Churches

Somerset County's Churches

Also See Churchscape for Somerset Co NJ

Photographs of many of the churches can be found on this web site about Dutch Reformed Churches.

As to what records …of the very old churches in Somerset County still exist--in order to put the information sought in print the former coordinator corresponded with pastors with the following result. There were, besides the 11 churches enumerated, some others existing in the 18^th century, the records of which, with some fragmentary exceptions, have disappeared. For example:

the Raritan-in-the-Hills Church, near Pluckemin (German Lutheran), organized about 1715 and suspended about 1756;

the Church on the Millstone (German Lutheran) certainly existing in 1724, though probably without a church building; certain baptisms were published in the 1903 Year Book of the Holland Society of New York City.

St. Paul’s Church, Pluckemin (German Lutheran) organized 1757 and suspended about 1809;

and a (probable) Presbyterian organization at Peapack of 1738 or earlier.

Basking Ridge
- Presbyterian Church -- organized 1717 (Whippany Presby Church was organized 1719, and they made reference in their records to BR being organized 2 years before. BR has no records of their organization date). In general: 1795-1894 – records are good. After 1895 they have excellent records – a formal register of baptisms, marriages, deaths.
  - Records: Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths and Session records from 1795; Membership – very incomplete, from 1765.-1795. from Trustee Pew Rent Records; Brief and irregular Trustees’ records from 1764-1795; John Xeoaa 1732-1741; Charles McKnight 1742-1744; Joseph Lamb 1744-1749; Samuel Kennedy, 1751-1787; Robert Finley, 1795-1817; Willliam C. Brownlee, 1818-1825; John Coe Van Dervoort 1826-1834; Oscar Harris 1838-1851; John C. Rankin, 1851-1895; Edgar C. Mason 1895-1899; John T. Reeve 1900-1912; Lauren Gates Bennett. 1913-1944; J. Merion Kadyk 1944-1951; William H. Felmeth – 1951;
    Contact Info: 1 E. Oak St, Basking Ridge 908-766-1616;
    Contact the church at: http://brpc.org/ ALL of their records have been put on a computer – FTM software. You can also call or write them and they will get back to you with the info; Church Cemetery Inscriptions – taken 1909 - Somerset County Historical Quarterly Vol 1 - 1912
Bedminster
- Bedminster Reformed Church -- Organized 1758.
  - Records: Baptisms - from 1841, Marriages - from 1841, Deaths – from 1840, Membership - from 1802, Consistorial records – from 1840; The Names of "Members of Consistory 1758-1886 were published in Thompson’s "Historical Sketch of the Bedminster Church", 1887; Rev. Charles G. Mallery.
- Pluckemin – "The Presbyterian Church of Pluckemin, 1851-1951"
  - Records. (they apparently wrote a 100 year book) formerly Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church-built 1756.
  - Cemetery – Old Pluckemin Burying Ground Inscriptions, transcribed Oct 14, 1850 – Somerset County Historical Quarterly Vol 1 - 1912
Bound Brook
- Bound Brook Presbyterian Church - [originally Dutch Reformed]; Organized between 1710-1725
  - Records: Baptisms from 1816; Marriages - from 1830; Deaths from 1830; Membership – from 1815; Session records – from 1804; Above Records at Alexander Library-Rutgers University; Rev. C.J. Culp. Rev John Boggs 1815 to April 5, 1828. A Rev. John Boggs also worked for another church and traveled to other Presbyterian and Baptist churches He was also 4th VP of the Hunterdon Cty Bible Society and pastor at Hopewell Baptist Church in 1818. Rev. K. Rodgers 1830-1874; Location & Contact: 409 Mountain Ave 732-356-3575; Churchyard Inscriptions 1736-1850 - Somerset County Historical Quarterly Vol 1 – 1912; Microfilm of Church records 1805-1903 – at Rutgers
Branchburg
- Readington – Reformed Church (was North Branch) - Organized 1719.
  - Records: Baptisms from 1720.Marriages – 1833-1853 and 1869 to date. Deaths – from 1869. Membership – from 1721.Consistorial records - from 1720, with a few breaks. (Church Officers 1719-1881 and members 1721-1880 published in Thompson’s "Readington Church History", 1882.) Baptisms from 1720-1787 have already been published in the Quarterly. Rev. Benjamin VD Wyckoff, Rev. Peter Studdiford.
    Added info: 124 Readington Rd 908-534-2077
Hillsborough
- Neshanic Reformed Church - Organized 1752.
  - Records: Baptisms – from 1762. (Baptisms from 1762 to 1878 have already been published in the Quarterly.); Marriages - from 1821, with some meager previous records; Deaths – from 1875; Membership 1752-1785 incomplete; 1821 to date; Consistorial records – 1752-1775 and 1785 to date; Rev. John Hart. Rev. Ludlow 1821-1878;
    Contact info: 715 Amwell Rd, Hillsborough (908) 369-4542; 2001 Interim Minister Ruth Robins
