Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Church records and registers
Church finance
Pews and pew rights
Presbyterians
Presbyterian Church
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian in 1793. Entries are listed by pew number, with pew holder's name, portion of pew rented, and dates and amounts paid. Entries are written sideways, spanning left and right pages.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian from 1792 to 1793. Entries include pew numbers, names of pew holders, how much of the pew they rented, and dates and amounts paid. Note: A few loose pages related to church finances date from 1807 and 1838, including a record of accounts for the "New Church," which later became the 1st Presbyterian Church of Northern Liberties.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian from 1783 to 1789. Entries are listed by name of pew holder, and include old arrearages as well as dates and amounts paid.
The practice of renting pews was common in 18th and 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian in 1781. Entries are listed by congregant name, with pew numbers and amounts paid. Pew rents due in May of that year are listed from image 9 to image 35. Entries due in November of that year are then listed from the back of the book, upside down, with page numbers starting anew.
Church discipline
Church management
Corporate minutes
The Session is a body of elected elders governing a Presbyterian church. In this bound volume, the Session is referred to as the Consistory until 1767. Meeting minutes run from 1744 to 1798, and note the date, members present, and business discussed. Business includes elections to office and management of church finances, including financial assistance to the poor, with the bulk of entries concerning resolution of conflicts between church members and discipline of church members found guilty of offenses such as drinking, fighting, theft, slander and adultery.
Naturalization certificate of Andrew Rudman, 1701
Gloria Dei Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Naturalization records
Lutherans
Rudman, Andrew, 1668-1708
Lutheran Church
Framed parchment signed by William Penn, Governor of Pennsylvania, granting citizenship to Reverend Andreas (Andrew) Rudman in 1701. Rudman was one of the earliest pastors at Gloria Dei, and oversaw the construction of the church beginning in 1698.
Historical accounts of Swedish settlement along the Delaware River and financial records of Gloria Dei, 1653-1760
Marriage records
Burial records
Indians of North America
Sweden
Netherlands
Land Settlement
Colonies
African Americans
Church buildings
Cemeteries
Registers of births, etc.
Church fund raising
Poor
Charity
Clergy
Bound manuscript containing many accounts of Swedish settlement along the Delaware River from the early 17th century to the mid-late 18th century. These accounts come from various sources, including several ministers sent to Gloria Dei by the King or Queen of Sweden. The accounts do not appear in strict chronological order and sometimes overlap with each other, but provide a rich and detailed account of this time and place. Translations of the Swedish have been provided for the bulk of the manuscript. Meeting minutes for the general parish and church council of Gloria Dei are interspersed with these personal accounts, as well as copies of letters to and from various kings, queens, bishops and archbishops in Europe. Topics covered include: land purchases; the building and upkeep of churches, including Gloria Dei and its cemetery; the need for new ministers and the struggle to house and pay them; the establishment of standards for religious practices in the new land; listings of Swedish families, including information on births, deaths, and marriages; and ongoing relations between the Swedes and their Indian, Dutch and English neighbors, including Quakers and the leaders of Christ Church. The last third of the book consists of financial accounts kept by Gloria Dei. Sums recorded include Sunday collections, special fundraising efforts, and expenditures for church repair, ministers' travel, and support of the poor and sick in the congregation. Note: The vast majority of records in this book run to 1760, but several documents at the back of the volume date from the early 1800s.
Marriages, baptisms, and burials, 1750-1789
Baptismal records
Record of marriages, baptisms and burials performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1750 to 1789. According to the title page, this text was "transcribed from the original records." Marriages are listed first, ordered chronologically and include the name of the bride and groom, method of marriage (license or publishing), and date. An alphabetical index of names appears after page 140. The Baptisms are listed second, ordered chronologically, and include the name of child being baptized, their place and date of birth, parents' names and godparents' names. An alphabetical index of names appears after page 244. Burials are listed last, ordered chronologically, and include at minimum the name of the deceased and date of their burial, and often more information such as place of death and age at time of death. Alphabetical indexes of names appear at intervals throughout the burial listings.
Episcopalians
Episcopal Church
Record of weddings performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1799 to 1856. Entries are listed chronologically, and page numbering starts over after October 1811. Early entries span two pages and include the date of the wedding, the names of the bride and groom, and other information such as occupation, parents' names, birthplace, residence, and names of witnesses. Later entries are more abbreviated, often including only the date and names of bride and groom. Alphabetical indexes appear within the text for dates from 1799 to 1811. Indexes for other years appear at the back of the book. "Remarkable occurrences" are noted on images 175 to 190 and again on images 364 to 367, and include descriptions of couples who were refused marriage and the reasons for this refusal, including, for example, lack of necessary paperwork or witnesses, a young bride with no adult guardian present, or a very drunken bridegroom.
