Readington Reformed Church

Readington Reformed Church
Readington Reformed Church
	Readington Reformed Church
	40°34′5″N74°44′7″W / 40.56806°N 74.73528°W
Location	124 Readington Road; Readington, New Jersey
Denomination	Reformed Church in America
Website	www.readingtonreformed.org
History
Founded	1719
	Readington Reformed Church
	U.S. Historic district ; Contributing property
Part of	Readington Village Historic District (ID91000827)
Designated CP	June 24, 1991

Last updated September 14, 2023

The Readington Reformed Church is a historic church located at 124 Readington Road, Readington Village, an unincorporated community located within Readington Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.^[1] It was known in colonial times as the Dutch Reformed Church of North Branch.^[2] It is the oldest Dutch Reformed Church in the county. The current building was built in 1865.^[3] The churchyard is known as the Readington Reformed Church Cemetery. The church was added as a contributing property of the Readington Village Historic District by the National Register of Historic Places on June 24, 1991.^[4]

History

The first church was organized in 1719 by a local congregation of the Dutch Reformed Church. They constructed a log church located near the confluence of the North Branch and South Branch into the Raritan River, about three miles east of Readington, in what is now Branchburg in neighboring Somerset County.^[1]^[2] On February 21, 1720, Reverend Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen preached the first sermon there.^[5]

In 1738, the congregation left its original site and built its second church, a new frame building in Readington.^[1]^[2]

Frelinghuysen was pastor until 1748 and was succeeded by his son, Reverend John Frelinghuysen.^[6]

The Reverend Johannes Arondeus served as Conferentie, the pastor of the Classis ( orthodox ) Church of Amsterdam, at Readington Reformed Church from 1747 to 1754.

The Reverend Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh, later the first President of Queens College (now Rutgers University), was ordained in 1757 and served the congregation for twenty five years.^[1]^[5]

The Reverend Peter Studdiford served from 1787 until 1826.^[6] In 1825, the congregation was large enough to form a new church at North Branch village.^[7]

Two church buildings were constructed during the pastorate of Reverend John Van Liew, who served over forty years, from 1828 until his death in 1869.^[5] The first was a new church dedicated on December 22, 1833, which burned down on March 22, 1864.^[8] The second was the construction of the current building, dedicated on July 20, 1865.^[5]

The tall church steeple was blown over by a cyclone on January 3, 1913 and replaced by shorter version.^[9] After a restoration project one hundred years later, a new steeple was dedicated on October 27, 2013.^[10]

Notable burials

Peter Studdiford (1763 (1763) – November 21, 1816(1816-11-21) (aged 52–53)), pastor, Readington Reformed Church and Bedminster Reformed Church^[11]
John Van Liew ((1798-09-30)September 30, 1798 – October 18, 1869(1869-10-18) (aged 71)), pastor, Readington Reformed Church^[12]

Related Research Articles

Readington Township is a township located in the easternmost portion of Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 16,128, an increase of two people (+0.0%) from the 2010 census count of 16,126, which in turn reflected an increase of 323 (+2.0%) from the 15,803 counted in the 2000 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh</span> American politician

Jacob Rutsen Hardenbergh was an American Dutch Reformed clergyman, colonial and state legislator, and educator. Hardenbergh was a founder of Queen's College—now Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey—in 1766, and was later appointed as the college's first president.

Quakertown is an unincorporated community located within Franklin Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It was once known as Fairview. The area was settled by Quakers from Burlington County, who organized a meeting house here in 1733. The Quakertown Historic District was listed on the state and national registers of historic places in 1990.

Norton is an unincorporated community located within Union Township, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Norton is located on County Route 635, approximately 1.5 mi (2.4 km) northwest of Interstate 78. The village is included in the Van Syckel Corner District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

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Readington Village is an unincorporated community located within Readington Township in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, that is centered on the converging of Readington Road, Hillcrest Road, Centerville Road and Brookview Road. It is located on Holland Brook, originally named Amanmechunk, which means large creek in the Unami dialect. The area was inhabited by the Raritan prior to the arrival of European settlers. The Native Americans who lived near Readington Village travelled to the coast during the summer for fish and clams. Such a trip is mentioned in an Indian deed transferring lands around Holland Brook to George Willocks, an East and West New Jersey Proprietor. The deed mentions two of the natives, who lived at Readington: Metamisco and Wataminian.

