of the steeple.

Voted that Col. Hatheway be appointed to superintend whitewashing the meeting house.

Voted that Alexander Carmichael, Dr. Wm. Campfield, and Moses Estey be ap- pointed to proceed to paint the inside of the meeting house, and that it be a light sky bluc.

Voted that the contributions for sweep- ing the meeting House and ringing the bell be discontinued, and that the parrish Treas- urer for the minister's salery be directed to pay the above expenses, quarter yearly, out of the funds collected from the rents of the seats and pews, and that he settle with the late Treasurer and receive what money re- mains in his hands.

Trustees, 19 June, 1797. At the meeting House. Present, the President, Mr. Mills, Mr. Ogden and Mr. Pierson.

Voted that [1] Hyer be prosecuted in behalf of the Congregation on account of his injuring the ball on the steeple by shooting a ball through it, and that John Mills and Jonathan Ogden be a committee to prosecute sd. Hyer to effect.

Trustees, Feb. 8, 1798. The trustees met at George O'Haras house this 8th day of feb'y, 1798. All present except the President.

Voted that Mr. Mills publish the lotts

for sale in the Morris paper that were lately surveyed of the parsonage for building lotts.

Voted that Mr. Tucker make a box suit- able to keep the pall in, and that the saxton be requested to keep sd. pall in the meeting house.

Voted that Dr. Wm. Campfield and Alex- ander Carmichæl be appointed to settle the several accts. respecting painting, white- washing, and sundry other accounts relating to finishing the meeting house.

Voted that the Treasurer Credit Mr. Rus- sell one dollar for printing letters Circulated in the Congregation.

Voted that the Trustees proceede and sell the seats of Delinquents, agreeable to a resolution of the parrish the 18th day of feb'y, 1796,

Voted that Esq'r Lewis be appointed to collect the arrears of Mr. Richards' Sallery, encluding that due on the last year rented seats ; and that Mr. Johnson be appointed to attend on the part of the Trustees in case of prosecutions.

[Parish.] 5 Sept. 1798. Gilbert Allen, Mo- derator ; and Matthias Crane, Clerk. Silas Condict gave notice to the meeting that he resigned his office as Trustee in the Congre- gation.

Voted that the Trustees advertize for the Election of a Trustee, agreeable to Law, at the next parish meeting.

[Trustees.] 12 Sept. 1798. At the house of George Oharra; present, Jon'n Ford, Jno. Mills, Rich'd Johnson, Jno'n Ogden and Benj'n Person. Voted that John Mills Set- tle accounts with Jonathan Stiles with him, or if they cant agree, then to appoint men to Settle the same. Silas Condict, late presi- dent of the Trustees, attended and deliver- edto Jon'n Ford, President, pro. tem., the bonds, Deeds and other papers, with the Seal belonging to the Corporation.

[Parish.] 19 Oct. 1798. Deacon Allin, Moderator ; Joseph Lewis, Clerk, Benja- min Lindsley resigned his office as Trustee to the Congregation. The Congregation then proceeded to choose George Tucker and Daniel Lindsley Trustees in the room of Silas Condict and Benjamin Lindsly.

Meeting of the Trustees, the 13th day of Ap'l, 1799, at the house of George O'Hara ; all present,

[I]A blank was left for the first name and never filled in.

PASTORATE OF THE REV. JAMES RICHARDS.

Voted that the burying yard be fenced with a frame fence; the boards be put up and down, or picket fassion.[3]

Voted that the Clerk draw an order on William Tuttle, in favour of Mr. Rich- ards, for twelve pounds, ten shillings, be- ing his half the interest on lands belong- ing to the parsonage and sold by the trus- tees.

The Board met at Esquire Tuttles [?]. the 20 Ap'l, 1799, all present. Mr. Ogden, appointed to settle and pay Wm. Cherry his acct. for repairing the Clock when in the old meeting, reported that he has paid Wm. Cherry thirty shillingsand 4d for the above repairs, including four shillings sd. Cherry paid Moses Force for mending the clock of a late date, and produced his receit.

Voted that Mr. Ford, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Tucker be a committee to attend the fencing of the burying yard and git it done by the great or Job, or by the day, at their discretion.

Voted that Mr. Lindley git the can- dle-sticks and bason belonging to the Congregation cleaned, and charge the Trus- tees.

At a Parrish Meeting held the 3d day of May, 1799 ; Major John Kenney, moderator, and Capt. Joseph Halsey, cl'k.