Record of weddings performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1793 to 1799. Entries are listed chronologically, in three different sections, 1793 to 1795, 1795-1796, and 1796-1799. There is an alphabetical index at the end of each section. Each entry includes the date of the wedding, names of bride and groom, and other information such as their ages, status as widow or widower, their place of residence, parents' names, and names of witnesses.
Record of weddings performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1791 to 1822. Entries are listed chronologically and include the date of the wedding, names of bride and groom, and their town or county of residence.
Record of funerals performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1803 to 1822. Entries are listed by year, with members, members' children, strangers, and strangers' children listed separately. Each entry contains the date of the funeral, name of the deceased, their date and cause of death, and varying amounts of biographical information, such as country of birth, family members, occupation, public reputation, medical history an cost of burial. Indexes for individual years appear periodically in the book, as well as mentions of church members who were buried elsewhere.
Baptisms recorded by Nicholas Collin, Director of the Swedish Churches in Pennsylvania, from 1804 to 1878. Each entry includes the date of baptism, name of the person baptized, his or her date of birth, parents' names, and other information such as whether the baptism was conducted in a private home, the names of known extended family members, adults' occupations and countries of birth, and concerns about the family's financial situation or behavior.
Record of funerals performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1822 to 1927. Entries are listed by year, with members, members' children, strangers, and strangers' children listed separately. Each entry contains the date of the funeral, name of the deceased, date and cause of death, and their age at time of death. Many entries also include the cost of burial and varying amounts of biographical information, such as country of birth, family members, occupation, public reputation, and medical history. Note: Blank pages were not scanned, resulting in some gaps in page numbering.
Parish missions
American Revolution (United States : 1775-1783)
Swedes
United States--Delaware River Valley
Archivum Americanum contains summaries, extracts and copies of correspondence between the archbishop and consistory of Upsal in Sweden and the missionaries sent to Swedish parishes along the Delaware river, including churches in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Entries date from 1724 through approximately 1786, but begin with a "Prefatory Note" dated 1891. Topics include but are not limited to: requests to replace pastors who have passed away, opinions on the use of English in liturgy, personal controversies, official meeting minutes, and the welfare of members during the American Revolutionary war. A register of the members of various parishes makes up the rear portion of the volume. Some pages are in Swedish.
First Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
One page, front and back, listing the dates of burials, names of those buried, causes of death, and costs of burials at First Presbyterian Church between September 1998 and May 1799.
List of persons buried at First Presbyterian Church from May 1, 1799 to May 1, 1800. Listings include the date of burial, name of deceased, relatives' names, age at time of death, and the amount paid to First Presbyterian for their burial.
List of subscribers for rebuilding the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street, v. 3, 1793-1798
List of subscribers for rebuilding the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street. This bound manuscript includes entries dating from 1793 to 1798, and begins with an alphabetical index of names. The entries which follow are listed by subscriber name, with amounts paid, and span two pages, verso and recto.
List of subscribers for rebuilding the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street, v. 2, 1793-1796
List of subscribers for rebuilding the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street. Each listing in the bound manuscript includes the name of the subscriber and amount given, and entries run from January 1793 to November 1796.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian from 1799 to 1800. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian from 1798 to 1799. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1798. For most of the book, entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1796. Entries are listed by congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian from 1794 to 1795. Entries are listed by congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1794. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian from 1791 to 1792. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1790. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1789. For most of the book, entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1787. For most of the book, entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto. The last few pages of the book contain notes written upside down, starting from the back and running backwards chronologically.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian from 1783 to 1785. For most of the book, entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto. The last few pages of the book contain notes written upside down, starting from the back and running backwards chronologically.
Alphabetical list with sundry names to be inquired about, 1894
Church membership
Bound manuscript with "alphabetical list of sundry names to be inquired about." Dates ranging from 1774 to 1803 are penciled in next to the names, which are written in ink. Also included is a letter dated November 17th, 1894 from a researcher interested in "Pennsylvania's early citizens" and listing approximately 90 names connected with First Presbyterian. Numbers penciled in next to the names refer to the page numbers of the bound manuscript on which the name can be found.
Church committees
The minutes of the meetings of "the committee for regulating pews" from 1774 to 1786 include the meeting time, place, names of committee members present and business discussed, primarily the assignment of pews and collection of pew rents. Other topics discussed include the split with "Pine Street Church" (Third Presbyterian), fees for burials, and charitable assistance to widows.