- South Branch - "The Reformed Church at South Branch 150 Years of Ministry 1850-2000" Copyright 2000. lists membership, baptisms, and marriages beginning 1850.
  Added info 870 River Rd, Hillsborough, (908) 369-4956
- Hillsborough Reformed Church
  1 Amwell Rd
  Hillsborough, NJ
  Phone: (908)359-3391
- Clover Hill Reformed Church
  249 Amwell Rd also listed at 890 Amwell
  Hillsborough, NJ 08844-5143
  Phone: (908)369-8451
Franklin
- Six Mile Run - Reformed Church - Organized 1710.
  - Records: Baptisms – from 1743.Marriages - from 1798.Membership – from 1796.Consistorial records – from 1796. Deaths from 1796 with numerous omissions. A few fragmentary records of 1710-13 by Domine Van Vlecq, who organized the church, were published in the March, 1912 Magazine of the Genealogical Society of PA. Rev. Eugene H. Keator, Rev. Henry DuBois Mulford, 1885. [3037 Route 27, Franklin Park 732-297-3734, border Middlesex/Somerset counties. Cemetery 1 m s of church. 6 mi sw of New Brunswick, now Franklin Park.]
- Griggstown Reformed Church – and Cemetery (1842)
  - Records: Canal Rd, Princeton, NJ 08540Edward P. Livingston 1855-1858Rev. Robert Sletta, Supply 2001Mr. David Taylor, Supply 2001. From Sharon: I believe their church records were transcribed at one point and you can find them at Rutgers (Alexander Library). The older records are in the original Dutch and in old leather books, which they keep in the vault.
Lamington
- Lamington Presbyterian Church - Organized about 1739. Early records (except of Trustees), as of most Presbyterian churches, were considered the personal property of the early pastors and have disappeared.
  - These records remain: Baptisms – from 1810; Membership – from 1795; Session records – from 1810; Trustees’ reports – from 1748; A few other records. The Contributors – 1740-1809 and Members – 1800-1890, were published in the "Manual" of the church in 1890; Contact Info: 300 Lamington Rd 908-439-2629.
Millstone
- Millstone Reformed Church - Organized 1766. (Now - Reformed Dutch Church of Hillsborough)
  - Records: Baptisms from 1767; Marriages from 1782; Membership from 1766; Consistorial records from 1716, except 1810-1814; Church Officers and Members - 1776-1866, with early Subscription Lists, etc., were published in the "Centennial Memorial", 1866. (on Somerset Web Site Source: Transcribed by Marti Vannice Wethington. January 2000.); Rev. Andrew Hansen; Edward T. Corwin 1863- at least 1883.
East Millstone
- East Millstone Reformed Dutch Church - organized 1855
Liberty Corner
- Presbyterian Church
Montgomery
- Harlingen Reformed Church - cemetery in Hillsboro, church in Montgomery; Organized 1727.
  - Records: Baptisms, Marriages, Membership and Consistorial records complete from 1727; Deaths 1727-1900; Some of the early baptisms have been published in the "New York Genealogical and Biographical Record" Volume 40; Shared ministers with Blawenburg and Griggstown when they were forming; Rev. W.P.Sahler. Rev. Jacob T. Beekman. Rev Blauvelt, Rev. Labaugh; Contact Info: ??34 Dutchtown Harlingen Rd, Belle Mead 908-359-3556; Rev. William DeYoung 2001; Cemetary Listings - Somerset County Historical Quarterly Vol 1 - 1912
Mount Bethel
- Mount Bethel Baptist Church. - Early records lost, except a few Minutes of Organization, etc. in private hands.
Oldwick
- Zion Lutheran Church, New Germantown (updated1/01)
  - Records: Book available on history of this church and includes the Lutheran churches in the Valley of the Raritan, and in particular St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Pluckemin from 1715-1900. by John C. Honeyman. Names listed, but marriages, baptisms, burials, etc are not complete; There is a small book entitled "The Faithful and the Bold" by Norman C. Wittwer, Jr. 1984, available for $10. It covers the story of the first service of the Zion Evanglical Lutheran church, Oldwick (Pluckemin); They have fische of the original records - but you have to go to the church to view them. They are not available through the LDS loan system;
    Contact Info: Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, PO Box 41, Oldwick, NJ 08858. 908-439-2040.
Raritan
- Somerville – First Reformed Church (Raritan). Organized 1699.
  - Records: Baptisms-from 1699. (Baptisms from 1699 to 1831 have already been published in the Quarterly from 1912-1919) Marriages – from 1800. Membership – from 1699. Consistorial records, minutes of organization – 1699; then from 1721 to date with various omissions. Rev. William Stockton Crammer added info.
Somerville
- United Reformed Church, 100 W Main St, Somerville, NJ; Phone: (908) 725-4545
- Fourth Reformed Church
  41 N Middaugh St
  Somerville, NJ
  Phone: (908)725-3388