Readington Reformed Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Readington Reformed Church |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
 Readington Reformed Church
Location in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
|
|
| 40°34′5″N 74°44′7″W / 40.56806°N 74.73528°W | |
| Location | 124 Readington Road Readington, New Jersey |
| Denomination | Reformed Church in America |
| History | |
| Founded | 1719 |
The Readington Reformed Church is an old church in Readington Village, New Jersey. It's found in Readington Township in Hunterdon County. Long ago, it was called the Dutch Reformed Church of North Branch. It's the oldest Dutch Reformed Church in Hunterdon County. The building you see today was built in 1865. The church also has a cemetery called the Readington Reformed Church Cemetery. It became part of the Readington Village Historic District on June 24, 1991. This means it's a special historic place.
A Look Back: Church History
The first church was started in 1719. It was a group of people from the Dutch Reformed Church. They built a church out of logs. It was near where the North Branch and South Branch rivers meet. This spot is now in Branchburg, Somerset County. On February 21, 1720, Reverend Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen gave the first sermon there.
In 1738, the church moved to Readington. They built a new church there. It was made of wood.
Reverend Frelinghuysen was the pastor until 1748. His son, Reverend John Frelinghuysen, took over after him.
Another pastor, Reverend Johannes Arondeus, served the church from 1747 to 1754. He was from the Classis (orthodox) Church of Amsterdam.
Reverend Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh became a pastor in 1757. He later became the first President of Queens College. Today, that college is known as Rutgers University. He served the church for 25 years.
Reverend Peter Studdiford was the pastor from 1787 to 1826. By 1825, the church had grown very large. So, a new church was formed in North Branch village.
Two church buildings were built when Reverend John Van Liew was pastor. He served for over 40 years, from 1828 until he passed away in 1869. The first new church was opened on December 22, 1833. Sadly, it burned down on March 22, 1864. The second building is the one that stands today. It was opened on July 20, 1865.
The church once had a very tall steeple. A big storm, like a cyclone, blew it down on January 3, 1913. It was replaced with a shorter one. One hundred years later, the church fixed it up. A new steeple was put up on October 27, 2013.
 |
People Buried Here
The Readington Reformed Church Cemetery is where many people are buried. Here are a few notable people:
- Peter Studdiford (1763–1816), a pastor for the Readington Reformed Church. He also served the Bedminster Reformed Church.
- John Van Liew (1798–1869), a pastor for the Readington Reformed Church.
See Also
- North Branch Reformed Church
- Readington Village Historic District