Ewing, John, 1732-1802
Miller, Samuel, 1769-1850
Religious leaders
Two handwritten copies of a letter from First Presbyterian requesting that the Reverend Doctor Samuel Miller join them as pastor, following the illness of pastor Rev. Dr. John Ewing. The Rev. Dr. Samuel Miller was a prominent Presbyterian minister, teacher and writer in the first half of the 19th century.
One page, front and back, listing the names of individuals interred in the First Presbyterian burial ground and the date and cost of their lot and burial service, from May 1, 1796 to May 1, 1797.
Proposals for First Presbyterian Church, 1793
Five letters related to the rebuilding of First Presbyterian church: William Ruddack's accounting of his fundraising for the rebuilding from 1793 to 1796; John Johnston's 1793 proposal for plastering work, 1794 letter following up and 1796 bill for services rendered; and a proposal from Lawrence Allman and Rich Guy to do brick and stone work, dated 1793.
Record of people who were unaffiliated with any parish, buried at First Presbyterian Church from May 1, 1797 to May 1, 1798. Each burial listing includes the date, names of individual buried and relatives such as parents or spouses, and amount paid to First Presbyterian Church for burial.
Vestry minutes, Christ Church and St. Peter's Church, v. 2, 1761-1784
Parish elections
Christ Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
St. Peter's Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
American Revolution (1775-1783)
Church of England
United Churches of Christ-Church and St. Peter's (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Frontier and pioneer life
Charters
Kearsley, John, 1684-1772
Vestry minutes of the United Congregations of Christ Church and St. Peter's from 1761 to 1784. Each entry records the date and place of the meeting, members present and business discussed. Regular business includes elections of church leaders and hiring and payment of church staff; fundraising and the ongoing settlement of various financial accounts; establishment and collection of pew rents; and maintenance and repair of church buildings and grounds. Other important events and topics include: The opening of St. Peter's and the establishment of the United Churches of Christ-Church and St. Peter's in 1761, with shared government and finances. Minutes include draft and final versions of the charter for the United Churches. The response of the United Churches to the 1763 "Indian invasion" of the "back provinces" of Pennsylvania and subsequent correspondence with church officials from York and Cumberland Counties on behalf of "families on the frontier." The 1763 review and approval of Reverend William Sturgeon's fulfillment of his duty as the "Catechist to the Negroe Children for the Society for Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts." The 1772 bequest from Dr. John Kearsley that funded the development of the Christ Church Hospital for poor women and widows. The American Revolution. Minutes from the Vestry meeting of July 4, 1776, when the Vestry resolved at the onset of the American Revolution: "Whereas the Honorable Continental Congress have resolved to declare the American Colonies to be free and independent States, In consequence of which it will be proper to omit those Petitions in the Liturgy wherein the King of Great Britain is prayed for, as inconsistent with the said Declaration. Therefore Resolved, that it appears to this Vestry to be necessary for the peace and well-being of the Churches to omit the said Petitions, and the Rector and Assistant Ministers of the United Churches are requested in the Name of the Vestry and their Constituents to omit such petitions as are above mentioned." (p. 338) Subsequent minutes reveal effects of the war, including the loss of pew rents after many parishioners fled the city during the British occupation, the damage to church property caused by the British army, and the departure of Reverend Coombe, who could not tolerate the conflict of serving revolutionary subjects while ordained and governed by the Church of England.
Vestry minutes, Christ Church, St. Peter's Church, and St. James' Church, v. 3, 1784-1815
United Churches of Christ-Church, St. Peter's, and St. James's (Philadelphia, Pa.)
White, William, 1748-1836
Church bells
Hospitals
Minutes of the vestry of the United Churches from 1784 to 1815; first as the United Churches of Christ-Church and St. Peter's, then as the United Churches of Christ Church, St. Peter's Church and St. James's Church. The first mention of St. James's occurs on p. 151 in the meeting minutes from March 30, 1807, in which a building committee was appointed to erect the new church. By 1810, the vestry is incorporating St. James's Church into their charter. Entries include the date and place of the meeting, members attending, and business discussed. Topics include church elections, improvements to buildings and grounds, fundraising efforts, burial requests, and the ongoing operation of Christ Church hospital. Recorded at the rear of the book are legacies, gifts, and donations made to an assortment of church related funds by various congregation members. Of note is a transcribed copy of Dr. John Kearsley's will. This volume has inserted at page 47 two additional items: a printed excerpt from the minutes of October 30, 1752 and a printed version of Bishop White's sermon delivered on June 21, 1786. Note: Blank pages were not scanned.
Record of marriages performed at Christ Church from 1837 to 1870. Entries are listed by date and include the name of the bride and groom and the name of the person who married them. A note on the inside front cover from Rector B. Dorr adds to the record five marriages from 1836 and one from 1839, which were recorded in a private record but left out of previous official registers. (This register contains records dating up to 1979, but was only scanned through 1870, per the terms of grant funding.)
