Old Tennent Church facts for kids
The Old Tennent Church is a historic church in Manalapan, New Jersey. It's a Presbyterian church, which is a type of Christian church. The church building is located at 450 Tennent Road in the Tennent area.
This church is very old, with its first group of members forming way back in 1692. It was important in helping to establish Presbyterianism in America. The building you see today was finished in 1753. It was named to honor two pastors, John Tennent and his brother William Tennent. There's also a historic cemetery, the Old Tennent Cemetery, right next to the church.
The Old Tennent Church is famous for its role in the American Revolutionary War. A major battle, the Battle of Monmouth, happened very close to the church. During this battle, the church building was used as a temporary hospital to help injured soldiers.
A Look Back: Church History
The Old Tennent Church has a long and interesting past. The first group of people who formed the church in 1692 were Scottish people who had to leave their home country. They were facing harsh treatment for their religious beliefs under King James II.
The church has been in its current building since 1751. It's amazing that the building hasn't changed much since then! A very important event happened here during the American Revolutionary War. On June 28, 1778, the Battle of Monmouth took place all around the church. The church building was used to care for wounded soldiers during this fierce fight.
Brave People Buried Here
The cemetery at Old Tennent Church is the final resting place for many important people. Some of them played key roles in American history:
- Thomas Henderson (New Jersey politician) – He was a soldier in the Battle of Monmouth and later became a doctor. He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Joshua Huddy – A brave American patriot during the Revolution.
- Nathaniel Scudder – He was one of the people who signed the Articles of Confederation for New Jersey. He also represented New Jersey in the Continental Congress.
Honoring Soldiers: The Monument
In 1920, the church members and leaders put up a special monument. This monument honors the soldiers and sailors from Monmouth County who lost their lives in World War I, also known as "The Great War."
The monument has a stone with the names of those who died. It also has a message that says: "This monument is dedicated to the memory of the Soldiers and Sailors of Monmouth County who sacrificed their lives in the World War 1914–1918. Erected by the Membership and Officers of the Old Tennent Church, 1920." Later, another message was added to the monument. It talks about how the monument was put up to remember the soldiers and sailors who served in the Great War. Many of them are buried in unknown graves far away. The monument helps make sure their names are remembered in this special and historic place. This way, their families, friends, and visitors can see that these brave people are not forgotten.