Voted that the Trustees shall not call for the old tax due to Mr. Collins, nor refuse the money if any should be offered.

Voted that Usual Condict and Jaduthan Condict be request to take charge of, and prevent as much may be, disorderly and ill- behaved boys siting on the stares, from playing and making disturbance in time of public service.

Parrish Meeting, 3d September, 1799. Deacon Allin chosen moderator, and Mat- thias Crane, Cl'k.

Voted that the Trustees be requested to apply to the proprietors of the Steple school house, or such of them as may be conveni- ently found, and request them to move oute of the burying yard sd. house ; that in case sd. proprietors neglect or refuse to take measures for this purpose, so as to have sd. house mooved, as affore said, by the fifteenth Instant, in that case the Trus-

tees are directed to dispose of sd. house at Public vendue, the product to remain in the hands of the Trustees without interest, to be applyed to the benefit of the Town when- ever they choose to apply it to the use of building another school house ; and, if the Town see proper to remove the sd. house, the Trustees are directed to point out the ground on which sd. house may stand.

Meeting of the Trustees at the house of George O'Hara, 17 September, 1799, all pre- sent.

Voted that the cl'k advertise the Steple School house to be sold at the public ven- due on the first day of October next, at four o'clock P. M .; if not taken oute of the bury- ing yard before that day ; that Mr. Mills and Mr. Ogden be a committee to attend the vendue and give six months credit.

[Trustees, 1799.] The Trustees met at Mr. Ford's house; all present, except Mr. Lind- ley. Voted that Mr. Ford furnish Iron hooks and put them in the burying yard fence, to hitch horses, and place them Six feet dis- tance, from near Cherrie's house to the Huntington sellar.

Meeting of the Trustees at Mr. Lindley's house, 23 day Dec'r, 1799, all present. Voted that the Saxton be directed to clean the steps of the meeting house from snow, so that the steps before the oute side doors are free from snow on sunday mornings, and that Cherry be paid by the Trustees for sd. servis.

Parrish Meeting, 28 day Jan'y, 1800. Dea- con Alling, moderator ; and Mr. Jos. Halsey, clerk.

Voted that the Trustees, with the Treas- urer, be directed to pay to Mr. Richards, in- stead of his firewood for one year, eighty- seven dollars and fifty cents, or such other sum as shall be sufficient to purchase thirty-nine cords of good fire wood, deliv- ered at his house, one-half to be hickory ; and the year to begin the 12 day of Septem- ber next.

Sold at public vendue this day, after par- ish meeting, two women's saddles ; one to Ebenezer Stiles for ten dollars and ten cents; the other to Benja. Pierson for ten dollars and four cents, payable in three months with interest from this day.

Meeting of Trustees at Mr. Mill's house, 31 day March, 1800, all present.

[3] In a duplicate report of this meeting the word Fashion is spelled "facion"

TRUSTEES AND PARISH.

Voted that Mr. Mills and Mr. Ogden con- vers with Mr. Woodmen, and obtain his consent to give up the sweaping of the meeting house ; and in that case to give Wm. Cherry the work to doe. Voted that Mr. Ford be, and he is, unanimously appointed President of this body of Trustees.

Meeting of the Trustees, 4th day Sept'r., 1801 ; all present.

Voted that Mr. Mills take care of the bury- ing yard fence and mend the same if needed.

Voted that Wm. Cherry, the sexton, be allowed two dollars for cleaning the meet- ing house of goos dung and the meeting house steps of human dung and goos dung sundry times.

Voted that Mr. Mills and Mr. Lindley be a committee to enquire into the business of dirtying the meeting house with goos dung, &c .; and prosecute, if sd. committee think proper.

At a Parish Meeting, held this 3rd of Sept'r, 1803, David Lindsley was appointed Moderator and Joseph, Halsey, Clerk.

Voted that the Trustees make a report annually to the parish, at a parish meeting in September, of the property, debts and funds belonging to the parish.

Voted that the Venitian blinds which are put to one of the windows of the meeting house be taken away.

Voted that the pew belonging to Doctor Wm. Campfield, which has been raised, be put down to its former situation : and that the President of the Trustees wait on Doct'r Campfield and request him to put it in its former situation.

Meeting of the Trustees at Rich'd Johnson's House, 27 Augt., 1803; all present. Voted that John Mills, Rich'd Johnson and Daniel Lindley or any two of them, be a committee to pre- vent, by legal means, the turn pike com- pany or any person or persons breaking ground on the green belonging to the par- ish for the purpose of makeing a turn pike road.