Burial records kept by the sexton of Christ Church from 1772 to 1786. Burials are listed by date and include the decedent's name, age at time of death, and amount paid for burial. Names of spouses or parents are often noted, as well as cause of death.
Marriages, Christ Church and St. Peter's Church, 1763-1836
Record of marriages of the members of Christ Church and Saint Peter's Church from 1763 to 1836. Marriages are listed by date and include the name of the bride and groom and the official who married them. Marriages by license from the governor are marked with an "L" while marriages by publication in the church are marked with a "P".
Burial records for members of Christ Church from 1832 to 1870 (records from 1871 to 1978 were not scanned as part of this project). This is a record of burial services conducted rather than interments; not all of the deceased are buried in the Christ Church burial ground. Entries are listed by date and typically include the decedent's name, age at time of death, and parent's name if decedent was a child.
Burials, Christ Church and St. Peter's Church, 1763-1831
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
Rush, Benjamin, 1746-1813
Hopkinson, Francis, 1737-1791
Hewes, Joseph, 1730-1779
Ross, George, 1730-1779
Record of persons buried at Christ Church and St. Peter's, listed chronologically, sometimes with relatives and burial plot location noted as well. From 1793 to 1831, Christ Church burials are listed on the left-hand page with burials at St. Peter's churchyard listed on the right-hand page. Notable figures from history whose burials are noted include Benjamin Franklin and four other signers of the Declaration of Independence: Benjamin Rush, Francis Hopkinson, Joseph Hewes, and George Ross.
Baptisms, marriages, and burials, Christ Church, 1719-1750
Record of marriages, christenings/baptisms, and burials at Christ Church from 1719 to 1750. All events from 1719 to 1724 are recorded together by date from pages 1 to 27. There is a gap in page numbering, then all marriages from 1725 to 1750 are recorded by date from pages 34 to 73. There is another gap in page numbering, then all christenings/baptisms are recorded by date from pages 104 to 179. There is a final gap in page numbering, then all burials from 1725 to 1750 are listed by date from pages 189 to 264.
Baptisms, marriages, and burials, Christ Church, 1709-1718
Record of baptisms, marriages, and burials at Christ Church between 1709 and 1718, kept by clerk John Ashton. Pages containing baptism records are numbered pages 5 to 47; pages containing marriages are numbered pages 70 to 87; and pages containing burial records are numbered pages 123 to 158. Baptism records include the name of the person baptized, parents' names if that person is a child, age at time of baptism and date of baptism. Marriage records include the names of the bride and groom and the date of the marriage. Burial records include the name of the decedent and date of burial; often the names of parents or spouses are listed also.
Baptisms, marriages, and burials, Christ Church, 1750-1762
Record of baptisms, marriages and burials at Christ Church from 1750 to 1762. Baptisms are listed by date on pages 3 to 48 and include the name of the person baptized and names of parents if that person is a child. There is a gap in page numbering, then marriages are listed by date on pages 156 to 190 and include the names of the bride and groom and usually the church official who married them. There is a final gap in page numbering, then burials are listed by date on pages 311 to 359. The name of the decedent is often accompanied by a parent's or spouse's name.
Record of baptisms performed at Christ Church from 1829 to 1868. Baptisms are listed by date and include the name of the baptized person, parents' names, sponsor, birthdate, and officiating minister.
Baptisms, Christ Church, St. Peter's Church, and Saint James's Church, 1811-1831
Record of baptisms performed at the United Protestant Episcopal Churches of Christ Church, Saint Peter's Church and Saint James's Church, as well as private baptisms performed by the reverends of those churches, from 1811 to 1831. Baptisms are listed by date, grouped by congregation or reverend, and include the name of the person baptized, parents' names if that person was a child, and the person's birthdate.
Baptisms, Christ Church and St. Peter's Church, 1763-1810
Record of baptisms performed at Christ Church and St. Peter's from 1763 to 1810. Entries are listed by date and include the name of the person baptized, parents' names if that person is a child, and the person's birthdate. The reverend who performed the baptism is listed at the bottom of each page; notes are inserted for baptisms performed by other church officials. Private baptisms performed from 1801 to 1810 are listed in the last ten pages of the book. Please note there are some irregularities in page numbering at pages 64/65 and 345/346.
Donations to the steeple fund, 1739-1754
Spires
Record of payments made toward the construction of a steeple and purchase of bells for Christ Church, from 1739 to 1754. Some donors paid cash, other paid in materials and others paid for needed goods and services. Page numbering starts over after page 19, with a renewed effort begun in 1750 to build upon previous work.