Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church |
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Church in 2007
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Presbyterian |
| Leadership | The Rev. Roberta (Bobbie) Arrowsmith, Minister |
| Year consecrated | 1730 |
| Location | |
| Location | Union, NJ |
| Architecture | |
| Completed | 1782 |
| Specifications | |
| Direction of façade | east |
| Materials | Brick |
| Website | |
| http://www.ctfarms.org | |
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First Presbyterian Congregation of Connecticut Farms
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 Location in Union County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | Stuyvesant Avenue at Chestnut St., Union, New Jersey |
| Area | 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) |
| Built | 1782 |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000398 |
| Added to NRHP | April 3, 1970 |
The Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church is a very old and important church in Union, New Jersey. You can find it at Stuyvesant and Chestnut avenues, not far from U.S. Route 22. It holds the title of the oldest church in this township.
Contents
A Church with Deep Roots
The story of this church began in 1667. That's when people from Connecticut settled in a place they called Connecticut Farms. For many years, they had to travel about 4 to 5 miles (6–9 km) every Sunday. The roads were not good, and they had to go all the way to Elizabethtown (which is now Elizabeth) just to attend church.
Building Their Own Place of Worship
By 1730, the community decided it was time for their own church. Everyone worked together to build a wooden church in the middle of town. It was placed on a small hill. Soon after, a house for the minister, called a parsonage, was built nearby.
The Revolutionary War and a New Beginning
The first church building stood for about 50 years. But then, the American Revolutionary War happened. During the war, in 1780, British and German soldiers, called Loyalists, attacked the town. They were led by a German general named Wilhelm von Knyphausen.
The Battle of Connecticut Farms
The soldiers burned down the church, the parsonage, and many other buildings in the town. This was part of the Battle of Connecticut Farms. The British were trying to reach Morristown, but they were not successful.
A Tragic Loss
During the fighting, something very sad happened at the parsonage. Hannah Caldwell, the wife of a Continental Army minister named James Caldwell, was shot and killed. She was at home with her baby and a three-year-old child. As the British soldiers moved into Connecticut Farms, Hannah Caldwell was shot through a window or wall while sitting with her children on a bed. The parsonage is now a local history museum and is named after the Caldwell family.
Rebuilding After the War
After the war ended, the people of Connecticut Farms worked hard to rebuild their town. In 1782, they built a new church. This time, they used bricks. This brick church is the one you can see today. For a while, the church even earned money by selling grass and apples from its own orchards!
Modern Times and Recognition
In 1901, a new house for the minister, called a manse, was built next to the church. The church itself was made bigger in 1920 and again in 1949. These new parts were built to match the church's original style.
Because of its long and important history, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. It was the very first church in New Jersey to receive this special recognition.
Images for kids
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The church on a vintage postcard
See also