At a meeting of the Congregation on the Ist day of December, 1803; Dea- con Alling, moderator, and Joseph Lewis, Clerk, the moderator gave no- tice that the business in part was to agree about raising, or increasing, Mr. Richard's Sallery, and after some conversation, Re-I

solved, that there be an addition to Mr. Richards present sallery of one hundred and twenty-five dollars annually, from the 12th day of September last ; and that the par- rish Treasurer be directed to pay him in advance all the surplus sallery money on hand ; and if there be any yet uncollected, that was due the 12th day of September last, that he pay the whole to him as soon as collected : That the Trustees be directed to sue all delinquents whose sallery may re- main unpaid for three months after the sal- lery for one year shall become due.

That the Trustees be requested to paint the church as early next spring as they can with convenience, & that they repaire the clock and put one or more faces to it ; also that the Trustees be authorised & requested to provide two branch candle sticks to each window below, & two for the desk in front of the pulpit, and one for each pillar ; and that they provide as many candles for each evening meeting as may be necessary.

At a Parrish meeting held at the meeting house the 19 September 1804, Deacon Alling was appointed Moderator and Henry Mills, c,l,k.

On motion, voted that the Minister be supplyed with wood in the same manner as last year. Resolved that Mr. Jaduthan Con- dict and Mr. Usual Condict be authorised and directed to prevent all disorderly be- haviour . in the galleries and on the stairs, during public worship ; and more particu- larly to prevent young people from disturb- ing the congregation by moveing down stairs before the blessing is pronounced.

Also resolved that Mr. Richards be re- quested to publish the foregoing resolution on the next Sabbath.

Resolved that Richard Johnson. Esquire, Dr. Lewis Condict, and Joseph Lewis, Es- quire, be a committee to superintend the singing in the church ; who are authorised to appoint Chorristers, point out proper tunes to be sung, and generally to do all things necessary for the promotion of har- mony in the singing and with the singers.

Mr. Mills and Mr. Johnson, the committee appointed to sell forfeited seats, reported that they had given public notice on the preceeding sabeth, of a parrish meeting for the purpose of seling a number of forfited seats, and that they had put up advertise-

PASTORATE OF THE REV. JAMES RICHARDS.

ments in 6 different places, describeing the particular seats to be sold & who were the owners ; &, according thereto, on the 2 day of Nov. 1804. they had sold at public ven- due the seats and pews hereafter named, viz: * * *

y [Here follows a de- * scription of the pews to be sold, with the prices and names of purchasers. In the gallery No. 2 sold to John Smith for $7.50 ; half of 13 to Joseph Beers, for $9 ; on main floor, 14 sold to George Tucker, in behalf of "Jonas Philops," for $8 ; and half of 53 to David Hedges for $12.]

EXPENSE OF PAINTING MEETING HOUSE.

40 Gls. of oil at 10, £20. 0. 0

₹ 28 Do. o Do. 10-6, 15. 1.10

13]. of whitelead.1456 @ ₹ 84.18. 8

N. York price, 120. 0. 6

Expense of giting to

Morristown, 3.15. 9

£123.166.

2} Gls. of oil of J. Dixon

at 13, 1.9.3

5 brushes, 16, 16. o

I qt. Sps. turpentine 2-6 lamback 3, 5. 6

Jonatn Ford,s acct. II. O

Jesse Cutler acct.,

1. 4. O

Benja. Halloways,

10. 0

Benoni Hathaway,

I. 4. O

David Hathaway,

11. 1.IO

Wm. Woolley,

19. 8. 5

James Cooper,

14.15. 9

Stephen Ayres,

15. 0

John Mills acct. about

4.12. 0

Richard Johnson, 15. 0. 0

70. 3.6

Work at the Steple,

12. 0.0

£207, 9.0

27 Dec,, 1804, the committee for paint- ing the meeting house Report that they had painted the oute side of the house twice over, & had painted some of the inside & had expended in doeing the same about four hundred and 90 dollars, & in Itoning the frame of the steeple about thirty dollars.

Painting the house,

490 dollars.

Ironing the Steeple,

$520

Meeting of the Trustees at Esquire Johnson's house, 29 Apl., 1805 ; all pie- sent except Mr. Johnson ..

On application of Wm. Cherry, the Sex- ton, Voted that he receive from the treas- urer for his services for ringing the bell and sweeping the meeting house thirty-five dol- lars pr. annum, after this date.

