Second Presbyterian Church

27 Washington Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102

October, 1811 -

Additional images: 2003 #1, 2003 #2

The Second Presbyterian church was formed by the northern part of the First Presbyterian congregation. The cornerstone of the church was laid in June of 1810 by 93 members. The lot was at 17 Washington Street facing Washington Park. The stucco finish gave the new church the nickname "Old Blue Church". The auditorium has 26 stained glass windows of various sizes depicting outstanding local citizens, spiritual leaders, and incidents in the life of Christ. Only 9 months after the church dedication, the wife of the first reverend fell from Passaic Falls in Patterson and drowned, they had been married only two months. In 1886 the old church was replaced with a new edifice. A Sunday School and parish house were erected in 1911. The church was destroyed by fire in 1930 and rebuilt. Newark's first foundry, erected in 1768, first occupied the site.

From the Newark Daily Advertiser, Thursday Evening, September 20, 1850:

"A New Bell has just been placed in the steeple of the Second Presbyterian Church, the old one, to which the ears of the passing generation have been so long accustomed, having been cracked on the day of the funeral solemnities to the memory of Gen. Taylor. The bell is from the famous foundry of Meneely, of West Troy, weighs about 1400 lbs., is on B, and is very sweet toned."

From Chris Cook:

In the year 1801 Rev. Edward Dorr Griffin became Colleague Pastor with Dr M Whorter of the First Presbyterian Church Newark N.J. After an eminently successful ministry of nearly eight years at Newark he accepted the appointment of Professor of Sacred Rhetoric in the Theological Seminary at Andover Mass and was inaugurated in June 1809. He was in Newark in 1815 as pastor of the Second church. In 1821 he became president of Williams College in Massachusetts holding that office fifteen years. He again returned to Newark and died here November 8, 1837 He lies buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

REVERENDS

ADDRESSES

LDS FHC
MICROFILM #'s

ARCHIVE
INFORMATION

Reverend	From	To
Hooper Cumming	October 3, 1811	January 3, 1815
Edward Dorr Griffin	June 20, 1815	October, 1821
Philip C. Hay	December 17, 1822	July 11, 1833
Ebenezer Cheever	April 23, 1834	April 26, 1845
Jonathan B. Condit	December 15, 1845	April 5, 1851
George L. Prentiss	December 6, 1850	April 15, 1851
Joseph Few Smith	December 23, 1851	June 22, 1888 (Death)
Pleasant Hunter	October 3, 1889	October 1, 1894
Paul F. Sutphen	January 20, 1893	September 24, 1894
Thomas R. Bridges	November 7, 1895	October 4, 1905
Pleasant Hunter	February 14, 1907

Address	From	To
17, 25, 27 Washington Street c. James Street	1810	after 1920

Information	Starting Year	Ending Year	LDS Microfilm #
Church Manual for the Members			6052710 6052711

ARCHIVE INFORMATION