The First Baptist Church of Morristown was one of the earliest Baptist Churches in America's pre-Revolutionary colonies. After meeting in the vicinity of Morristown, particularly in the home of David Goble, since 1717, area Baptists were officially organized into a church. Approximately seventeen members united to form the "Baptist Church at Morristown in the Province of New Jersey" on 11 August 1752. Later known as the Morristown Baptist Church, it was not until 14 September 1912 that the Church was officially incorporated as the First Baptist Church of Morristown under the leadership of Pastor William W. Barker.
The Church has had a history of important Pastors. As of 1754, the Church had its first full-time Pastor. John Gano was responsible for the conversion of Hezekiah Smith. Smith, Gano's first convert, joined the Church in 1756. Smith was later ordained and worked with so many churches in New England that he became known as the Baptist Apostle to New England. Gano was also a distinguished Chaplain in the Continental Army, present at many key campaigns including the crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton. After some fleeting ministries and several years without a Pastor, the Church called John Watson, who was ordained in 1766. Under his leadership, the Church moved to Morristown Proper and a new Church was built on the corner of Speedwell Avenue and Park Place.
This new Meeting House was dedicated in 1771. It was under the leadership of William Sym and William Turton in 1835 that the Church rejuvenated and expanded. After serving as a hospital and warehouse for the Continental Army from 17 April 1776 to 24 February 1778, the congregation dwindled, offering only occasional preaching services until 1835 when William Sym revived the congregation. When William Turton took over in 1839, he encouraged the growth further. The expansion led to a need for a larger meeting house which was built on the Green in 1845. As the congregation continued to grow, further space was necessary. In 1888, while Addison Parker was Pastor, a variety of factors (including the widening and realignment of Speedwell Avenue and gathering momentum by the congregation) led to the decision in 1888 to move to a new location and build a new church. In 1892, a cornerstone was laid at the corner of Washington Street and High Street. This building, dedicated in 1897 during the time Samuel Zane Batten served as Pastor, is the current home of the First Baptist Church of Morristown.
The First Baptist Church of Morristown has been involved in charitable and educational work from early in its history. As of 1842 the Church became the second in Morris County to organize a Sunday School as well as the second to organize a Christian Endeavor Society. This spirit was reinforced under Samuel Zane Batten, Pastor from 1895 to 1902. He was partially responsible for forming a small group known as the Brotherhood of the Kingdom dedicated to the growth of social responsibility among Baptists. Batten was succeeded in spirit by many of his successors such as the Oliver C. Horseman , whose tenure as Pastor was from 1934 to 1947 and Russell B. Barbour, whose tenure lasted from 1947 to 1955. Much of the material in this collection was created during his time as Pastor. Russell B. Barbour was very interested in human rights and fellowship. While he was Pastor the Church sponsored the immigration to Morristown of nine displaced persons from Europe and developed into a more interracial congregation. He was also interested in education and played a role in the establishment of Vacation Bible School in 1948. Along with Director of Christian Education John C. Wilson, he continued to be involved with the Vacation Bible School, which eventually grew into a Community wide school sponsored by all the local Churches.
The information for this history was taken from the collection itself.
The First Baptist Church of Morristown Collection of Papers spans the years 1752 to 1985 with the bulk of the material falling between 1889-1902 and 1950-1982. The collection consists of annual reports, financial and membership records, publications, speeches and material related to the Vacation Bible School as well as related associations and charitable projects. The papers primarily reflect the activities and functions of one of America's earliest Baptist Churches. The earlier bulk material (1889 to 1902) consists primarily of financial records, programs, publications and speeches while the later bulk material( 1950 to 1982) is comprised of publications, reports and documents of related associations, with some emphasis on the Vacation Bible School of the First Baptist Church of Morristown in the early 1950s.
This series consists of a Certificate of Incorporation, financial records, papers concerning fundraising efforts, annual reports, a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation, dated 14 Sept 1912, annual reports and a typescript of Baptist Churchyard buiral inscriptions.
Financial Papers, 1889, 1891. This series is comprised of material related to the building of a new Baptist Church in 1892. It includes the subscription book for the Building Fund. The book documents pledges made including the dollar amount of the pledge and the name of the person who made the pledge. The series also includes estimates submitted by Hoar and Day, Architects in reference to construction of the new Baptist Church. The estimates are for for masonary and carpentry work. Arranged chronologically.
Fundraising, 1897. This single- item series consists of a letter from the Trustees of the Morristown Baptist Church to the Members of the Congregation seeking money to pay for salaries, coal, water, insurance and repairs. Dated 19 Sept, 1897.
Membership Records, 1958, n.d. This series is comprised of material providing the names of Church members and important dates related to their membership. There are two categories in this series. The first category is the Record of Members which consists of 2 copies of an undated typed list of members received between 1752-1881 and dismissed between 1757-1905. The second category is the membership directory which is a list of active members created in 1958
Pastors Records, 1958, n.d. This series is comprised of material related to the Pastors of the First Baptist Church of Morristown, principally the series includes a list of Pastors of the Church. This item is an undated typed list of Pastors of the Church and their dates of service from 1752 to 1902. The series also includes a booklet for a dinner honoring Russell B. Barbour(Minister of the Church from 1948 to 1955) for his work in the community. It provides a brief record of his service. Dated 23 May 1955..