Meeting of Trustees, all present ex- cept Mr. Tucker ; met at Mr. Coes, '29 May, 1807.

Voted that Mr. Mills and Mr. Pierson be" a committee for the purpose of waiting on the board of chosen freeholders, & to in- form the board that the trustees request them to relinquish the rent due from Moses Estey for the privilege & use of the land on which his store is placed, adjoining the Court House, & to present them with a writeing in the following words or to that effect, viz .; Morris town, 29 May, 1807. To the board of chosen freeholders for the County of Morris, we, the Trustees of the first Presbyterian Church at Morris town, would again solicit your attention to a mat- ter we think of Sufficient importance. The board will remember that some time in the year 1805 we addressed you with a few lines, in which we remonstrated against the erect- ing of a building at the West end of the Court House, which was then goeing on. For two reasons we requested that Said building might be stopped. ist that we consider it was a trespasing on the prop- erty of the congregation ; and 2d that erect- ing a building on that ground for private use would effectually destroy the title of the County to the whole Court house lot. It seems that our application and remon- strance has been totally disregarded, and Said building has been sometime occupied for private use. Altho you have hereby destroyed the Title of the County to the Court house lot, we have no objections to the County's using Said lot for the pur- poses Specified in their deed from the Trus- tees, which was for the Court house only, provided they pay to this board the whole of the ground rent paid and to be paid by Moses Estey.

Sighned by order of the board, Sighned, Jon'n Ford, President.

3 f

TRUSTEES AND PARISH.

At a parrish meeting held at the Presbterian Church on 24 march, 1808; Jno. Kinney, moderator, Tim. J. Lewis, Clerk.

Voted that one of the Seats reserved for deaf people, No. 31, be rented from this time to 12 of Sept'r next.

Voted that the Trustees procure an esti- mate of the expense of painting inside of the Church, lettering of the Seats, repairing of the clock, and ascertaining whether the Clock can carry three hands and the ex- pense of them. Resolved that the busi- ness of the meeting be adj'd to the Second wednesday in April next, at three in the af- ternoon.

At a meeting of the Parrish held at the Church in morristown, on 13 ap'r, 1808, by adjournment, Edward Condict, Esq'r., moderator ; Henry King, Clerk.

On motion of Dr. Condict, Resolved that the appointment of two of the Trustees shall be vacated Annually, from and after the yearly parrish meeting to be holden in Sept'r next ; and, that it may be assertained in what order their respective appointments shall become vacant, be it further resolved that the said Trustees be, and they are here- by, requested to divide themselves into three classes, the two first classes consist- ing of two members each and the third of three members ; the term of the first class to Expire at the time before mentioned : of the second class, one year thereafter, and of the third, one year after the expiration of the second.

And be it resolved that, at the Annual meeting of the Parrish before mentioned, the Congregation shall procede to fill the vacancies which shall happen in pursuance of the above resolution ; and that occasional vacancies by Death or resignation shall be filled as heretofore.

Richard Johnson & Jonathan Ford resign- ed their offices as Trustees, whereupon Richard Johnson was reappointed ; Silas Condict, in place of Jonathan Ford re- signed, and Jacob Smith, in place of George Tucker, Dec't., were also appointed Trustees.

Resolved that the Trustees be authorised to pay Mr. Richards the ballance due him oute of any money in their hands, or com- promise by paying him the Interest on Said ballance.

Resolved that a Subscription be set on foot by the Trustees to purchase a new Clock with three faces, & lay the same before the r.ext annual parrish meeting.

[Trustees, 18 April, 1808.] A meeting of the Trustees at the house of G. Coe ; present John Mills, Jon'n Ogden, Benj'n Pierson & Daniel Lindsly ; when Richard Johnson, Silas Condict & Jacob Smith at- tended and took the oaths required by Law as Trustees. The Trustees then proceeded to the choice of a president and appointed John Mills their president for the time being.

At a meeting of Trustees, at the house of Grover Coe, 31 Aug., 1808. Mr. Person ab- sent. Mr. Mills and Mr. Johnson, a commit- tee appointed to meet a committee from the board of chosen Freeholders of the County of Morris, respecting the building erected by Moses Estey, Esq'r, Reported that they had met with Said Commit- tee, who disagreed to the proposal made by the Trustees.

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History of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, N.J., 1742-1882 pt 1, Part 67

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.) Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print Number of Pages: 942

Author: First Presbyterian Church in Morristown (N.J.)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Morristown, N.J. : "Banner" Steam Print
Number of Pages: 942