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Cloverhill is an unincorporated community located at the intersection of the boundaries of East Amwell and Raritan townships in Hunterdon County and Hillsborough Township in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The Clover Hill Historic District was listed on the state and national registers of historic places in 1980.

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The North Branch Reformed Church is a historic church located on the eastern side of the North Branch of the Raritan River in North Branch, New Jersey at 203 New Jersey Route 28. It was formed by expansion from the Readington Reformed Church. The church was organized on September 10, 1825. The first church was built in 1826 and later rebuilt in 1874.

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References

1 2 3 4 "History of the Readington Reformed Church".
1 2 3 Thompson (1882), pp. 7–9.
↑ Readington Church Information Sign . Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
↑ Brecknell, Ursula C. (June 24, 1991). "NRHP Nomination: Readington Village Historic District". National Park Service.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) "Accompanying 32 photos, from 1991".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
1 2 3 4 Snell (1881), pp. 496–97.
1 2 Thompson (1882), pp. 25–27.
↑ Thompson (1882), p. 87.
↑ Thompson (1882), pp. 19–20.
↑ Readington Township Historic Preservation Commission (2008). Images of America: Readington Township. Arcadia Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-7385-5679-6.
↑ Staff (October 2, 2013). "Readington Reformed Church holds steeple restoration dedication". The Hunterdon County Democrat.
↑ Snell (1881), p. 243.
↑ Snell (1881), p. 244.

Bibliography

Snell, James P. (1881). History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey. Everts & Peck. p. 1.
Thompson, Henry P. (1882). History of the Reformed Church, at Readington, N.J. 1719–1881. Board of publication of the Reformed church in America. p. 1.
1719–1894. Historical Discourse and Addresses Delivered at the 175th Anniversary of the Reformed Church, Readington, N.J. Readington Reformed Church. October 17, 1894.

External links

Media related to Readington Reformed Church at Wikimedia Commons
Official website

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[rrc-1] 1 2 3 4 "History of the Readington Reformed Church".

[FOOTNOTEThompson1882[httpsarchiveorgdetailshistoryofreforme00thom_1pagen154_pp._7–9]-2] 1 2 3 Thompson (1882), pp. 7–9.

[3] Readington Church Information Sign . Hunterdon County Cultural & Heritage Commission.

[nrhpnom-4] Brecknell, Ursula C. (June 24, 1991). "NRHP Nomination: Readington Village Historic District". National Park Service.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) "Accompanying 32 photos, from 1991".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[FOOTNOTESnell1881[httpsbooksgooglecombooksidAdMwAQAAMAAJpgPA496_pp._496–97]-5] 1 2 3 4 Snell (1881), pp. 496–97.

[FOOTNOTEThompson1882[httpsarchiveorgdetailshistoryofreforme00thom_1page25_pp._25–27]-6] 1 2 Thompson (1882), pp. 25–27.

[FOOTNOTEThompson1882[httpsarchiveorgdetailshistoryofreforme00thom_1page87_p._87]-7] Thompson (1882), p. 87.

[FOOTNOTEThompson1882[httpsarchiveorgdetailshistoryofreforme00thom_1page19_pp._19–20]-8] Thompson (1882), pp. 19–20.

[9] Readington Township Historic Preservation Commission (2008). Images of America: Readington Township. Arcadia Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-7385-5679-6.

[10] Staff (October 2, 2013). "Readington Reformed Church holds steeple restoration dedication". The Hunterdon County Democrat.

[FOOTNOTESnell1881[httpsbooksgooglecombooksidAdMwAQAAMAAJpgPA243_p._243]-11] Snell (1881), p. 243.

[FOOTNOTESnell1881[httpsbooksgooglecombooksidAdMwAQAAMAAJpgPA244_p._244]-12] Snell (1881), p. 244.

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