Programs, 1874-1952 [1899-1928]. This series is comprised of programs related to services, musical performances and events held at the First Baptist Church of Morristown. The first group anniversary programs consists of programs celebrating historical anniversaries of the First Baptist Church of Morristown such as the sesqui-centennial, the hundred and seventy-fifth and the two hundredth anniversary of the church. Arranged chronologically. The second, musical performances, consists of programs related to musical concerts and performances held at the First Baptist Church of Morristown. Arranged chronologically. And the last group, Sunday Afternoon Visits to Houses of Worship in Greater Morristown, 1976, consists of programs related to the event "Sunday Afternoon Visits to Houses of Worship in Greater Morristown", sponsored by the Morristown American Revolution Bicentennial Committee and the Clergy Council of Morristown. It is comprised of the over-all, inter-church event program in which the Baptist Church is included, as well as inserted leaflets supplying the history of the Church and explaining "Our Beliefs as Baptists". Dated 16 May 1976.
Publications, 1752-1982 [1955-1982]. This series consists of publications produced for and by the First Baptist Church of Morristown. It includes printed booklets that detail either the tenets of faith, explain the duties and proper conduct for members, church officers, deacons and trustees or utilize extracts from church records and minutes to provide history and instruction. The booklets include Church Manuals, Confessions of Faith and Covenant and Duties and Principles of Members of the Baptist Church. Arranged chronologically by title (Following date of publication). The Church also published monthly newsletters "Our Church" (1890-1892)and "Tower Topics" (1955-1982)and the weekly newsletter "The Christian Viewpointer" (1948-1950).
Annual Reports, 1950-1985 [1974-1985]. This series consists of the annual reports of the First Baptist Church of Morristown from 1950 to 1985 though there are various gaps within the earlier decades.
Sermons and Speecher, 1932, 1940, n.d. This series consists of booklets with copies of sermons given by Pastors (1932, 1940, n.d.). The Pastors represented here are Samuel Zane Batten and Oliver C. Hudson (also known as O. C. Hudson as his father Oliver C. Hudson had served as Pastor earlier.) Arranged chronologically by pastor and then chronologically by publication date (if known) within each file. The series also contains one typed copy of a speech given by Aldus H. Pierson to the Congregation in which he celebrated the 180th anniversary of the Church.
Typescript of Baptist Church Burial Inscriptions, n.d. This single item series consists of an undated typescript of the Baptist church Burial Inscriptions that were copied by Alfred Vail in 1851.
Vacation Bible School, 1950-1969, n.d. [1952-1954]. This series consists of material related to the Vacation Bible School of the First Baptist Church of Morristown. The material includes unsigned copies of correspondence; material related to the Morris County Youth Fellowship; notes on Staff Contact Information, providing their addresses and phone numbers; material on Parents' Night Programs which consists of drafts of typed lists detailing the planned events, arranged chronologically; promotional material advertising the upcoming sessions of Vacation Bible School, arranged chronologically; receipts for donation to CROP, the Christian Rural Overseas Program, featuring the drawing of a child by Gerda Engelke; and copies of reports providing a summary of registration, registration fees, denominations enrolled, staff involved and expenditures and income. The later reports in the series are from when all local churches were involved and the school was community wide. Please note that the Vacation Bible School was also known as the Vacation Church School at times.
Related Associations, 1970-1975. The series is concerned with educational and charitable organizations with which the First Baptist Church of Morristown was involved to include the Morris County Chaplaincy Council and the School of Religion at Assumption Elementary School.
Morris County Chaplaincy Council Program Descriptions, 1970, 1975. This subseries consists of 3 documents that express the purpose and organization of the Morris County Chaplaincy Council. It consists of typed drafts of its constitution and of its program description. Arranged chronologically.
School of Religion at Assumption Elementary School Programs, 1970-1971. This subseries consists of programs detailing the course offerings at the School of Religion at Assumption Elementary School, an inter-church program sponsored by the Clergy Council of Morristown. Arranged chronologically.
This material is open for research without restriction under the conditions of the North Jersey History Center archives access policy. Records may be copied for use in individual scholarly or personal research, however, as with all materials in the History Center, researchers are responsible for obtaining copyright permission to use material from the collection. Material in The First Baptist Church Collection may be photocopied, but because this material is a permanent part of the History Center's collections, researchers are advised to photocopy with care, using only the edge scanner for bound material.
The First Baptist Church of Morristown Collection was given to the North Jersey History and Genealogy Center by the Church in August of 2001. These papers were combined with holdings already present in the collections of the History Center.
The suggested citation to this collection is: The First Baptist Church of Morristown Collection. North Jersey History Center, The Morristown and Morris Township Library.
Arranged and Described by Abigail Leab Martin.